Making Headway: Recent Episodes

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Intro

Have you ever thought about how the doctors know what treatments to use to diagnose and treat your brain aneurysm? Research obviously creates this but where does the money come from? A major source of funding comes through public policy and the federal government. The Bee Foundation has a strong presence on Capitol Hill through their work with Arnold and Porter. They are currently working on getting Ellie’s Law passed which would be a bipartisan effort earmarking $50 million dollars to go towards research. This funding could prevent others from having a rupture and lead to new treatments and rehab options. Learn how to support passage of this bill here.

Summary

In this episode of the Making Headway podcast, Alison speaks with Christine Kondra, Taylor Cazeault, and Michaela Stogsdill from the Bee Foundation about the critical issues surrounding brain aneurysms. They discuss the foundation's mission, the importance of advocacy and research funding, particularly through Ellie's Law, and the economic implications of brain aneurysms. Personal stories highlight the devastating impact of these conditions, while the conversation emphasizes the need for increased awareness, education, and community engagement to prevent future tragedies. The episode concludes with information on how listeners can get involved through political advocacy and upcoming events for Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month.

Keywords

The Bee Foundation, brain aneurysms, advocacy, Ellie's Law, research funding, awareness, healthcare, economic impact, personal stories, community engagement

Takeaways

· The Bee Foundation was started to honor those lost to brain aneurysms.

· Ellie's Law aims to increase federal research funding for brain aneurysms.

· Brain aneurysms affect 1 in 50 people, with a high fatality rate.

· Advocacy is crucial for raising awareness and funding for research.

· Personal stories of survivors highlight the urgent need for change.

· Economic costs of brain aneurysms are significant and preventable.

· Education for first responders is essential to improve outcomes.

· Bipartisan support is growing for brain health initiatives.

· Community engagement is vital for advocacy efforts.

· Upcoming events provide opportunities for public involvement.

Sound Bites

"This is going to be the last."

"We really wanted to focus on hope, prevention."

"Brain aneurysms are really prevalent."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Bee Foundation

02:59 The Impact of Brain Aneurysms

06:11 Advocacy and Legislative Efforts

09:01 Ellie's Law and Research Funding

11:49 Economic Implications of Brain Aneurysms

15:00 Personal Stories and Experiences

18:00 The Importance of Awareness and Education

21:01 Bipartisan Support for Brain Health

24:09 Engaging the Community

26:54 Best Practices for Emergency Response

29:46 How to Get Involved

33:03 Upcoming Events and Initiatives

Reach out to

The Bee Foundation Website

Send a letter to your representatives seeking support or giving thanks using The Bee Foundation’s Toolkit

The Bee Foundation on IG @thebeefoundation

Christine’s email: christine@thebeefoundation.org

Taylor’s email: taylor.cazeault@arnoldporter.com

Mikayla’s email: mickayla.stogsdill@arnoldporter.com

Eryn on IG @eryn_makingheadwaypodcast

Alison on IG @alison_maknigheadwayodcast

MHP on IG @makingheadwaypodcast

Go to our website www.makingheadwaypodcast.com for full show notes and resources

Support us at

Patreon

Donate section on our website.

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Intro

So you had the big bad thing happen... and now you have a brain injury. You’re in every form of rehab doing the work to build yourself. An often overlooked part of brain injury recovery is finding others who have been there. Connecting with those who have lived experience helps lessen the feelings of isolation that come when your brain is no longer your buddy. In this episode Maddi Niebanck and Tawnie Romero-Golic discuss the power connection has had in their recoveries. We all challenge you to reach out and find a brain injury buddy(ies). It could be the thing that makes the most difference in your mental health post injury!

Summary

Maddi and Tawny share their experiences as stroke survivors and advocates in the brain injury community. Maddi discusses her journey with an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) and the decision to undergo brain surgery. She shares the challenges she faced during her recovery, including paralysis and the need for extensive rehabilitation. Tawny emphasizes the importance of putting in the work and the power of community in the healing process. Both Maddi and Tawnie highlight the role of their Instagram Live show in connecting with other survivors and offering support and hope. Tawnie and Maddi discuss their motivations for advocacy and raising awareness about brain injuries. They emphasize the importance of connecting with others who have had similar experiences and the power of sharing stories. They also highlight the role of organizations like TAAF in providing resources and support. The conversation explores the transformative nature of advocacy and the need for community in the recovery process. Tawnie and Maddi provide their contact information for those seeking support and connection.

Keywords

stroke, brain injury, arteriovenous malformation, brain surgery, rehabilitation, paralysis, community, support, hope, advocacy, awareness, brain injury, community, support, resources

Takeaways

· The importance of seeking connection and learning from others who have had similar experiences

· The power of putting in the work and being proactive in one's recovery

· The role of community in providing support and hope

· The challenges and triumphs of navigating life after a stroke

· Advocacy is driven by the desire to prevent others from experiencing the same challenges and misdiagnoses

· Connecting with others who have had similar experiences can provide support and help in finding the right words to describe one's own journey

· Working with organizations like TAF can offer additional resources and support for brain injury survivors

· Sharing stories and experiences helps to combat the isolation and loneliness often associated with brain injuries

· Building a community of support and connection is crucial in the recovery process

Sound Bites

"I had an AVM rupture... I was very much against that."

"I'm not just gonna wake up one day and be better, which is what I was thinking. Like I am gonna have to put in the work."

"It was like seeking connection and learning from others who have had something similar go on."

"I want to raise awareness because I don't want anyone else to go misdiagnosed"

"We're not alone. That's the big learning, I think, from all of this”

"We're stronger together"

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

05:14 Journey with Arteriovenous Malformation and Brain Surgery

11:28 Putting in the Work: The Power of Rehabilitation

15:37 Building Community: Connecting with Other Survivors

17:08 Navigating Life After a Stroke

17:10 The Motivation for Advocacy and Raising Awareness

18:37 The Power of Connecting with Others

19:56 The Role of Organizations in Providing Support

23:02 Sharing Stories to Combat Isolation

25:28 Building a Community of Support and Connection

Reach out to

Maddi on IG @maddistrokeofluck

Maddi’s email: Maddi@maddistrokeofluck.com

Tawnie’s website: http://tawnietheneuromermaid.com/

Tawnie on IG @tawniethenueromermaid

Eryn on IG @eryn_makingheadwaypodcast

Alison on IG @alison_maknigheadwayodcast

MHP on IG @makingheadwaypodcast

Go to our website www.makingheadwaypodcast.com for full show notes and resources

Support us at

Patreon

Donate section on our website.

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The third in our brain aneurysm awareness month series does not disappoint! Gia Patel a teenage survivor of a brain aneurysm rupture comes on to talk about her experience and how she transformed it into an educational campaign supporting accurate diagnosis of childhood aneurysms. She also gives advice on storytelling, highlighting its importance for your recovery. Make sure to give this episode a listen and watch her documentary at Beyond a Headache Documentary.

Summary

Gia Patel, a brain aneurysm survivor, shares her story of experiencing a brain aneurysm rupture at the age of 14. Initially misdiagnosed as a migraine, Gia's symptoms included a thunderclap headache, neck numbness, sensitivity to light and sound, and vomiting. After multiple hospital visits and tests, including a CT scan and lumbar puncture, the brain bleed was finally confirmed. Gia underwent coiling surgery, but 30% of the aneurysm remained. She then had clipping surgery at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, which successfully resolved the issue. Gia also discusses the memory loss and cognitive issues she experienced after the surgery, as well as ongoing headaches and the challenges of finding effective medications. Gia Patel shares her experience with brain aneurysm and the challenges she faced as a teenager. She discusses the difficulties of managing medications and balancing a social life while dealing with the effects of her condition. Gia also talks about the naming of her dog Ellie and the coincidental connection to Ellie's Law, a law advocating for brain aneurysm research funding. She highlights the importance of storytelling and community in raising awareness and supporting survivors. Gia also mentions her documentary, Beyond a Headache, which aims to educate and spread awareness about brain aneurysms.

Keywords

brain aneurysm, rupture, misdiagnosis, migraine, thunderclap headache, sensitivity to light and sound, vomiting, CT scan, lumbar puncture, coiling surgery, clipping surgery, memory loss, cognitive issues, headaches, medications, brain aneurysm, teenager, medications, social life, Ellie's Law, storytelling, community, documentary, Beyond a Headache

Takeaways

· Brain aneurysm ruptures can be misdiagnosed as migraines, so it's important to advocate for further testing if symptoms persist.

· Symptoms of a brain aneurysm rupture can include a thunderclap headache, neck numbness, sensitivity to light and sound, and vomiting.

· Treatment options for brain aneurysms include coiling and clipping surgeries, but the choice depends on the size and location of the aneurysm.

· After brain surgery and aneurysm ruptures, patients may experience memory loss, cognitive issues, and ongoing headaches.

· Finding effective medications for post-surgery symptoms can be challenging and may require experimentation.

· Managing medications and balancing a social life can be challenging for teenagers with brain aneurysms.

· Storytelling is a powerful tool for raising awareness and connecting with others who have similar experiences.

· Community support is crucial for brain aneurysm survivors to feel validated and understood.

· Gia Patel's documentary, Beyond a Headache, educates and spreads awareness about brain aneurysms.

· Early detection and treatment of brain aneurysms can prevent life-threatening complications.

Sound Bites

"I experienced the absolute worst headache of my life"

"We think it's a migraine. Migraines typically last 72 hours at most."

"We think it's an incidental finding."

"And then before you know it you're on like 10 different pills and you're like what am I doing?"

"She pulled the mom card as she should."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:32 Gia's Story and Documentary

08:07 Treatment Options and Challenges

15:06 Inadequate Diagnosis and Second Opinion

21:48 Post-Surgery Recovery and Challenges

25:44 Memory Loss and Cognitive Issues

28:26 Ongoing Headaches and Medication

29:00 Challenges of Medications and Social Life

35:03 The Naming of Ellie and Ellie's Law

40:48 Highlighting the Overlooked in Children

45:05 Prevention and Awareness

48:10 The Power of Storytelling and Community

52:44 Gia's Documentary: Beyond a Headache

Reach out to:

Maine Brain Aneurysm Awareness for support groups

Beyond a Headache Documentary

Gia on IG @beyondaheadache

Eryn on IG @eryn_makingheadwaypodcast

Alison on IG @alison_maknigheadwayodcast

MHP on IG @makingheadwaypodcast

Go to our website www.makingheadwaypodcast.com for full show notes and resources

Support us at:

Patreon

Donate section on our website.

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Summary

In this conversation, Tawnie, an aneurysm survivor, shares her experience of misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. She discusses the symptoms she experienced leading up to her aneurysm rupture and the challenges she faced in getting proper medical attention. Tawnie emphasizes the importance of advocating for oneself and the need for better awareness and understanding of aneurysms. The conversation also touches on topics such as the impact of aneurysms on mental health, THC use, and medication management. Tawnie the Neuro Mermaid shares her experience of having a second brain surgery and how it differed from the first. She discusses advocating for her own treatment and choosing the same neurosurgeon for the second surgery. Tawnie also talks about the anxiety and emotional toll of going through multiple surgeries and the importance of self-care and listening to her body. She explains the concept of being a neuro mermaid and how it represents her neurodivergent identity. Tawnie emphasizes the need to rest and prioritize self-care in the recovery process. In this conversation, Tawnie the Neuro Mermaid and Eryn discuss the importance of self-care and managing symptoms after a brain injury. They talk about the need to prioritize rest, set boundaries, and listen to your body. They also touch on the use of THC for pain management and anxiety, emphasizing the importance of individualized approaches to treatment. Overall, the conversation highlights the challenges and triumphs of navigating life after a brain injury and the importance of finding what works best for each individual.

Keywords

aneurysm, misdiagnosis, delayed treatment, symptoms, medical attention, advocacy, awareness, mental health, THC use, medication management, brain surgery, advocacy, anxiety, emotional toll, self-care, neurodivergent, rest, brain injury, self-care, rest, boundaries, THC, pain management, anxiety, individualized treatment

Takeaways

Misdiagnosis and delayed treatment are common challenges for aneurysm survivors, highlighting the need for better awareness and understanding of aneurysms.

