Less than a year ago, Tom* felt exhausted and emotionally-erratic, had difficulty speaking, and depended on a walker to get around. Today, Tom needs no walker. He is steady – both on his feet and in his speech and social interactions. His secret? Hard work and a little help from The Center for Brain Training.
After suffering a stroke in the Spring of 2022, Tom made some progress with other treatments, but sensed he needed something different to address the emotional responses he couldn’t control, as well as his physical difficulties.
“I wasn’t fully myself. I’d go to church and forget the name of someone I knew well… I’d watch a movie and start crying uncontrollably — but I couldn’t laugh,” he said.
Tom arrived at the Center determined to do whatever it took to get better. Neurostimulation treatments with Dr. John LeMay, combined with outside physical therapy, helped Tom feel renewed.
“His progress has been tremendous, especially in balance, speech clarity and emotional regulation,” said LeMay, reflecting on his work with Tom.
“Where once there were emotional outbursts, now there’s steadiness. He’s come a long way,” LeMay said. Tom agreed.
“Before, I was tired all the time. Now I can focus better, stay engaged longer, and keep up emotionally in situations where I used to feel overwhelmed… I even stopped using the walker I came in with,” he said.
Tom’s next goal is exploring neurofeedback to help him gain greater control over the emotional circuits affected by the stroke.
“There’s still work to do,” Tom said, “but I’m hopeful. I see the progress. And I’m not giving up.”
*Tom’s name was changed to protect his privacy.
