Matilde is a Speech and Language Therapist by background graduated with a BSc from the the University of Genoa, Italy, in 2015 before completing a MSc in Speech Difficulties at the University of Sheffield in 2017. Matilde worked for 18 months as a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant in the Acute and Rehabilitation Stroke Units at the Royal Derby Hospital. Working with people with aphasia from the early days until 3-4 months post-stroke raised Matilde' s awareness of the significant impact of stroke and aphasia on individuals’ engagement in daily activities and mood.
Matilde’ s research interest is about promoting wellbeing of people living with acquired communication disorders. Matilde’ s PhD study is funded by the Stroke Association and it is a complementary project of HEADS: UP. HEADS: UP, Helping Ease Anxiety and Depression following Stroke, is an ongoing research project at GCU let by Prof Maggie Lawrence and aimed to devise an adapted Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction intervention for stroke survivors and their family members. Matilde’ s PhD is about co-developing a further adaptation of HEADS: UP to make it accessible for individuals with aphasia. Matilde works under the supervision of Prof Maggie Lawrence, Prof Madeleine Grealy, Prof Anja Lowit and Ms Gill Pearl. With her PhD study Matilde aims to make an original contribution by directly involving people with experience of aphasia in the development of an aphasia-friendly stroke-adapted Mindfulness-based course.