Advocating for oneself is crucial in getting proper medical attention and treatment.

Aneurysms can have a significant impact on mental health, and it is important to address emotional and psychological well-being during the recovery process.

The use of THC and medication management are topics that can be explored in relation to aneurysm recovery and symptom management. Advocating for your own treatment and choosing the right healthcare provider is crucial in the recovery process.

Going through multiple brain surgeries can cause anxiety and emotional stress, but it's important to prioritize self-care and listen to your body.

Being neurodivergent and having a brain injury can heighten emotions and anxiety.

Resting and taking care of yourself is essential for recovery, even if it means adjusting your daily routine and expectations. Prioritize rest and self-care to manage symptoms after a brain injury.

Set boundaries and listen to your body's needs.

Explore different treatment options, such as THC, for pain management and anxiety.

Find what works best for you and don't be afraid to advocate for your own health.

Sound Bites

"I was telling people that I felt like I was dying and something wasn't right. And people weren't listening to me."

"Women have such a high threshold, you know, we're built to have children. So yeah, it's supposed to be the worst pain ever, but I think in aneurysm might be worse."

"I was like, I'm in excruciating pain, yet no one can help me. And then when you're like, I mean, at one point, I begged them to put the shunt in."

"You have a higher purpose. Yeah, someone wants to hear."

"We're not messing around with this like half-done stuff like you're putting the stent in or you're putting a clip in like we're not dilly-dallying anymore"

"The only other time it was really off like this was after my brain aneurysm ruptured and after the brain surgery"

"I sometimes write it out. Like I'm like, you fed the dog and the cat and this and that. And so like sometimes actually writing everything I did."

"I find that, like you said, your eye crossing, like your body's gonna give you symptoms. So if you're noticing like a lot of your stroke symptoms are suddenly all back and you were fine the day before, you maybe need to reevaluate what's on your calendar. Are you doing too much? Is it time to slow down?"

"I now look at like, with the spoons, how many tasks did I actually do? Like, okay, well, it makes sense why you need a rest."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:45 Tawnie's Aneurysm Rupture and Misdiagnosis

06:17 The Challenges of Advocating for Proper Medical Attention

09:30 The Impact of Aneurysms on Mental Health

13:33 Exploring THC Use and Medication Management

16:25 The Long-Term Effects and Recovery Journey

18:59 Advocating for Your Treatment and Choosing the Right Healthcare Provider

25:13 Managing Anxiety and Emotional Stress in Multiple Brain Surgeries

32:46 The Neuro Mermaid: Embracing a Neurodivergent Identity

35:50 Prioritizing Rest and Self-Care in the Recovery Process

39:51 Prioritizing Self-Care and Rest

43:20 Exploring Alternative Treatment Options

49:04 The Benefits of THC for Pain Management and Anxiety

53:15 Finding What Works Best for You

Reach out to:

Tawnie’s website: http://tawnietheneuromermaid.com/

Tawnie on IG @tawniethenueromermaid

Eryn on IG @eryn_makingheadwaypodcast

Alison on IG @alison_maknigheadwayodcast

MHP on IG@makingheadwaypodcast

Go to our website www.makingheadwaypodcast.com for full show notes and resources

Support us at:

Patreon

Donate

section on our website.

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Welcome to brain aneurysm awareness month! For the month of September, Making Headway Podcast and the The Bee Foundation have partnered to provide a month of episodes exploring resources for brain aneurysm survivors and caregivers. We will also be featuring more great survivor stories and advice. Today’s episode speaks with Erin Kreszel and Christine Kondra who have dedicated themselves to raising awareness, support, education, advocacy and policymaking after losing a family member to a ruptured brain aneurysm. They also have rock star support groups free for caregivers and survivors. Be sure to check out this episode and their website www.thebeefoundation.org.

Summary

Erin Kreszel and Christine Kondra from the Bee Foundation discuss their work in aneurysm awareness, advocacy, research, and policy making. They share their personal experiences and the motivation behind starting the foundation. They explain the different treatment options for brain aneurysms, such as clipping and coiling, and the importance of early detection and prevention. They emphasize the need for education and awareness, as well as the role of support groups for survivors and caregivers. The Bee Foundation also advocates for more research funding and policy changes to improve aneurysm care.

Keywords

aneurysm, awareness, advocacy, research, prevention, treatment options, support groups, education, early detection, prevention, funding, policy changes

Takeaways

· The Bee Foundation focuses on aneurysm awareness, advocacy, research, and policy making.

· Early detection and prevention are crucial in preventing aneurysm ruptures.

· Treatment options for brain aneurysms include clipping and coiling.

· Advocacy efforts are needed to improve education, support, and access to care for aneurysm patients and their families.

· Support groups play a vital role in providing community and resources for survivors and caregivers.

· More research funding and policy changes are needed to advance aneurysm care and prevention.

Sound Bites

"We didn't want another family to go through what we went through with this experience and started the Bee Foundation with the sole focus of preventing aneurysms prior to rupture."

"What should we be asking for in terms of prevention? And then what is it that they do? Like we hear these terms coil, we hear snipping, we hear, you know, clipping."

"Advocate for yourself because there is evidence out there that it's genetic and right now the insurance says two or more people and you can get an MRA to look for an aneurysm but we know if you have one person in your family you should be advocating to get an MRA, there's no reason to wait for two."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background of the Bee Foundation

03:11 Preventing Aneurysms Prior to Rupture

07:50 Understanding Treatment Options: Clipping and Coiling

13:19 Advocating for Education, Support, and Access to Care

19:04 The Power of Support Groups for Survivors and Caregivers

26:38 The Need for More Research Funding and Policy Changes

Reach out to:

www.thebeefoundation.org for support groups

https://www.thebeefoundation.org/advocacy-toolkit/: Ellie’s law advocacy

The Bee Foundation on IG: @thebeefoundation

Eryn on IG @eryn_makingheadwaypodcast

Alison on IG @alison_maknigheadwayodcast

MHP on IG@makingheadwaypodcast

Go to our website www.makingheadwaypodcast.com for full show notes and resources

Support us at:

Patreon

Donate section on our website.

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Introduction

This is the episode we have been searching for! We highly recommend it for anyone struggling to get the recovery results they hope for post brain injury. In today’s episode, Aaron Cloutier, Doctor of Chiropractics and Anna Blash an Upledger trained craniosacral therapist, massage therapist, and somatoemotional release expert guide us on alternative treatments that actually work! The two of them specialize in assisting brain injured folks in their healing. This is a content heavy episode, but offers a wealth of knowledge and education that will help you recover. It is worth the listen, even if it takes you a few sessions to get through the whole thing. Take notes and reach out to them for more information.

Summary

In this episode, Aaron Cloutier and Anna Blash, a brain injury power couple

specializing in brain management and craniosacral therapy, discuss the anatomy

and physiology of concussions, the role of supplementation in the healing

process, and the intricacies of craniosacral therapy. They highlight the

importance of understanding the spinal dynamics and cranial vault in relation

to concussions and how chiropractic and craniosacral therapy can be

complementary treatments. The conversation touches on supplementation, the need

for individualized dosing, and the importance of consulting with healthcare

professionals when incorporating supplements into a treatment plan. They also

touch on the importance of rest and the integration of body, mind, and spirit

in the healing process. Anna shares case studies that highlight the power of

somatoemotional release in craniosacral therapy. They emphasize the individual

nature of healing and the need for a holistic approach that addresses the

physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of recovery.

Keywords

concussion management, craniosacral therapy, anatomy, physiology, supplementation, spinal dynamics, cranial vault, chiropractic, craniosacral therapist, magnesium, fish oil, inflammation, dosing, healthcare professionals, healing, traumatic brain injury, rest, integration, somatoemotional release

Takeaways

Understanding the anatomy and physiology of concussions is crucial in developing effective treatment protocols.

Chiropractic and craniosacral therapy can be complementary treatments for concussions and all brain injury types, addressing both spinal dynamics and cranial vault issues.

Magnesium supplementation is important for brain health and energy production, and

magnesium glycinate is a well-absorbed form to consider.

Fish oil, particularly DHA, is neuroprotective and supports brain health, but it's

important to choose a high-quality brand that is third-party tested.

Supplementation should be individualized and discussed with healthcare professionals,

especially when taking other medications.

Craniosacral therapy is a light touch whole body treatment technique that supports and

nourishes the central nervous system, reducing pain, stress, and enhancing health and wellbeing.

Somatoemotional release is a component of craniosacral therapy that focuses on releasing emotional energy stored in the body, which can have a profound impact on

healing from traumatic brain injuries.

Rest is crucial for healing from brain injuries, and it is important to find ways to

achieve true rest and relaxation, such as through meditation, painting,

gardening, or other activities that bring a sense of grounding and stillness.

Healing from brain injuries requires a holistic approach that addresses the physical,

emotional, and spiritual aspects of recovery, and it is important to find

practitioners who have extensive training and experience in craniosacral

therapy.

The integration of body, mind, and spirit is essential for healing, and the

recognition and release of emotional trauma can have a profound impact on the

healing process.

Sound Bites

"One of the biggest {risk factors for concussion} ones being falls, which most people don't even think of getting your head checked out for that."

"Magnesium is one of the keys of the links here that is not only protective pre-concussion, but also helps in the protocols for healing."

"Craniosacral therapy is a light touch whole body treatment technique"

"Healing from brain injuries requires a holistic approach"

"Rest is crucial for healing from brain injuries"

Chapters

00:00

Introduction and Background of Erin and Anna Cloutier

03:33

Understanding the Anatomy and Physiology of Concussions

07:43

The Complementary Role of Chiropractic and Craniosacral Therapy

14:45

The Importance of Magnesium Supplementation for Brain Health

21:47

Individualized Dosing and Consultation with Healthcare Professionals

29:28

Introduction to Craniosacral Therapy

36:41 The

Benefits of Craniosacral Therapy

52:37 The

Importance of Rest in Healing

57:41 The

Integration of Body, Mind, and Spirit

01:00:23 The

Power of Somatoemotional Release

01:02:05 A

Holistic Approach to Healing

Reach out to:

Aaron Cloutier, Chiropractor and supplementation guy: aarondavidcloutierdc@gmail.com

Anna Blash, craniosacral and somatoemotional release therapist: annablash@gmail.com

Eryn on IG @eryn_makingheadwaypodcast

Alison on IG @alison_maknigheadwayodcast

MHP on IG @makingheadwaypodcast

Go to our website www.makingheadwaypodcast.com for full show notes and resources

Support us at:

Patreon

Donate section on our website.

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Did you know, 10% of people in the US under the age of 45 experience having a stroke? In this episode, Alison and Eryn interview of childhood survivor of AVM rupture, Andrew Penarubia. Andrew is the one and only intern for Making Headway Podcast. His claim to fame didn’t start there though. Since being left with only one fully functioning hand he has taught himself how to game, play instruments, and sink threes on the court. Being such a young survivor, Andrew grew up with different abilities; many saw his strengths but some chose to bully his weaknesses. He speaks to the challenges of growing up different while providing light and hope. Stay tuned until the end as he showcases his one-handed ukulele skills, doing the first live musical performance MHP has ever had.

Keywords

AVM, survivor, intern, gaming, physical disabilities, hospital, support, school, brain injury, stroke, recovery, walking, disability, social life, bullies, music, faith, inspiration

Takeaways

• Andrew Penrubia is a survivor of AVM and shares his story of recovery
• Despite physical disabilities, Andrew has learned to do things with one hand, including gaming and playing musical instruments
• Andrew received a lot of support from family, friends, and even strangers during his hospitalization
• He returned to school after a few months and continued his education Living with a brain injury requires resilience and determination to overcome challenges.
• Support from friends and family is crucial in the recovery process.
• Finding joy and pursuing passions can help in coping with a disability.
• Music and faith can provide solace and inspiration in difficult times.

