Advertise on podcast: TBI Therapist

Some notes about the program...I will be back in a week or two with a solo series on brain injury emotions :) 

Have you been called “lazy” after your brain injury? My guest today talks about how people responded to her invisible injury. She discusses that her brain injury event occurred after an incident of domestic violence.  She discusses that there were many mental health issues intertwined in her recovery and it was further complicated by it coming from a domestic violence incident.  She discussed how memorizing her lines helped her in her recovery journey.  Something that I discuss all the time!  Mac Lawson sustained a traumatic brain injury in March of 2018 as a result of domestic violence. Her symptoms are mostly alleviated, minus some that are more long term. She pivoted after a brain injury to become a stand up comedian and her brain injury led her into comedy. Spreading awareness about TBIs is one of her life’s missions. Tips for Recovery Tip #1: Brain injury was financially difficult.  She found that she did things on her own with her self-care.  She found that limiting her light exposure was helpful. She discussed many things through trial and error! Tip #2 Try to remove people from your life that are invalidating. She discussed that she needed people around her that validated her experience.  Tip #3 She tried to be as normal as she could. She said “yes” to things that she knew would aggravate her symptoms.  We talked about the push-pull of being social and pushing yourself after a concussion vs. being social and living a “normal life”.  More from MacLawson @bigmaclawson More from Jen www.tbitherapist.com Just 2 spots left for coaching this summer! www.tbitherapist.com/workwithme @tbitherapist 

Episode #24 It's been said that life is rarely predicted. We often find ourselves in unforeseen circumstances. If you've sustained a brain injury, it can be as disorienting as it is frightening. In this podcast episode, Andrew Davie, aneurysm survivor discusses how to embrace ambiguity after brain injury and what he's learned about goals, change, and embracing duality. Andrew was in the middle of an airport gangway when he was overcome with a headache so severe that he has no recollection of anything else that happened. The doctors found a few days later, Andrew had a ruptured brain aneurysm which caused him a lengthy physical and emotional recovery. He had to do basic things like walk, talk, and relearn daily functions. Meet Andrew Andrew Davie has worked in theater, finance, and education. He taught English in Macau on a Fulbright Grant, at the university level in New York and Hong Kong, and at the middle/high school level in Virginia. Currently, he’s pursuing his Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree. He has published short stories in various places, a memoir and addendum, and crime fiction books with All Due Respect, Close to the Bone, Alien Buddha Press, and Next Chapter. He also co-hosts a music review show called Happy Hour with Heather and Guest. Take Away #1: It's ok to have new goals When you've suffered a brain injury, it's easy to get stuck on the question of "what if?" What if I could have been the person I was before? What if life could be the same as it was before? But Andrew learned that when he got to the point where he was able to start working again, he couldn't compare his goals pre-brain injury to his goals post-injury. And that's okay! In fact, it's more than okay—it's a beautiful thing. Because now Andrew can work on enjoying getting there vs. where he is heading. For him, leaning directly into ambiguity was key as well as enjoying his journey. Take Away #2: It's ok to not know what the next step may be... Andrew's story is one of uncertainty, and the importance of leaning into curiosity when the world is unpredictable. After suffering a traumatic brain injury from an aneurysm, he was left with a number of unanswered questions about his future. He shares how, after recovering from his injury, he realized that there was still a lot left for him to do in life. He says "you still have the opportunity to do something worthwhile, you just may not know what that is" he kept moving forward even though he wasn't sure of the direction. Take Away #3: Find your people After his brain injury, Andrew Davie found that the best way to cope was by getting involved in a brain injury survivor group. He found that brain injury survivor groups were really helpful. He found that injuries may be different but everyone is going through the same thing. Andrew also recommends finding a support system within your family and friends. Remembering that you may have to educate your family about your brain injury is key. I would say providers can really help with this part! More from Jen: www.tbitherapist.com--Where you can get my free email course on what people don't tell you after brain injury. Message me on instagram, yes, it's me, I'd love to "meet" you! @tbitherapist More from Andrew: His other work can be found in links on his website https://andrew-davie.com/

