HER BRAIN
Healing | Empowerment | Recovery
Brain health | Risk reduction | Awareness | Independence | Neurological care
Women’s Educational Toolkit
A comprehensive guide co-designed with women and for women recovering from stroke.
This toolkit brings together practical information, lived experiences, resources, and evidence-based strategies to support recovery, independence, and long-term brain health.
This free web-based resource was developed by the JSS Centre
Affiliated with University Health Network/Krembil Brain Institute & University of Toronto
Access the Women’s Educational Toolkit
Welcome to our beta launch — take your time, explore freely, and know that your experience matters to us.
This toolkit was created for you with free access.
Sign up for a free account to access the full chapters and resources created for women recovering from a stroke. We gather basic information to better understand how this toolkit is being used, and we welcome your feedback to help enhance the interactive experience as you explore these resources. Our email: JS.Sonshine.Centre@uhn.ca
Coming soon as standalone flip books!
What’s Inside the Women’s Educational Toolkit
Getting Started
Start here to learn the basics about stroke, hear real stories from women with lived experience, and build a foundation for understanding stroke and its impact—especially in younger women.
THEME 1
Navigating Stroke Recovery
Practical guidance for getting the right help, asking the right questions, and navigating recovery day-to-day.
THEME 2
Mental Health
Support for the emotional side of stroke — what you might feel, what helps, and where to find support.
THEME 3
Relationships & Reproductive Health
Relationships, intimacy, and reproductive health after stroke.
THEME 4
Menopause
Understanding menopause after stroke and how hormonal changes can impact recovery and wellbeing.
THEME 5
Caring for Children
Support for parenting through recovery — from explaining stroke to kids to school and postpartum considerations.
THEME 6
Managing Finances
Navigating money and work after stroke — benefits, insurance, accommodations, and return-to-work planning.
How to Use This Toolkit
1
Stroke Survivors
Explore the toolkit at your own pace. Each section offers practical information, strategies and additional resources that can support different stages of recovery.
2
Care Partners
Use the toolkit to better understand the experiences of women recovering from stroke and support conversations about recovery, independence, and wellbeing.
3
Healthcare Professionals
Incorporate the toolkit into patient education and care planning to support more personalized, sex- and gender-informed stroke recovery.
4
Community Organizations
Use the toolkit as a resource for support groups, education programs, and community-based stroke recovery initiatives.
Coming Soon: Women’s Post-Stroke Recovery Certification
We are currently developing an educational certification program based on the Women’s Educational Toolkit. This course will include interactive learning modules designed to help participants deepen their understanding of women’s stroke recovery and brain health.
Participants will be able to work through the modules at their own pace and receive a certificate of completion.
Join the interest list to be notified when the program launches.
Why This Toolkit Matters
Co-Designed With Women
Evidence-Informed
Practical and Real-World
This toolkit was created in collaboration with women stroke survivors and their care partners, whose personal experiences inspired the topics, questions, and resources featured throughout the guide.
Clinicians and researchers at the Jay & Sari Sonshine Centre developed the toolkit, incorporating the latest research and best practices in stroke recovery and brain health.
Created for everyday life after a stroke, the toolkit offers practical tips for navigating healthcare, mental well-being, relationships, parenting, work, and financial support.