Sound Bites

• "Oh hi everyone. I'm Andrew, the 21 year survivor for this AVM."
• "Yes, yes, yes, Super Nintendo, yes, yes. Yeah, we can get along. We're gonna get along."
• "His blood pressure is over 200 and then we can't see anything due to all the bleeding in his brain. So all we can do is put him in a respirator to die slowly and make sure you make your peace with him right now and we're going to make it comfortable for him."
• "So you went home walking, kinda sorta."
• "Hey, you know, that show Walking Dead, I started that."
• "You are the original zombie."

Chapters

00:00Introduction and Andrew's Background

01:36Surviving AVM and Gaming with One Hand

07:19The Power of Support and Prayer

12:06Hospital Experience and Rehabilitation

17:25Returning to School and Overcoming Challenges

19:19The Shock of the Stroke and the Road to Recovery

20:11Dealing with Bullies and Finding Support

23:14Gaining Movement and Discovering Passions

26:18Music and Faith: Sources of Inspiration

32:07Andrew's Musical Talent: Playing with One Hand

Reach out to:

Andrew on IG @just4uke

Andrew on You Tube https://www.youtube.com/@LeftOutie

Eryn on IG @eryn_makingheadwaypodcast

Alison on IG @alison_maknigheadwayodcast

MHP on IG @makingheadwaypodcast

Go to our website www.makingheadwaypodcast.com for full show notes and resources

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Feeling isolated after your diagnosis? Finding your tribe is life altering and tremendously helpful in facilitating your treatment and recovery from brain surgery and bleeds. TAAF is The Aneurysm and AVM Foundation, a foundation focused on supporting brain bleed survivors, grieving families, caregivers, and research. In this episode, Eryn interviews Dina Chon, the executive director of TAAF. The two discuss the mission and work of TAAF which supports individuals who have experienced brain bleeds and provide resources and information to the community.

Summary

Dina shares the history of the TAAF Foundation and how it has grown over the years. They also talk about the importance of acknowledging and embracing all emotions, not just happiness, in the healing process. In this conversation, Dina Chon discusses her personal experience with her mother's brain aneurysm and how it led her to leading The Aneurysm and AVM Foundation. She shares the importance of support groups and the impact they can have on survivors and their families. Dina also highlights the various programs and resources offered by TAAF, including brain buddies, fundraising events, and research grants. She emphasizes the power of community and the role of TAAF in providing support, education, and advocacy for those affected by brain aneurysms and AVMs.

Keywords

brain bleeds, Aneurysm and AVM Foundation, TAAF, support, resources, emotions, healing, brain aneurysm, AVM, support groups, TAAF, The Aneurysm and AVM Foundation, brain buddies, fundraising events, research grants, community, support, education, advocacy

Takeaways

The Aneurysm and AVM Foundation (TAAF) is an organization that supports individuals who have experienced brain bleeds and provides resources and information to the community.

TAAF was founded by a neurosurgeon and his nurse who wanted to do more for patients beyond medical treatment.

TAAF offers support groups and resources for individuals and families affected by brain bleeds.

It is important to acknowledge and embrace all emotions, not just happiness, in the healing process. Support groups can provide a sense of community and understanding for survivors and their families.

The Aneurysm and AVM Foundation (TAAF) offers various programs and resources, including brain buddies, fundraising events, and research grants.

TAAF focuses on research, programming, and providing support to survivors and their families.

Fundraising is essential for TAAF to continue its work in supporting and advocating for those affected by brain aneurysms and AVMs.

Getting involved with TAAF, whether through fundraising or participating in support groups, allows individuals to give back and help others in the community.

Sound Bites

"If it bleeds, TAAF leads."

"I would literally program myself to work all day and help people 24 hours."

"I am non-robot for sure."

"My mom was lying in the bathroom. She'd gotten up to use the restroom, I'm assuming, and she'd ruptured."

"She opens her eyes and she looks at me and she tells me she loves me. And she passes out and she dies."

"We're going to be like you."

Chapters

00:00

Introduction and Starting the Conversation

03:19

The History and Growth of TAF

08:03

Dina's Journey to TAF

12:16

The Role of TAF in Serving the Community

14:24

Embracing All Emotions in the Healing Process

18:04

Supporting Individuals at Every Stage

22:54

Personal Experience with Brain Aneurysm

28:44

The Importance of Support Groups

32:40

Programs and Resources Offered by TAF

36:53

Fundraising for Research and Support

45:17

Getting Connected with TAF

Reach out to

Eryn on IG @eryn_makingheadwaypodcast

Alison on IG @alison_maknigheadwayodcast

MHP on IG @makingheadwaypodcast

TAAF on IG TAFF_org

https://taafonline.org/

Go to our website www.makingheadwaypodcast.com for full show notes and resources

Support us at

Patreon

Donate section on our website.

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Summary

Did you know there are more than 5.3 million individuals in the U.S who are living with a permanent brain injury-related disability? That's 1 in every 60 people. In today's episode, Eryn updates everyone on where she has been and how she has been doing over the past few years. She shares with us her struggle with depression, the impact of Covid-19 on her symptoms, and her journey finding peace and serenity post-brain trauma. Further on, we have Alison who shares her experiences with anxiety, finding tranquility in nature, and the role of faith in guiding her journey. Both Eryn and Alison discuss their experiences with nature, spirituality, and the serendipitous connection that brought them together. They also share their challenges with healthcare, the importance of gratitude, and the need for self-advocacy in their recovery journeys.

Keywords

brain injury, depression, COVID-19, serenity, peace, nature, anxiety, coping, faith, nature, spirituality, serendipity, healthcare challenges, gratitude, self-advocacy, recovery journey

Takeaways

Living with a brain injury involves ongoing challenges and adjustments, including managing symptoms of depression and anxiety.

The impact of COVID-19 on brain injury symptoms can be significant, leading to a resurgence of cognitive and physical challenges.

Finding serenity and peace after a brain injury often involves exploring new hobbies and activities, such as spending time in nature and engaging in relaxing experiences.

The role of faith and spirituality can play a significant part in guiding the journey of recovery and adaptation after a brain injury. Nature serves as a source of peace and spiritual connection for Eryn and Alison.

The serendipitous connection between Eryn and Alison has been a significant support in their recovery journeys.

Challenges with the healthcare system have led Eryn and Alison to prioritize self-advocacy and explore alternative approaches to healing.

Gratitude plays a crucial role in finding happiness and appreciation for the simpler things in life.

Sound Bites

"I'm more at peace and find the tranquility and the serenity that I need, that I crave, like in nature, outside..."

"Nature's more like my religion, I would say, than going to church or doing something more formal."

"It was God, the universe, whatever you want to believe, higher power, um, agnostic. It was nothing. It was just us finding each other."

"Gratitude is the key to happiness."

Chapters

00:00

Finding Serenity and Peace After a Brain Injury

26:23

Nature's Spiritual Connection

30:00

Serendipitous Connections and Support

40:03

Navigating Healthcare Challenges

Reach out to:

• Eryn on IG @eryn_makingheadwaypodcast
• Alison on IG @alison_maknigheadwayodcast
• MHP on IG @makingheadwaypodcast
• Go to our website www.makingheadwaypodcast.com for full show notes and resources

Support us at:

• Patreon
• Donate section on our website.

49:48

The Power of Gratitude and Self-Advocacy

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Intro

Welcome Back! Season Three is starting strong with a kick ass survivor and our new co-host Alison House. In today's episode, both Alison and Eryn go over their experiences as well as the many obstacles they face as stroke survivors. They share their experiences on how standing firm in their faith, showing gratitude, and spending time in nature along with engaging in relaxing activities, all played huge roles in their cognitive as well as mental recovery from brain bleeds.

Summary

Alison shares her experience of having a brain aneurysm and the symptoms she experienced leading up to it. She discusses her time in the hospital, including being in the ICU and the challenges she faced during her recovery. Alison also talks about the support she received from her loved ones and the impact the experience had on her relationship with her son. She mentions the medical procedures she underwent and the ongoing symptoms she continues to deal with. I

n this conversation, Alison and Eryn discuss their experiences with brain injuries and the challenges they faced during their recoveries. They talk about the symptoms they experienced, such as brain fog and memory loss, and the impact it had on their daily lives. They also discuss the importance of self-advocacy and finding support during the recovery process. Alison shares how her faith and connection with nature helped her find strength and inner peace. Overall, the conversation highlights the resilience and determination of individuals living with brain injuries.

Keywords

brain aneurysm, perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage, symptoms, hospital, ICU, recovery, support, medical procedures, ongoing symptoms, brain injury, recovery, symptoms, brain fog, memory loss, self-advocacy, support, faith, nature, resilience

Takeaways

• Symptoms of a brain bleed can include headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and changes in vision.

• Recovery from a brain bleed can involve time in the ICU and step-down units, as well as physical therapy.

• Having a strong support system, including loved ones and healthcare professionals, is crucial during the recovery process.

• Medical procedures such as angiograms may be used to diagnose and treat brain aneurysms and other types of bleeds

• Ongoing symptoms such as memory loss, brain fog, and sensitivity to light and sound can persist after a brain bleed. Brain fog is a common symptom of brain injury, characterized by a fuzzy and staticky feeling in the mind.

• Self-advocacy is crucial during the recovery process, as individuals may need to seek out appropriate care and support.

• Finding support from friends, family, and community organizations can greatly impact the recovery journey.

• Connecting with nature and finding inner strength can help individuals navigate the challenges of brain injury.

• Resilience and determination are key in overcoming the physical and emotional obstacles of brain injury.

Sound Bites

• "I'm so excited to be your new co-host and just looking forward to all of our adventures and episodes and looking really forward to sharing my story with everyone today."

• "I had some headaches that didn't go away. A lot of fatigue to the point where I was napping daily, which I'm normally not a napper."

• "The day of my bleed was a pretty typical day. I had gone to the gym. I just did a little light workout, nothing strenuous."

• "It's sort of like having the black and white television on, but where the channels don't work, like that channel that doesn't come in, it's all just like fuzzy and staticky. That's brain fog."

• "I think it's a big, it's a big, it's being used a lot with COVID. People keep talking about, I have brain fog, I have brain fog. And everyone's like, yeah, I have brain fog. But I don't think people really understand what it is."

• "I can't do that. I have all of these symptoms that we just talked about, the fog, the memory, the fatigue, the irritability, the photo and sound sensitivity."

Chapters

00:00The Journey: From Symptoms to Diagnosis

06:03Navigating the Hospital: ICU and Step-Down Units

09:02The Importance of Support During Recovery

27:23Dealing with Ongoing Symptoms

29:14Understanding Brain Fog and Memory Loss

31:18Challenges in the Hospital and Transitioning Home

34:06The Importance of Self-Advocacy

36:13The Role of Support and Caregivers

38:05Finding Resources for Recovery

39:40Discovering Inner Strength and Faith

43:05Exploring Nature and Finding Peace

45:21Embracing a Modified Life and Resilience

49:17Reflecting on the Journey and Growth

52:23The Power of Faith and Inner Strength

55:27Choosing Resilience and Overcoming Obstacles

58:37Building Community and Finding Support

Connect with us

@makingheadwaypodcast

@alison_makingheadwaypodcast

@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/

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Summary

Season 3 of the Making Headway podcast is about to begin!! Fun things are in store as there is a new co-host joining Eryn. Welcome Alison House! Both Eryn and Alison are brain injury survivors and nurses, bringing a unique perspective to the show. They will continue to interview brain injury survivors who have achieved amazing things in their lives, as well as practitioners who can provide resources and support. The hosts emphasize the importance of community and reaching out for help. The podcast aims to inspire and bring hope to others who have experienced brain injuries.

Keywords

brain injury, podcast, co-host, nurses, survivors, community, resources, support, inspiration, hope

Takeaways

• Season 3 of the Making Headway podcast is starting with a new co-host, Alison, who is also a brain injury survivor and nurse.
• The podcast will continue to feature interviews with brain injury survivors who have achieved great things in their lives.
• The hosts emphasize the importance of community and reaching out for support.
• They will also bring on practitioners to provide resources and information for brain injury survivors.

Titles

• Season 3 Begins with a New Co-Host
• The Power of Community and Support

Sound Bites

• "Keep moving forward."
• "There's so many avenues to cover."
• "I have missed the community so much."