Erica Baggett is an energetic, hopeful, and frank survivor. She discussed her difficulty with being a young mom and having a serious TBI.  She discusses hope and her own drive to be the author of her own story. She recently ran in a whole marathon which was a big part of her healing journey. I was amazed by her presence and determination to be a beacon to other brain injury survivors. Meet Erica: On October 19, 2018,  Erica sustained a severe TBI.  She was involved in a MVA which left her unconscious and was subsequently airlifted for treatment. After being in a coma for six weeks, she beat the odds and emerged. She was told she may never take care of herself or her son on her own. She was transferred to Shepherd Center’s Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program https://www.shepherd.org/ where she had to relearn everything, including walking, talking, swallowing, and dressing. She credits the dedication of her husband and family as well as survivor groups to her recovery and healing today. Things we discussed:   The shepherd center in Atlanta and Erica’s difficulty with realizing that she had a TBI.  She discussed misunderstanding her thoughts related to brain injury and her own thoughts.  She says “You are the author of your life” you may have a messy middle, but that isn’t the whole story (that’s me paraphrasing). There was a love fest at the end! Erica told me that she runs to me, I hope that others are enjoying this content too!  Takeaways Takeaway #1 Find your passion. For Erica that was running! So many of my guests have discussed passions assisting their healing.  Takeaway #2 Don’t give up. You won’t feel this way forever, even if things are very difficult now.  Takeaway #3 Get connected with the TBI community. One of my biggest recommendations as well! Takeaway #4 Get some space from your emotions or overwhelm. For Erica that is counting down from 30 or a short walk, two great ideas! More From Erica https://www.instagram.com/erica.baggett/ More from Jen www.tbitherapist.com

In today's podcast I talk a little bit about understanding trauma, burnout, and stress after an aquired brain injury.  I talk a bit about the stress cycle.  I do a deep dive in my free email course. Check that out here:  https://view.flodesk.com/pages/606e5015d0ab2d0103020f8a Look out for a blog on my website soon on this topic with even more information www.tbitherapist.com   Tips for completing the stress cycle   Move–You may have heard that "Exercise is medicine,” and it's true. Movement is key for all humans, and helps with completing the stress response cycle. Aerobic exercise in particular is linked to improved cognition, decreases in mental illness, and improvements in concussion recovery outcomes (APA, 2020). Interestingly, it may mimic physiologically stressful situations in the brain and aid in overcoming other stressful situations. Cry--It's true! Crying or engaging in time to grieve/feel the emotion is a powerful tool. To move through an emotion, we need to see its end, as the Nagoski sisters discuss in Burnout. In EMDR we do this by noticing the thoughts, images, body sensations, and emotions that come up with a particular memory. We then follow the channels of association or go down the emotional tunnel until there is no distress in the body.   Connect: Social Interaction is also medicine, with potentially even larger implications than exercise! A meta-analysis of social relationships and mortality risk indicates that we should really think about “prescribing” more social interaction, for our clients as well as ourselves. The researchers argued that “People with stronger social relationships had a 50% increased likelihood of survival than those with weaker social relationships." They further stated that "These findings indicate that the influence of social relationships on the risk of death are comparable with well-established risk factors for mortality such as smoking and alcohol consumption and exceed the influence of other risk factors such as physical inactivity and obesity." In other words, it's not only fun to connect with your social network, it's also really important for your health. (Holt-Lunstad, J. Smith TB, Layton JB, 2010)”  

Our amazing guest Fred shares his journey of recovering from multiple concussions and other extremely difficult medical procedures.  He shares how he dove into finding things that worked for him in his recovery. Part of that journey was diving into a passion project. Fred has been a lifelong learner and found that he started getting better once he found this key.  Meet Fred:  Fred Rutman, BA, CACE, MBA, Certified Marketing Specialist, Intermittent Faster and Coach, Death and Brain Trauma SurvivorCurrently writing the medical trauma memoir "The Summer I Died Twenty Times". He was a marketer/consultant and then a college professor.  He was hospitalized numerous times and learned he was was a Type 2 diabetic.  But it was worse than that - It turns he wasn’t simply passing out - his heart was stopping. He was clinically dead dozens of times. Each time his heart stopped, he collapsed and hit his head, sustaining multiple concussions. They eventually figured out that they had repeatedly misdiagnosed me and put me on a pacemaker. Which was great. Until the infallible pacemaker failed in 2013. And 2018, with more complications in 2019 and 2020.  Things we discussed:  Fred’s story and complications with cardiac issues, diabetes, and multiple concussions.  Struggles to find support from medical doctors regarding his very unique medical situation.  Finding your passion!  If you want more information on TBI nutrition please check out this episode:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tbi-dietitian-krystal-merrells-on-nutrition-after-concussion/id1587029041?i=1000548910153 Fred’s medical miracles and journey towards recovery.  Takeaways Takeaway #1 Lifelong learning was a great tool for Fred’s recovery.  He discovered that learning about the Talmud which is a religious text was something that aided in his recovery.  He encourages survivors to find the things that will interest them such as painting, music, or literature.  Takeaway #2 Fred talked a lot about the role of nutrition. For him intermittent fasting was a big key in recovering from his concussions and brain injury.  As always, please seek medical advice before starting a new nutrition plan.  More From Fred  https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredrutman/ More from Jen www.tbitherapist.com

