Mind-Body Approaches for Depression and Anxiety in Stroke Rehabilitation
IIn recognition of World Physiotherapy Day 2026 and the theme of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke, the IOPTMH is hosting a free webinar exploring the mental health dimensions of stroke recovery.
Depression and anxiety are among the most common — and most under-addressed — consequences of stroke, and mind-body approaches offer physiotherapists practical, evidence-informed tools to support the whole person throughout rehabilitation. This session brings together three presenters whose combined clinical and research expertise spans tai chi, yoga, and relaxation therapy, providing both the evidence base and the practical application physiotherapists need to integrate these approaches into stroke care.
IOPTMH Webinar: Free and Open to All
Moving Toward Recovery: Mind-Body Approaches for Depression and Anxiety in Stroke Rehabilitation
September 23, 2026 | 9:00 – 11:30 AM ET
This webinar is free to attend.
Time zones;
Pacific (PT) | 6:00 – 8:30 |
Mountain (MT) | 7:00 – 9:30 |
Central (CT) | 8:00 – 10:30 |
Eastern (ET) | 9:00 – 11:30 |
UTC | 13:00 – 15:30 |
Central Europe (CEST) | 15:00 – 17:30 |
Hong Kong (HKT) | 21:00 – 23:30 |
Speakers
Dr. Anthony Wai-leung Kwok, PhD, RPT
Tai Chi for Helping Depression and Anxiety in Stroke Patients
Dr. Kwok is a Registered Physiotherapist in Hong Kong with clinical experience spanning community medicine, geriatric medicine, public health, occupational health, and bone health. For nearly ten years he has taught Chinese Therapeutics, including Tai Chi and acupuncture, as an Associate Professor in an undergraduate physiotherapy programme, and his research addresses Tai Chi's role in fall prevention, stress and mental health, and balance and mobility. He has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed journal articles, 11 book chapters in rehabilitation and stroke care, and over 90 conference presentations, and currently chairs the Mental Health Special Interest Group of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association, where he also serves on the Executive Committee, and represents Hong Kong within IOPTMH. His session will cover how Tai Chi can reduce depression and anxiety after stroke while improving patients' confidence, balance, and mobility.
Arlene A. Schmid, PhD, OTR, FAOTA
Yoga as Whole Person Care to Support Recovery After Stroke
Dr. Schmid is Department Head and Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Colorado State University, with nearly 30 years of clinical experience as an occupational therapist and more than 20 years as a rehabilitation researcher. She was among the first researchers to study yoga as a rehabilitation intervention for people with disabilities and remains a leading voice in this area, with a research program focused on participation, function, balance, mobility, and quality of life for people with neurological and chronic health conditions. She has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed publications and secured funding from the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the American Occupational Therapy Foundation. Her session will address yoga as a whole-body approach to recovery after stroke.
Pia Rings, M.Sc.
Relaxation After Stroke: Patients' Perspectives and Clinical Implications
Pia Rings is a physical therapist, research assistant in the Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Therapeutic Science at Bochum University of Applied Sciences (Germany), and a PhD student in the Department of Rehabilitation Science at KU Leuven (Belgium). Her clinical and research background in mental health care centers on the mind-body connection, and her PhD investigates the therapeutic potential of relaxation therapy for spastic movement disorders in neurological conditions, using a mixed-method approach combining literature review, patient interviews, and quantitative outcome measurement. Her session will bring patients' own perspectives on relaxation therapy into conversation with its clinical implications for stroke care.
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