Chapters

00:00

Introduction and Announcement of Season 3

04:24

The Focus on Brain Injury Survivors

10:15

Encouraging Others to Move Forward

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Our last episode of the podcast is definitely not the least! We’ve heard from so many of our listeners and have personally experienced just how much brain injuries can affect our mental health.  From overstimulation to irritability; emotionality to anxiety; impulsiveness to depression; brain injuries really change how our minds work! In this episode, BrainStorm for Brain Injury’s Dr. Judy Gooch and Tyanne Crook talk about mental health post injury and where you can go for help.  I know I was nodding right along with this one and raising my hand.  This episode really helped me feel less alone, maybe it will for you too! Links to any resources mentioned:  https://brainstormforbraininjury.com/index.html (BrainStorm for Brain Injury) Brain Injury Alliance:  Search online for your state’s name and ‘brain injury alliance’ https://www.biausa.org/find-bia (Brain Injury Association: Find your BIA) https://www.facebook.com/groups/423867728219969/about/ (Brainstorm for Brain Injury Facebook support group)

Reach out to: https://www.instagram.com/brainstormforbraininjury/ (BrainStorm for Brain Injury on IG) https://twitter.com/forbrainstorm (Brain Storm for Brain Injury on Twitter) https://www.facebook.com/BrainStormforbraininjury/ (Brain Storm for Brain Injury on Facebook) Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  NeuMind is looking to build a platform to support brain injury survivors and caregivers through rehabilitation.  They are looking for survivors and caregivers to give feedback.  Help them help others: https://neumind-25091012.hs-sites-eu1.com/rc-landing-page?referral=makingheadway (neumind.co.uk/makingheadway) Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources

Support us at: https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon)

Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment

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Are you looking for community post brain injury?  Are you trying to develop and become the new you? Do you need support? Look no further than Heal the Brain.  Heal the Brain is a non profit offering active, virtual experiences that empower survivors with practical resources and social support.  Through their workshops, Heal the Brain connects brain injury survivors and their caregivers with skilled clinicians and survivor mentors.  In this episode, founder Jane Connely explains all this amazing community has to offer to help you connect, grow, develop, and live life fully post injury.  This is a resource that you won’t want to miss out on.  Listen today to learn more! Links to Resources mentioned: Heal the Brain Workshops: https://healthebrain.org/workshops (https://healthebrain.org/workshops)  No Brainer Podcast: https://healthebrain.org/nobrainerpodcast (https://healthebrain.org/nobrainerpodcast)  Reach out to: Visit Heal the Brain at https://healthebrain.org/ (https://healthebrain.org/).  We encourage everyone to sign up and be a part of their mission.  Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  NeuMind is looking to build a platform to support brain injury survivors and caregivers through rehabilitation.  They are looking for survivors and caregivers to give feedback.  Help them help others: https://neumind-25091012.hs-sites-eu1.com/rc-landing-page?referral=makingheadway (neumind.co.uk/makingheadway) Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources

Support us at: https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon) Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram), Twitter, orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook).  HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you dug this episode, kindly leave us a rating, a review, and subscribe! Visit the Making Headway Podcast website at www.makingheadwaypodcast.com to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/makingheadwaypo As an Amazon Associate, Making Headway may earn from qualifying purchases via links provided.

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Recovering from post concussion symptoms? Then we don’t need to tell you how challenging that can be.  Melissa Biscardi, osteopath and registered nurse joins us from the Rehab Lab to talk about recovery.  In her practice, she focuses on treating concussion through movement, vestibular training, nutrition, and mental health.  Listen to learn about treatment, common myths, and what to do instead. Links to any resources mentioned:  The Brain Tool Kit app: https://www.braintoolkit.ca/ (Braintoolkit.ca)  Reach out to: Melissa of the Rehab Lab: For care in Toronto Canada or to learn more about the Rehab Lab: https://www.rehablab.ca/ (https://www.rehablab.ca/) Follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the.rehab.lab/?hl=en (@the.rehab.lab) Feel free to reach out if you are having trouble finding a practitioner near you.  She will help connect you to someone.  Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  NeuMind is looking to build a platform to support brain injury survivors and caregivers through rehabilitation.  They are looking for survivors and caregivers to give feedback.  Help them help others: https://neumind-25091012.hs-sites-eu1.com/rc-landing-page?referral=makingheadway (neumind.co.uk/makingheadway) Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources

Support us at: https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon) Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment

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After your brain injury, have you felt scarred by the medical community?  Do you feel yourself pulling away from others, having intrusive thoughts, avoiding medical appointments, having increased anxiety about your health, or having trouble focusing on your appointments? You may be experiencing Medical PTSD.   In today’s episode we have Emily Parks who is a patient advocate, behavioral health specialist, and founder of POP! Medical PTSD.   POP! provides a safe space to validate your experience and learn more about what others are doing to overcome medical PTSD.  Emily is groundbreaking in developing the definition of medical PTSD and increasing awareness that people can become traumatized by going through the healthcare system or by experiencing a medical event. She gives advice on communicating with healthcare providers and getting through trauma.  Listen today to learn more about this important topic! Reach out to: POP! Medical PTSD and Emily Parks https://www.popmedicalptsd.org/ (https://www.popmedicalptsd.org/) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pop_medicalptsd/ (POP_medicalPTSD) Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  NeuMind is looking to build a platform to support brain injury survivors and caregivers through rehabilitation.  They are looking for survivors and caregivers to give feedback.  Help them help others: https://neumind-25091012.hs-sites-eu1.com/rc-landing-page?referral=makingheadway (neumind.co.uk/makingheadway) Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources

Support us at: https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon) Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram), Twitter, orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook). HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you dug this episode, kindly leave us a rating, a review, and subscribe! Visit the Making Headway Podcast website at www.makingheadwaypodcast.com to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/makingheadwaypo As an Amazon Associate, Making Headway may earn from qualifying purchases via links provided.

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At Making Headway Podcast, we love to talk with people about different tools in their recovery toolbox.  In today’s episode, we talk with TBI survivor Adrian Treadway.  She shares her experience with using CBD as a recovery aide. Adrian has found CBD assists with pain, sleep, focus, and mental clarity.  Learn tips from Adrian, the CBD connoisseur, on how she found the best CBD product for her. Links to any resources mentioned:  Book: https://amzn.to/3xUonXs (Weed Mom) by Danielle Simone Brand

Reach out to: Adrian on IG https://z-p42.www.instagram.com/howweedsave/ (@howweedsave) Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  NeuMind is looking to build a platform to support brain injury survivors and caregivers through rehabilitation.  They are looking for survivors and caregivers to give feedback.  Help them help others: https://neumind-25091012.hs-sites-eu1.com/rc-landing-page?referral=makingheadway (neumind.co.uk/makingheadway) Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources Using our Amazon links to buy products gives us a small kickback.  Thank you for your support! https://amzn.to/3xUonXs (Weed Mom) by Danielle Simone Brand

Support us at: https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon) Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram), Twitter, orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook).  HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you dug this episode, kindly leave us a rating, a review, and subscribe! Visit the Making Headway Podcast website at www.makingheadwaypodcast.com to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/makingheadwaypo As an Amazon Associate, Making Headway may earn from qualifying purchases via links provided.

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Did you think you had heard of all the different types of therapy by now? We just discovered one more– craniosacral therapy!  Craniosacral works with the body’s innate ability to self correct to homeostasis. It is a tool of consciousness helping you connect with your energy and your body’s ability to heal.   Amy Mercury’s role as a craniosacral therapist allows her to observe your body's energy state.  She helps you gain perspective on how your thoughts and beliefs impact your body.  It is a truly unique process that celebrates your wholeness.  Regain regulation and a sense of calm through craniosacral therapy! Reach out to: Contact Amy and let her know that you listened for a special treatment session rate.  She is also available to answer any questions.   https://www.amymercury.com/ (amymecury.com) Email: amy@amymercury.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/transformomma.amy.mercury/ (@Transformomma.amy.mercury) Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  NeuMind is building a platform to support brain injury survivors and caregivers through rehabilitation.  They are looking for survivors and caregivers to give feedback.  Help them help others at: https://neumind-25091012.hs-sites-eu1.com/rc-landing-page?referral=makingheadway (neumind.co.uk/makingheadway) Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources

Support us at: https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon) Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram), Twitter, orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook). HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you dug this episode, kindly leave us a rating, a review, and subscribe! Visit the Making Headway Podcast website at www.makingheadwaypodcast.com to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/makingheadwaypo As an Amazon Associate, Making Headway may earn from qualifying purchases via links provided.

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Recovering from a brain injury is a physically and emotionally trying time.  Addressing both your physical and mental health helps you get the most out of your therapy.  Dr. Nidhi Shah, physical therapist fromYour Movement Specialist knows this all too well.  In this week’s episode, Nidhi gives us tips to ground ourselves, strategies for better sleep, and teaches us about some common symptoms we may not associate with our brain injuries. Listen and learn! Links to any resources mentioned:  https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/episodes/episode-8-your-spin-doctor-vestibular-therapy-with-emily-beus-dpt (Vertigo and dizziness episode) on MHP

Reach out to: Dr. Nidhi Shah at email: nidhi.shah@yourmovementspecialist.com Phone: 609-726-6003 https://yourmovementspecialist.com/ (https://yourmovementspecialist.com/)  https://www.instagram.com/yourmovementspecialist/?hl=en (@yourmovementspecialist) on Instagram Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources

Support us at: https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon) Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram), Twitter, orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook). HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you dug this episode, kindly leave us a rating, a review, and subscribe! Visit the Making Headway Podcast website at www.makingheadwaypodcast.com to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/makingheadwaypo As an Amazon Associate, Making Headway may earn from qualifying purchases via links provided.

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Boom! You have a brain injury.  Life as you knew it is forever changed.  Your brain injury is a time of rebirth; a time to become something greater.  Kyle Mengelkamp of Stroke of Genius joins us in this episode to talk about our potential.  He introduces the concepts of resilience, mentorship, perseverance, vulnerability, and curiosity for all your life can be.  There is life after injury and it is limitless! Listen for more inspiration and resources to help you move forward. Links to any resources mentioned:  https://www.shareyourstrokeofgenius.org/press (Roadtrip videos) Reborn Decades Apart: attend https://www.shareyourstrokeofgenius.org/premiere (screenings here) https://www.shareyourstrokeofgenius.org/the-lobby (Brain Bar)

Reach out to: http://www.shareyourstrokeofgenius.org (www.shareyourstrokeofgenius.org) https://www.instagram.com/shareyourstrokeofgenius/ (Instagram) and https://www.facebook.com/shareyourstrokeofgenius/ (Facebook) @shareyourstrokeofgenius Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  The Headache Nutritionist: https://www.headachenutritionist.com/ (https://www.headachenutritionist.com/) Free webinar, Say Goodbye to Persistent headaches: http://www.headacheshandled.com/training (www.headacheshandled.com/training)  Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources Using our Amazon links to buy products gives us a small kickback.  Thank you for your support! Books by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor: https://amzn.to/3u0uvuP (Whole Brain Living) and https://amzn.to/3LTQU3p (My Stroke of Insight )

Support us at: https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon) Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram), Twitter, orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook). HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you dug this episode, kindly leave us a rating, a review, and subscribe! Visit the Making Headway Podcast website at www.makingheadwaypodcast.com to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/makingheadwaypo As an Amazon Associate, Making Headway may earn from qualifying purchases via links provided.

