Illuminated Stories After Stroke Workshop
A seven-week journey for stroke survivors to honor moments of purpose, connection, and hope that light their way forward.
Overview
The Illuminated Stories After Stroke workshop is a structured seven-week program where stroke survivors gather to reflect, reframe, and reclaim their post-stroke story, shifting from "what happened to me" toward "who I am becoming now." Over seven weeks, Storytellers surface the inspirational moments when everything changed and craft them into a first-person, seven-minute story built from real scenes and real moments. Each week builds on the last: naming the dark, honoring the spark, living in the light, and finally, carrying that story live to an audience of survivors, families, friends, healthcare professionals, and their local community. All are welcome.
Participants consistently describe the storycrafting and sharing process as deeply healing. And while every story is unique, the reminder that none of us is on this journey alone belongs to everyone in the room.
In 2026, Illuminated Stories After Stroke lands in Portland, Santa Clara, and Chicago.
Themes by Week
Week 1: Look for the Light
Surface the spark moments that still carry wisdom, purpose, connection, hope. Find what you most need to tell.
Week 2: Find the Shape
Give your story a skeleton: the dark, the spark, the light.
Week 3: Spotlight the Spark
Identify and deepen the turning point — the exact moment everything changed.
Week 4: Living in the Light
Show your illuminated self. How you are living with the spark now. Who you are now. Your last line.
Week 5: Where it Begins
Craft the opening scene — drop the audience into a specific moment, not a summary.
Week 6: Your Voice
Practice delivery: presence, pacing, and what it feels like to be truly heard.
Week 7: Carry the Light
The full story, told with intention and the meaning of sharing it with an audience.
What Our Storytellers Say About the Illuminated Workshop
"All of it benefits us on so many levels, and we haven't even begun to talk about the audience yet. You've put an amazing group of us together with such diverse backgrounds, modeling such positivity and acceptance."
— Roger
"I have a superpower and I know that now. I will use it to help others like you... I want to share and support and give love to others."
— Mike
"Life comes at you and it can break you into pieces. But you can pick up those pieces and decide how you want to put them back together and move forward."
— Amy
About our Team
Michael Shutt
We are grateful for Michael Shutt’s guidance as a workshop facilitator. Three-time stroke survivor Michael, has felt the shift that happens when you find your personal story and offer it on stage in front of a live audience. A professional actor, playwright, and storyteller, he's turned his own short stories into a solo show called A Lesson in Swimming (Every Stroke is Different). Michael crafted and shared a new story with Beyond Stillness and went on to co-create the Illuminated Storyteller workshop curriculum. He brings years of storytelling and facilitation experience to every session, with a gift for seeing the best in storytellers and helping them find the heart of their story.
Tania Saiz
We are grateful for Tania' Saiz’ guidance as a workshop facilitator. Tania also knows firsthand the courage it takes to stand in front of a live audience and share something personal. She’s done it herself. A seasoned live storyteller who has shared her story at a Moth community event, Tania serves as a mindset facilitator for Love Your Brain and Story Steward with Beyond Stillness. A stroke survivor, advocate, and experienced facilitator, she brings warmth, lived experience, and a deep commitment to authentic connection to every workshop session. She has a gift for creating space where storytellers feel seen, supported, and ready to shine.
Molly Buccola
We are grateful for Molly's guidance as a workshop facilitator. A stroke survivor herself and founder of Beyond Stillness, Molly's passion for storycrafting is both personal and deeply practiced. As a Director of Campus Ministry in a Benedictine school community, she accompanied over 700 individuals across 16 years through a personalized storycrafting process, helping each person shape and deliver their story live to a 400-person audience. Now she's creating dedicated space for stroke and TBI survivors — the natural next chapter of her life's work. In Beyond Stillness gatherings, participants are truly seen, heard, and empowered on their journey.
Timothey Sullivan
We are grateful for Timothey Sullivan’s guidance as a guest speaker. Tim offers practical tools to support our Illuminated Storytellers, more than half of whom live with aphasia. A stroke survivor living with aphasia himself, Tim is a co-facilitator of the storytelling group at Boston University's Aphasia Resource Center. He's dedicated to the work of the Brain Injury Association of America and brings a career spanning non-profit producing, commercial theater, and academic institutions to his current role as Director of Production and Lecturer at Harvard. Tim's experience, skills, and passion are a welcome addition to our team!