Episode #20: It’s me this week! I’ve received this question so many times while working with my courageous survivors, and recently a listener. Dr. Jen…why am I so angry? How do I stop feeling so pissed off!!  I talk about this and my journey to understand this complicated emotion and in the words of Berne Brown…a powerful catalyst but a life-sucking companion.   Things discussed: Berne Brown’s research and her new book Atlas of the Heart. You can find links to all her books https://brenebrown.com/ I also talked about the work of the Gottman’s specifically regarding physiology and increase heart rate. Here’s a great blog about this concept on the website https://www.gottman.com/blog/weekend-homework-assignment-physiological-self-soothing/.  My email course which discussed the nervous system and how it impacts our stress response.  One of my favorite resources for a book about anger is Andrea Brandt’s mindful anger book. Her book and website are here: https://abrandtherapy.com/ Takeaways Takeaway #1 It’s ok to be angry! But don’t stay there. Find ways to use it as a catalyst as it is a life-sucking companion.  Takeaway #2 Work through your nervous system. There are probably great physiological reasons why you are feeling anger.  Check out my free email course below, I talk about that a bunch there!  Takeaway #3 Be mindful of your physiological state. Wearable technology has come a long way! Use measures of physiology as guides to rest and take a break when you are triggered or angry.  More from Jen My email course, it’s free! https://view.flodesk.com/pages/606e5015d0ab2d0103020f8a

Announcing my new free email course! I've told myself I should really charge for it...because it took a long time. But I wanted to provide great information and have you get a sense of how I think about brain injury.    It was my attempt to consolidate some of the best nuggets of information from my work in a condensed format. It is not exhaustive, but they are short, no more than 15 min videos (I think that's the longest one!).    Here's the email course!  I look forward to your feedback.    https://view.flodesk.com/pages/606e5015d0ab2d0103020f8a

Bonus, a re-air from Hope After Head Injury! Have you wanted to learn about other therapies for concussion or acquired brain injury? This week on the podcast I talk about EMDR and we have a re-air of a podcast from Cristabelle Braden’s podcast, Hope After Head Injury. I link the original episode on her podcast here: https://hopeafterheadinjury.com/hopesurvives/ I thought you would get a ton of value from listening to her questions. You can also hear me talking about EMDR here on a therapy focused podcast: https://thingsyoulearnintherapy.buzzsprout.com/ All the trauma things last week! Finally, I co-authored a blog…I will get it up on my site when I get some help with that! Until then, check it out on Veronique's blog: https://www.weirdwonderfulbrain.com/post/emdr-processing-trauma I also provide this therapy in my clinical practice in the state of Maine. Spend a week (or a couple days) with me in beautiful Freeport, Maine and heal from the trauma of your injury. www.newlifeofmaine.com.

Episode 17! Melanie is a survivor and advocate that did not give up when she couldn’t find answers. She didn’t have doctors to let her know what she was experiencing so she took matters into her own hands.   She started fighting to find answers which led her to develop a course about concussion from a survivor perspective.   Meet Melanie:  Melanie Wienhoven sustained a concussion in 2012. She didn't recover within the "normal timeframe" that doctors communicated with her. Her concussion turned into post-concussion syndrome and doctors didn't know what to tell her but to rest even more. After a few years, she was told that her brain injury was beyond repair. Unable and unwilling to accept that reality, she then turned her passive attitude into one of active recovery. She studied cutting-edge science, patients' cases and leading scholars and she experimented on herself for years. 6 years after injury (in 2018), she made a complete recovery from post-concussion syndrome - even though she was told that there was no hope. Now, she shares all that she learned through Lifeyana, so that others 1) don't feel so alone and 2) can cure their concussions much faster (because it didn't have to take that long)   Things we discussed:  Mental health and concussion, it’s normal to have mental health symptoms!  Hope is possible and attainable. Do your own research and never keep searching for answers.  Shame and brain injury of course led us to Berne Brown!  Continue to fight for people that help you feel accepted and heard.  Takeaways   Takeaway #1 Don’t wait and see.  Melanie says she waited too long with very difficult symptoms when she could have been progressing in her recovery.    Takeaway #2 Recovery is possible! She discusses the research of Dr. McCrea who told her recently  that recovery is 100% possible. (maybe a future podcast guest!)    More From Melanie  https://www.lifeyana.com/ More from Jen www.tbitherapist.com