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Struggling with debilitating headaches? Have migraines taken over your life? There is hope beyond medications or elimination diets!  Fasting has the potential to decrease brain fog, increase alertness, repair neurons, improve gut health, eliminate headaches and more.  Today, Susannah Juteau MSc, CLT, RD talks with us about the benefits of therapeutic fasting for brain health and headache relief.  Susannah’s Headaches Handled program is a dietician guided, group approach to having a healthy diet that incorporates therapeutic fasting.  Listen to this episode to learn if this strategy is for you! Links to any resources mentioned:  Susannah’s https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/episodes/episode-12-the-headache-nutritionist-with-susannah-juteau-m-sc-rd (episode) on healthy eating for your brain Dr. Satchin Panda: https://www.salk.edu/scientist/satchidananda-panda/ (https://www.salk.edu/scientist/satchidananda-panda/) 

Reach out to: Susannah Juteau: IG @headachenutritionist or email at info@headachenutritionist.com The Headache Nutritionist: https://www.headachenutritionist.com/ (https://www.headachenutritionist.com/) Free webinar, Say Goodbye to Persistent headaches: http://www.headacheshandled.com/training (www.headacheshandled.com/training)  Next Headaches Handled Group coming in April, 2022 Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources

Support us at: https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon) Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram), Twitter, orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook). HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you dug this episode, kindly leave us a rating, a review, and subscribe! Visit the Making Headway Podcast website at www.makingheadwaypodcast.com to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/makingheadwaypo As an Amazon Associate, Making Headway may earn from qualifying purchases via links provided.

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Managing emotions can stump anybody.  The ante is upped post injury since trouble regulating our emotions is a common side effect of brain injury.   Elle Gargano and Eryn talk about their struggles and lessons learned through their experiences with emotional dysregulation.  They get into it all; the anxiety, the ‘tantrums,’ trauma responses, and panic along with strategies they’ve found to be helpful in managing emotions.  This talk is an open and honest expression on what it is like living with emotional dysregulation; join us to learn and empathize. Links to any resources mentioned:  https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/episodes/episode-number-37-survivor-story-blessings-hidden-in-the-moments-with-elle-gargano (Elle’s first episode) on Making Headway Podcast https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/episodes/episode-21-facing-fatigue-with-jenn-freeburn-cognitive-therapist (Jennifer Freeburn’s episode) on fatigue http://wecandohardthingspodcast.com/ (We Can Do Hard Things) podcast

Reach out to: https://www.instagram.com/ellegargano/?hl=en (Ellegargano) on Instagram https://www.ellegargano.com/ (Ellegargano.com) https://www.instagram.com/brave_the_label/?hl=en (brave_the _label )on Instagram https://bravethelabel.com/ (bravethelabel.com) Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  The Headache Nutritionist: https://www.headachenutritionist.com/ (https://www.headachenutritionist.com/) Free webinar, Say Goodbye to Persistent headaches: http://www.headacheshandled.com/training (www.headacheshandled.com/training)  Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources

Using our Amazon links to buy products gives us a small kickback.  Thank you for your support! https://amzn.to/3IrFlOL (Untamed by Glennon Doyle)

Support us at: https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon) Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram), Twitter, orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook). HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you dug this episode, kindly leave us a rating, a review, and subscribe! Visit the Making Headway Podcast website at www.makingheadwaypodcast.com to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/makingheadwaypo As an Amazon Associate, Making Headway may earn from qualifying purchases via links provided.

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Depression is so real for many of us post injury.  It robs us of feeling joy and part of life. It takes tremendous courage and strength to persevere and feel your sense of worth again.  In today’s survivor story, Brooke talks about how he was able to reinvent himself post injury all while dealing with depression.  He has used his experience to increase public safety around cautious driving all while conquering new skills like public speaking and long distance charity runs. His approach to recovery has helped others and has strengthened his mental health.  If you’re looking for some inspiration to spark your next endeavor, look no further; take a listen! Links to any resources mentioned:  https://www.cfglaw.co.uk/brain-injury-bites (Brain Injury Bites) podcast  https://www.cfglaw.co.uk/blog/author/brooke-trotter (Blogs by Brooke) on CFG Law along with blogs by others https://www.headway.org.uk/about-brain-injury/individuals/brain-injury-and-me/podcast-life-with-no-filter/ (Life with No Filter) podcast

Reach out to: Braininjurybrooke on https://m.facebook.com/pg/braininjurybrooke/posts/ (Facebook) and https://www.instagram.com/brain_injury_brooke/?hl=en (Instagram) Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  The Headache Nutritionist: https://www.headachenutritionist.com/ (https://www.headachenutritionist.com/) Free webinar, Say Goodbye to Persistent headaches: http://www.headacheshandled.com/training (www.headacheshandled.com/training)  Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources

Support us at: https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon) Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram), Twitter, orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook). HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you dug this episode, kindly leave us a rating, a review, and subscribe! Visit the Making Headway Podcast website at www.makingheadwaypodcast.com to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/makingheadwaypo As an Amazon Associate, Making Headway may earn from qualifying purchases via links provided.

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Struggling to feel energized and well post brain injury?  Are you finding that you process and think differently? Michelle Rusk of Coastal Speech Therapy and Wellness addresses all of these things through providing speech therapy with a wellness coach’s touch.  Not only can she address apraxia, aphasia, cognitive and executive function issues, but her focus on holistic wellness coaching allows her to look at how hormonal changes impact your biology, social, psychological, and spiritual health.   Join us in this episode to hear more about her multi-pronged approach.  Learn about hormonal influences on your brain and how testing and lifestyle adjustments could affect you for the better.   Links to any resources mentioned:  https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/episodes/episode-23-hormonal-havoc-imbalance-after-injury-with-dr-tamara-wexler-neuroendocrinologist (Episode 23: Hormonal Havoc: Imbalance after Injury with Dr. Tamara Wexler, Neuroendocrinologist) SPECT scans By Dr. Amen at https://www.amenclinics.com/brain-health/brain-scans-3/?gclid=CjwKCAiA1JGRBhBSEiwAxXblwVBVCvHIS_AfW0JhSAA4xQcKlI4wmjtJTfhQJY5kK5whsSRLNOO3CRoCJUYQAvD_BwE (Amen clinics) https://www.erinholthealth.com/ (Erin Holt: Funk’tional Nutrition Podcast)

Reach out to: Michelle Rusk at: Coastal Speech Therapy and Wellness. Call at 757-529-0600 http://www.coastalstw.com (www.coastalstw.com) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coastalspeechtherapy/?hl=en (@coastalspeechtherapy) Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  The Headache Nutritionist: https://www.headachenutritionist.com/ (https://www.headachenutritionist.com/) Free webinar, Say Goodbye to Persistent headaches: http://www.headacheshandled.com/training (www.headacheshandled.com/training)  Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram), Twitter, orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook). HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you dug this episode, kindly leave us a rating, a review, and subscribe! Visit the Making Headway Podcast website at www.makingheadwaypodcast.com to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/makingheadwaypo As an Amazon Associate, Making Headway may earn from qualifying purchases via links provided.

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Are you looking for ways to increase your brain health but are unsure of where to start? In this week’s episode of Making Headway Podcast, Heather Van Tassel from Neuro Fit for Life joins us to talk about the 4 pillars of brain health and concussion recovery.   Her approach to coaching people back to wellness post injury includes mindset, nutrition, exercise, and alternative therapies. The episode ends with a guided meditation. Join us to learn more and get started on your road to better brain health.    Reach out to: Heather Van Tassel on https://www.instagram.com/neurofitforlife/ (Instagram @neurofitforlife) On https://www.facebook.com/neurofitforlife/ (Facebook @neurofitforlife ) Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  The Headache Nutritionist: https://www.headachenutritionist.com/ (https://www.headachenutritionist.com/) Free webinar, Say Goodbye to Persistent headaches: http://www.headacheshandled.com/training (www.headacheshandled.com/training)  Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources

Support us at: https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon) Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram), Twitter, orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook). HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you dug this episode, kindly leave us a rating, a review, and subscribe! Visit the Making Headway Podcast website at www.makingheadwaypodcast.com to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/makingheadwaypo As an Amazon Associate, Making Headway may earn from qualifying purchases via links provided.

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The last in our series on relationships is definitely not the least!  This week we talk with Felice LaZae and Joe Borges from the NeuroNerds podcast.  They share the wisdom they have gained that came out of the trauma.  From gaining perspective on priorities to reprogramming old ways of being that no longer work for you, Joe and Felice touch on it all.  Don’t miss out on this heartwarming conversation with 2 rock stars in the community! Links to any resources mentioned:  https://m.facebook.com/groups/yousorock/ (You So Rock group )on facebook  NH Brain Injury Association https://bianh.org/support-groups (caregiver support group)  https://www.clubhouse.com/club/the-neuronerd-networ (Neuronerds Network) every Wednesday 6pm PST check in with everyone one how they are doing  https://www.clubhouse.com/club/the-neuronerd-networ (Neuronerds Network) every Friday 6pm PST talking about life after brain injury https://www.theneuronerds.com/ (Neuronerds podcast): Look for Thoma Meja part one and two to listen to the episode referenced in this show

Reach out to: Joe on https://www.instagram.com/joesorocks/?hl=en (IG) https://www.instagram.com/joesorocks/?hl=en (@joesorocks ) https://www.instagram.com/theneuronerds/?hl=en (@theneuronerds on IG) and https://www.facebook.com/theneuronerds/ (Facebook)  Felice on https://www.instagram.com/felicelazae/?hl=en (IG @felicelazae) Coaching with Joe: https://www.yousorock.coach/ (YousoRock.coach) Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  The Headache Nutritionist: https://www.headachenutritionist.com/ (https://www.headachenutritionist.com/)  Free webinar, Say Goodbye to Persistent headaches: http://www.headacheshandled.com/training (www.headacheshandled.com/training)

Using our Amazon links to buy products gives us a small kickback.  Thank you for your support! https://amzn.to/35cw9zx (4 Hour Work Week) by Timothy Ferriss

Support us at:  https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon) Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram), Twitter, orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook). HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you dug this episode, kindly leave us a rating, a review, and subscribe! Visit the Making Headway Podcast website at www.makingheadwaypodcast.com to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/makingheadwaypo As an Amazon Associate,...

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The second in our series on relationships; Ryan and Anna Teal come on to share their journey. Ryan suffered a stroke that caused apraxia and aphasia.  He and Anna have worked together as a couple to establish new communication patterns and roles within their relationship. They are a shining example of how a willingness to flexibly support each other forged them into a stronger unit that moves forward together.  Their experiences led them to a new purpose, helping adults with aphasia.  This has led them to create https://amzn.to/34uVODT (Aphasia Readers), a workbook for adults looking to practice reading aloud to improve their speech. Join us in this episode to learn more about their recovery path, how they are giving back, aphasia tips, and the things that keep them strong as a couple experiencing the wake post stroke.  Links to any resources mentioned:  Apps for aphasia: Otter, Tactus, Phonics, Grammerly, Google recorder> search on your app platform https://aphasiareaders.com/ (Aphasiareaders.com): for fridge functional phrases and and to buy the book

Reach out to: Ryan and Anna on Email: Info@aphasiareaders.com Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  The Headache Nutritionist: https://www.headachenutritionist.com/ (https://www.headachenutritionist.com/) 

Using our Amazon links to buy products gives us a small kickback.  Thank you for your support! https://amzn.to/34uVODT (Aphasia Readers on Amazon)

Support us at:  https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon) Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram), Twitter, orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook). HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you dug this episode, kindly leave us a rating, a review, and subscribe! Visit the Making Headway Podcast website at www.makingheadwaypodcast.com to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/makingheadwaypo As an Amazon Associate, Making Headway may earn from qualifying purchases via links provided.

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February.  The month of commercialized love aka Valentines Day.  While buying chocolates and teddy bears is a questionable way to show you love someone; it is a good reminder that we need to show support and be vocal about appreciating those who love us, especially those who have stood by us in our worst moments.   Brain injury is a unique circumstance in a relationship where roles change quickly.  Suddenly an independent partner has increased needs and the significant other becomes a caregiver.  This is a really hard time for the survivor and spouse.  This month, we talk with some amazing couples who have stuck together through the hard times.  A true in sickness and in health test.   For our first in the series, stroke survivor Tymiak and his beautiful wife Rachel Hawkins provide their perspectives on what was needed for their relationship to thrive post injury.  Join us as we listen to them converse about communication, mindfulness, honesty and the roles they play in keeping a solid relationship post brain injury.  Links to any resources mentioned:  Becoming the Light: Navigating the Darkness after Stroke by Tymiak Hawkins.  https://tymiakhawkins.com/ (Buy here.)

