How I Rescued My Brain: a psychologist's remarkable recovery from stroke and trauma

As a forensic psychologist, David Roland often saw the toughest, most heartbreaking cases. The emotional trauma had begun to take its toll - and then the global financial crisis hit, leaving his family facing financial ruin. When he found himself in an emergency ward with little idea of how he got there, doctors wondered if he had had a nervous breakdown.

Eventually, they discovered the truth: David had suffered a stroke, which had resulted in brain injury. He faced two choices: give up or get his brain working again. Drawing on the principles of neuroplasticity, David set about re-wiring his brain. He embarked on a search that brought him into contact with doctors, neuroscientists, yoga teachers, musicians, and a Buddhist nun, and found the tools to restore his sense of self: psychotherapy, swimming, music, mindfulness, and meditation.

This is the story of David's neurological difficulties and his remarkable cognitive recovery. It is also an account of a journey to emotional health. How I Rescued My Brain is an amazing tale of one man's resilience, and his determination to overcome one of the most frightening situations imaginable - the fear that he had lost his mind and might not get it back.