Episode 16! I’m very excited to introduce you to Cristabelle Braden, a fantastic advocate and champion of hope after brain injury.  She was completely vulnerable regarding her journey through difficult relationships, symptoms of brain injury, and mental health struggles.  She even sang for us with her inspiring new song.  It’s a must listen!  Meet Cristabelle:  Cristabelle Braden is an award-winning singer/songwriter, speaker, writer, podcast host, and advocate for brain injury. After suffering a traumatic brain injury, she began to write music during the recovery process. Whether speaking or singing, she brings her powerful testimony and a message of freedom, healing, and love wherever she goes. She is devoted to bringing support and education through weekly episodes of “Hope Survives® | Brain Injury Podcast” and her online support community Hope After Head Injury.  Things we discussed:   One thing that people often get wrong about brain injury is that energy levels can vary from day to day.   Survivors often don’t realize their own identity as separate from their brain injury.  “We can view ourselves as broken”  You are more than your injury, there is hope for improvement.  We talk about dysautonomia, here’s a reference for anyone wanting more information https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/6004-dysautonomia#:~:text=Dysautonomia%20refers%20to%20a%20group,your%20heartbeat%2C%20breathing%20and%20digestion. “Get a second opinion, third opinion, tenth opinion.”  Worth does not come from your brain injury.  We talk about relationships and how a brain injury can make you not trust your gut when something is off.  Cristabelle found that she was susceptible to abuse due to not trusting herself.  If you feel like something is wrong, it likely is, you may need help.  Here is information for anyone going through an abusive situation https://www.thehotline.org/. Also anyone feeling depressed or having thoughts of death there is help https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ International resources

I never knew that I’d hear couples so fiercely discuss the topic of mashed potatoes! On the podcast I have a gem for you! This candid, funny, and authentic couple shares the ups and downs of recovering after concussion.  Drew and Terry Neimann are the co-hosts of the battle within podcast. They shared insights on communication and individual stories of their own struggles. Towards the end, we had some fun discussing holiday foods and a long standing argument about the best things to eat around the holidays!  Meet Meet Drew and Terry  Terry and Drew Niemann are podcast hosts who tell  stories of healing from Post Concussion Syndrome (PCS). The podcast focuses on the journeys of concussion survivors and their families. All of this is done in an effort to help others experiencing PCS. A Battle Within is a very intentional name. For those who do not know, people who experience a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) often have a war waging internally to find themselves again- all while trying to recover.  Things we discussed:  One thing that people don’t understand about brain injury is the misconception about how to identify a brain injury.  You usually don’t know there is an injury.  Drew adds that people don’t really understand the impact on the partner’s lives.  We discuss their story about starting the podcast.  This was largely Drew’s drive to find out answers for Terry’s injury and how she could heal.  Terry shared how she did not want to do the podcast initially.  Drew made a deal with Terry that if it helped NO ONE, they would hang it up….158 episodes later, they are still here!  Terry came to the realization during her recovery that she could not be a teacher anymore.  Six months into the journey someone told them that they changed their lives.  Drew kept Terry motivated and took the brunt of the work of the podcast.  Terry talks about a live podcast episode where she got to experience an audience and notice that everyone learned something differently.  Drew talks about the burden of the caregiver after a brain injury.   He also talks about how they were caregivers to someone who was diasabled from a brain injury.  To manage his frustrations, he took up jujitsu. He said that he got through it because of Terry. They communicated “like hell” to get through it as a couple.  Terry says that she has less of a filter after her injury, but she is careful to be kind and work on their relationship.