Reach out to: Tymiak on IG https://www.instagram.com/twothet2.0/ (@twotheT2.0) Tymiak on facebook https://www.facebook.com/tah989 (@tymiakamirhawkins) http://www.tymiakhawkins.com (www.tymiakhawkins.com): free guide for survivors and caregivers.  Buy the book http://www.tymiakhawkins.com (here) Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  The Headache Nutritionist: https://www.headachenutritionist.com/ (https://www.headachenutritionist.com/)  Using our Amazon links to buy products gives us a small kickback.  Thank you for your support! Buy Tymiak’s book on Amazon using https://amzn.to/3osun4k (this link.)

Support us at:  https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon) Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram), Twitter, orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook).

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you dug this episode, kindly leave us a rating, a review, and subscribe! Visit the Making Headway Podcast website at www.makingheadwaypodcast.com to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/makingheadwaypo

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What can we say about Michael Shutt??  His kindness and compassion shine through in this heartwarming interview.  Michael is a three-time, over-achieving stroke victim.  He used his experience to write one of the most powerful depictions of stroke and what it is like to recover from one that I have ever heard.  His one man show, A Lesson in Swimming, is a radio, soon to be live, show that you won’t want to miss.  Join us in this episode to learn more about the man behind the show. We touch on many important lessons that stroke has taught us both.  I know you will leave inspired and ready to find your community!    Links to any resources mentioned:  A Lesson in Swimming: https://www.alessoninswimming.com/ (michaelshutt.com), https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-lesson-in-swimming-radio-play/id1595659837 (Apple podcasts), https://www.alessoninswimming.com/ (alessoninswimming.com)  https://www.clubhouse.com/club/the-neuronerd-networ (Neuro Nerd Network )on Clubhouse Wednesdays and Fridays at 6p PST Reach out to: Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Michael Shutt on IG https://www.instagram.com/whmike/?hl=en (@whmike) Michael on A Lesson is Swimming on IG https://www.instagram.com/alessoninswimming/ (@alessoninswimming) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and our new tools/resources page Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  The Headache Nutritionist: https://www.headachenutritionist.com/ (https://www.headachenutritionist.com/)  Support us at:  https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon) Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram), https://my.captivate.fm/twitter.com/makingheadwaypo (Twitter), orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook). As an Amazon Associate, Making Headway may earn from qualifying purchases via links provided.

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What should you look for in a good rehab therapist? How do you find a good neuro recovery clinic? This episode is a must listen for therapists and patients! Today, Marabeth and Danielle from https://www.expanded-practice.com/ (Expanded Practice) explain their ideals surrounding good therapy.  Positive mindset in both the patient and the therapist forms the basis of successful therapeutic relationships.  Without hope, you have nothing; it is a medical necessity.  Their practice proposes that emotions are contagious; therapists have to control their stress to avoid transferring it to their patients.  Join us to feel inspired and gain knowledge on how to get the most out of your recovery! Links to any resources mentioned:  Stroke Risk Article: https://www.today.com/health/mind-body/stroke-may-triggered-anger-exercise-hour-rcna8251 (Stroke may be triggered by anger, upset, or intense exercise in the hour before.)   https://www.expanded-practice.com/therapists (Classes for therapists): 12 month program in 4 month segments https://www.expanded-practice.com/ (8 Simple Ways to Become a Better Therapist Today) Reach out to: Expanded Practice: https://www.expanded-practice.com/ (https://www.expanded-practice.com/)  IG: https://www.instagram.com/expandedpractice/ (Expanded Practice) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/expandedpractice (Expanded Practice) Eryn on IG https://www.instagram.com/eryn_makingheadwaypodcast/ (@eryn_makingheadwaypodcast) MHP on IG https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (@makingheadwaypodcast ) Go to our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for full show notes and resources Stroke Recovery with Motus Nova: https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/ (https://motusnova.com/makingheadway/)  Support us at:  https://www.patreon.com/MakingHeadwayPodcast (Patreon) Donate section on https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/donate (our website).  10% of profits go to our favorite non-profit of the moment

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram), Twitter, orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook). As an Amazon Associate, Making Headway may earn from qualifying purchases via links provided.

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This. Episode.  It has hit more glitches than any other one!  Sound quality and late posting aside, this is one of our best! It’s a metaphor for how life is.  Rewarding experiences oftentimes require the most work.  It is these hard times that end up giving us the most value; as brain injury survivors we understand this all too well!   Sara Tucker Howe is an inspiration.  She has used her journey to sculpt her into a compassionate and loving human.  Our conversation is a powerful reminder that true beauty is a reflection of our inner spiritual and mental health.  This episode has elements to feed your soul!  Learn more about Sara and connect with her as one of life’s sherpas at https://www.saratuckerhowe.com/ (saratuckerhowe.com)! Get a free workout with Sara on our NEW https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/tools-and-resources (tools and resources page)!  In this episode: Sara’s Website and coaching business is LIVE!! https://www.saratuckerhowe.com/ (Saratuckerhowe.com) Health coaching, personal training, virtual training Clients come to Sara for mindset, learning how to care for your whole self, and personal training.   Mindset, mindfulness, and movement builds you as a healthy person on the inside which is then reflected on the outside. Go to the https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/tools-and-resources (new tools and resources page) on our website http://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com (www.makingheadwaypodcast.com) for a FREE lower body workout from Sara! Gender norming The roles that are expected of us Living in your emotions and learning to self soothe Filling your own cup How Full is Your Bucket by Tom Rath: super powerful kids book we all can learn from; link below We can’t fix others.  We can fix ourselves and then live by example On Site Workshops; Cumberland Furnace, TN, link below Living Centered Program An off the grid, inner-work retreat  Group meditation, lectures, group experiential therapy Insights Everybody has trauma and your body remembers it, from small things that happened with your peers to large life events Psychodrama- a role play experience that allows you to play your inner child and members of your family. Allows you to experience situations from multiple viewpoints Very safe environment Every human wants to be seen and heard for who they are Validating experience Human beings not human doings Trust the process It may suck but you will get there and get through it Recharging to find your peace The spider web A parallel to life While making the web, the spider falls and gets back up making beautiful imperfections within the web.  These lines strengthen the structure. The web is like life.  Our story is written a little bit (the big lines of the web).  You’re born into what you’re born into Throughout life you fall and get back up. It’s not perfect.  You get back up and keep going.  These make all the beautiful intricacies of life (like the intricacies within the web) A reminder that we make beauty out of our life events Sara’s personal training Half marathon, a challenge out of the comfort zone Continual challenges to the body yield results Stroke risk article: high intensity workouts and high stress as risk factors for stroke, get link below Adding stressful exercises to high stress lives–maybe the better challenge for you at those times is doing something soothing, walking or yoga Listening to our bodies Looking healthy isn’t the same as being healthy on the inside Mindset, mindfulness, movements Consider your morning routine and how it makes you feel Consider helpful day starters beyond your cell phone: meditation, yoga flow, inspirational reading Find Your Happy Daily Mantras by Shannon Kaiser, link below The compliments on your body don’t equal health.   Are you going to suffer internally to have a “good” body?  Where do you get your...

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A first ever solo episode! Join Eryn as she delves into all the skills that have helped her post brain injury.  Listen to learn more about pacing, the value of a broad support team, monopolizing on your new ‘slower’ brain, and for some awesome pod, book, and movie recommendations. You won’t want to miss this one.  It’s all that and a bag of tricks! (Just a little biased:) In this episode:  **note: this was recorded before our season opener, we WILL be releasing episodes every week starting Jan. 3, 2022 Value of rest Value of the community.  We got you! I know they had me and still do. Lessons learned in recovery: Reaching out and helping others Not here to preach to others on what to do or not to do Value of life coaching See links below for Joanne Susi Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts (BIA-MA)–has great support group resources The pitfalls of doing what you “should“ do or some rule you need to follow …this is your ego talking.  Your mind’s voice.  The ego is based on what you have done in the past and values keeping you safe.  Left unchecked, it can keep you stuck The other voice is your spiritual self i.e. god, intuition, universe, etc..it can help you try something new The art of slowness Sitting and reflecting Brain injury may make you feel slow, the art of getting through brain injury is figuring out how to monopolize on this Rest Prioritization Suggestion: write dpwn each thing you need to do and then put it away. Take a rest. Come back to it.  Narrow down which things need to stay on the to-do list based on the due date.   What date is it actually due? Do you really need to get this done ahead of time?  Do things for when they are actually due.   Work on a piece of each thing gradually.   You don’t have to over-achieve or have things done early.  Time out how long common tasks take you.  This will help you plan so that you can avoid overbooking yourself Time blocking Try to avoid rigidity.  Leave some flexibility in your schedule In order to time block you have to know how long each thing actually takes you (on average) Once you know how long things take, were you scheduling realistically or trying to cram too much in? Do you have realistic expectations? Reflect on how you use your time The dangers of unsolicited advice and trying to force moments with other people.  What you want might not be realistic “Brain injury strength”: the opportunities found in hardship; where you see the beauty Movie: Collateral Beauty- seeing the beauty in the hard times Beauty still occurs while awfulness is happening. The world is filled with oxymorons It's ok to be human; to be imperfect.  Dichotomies exist.  We have to be flexible. It’s not black and white.  Good exists with the bad. Look for the collateral beauty.  Brain injury journey I lay out what I’ve been through.  I’m vulnerable. I’m a caterpillar that can see butterflies and wants to be one.  I’m slowly becoming one. Synopsis of my stroke experience (related to perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage)  The lows of depression lasted 10 months Mental Health Therapy and life coaching have been a must! Support system: family and friends Best hubby award goes to…Troy! Low self-esteem with depression Hyperactivity, headaches, tingling, no-energy, fatigued, and impulse control issues rear their ugly heads Unsupportive healthcare providers  Functional neurology (turned out to be a dead end, OT ended up being the most helpful) Asking supports to give me a check if I am acting out of line Resources Coaching for Leaders with Dave Stahowviack (podcast): Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coaching-for-leaders/id458827716 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coaching-for-leaders/id458827716) We Can Do Hard Things (podcast): Listen on Apple Podcasts:...

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We’re BAAAAAACCCKKK! And better than ever!  Check out Season 2, episode 40 to find out what Mariah and Eryn have been up to and where the show is headed in 2022.  Also, tune in for some great, hard-earned advice on how to help yourself and others dealing with brain injury along with what to look for in a healthcare provider.  These lessons have come hard won by yours truly, Eryn! Join us in celebrating the start of Season Two!! Happy 2022 to you all!!  In this episode: Where We’ve Been Burnout The need for seasons, pacing, and rest Health Updates The dangers of all or nothing thinking Leads to a crash Long term recovery; when the symptoms don’t consume you daily Identifying as brain injured, what does it mean long term? Brain injury as a fanny pack, it comes and goes but can be taken with you if chosen Living in brain injury vs. letting it own you vs. moving away from it You can move past it and some of us are lucky enough to not have to live in it daily Mariah’s gallbladder surgery: a reminder of needing self-care Priorities shift over time, then you readjust, and they shift again The power of saying “No” Bye Mariah!! Tata for now.  Thank You!!!!!!! When do you let go of brain injury? Can you?  Maybe it is when you don’t need or have to think about it every day? Brain injury as a spectrum Not sitting in the trauma or reliving it This is not a ‘peace out’ for Mariah Krempels Center: a support program for brain injury survivors and caregivers.  It is local in NH but also online Mariah is working with this agency  Allows her to apply lessons learned in brain injury a different way Having a brain injury gives her an advantage New life after brain injury can be a very devisive term.  So many are trying so hard to obtain their old life Where MHP is going in the future Season Two starts now! Series on relationships and brain injury Shows on trauma, meditation IG relationships and interactions help to form the speakers and topics for the upcoming season along with being a personal support for Eryn in her recovery Eryn’s updates 2021 was 1 mile forward and 2 miles back Blood in brain in now reabsorbed and old, damaged circuits are trying to come back on board.  It’s like using a cell phone with a cracked screen.  It might still work but it doesn’t work well Yes! Final confirmation that Eryn DID have a STROKE. Medical and personal acknowledgement of this has allowed for better resources Depression from November 2021 to August 2021 It gets dark When joy returned Eryn’s brain wasn’t used to the high energy Movie recommendation: Inside Out Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction Emotional Dysregulation How to help someone or yourself while they’re going through it: Food Provide a safe space to share, be heard and respected Acknowledgement allow for awareness.  Awareness allows you to have a choice of how you want to respond You have a unique skill set; listen to it and use it Have a broad support system filled with many different people with many different skills Make sure the person suffering knows you are there for them Not everyone can be there or has the right skills to be present in that moment.  This is OK!  It is preferred that you know your lane and stay in it. Find people with the right skills Learn how to listen to yourself Awareness allows you to make a choice Know yourself.  Know your intuition. Learn to know what you need. Practice it. Healthcare providers (HCP) may not be supportive Look for HCPs who know how to say, “I don’t know; let me help you find someone who does.” HCPs may not listen or recommend.   They likely don’t understand you.   They may recommend treatments that are WRONG for YOU.  (They don’t know you like you know YOU!) Self advocacy is needed with HCPs but is really hard! Many providers need their egos managed.  Some doctors do not like to be...

