We are the key to our own recoveries!
Alison Bonds Shapiro
In 2002, at the age of 55, Alison Bonds Shapiro suffered 2 devastating and nearly fatal brain stem strokes, 24 hours apart. In the course of her remarkable recovery, Alison discovered what she did could and would have a profound impact on the course of that recovery. She came to understand this simple truth: It’s not what happens to us that makes the difference. It’s how we deal with what happens to us that will determine the rest of our lives.
Alison is passionate about sharing what she knows and continues to learn. As she says, “There are things that we can learn that will support and empower recovery and help us rebuild our lives. We are the key to our own recoveries.” An eloquent speaker and gifted storyteller, Alison has been inspiring hope and teaching recovery skills since 2005. She is a mindfulness teacher, a business consultant, a coach, and a published artist, author and video producer.
She has taught and coached thousands of stroke survivors, their loved ones and care-providers. In 2009 she co-produced the DVD What Now? Sharing Brain Recovery Lessons. This video is used across the world to help survivors and family members reframe their ideas of recovery, build hope and begin to understand what may be possible for them.
Alison’s published art and illustration includes: Just for Today, The Adventures of Tigy and Elly, and the phoenix image for Mind Matters Research. Her published writing includes Healing into Possibility: The Transformational Lessons of a Stroke, various articles and blogs.
Alison is trained as a teacher of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and a graduate of the Metta Institute End of Life Practitioner Program. Alison earned a Masters in Business Administration in 1991 and in 2011 was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from Saybrook University for her work with individuals and organizations.
Focus Areas
- Mindfulness
- Self Management
- Inspirational Speaking
- Teaching
- Recovery Coaching