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Have you had trouble describing what you are experiencing post brain injury? Is it hard for you to connect what makes symptoms better or worse? Felicia and Allie know first hand how hard it is to gain self-awareness, understand your new self, communicate your experience with others, and get the help you need. Their own personal journeys with brain injuries caused by concussions led them to start the Keep Your Head Up Foundation. The foundation aims to give others the tools and education needed to empower survivors and their support systems post injury. We love how these two used their injuries to support each other and have shared their learning to help others! We know you will too! In this episode: Felicia tells her story: suffered a concussion playing ringette in grade 10 Allie tells her story: suffered a concussion playing rugby in grade 12, 6 weeks before graduation Severity of symptoms at the time of the injury and/or loss of consciousness do not correlate with if you’ll get Post Concussion Syndrome/Symptoms They formed a friendship and supported each other through their recoveries Being able to connect with others going through similar injuries has been really helpful.  Recovery can be lonely and people that haven’t experienced it do not understand what you are going through https://www.keepyourheadup.ca/ (Keep Your Head Up Foundation )was born to connect people, make a community, and provide tools to help you connect with resources and cope with your brain injury. The goal is to teach and provide others what they need to get support and gain self-awareness The mission is to educate those with brain injury along with the community The website has https://www.keepyourheadup.ca/toolkit (tools) to help those with brain injuries track symptoms and how they affect your life.  The tools help you become more aware of what is draining and what is restorative along with how this changes over time.  Energy journal Sleep journal Symptom tracker  Wellness plan Circle of Support Goal Setting You are in charge of how you carry your injury with you Community outreach through Keep Your Head Up Foundation--follow them on https://www.instagram.com/keepyourheadupfdn/?hl=en (Instagram) to stay involved.   The foundation also has education programs geared towards students, athletes, teachers, coaches, and parents that aims to empower individuals to be more prepared to face the challenges they may encounter after a concussion. https://www.keepyourheadup.ca/what-we-offer (Learn more here). Wisdom Wednesday: if you are interested in sharing your story and what you have learned reach out https://www.keepyourheadup.ca/wisdomwednesday (here) Wisdom learned through the foundation: there is power in sharing your story; not only for your own healing but also to help someone else.  You never know when what you have to say will resonate with someone who really needs to hear it.  

Links to any resources mentioned:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keepyourheadupfdn/?hl=en (@keepyourheadupfdn) Website: https://www.keepyourheadup.ca/ (https://www.keepyourheadup.ca/) Toolkit: https://www.keepyourheadup.ca/toolkit (https://www.keepyourheadup.ca/toolkit) Community outreach: https://www.keepyourheadup.ca/what-we-offer (https://www.keepyourheadup.ca/what-we-offer) Interested in sharing your story on https://www.keepyourheadup.ca/wisdomwednesday (Wisdom Wednesday)? Click https://www.keepyourheadup.ca/wisdomwednesday (here)!

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts)...

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In a world where being fast and pushing through exhaustion is everything, the slow down after a brain injury is especially jarring. Hannah Halvorsen, professional ski racer on the US Cross Country Ski Team, joins us to share what brain injury has taught her. Take a listen to our talk on how awareness, acceptance, appreciation, kindness, support, and gratitude have all culminated to make this athlete a true star!    In this episode: Hannah’s Story Hit by a car when crossing the street in November 2019 Suffered a subdural hematoma and knee injury Her knee, the visible injury, slowed her down from jumping right back into skiing.  This was a blessing in disguise as it slowed her down from pushing too hard with her brain injury.  Some of her brain injury symptoms were much more vague and would leave her wondering if it was just her being lazy or over sensitive Some lessons: As soon as you start to feel tired, just stop As a high level athlete you are trained to push through fatigue, pain, and exhaustion--that’s what gives you an edge.  With a brain injury you have to adjust and learn to listen to yourself  Returning to skiing Her coach understood that she needed to take it slow and helped her train at a safe pace  The knee’s rehab was cut and dry with tangible protocols to follow.  Brain recovery requires so much more awareness since others can’t see what is happening.  We aren’t trained to have awareness of our brain function so when changes occur it is easy for us to judge ourselves as being personal failures When she could admit that there was depression and accept it as a result of her brain injury it helped lessen her personal burden “Everything is going great,” but she didn’t feel great.  That can lead to feeling ungrateful because everyone perceives you as being an inspiration but you don’t feel that way.  Everyone’s support is amazing but it doesn’t take away the depression and can feel extra heavy.  Being a professional athlete means there are many resources for recovery.  Like most things in life you have to go get it. Through the recovery process, Hannah has learned to assess what the resources are and how to ask for them.  Asking for and accepting help can be really hard to do but is a crucial skill especially in recovery  Gratitude  For having health insurance and access to care For having strong support systems For all the people that have helped For inter-reliance and the loving support of others.   Lessons from recovery Becoming more aware of how you treat yourself allows you to better treat others.   Getting help when you are struggling helps to fill you back up. You are not alone, there is help It takes a team to recover.  Gratitude for physical abilities that were easy to take for granted prior to the injury An ability to appreciate things even if they aren’t perfect Appreciate what you can do today.  Celebrate what you did rather than focusing on what you couldn’t do.   A new appreciation for health without picking on every little thing about your body. It was a time to reset thinking.   It’s not about denying yourself your goals.  It’s about accepting where you are and working towards what you want.  Advice when you are in the thick of recovery: figure out what you can be grateful for and what you can do today.  If you can accomplish both of those things, that’s enough! Follow Hannah:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannah.g.halvorsen/?hl=en (@hannah.g.halvorsen) https://www.hannahhalvorsen.com/ (https://www.hannahhalvorsen.com/)

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to...

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We survivors understand the world in a different way. We have found that the worst of times shape you in a fundamental way like nothing else can. The silver linings are plentiful.  Building a life after injury that holds these new perspectives in the forefront takes courage and an openness to become something new. Elle Gargano has taken her experiences after surviving a mass shooting to shape her life into the one she wants it to be.  Recovering from a brain injury doesn’t mean you get over it. It means you learn how to find joy every day, accepting and incorporating all parts of yourself. You have the power to be you and make an impact in this world. Live Brave! @brave_the_label In this episode: Elle survived a gunshot to the head suffered on October 1, 2017 at a country music festival mass shooting in Las Vegas As horrific as the shooting was, Elle found silver linings; “blessings hidden in the moments” (6:54).  Goodness is there even in the worst times At a time when people were faced with saving themselves, complete strangers helped her, her friend, and others get out  During your time on earth, the most important thing about it is the connections you make with others.  Things don’t matter; it's the people in your life that give it value and meaning.  Near-death experiences give a valuable and life-changing perspective that others may not understand.   A testament to the power of good: complete strangers helped Elle and her friend make it out of the venue and took Elle to the hospital Making connections with other survivors of the event is really hard.  Everyone is in a different place with processing it. It can be very overwhelming to revisit the trauma.   Elle needed a craniectomy to remove the bullet fragments and a piece of her skull.  A few weeks later she needed a cranioplasty (synthetic skull insertion).  She had side effects of hydrocephalus which is a build up of fluid in her brain that eventually required a third surgery to insert a shunt. Loss of self and lack of identity after brain injury-- That feeling of not identifying with your past self and interests.  Not knowing yourself anymore--your interests and abilities are different post-injury.  You have to relearn who you are after injury.   Changing from your previous over-achieving self to someone with a different level of performance is not only hard on you but it changes the roles you play within your social contexts. Family, friends, and yourself all have to adjust to the new you and figure out the new role you play. It is hard on everyone. Joe Borges ep. 30: Before our injuries we were caterpillars in the dirt but after injury we are butterflies soaring.  Yet everyone expects us to still be caterpillars.   The adjustment to being home Her initial mentality post-injury was filled with gratitude for being alive but as time has gone on she has learned many things about herself and dealing with trauma.   Elle’s career path changed post-injury from a conventional corporate path to one where she could be more mindful of her needs with a controlled pace and a focus on helping others.   Elle started a business: Brave the Label Brave the Label Elle’s company:  When she was thinking of names she considered what she wants people to embody while wearing her clothes: Bravery, a feeling of empowerment, confidence, you can do anything you put your mind to, you have it in you!! The business is helping others while helping Elle regain her sense of purpose, accomplishment, and meaning.   It's a clothing company of hand tie-dyed sets of athleisure wear  10% of all proceeds go to mental health initiatives!! Brave the Label is a community, you are a part of something bigger when you are wearing her clothes Having structure and things you can do to contribute to your household helps with recovery as it gives you...

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Domestic violence survivors are a unique subset of brain injury.  Many have experienced several types of brain injury from blunt force trauma and strangulation inflicted on them by their abusers.  They commonly experience several types of trauma and mental health struggles.  Substance use and limited social support can also play a role.  Getting survivors the services they need to address all the challenges they face requires a unique set of interventions.  The Ohio State University’s health equity intervention scientist, Julianna Nehmeth, is working on just this.  Her research focuses on developing, providing, and evaluating sets of interventions that are used by lay people to guide conversations with survivors, identify their needs, and connect them with services to best meet the survivor where she is at.  You won’t want to miss hearing about this transformative work! In this episode: Julianna’s research focuses on how DV survivors with brain injuries can get better access to services One in three women are affected by domestic violence (DV): some groups have even higher incidences.  It is a widespread public health issue Julianna started doing community based action research to better understand the needs of the survivors and centers that help them.  Her research focuses on modifying interventions to better meet all their needs.   Many DV survivors develop BI because blunt force head trauma and strangulation are common types of abuse.   Ohio Domestic Violence Network received a federal grant focused on developing interventions for domestic violence service organizations to better meet the mental health needs of DV survivors with brain injury Julianna did a needs assessment.  What she found was that the advocates who help DV survivors were unaware of brain injury as being an issue They also interviewed survivors and found  that over 8 in 10 had been hit in the head or had their head hit into something.  Over half of the survivors had this happen so many times that they couldn’t report a number Over 8 in 10 survivors also reported strangulation Many survivors do not realize they have brain injuries In the DV population, many survivors experience TBI from blunt force trauma combined with an anoxic or hypoxic brain injury from strangulation. This is a unique population as many brain injury studies do not focus on brain injury due to multiple causes These survivors suffer from trauma, ongoing stress, mental health struggles, racial trauma, and sociocultural trauma. The DV brain injury population is highly complex and suffers from a type of brain injury that hasn’t been studied at all. Her team reached out to The Ohio State University's CBI mouse research program to shine a light on this gap  Current interventions to help this population were not effective to support the DV BI population.  Julianna’s work focuses on bridging this gap.  There are also many unmet mental health needs in this population Check out the work of https://csw.osu.edu/about/faculty-staff/faculty-directory/mengo-cecilia-phd/ (Cecilia Mengo) to learn more Julianna’s work made interventions for advocates in community based organizations to better meet the needs of the DV BI population They made Care Tools to help advocates directly communicate with survivors about brain injury and mental health Their tools are free on the https://www.odvn.org/brain-injury/ (Ohio Domestic Violence Network website) Interventions need to focus on all the pieces of the puzzle to meet survivors needs: mental health, trauma, brain injury, substance abuse They found that you have to focus on the big picture and ask survivors what symptoms are getting in the way of their lives today.  What is it they need relief from and lets try to advocate for the right type of help  Some may need medical help while others need more of a mental health focus They found in

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We're off for the July 4th holiday but wanted to re-air an oldie but a goodie- one of our very first interviews with our friend Chris Dittrich! He has been an inspiration to us since we met! Hope you all enjoy. Eryn and Mariah interview fellow survivor, Chris Dittrich, who suffered from a traumatic brain injury as a result of a car crash during his senior year of high school. Early on, his family used a white board posted in his rehab room to post basic reminders (where you are, what happened, goal for day, etc) when memory is poor. The most important message on that whiteboard: KEEP MOVING FORWARD! Chris credits his brain injury with teaching him to be open with everyone around him and comfortable approaching others for help. Chris teaches us that setting manageable goals and achieving them builds confidence. He uses videos on social media to be able to look back and see achievement. Chris believes strongly in being an inspiration to others through actions- showing others that they too can make incredible progress and be a positive influence on others and the world.

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Recovery is a journey. It is not an event with a defined end-point. The road can be hella hard! Fortunately, there is help out there! Lea Damata joins us in this episode to talk with us about her experience with post concussive symptoms. She shines a light on all the different types of therapy that have helped her.  Riding on this twisting path is filled with ups and downs. Self-compassion, mindfulness, self-awareness, and perspective make it more bearable. Better is better no matter how it looks; join us to celebrate all our wins!!  Topics covered: Lea’s PCS journey Concussion with PCS after a whack on the base of the head and neck,  coming up from the floor where she was cleaning (should this be our warning to not clean?!?!?) Initial symptoms were dizziness and an out of this world feeling Tried to just push through for several days until she got really sleepy, had loss of energy, struggles with driving, and experienced headaches, sound sensitivity, and irritability Lea went to her PCP who advised rest.  Lea couldn’t tolerate any stimulation or physical activity, and needed darkness and rest for days (she did not have a knowledgeable provider that was able to guide on the detriments of this approach) Even as a healthcare practitioner, Lea struggled to find providers who knew how to handle post concussive symptoms She struggled with insurance and return to work guidelines having to constantly prove that there was something wrong Fighting with insurance can be enough to make you feel crazy Getting help Not having the connections with the right provider giving the right care in the first two weeks set Lea back She eventually found providers to help get her on the right path.  She still has symptoms 2 years out The hard days You go through a grieving process of your old self The hard days can lead you to comparing yourself to others.  It takes self-love and compassion, being ok with you, setting boundaries, saying no, and celebrating what you have achieved  Better is better regardless of how better it is (11:50) It's a journey, not a recovery.  Everyday is a new day.  It is never a linear trajectory.  The downs are hella crappy but you have to remember where you started, how far you have come and all the little wins Neuropsychology really helped Lea--it provided tools for reframing and grounding.  It required a lot of work and wasn’t easy but crucial to her journey Remember, not everything does suck, even if it feels that way.   Helpful therapies Physiotherapy (physical therapy) trained in PCS  Lea had to find qualified providers, navigating the system and finding people who know how to treat PCS was hard Neuropsychology: really helped to validate what Lea was going through.  It gave visibility to the invisible injury.   Validation from a provider gave back hope  Neuro-optometry: eye exercises and glasses. The exercises can trigger symptoms but build pathways to help you overcome it. Vestibular therapy (through physio) Occupational Therapy for return to driving and return to work. They broke down the tasks into manageable, bite sized pieces Return to work: a gradual desensitization process.  Very short exposures to work with long rests.  She had to keep a log to figure out what her triggers were, what was fatiguing, what types of rest were helpful, and how to work back up to a full caseload  Energy conservation: she still has to be very conscious of her “battery” levels Need to give yourself the time to check in and remain aware of your symptoms to not crash.  Be careful of comparisons Words of wisdom Better is better The journey is never linear Know when to ask for help Accept where you are Yin yoga, mindfulness, and self-compassion to help learn to be where you are Your perspective has such a huge influence on where you are putting your energy.  The hard pieces of mental...

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Our brains are truly remarkable organs!! They are what make us unique! It provides the connections needed to support all our body functions, thoughts, personality, and well-being. Their complexity and highly individualized nature are what make it the most misunderstood organ. There is no medicine or one size fits all approach to treatment which makes it a poor fit for traditional medicine. Today, we learn all about functional neurology, a field that truly explores each individual’s unique neuronal responses to provide personalized treatment. Dr. Angela Gabella DC, DACNB, FABBIR gives us an introduction to the field and how it can help you. She gives us hope by reminding us that symptoms like anxiety, depression, confusion, inattention, insomnia, and more are treatable; even if it was something you struggled with pre-injury!! You cannot miss this one!!!!  It is one of our most fascinating episodes yet! Topics covered in this episode: What is Functional Neurology (FN)? A treatment of the whole person A functional neurologists goes in depth doing a complete physical exam to see how your neurons were affected by your brain injury They dig to find what the symptoms are and where they originate from So many of us have scans that look normal but still have symptoms. They look beyond the scans Neuroplasticity: concept has been around but not commonly accepted until recently and remains controversial Early 1900s: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1906/cajal/biographical/ (Santiago Ramon y Cajal), the father of neuroscience-coined the neuron doctrine, Nobel Prize winner, his ideas weren’t accepted 2016: https://www.michaelmerzenich.com/ (Michael Merzenich,) a neuroscientist out University of California San Francisco won a prize related to neuroplasticity which made the idea of the brain being able to change more commonly accepted This is a new field with many clinical applications yet to be found The field of neuroplasticity gives hope to those of us with brain injury Why is neuroplasticity hard for the science community to accept?  The brain is still a highly unknown organ with many complexities. The science is ongoing.  It’s behind other organ systems.  Clinical applications are still being developed It is really difficult to be specific with medication.  There is no easy fix.   POTS: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome Increased heart rate with standing up that causes you to pass out People get stuck in bed with this not being treated.  Greatly limits mobility Seen in some brain injury patients.   Covid is correlated with an increased risk of POTS Dr. Gabella explains a normal autonomic response to position changes More common in young healthy females. It can be idiopathic meaning there is no easy answer for what caused it Need to consider what is going on in the blood and crossing the blood brain barrier. For example when you are sick, is something crossing into the brain that shouldn’t be? What is treatment like? Tilt table: diagnostic test but can also be used as therapy Throughout the different degrees of tilt, the FN measures your BP and heart rate responses and either activates your parasympathetic or sympathetic nervous system to get the correct response. Once you respond appropriately, they change the position of the tilt Can take a few to many treatments.  The longer you have have had the dysautonomic response, the longer it takes to treat. Females are more susceptible as they have more neuronal connections with a more complex hormonal system.  Also females’ necks are less stable with different vasculature and muscular structures. FN= individualized care Traditional medicine operates on gold standards, protocols, and expected responses With neuronal injury, we all respond differently meaning we need a practitioner who has the time and knowledge to make a personalized treatment plan FN looks for what modality will...

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If you have been listening to us for a little while you’ve probably figured out that sometimes, Mariah and Eryn just talk. Are we the smartest people in the room? Maybe if we are by ourselves (hehe)!  But seriously, sometimes we just want to get real and talk about what we’re going through. In this episode we broach fear, fitness, cookies, selfishness, self care, and ego. Check it out and let us know if it resonates (or not) with you! In this episode: We talk. “Just because you are able to do something doesn’t mean that you are the person for the job” (3:56) Fear keeps you stuck Paralysis comes from fear of failure You need to do for you Tatoos! (again!)  Taking bets on if Mariah will go through with it.  Fitness- do what you can, when you can, however it feels good to you Sara Howe--amazing at fitness, amazing at life, listen to her episode https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/episodes/episode-25-survivor-story-you-are-not-broken-you-are-you-with-sara-howe (here) Let the facade go, no one really cares. Do what feels good to you and your body. Comparisons don’t matter https://www.cfaulkfitness.com/ (Cat Faulk), personal trainer You deserve the cookie! It’s all about moderation Restriction- more proof that black and white doesn’t work Your healthy habits are contagious  Be healthy for you Depression and being sedentary--the tie is tight. Brain fog and fatigue Sometimes you don’t have the luxury of dropping everything and taking a rest.  Find the places where you can take a break.  Be comfortable with getting to know yourself.  Know your boundaries and what you need. Sometimes it means rocking the boat. Leading by example- sometimes it means not shutting up about something that bothers you.  Don’t silence yourself because it is the “nicer” thing to do.  It is important to question how you function and your natural defaults.  Are you doing something out of fear of what will happen if you don’t or is it because it is actually something that is serving you?  Finding the line between being selfish and self-care.  Ego and intuition, learn more on Joanne Susi’s episode https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/episodes/episode-28-survivor-story-learning-to-be-with-joanne-susi (here).  If you need a life coach, https://h4hp.org/ (check her out)! If what you are doing benefits the greater good and makes an impact towards the greater good than it is not selfish The ego keeps you where you are and doesn’t want you to move forward.  The ego is trying to protect you and keep you in what you know.  Anxiety and fear keep you from listening to your intuition.   Susan Gorman, https://susangorman.net/intuition-101/ (Intuition 101)-- daily email on how to tap into your intuition and meditate  Ride the waves, don’t let it detract from your positivity.  Keep yourself out of the mire and from getting pulled under.  

Links to any resources mentioned:  Sara Howe--amazing at fitness, amazing at life, listen to her episode https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/episodes/episode-25-survivor-story-you-are-not-broken-you-are-you-with-sara-howe (here) https://www.cfaulkfitness.com/ (Cat Faulk), personal trainer Joanne Susi, life coach, https://h4hp.org/ (check her out)! Susan Gorman, https://susangorman.net/intuition-101/ (Intuition 101)

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  We are a podcast for brain injury survivors by brain injury survivors. If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click...

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Are you looking to regain movement and independence days or years after your stroke? Take a listen, this rehab approach may be for you! Our last episode introduced everyone to Motus Nova, a company that uses technology and video games to regain movement post stroke or neurologic injury. We were so fascinated by this pairing of technology and recovery that we wanted to learn more about how it works.Dr. Nick Housley, Director of Clinical Research at Motus Nova, joins us in this episode to talk about how incorporating fine motor skills into rehab gets huge results! We are not endorsed by this company but love what they are doing so much that we just had to share. Have you given Motus Nova a shot? Let us know what you think!  Covered in this episode: Nick’s Survivor Story: Turning Trauma Upside Down Professional cyclist who was the victim of unsportsmanlike conduct resulting in a crash Nick suffered facial fractures, jaw fractures, and a brain bleed resulting in hospitalization, reconstructive surgery, and rehab He was a student in genetics/pre-med prior to the crash but his experience with rehab helped him to change career paths to physical therapy school at Georgia State University He became very interested in neuro-recovery and became connected with the neuroplasticity lab where he met David Wu. This was where the Motus Nova company was born He became involved in researching how the technology could increase access to rehab by providing remote rehab through trials with the VA He also got a Ph. D in neuroscience to better understand neural recovery Dr. Nick is the Director of Clinical Research at Motus Nova He is responsible for maintaining a high standard of safe care They are constantly tweaking the technology so you can get the best gains He makes sure that the assistance the Motus hand and foot provides is appropriately tuned so that it does not induce spasticity and pain He makes sure they have the scientific evidence to back up the device and works to put the science on the front line making it applicable to survivors What is the current research telling them? How do they take all the data that is collected by the device to make your rehab better? Movement based rehab is the gold standard for physical stroke recovery More quality rehab= better results and recovery The technology collecting data helps scientists to understand what the most important parameters are in movement recovery The device makes subtle changes based on how you as an individual are doing.  It detects what your body needs to get the best result.  It can detect more than a human therapist can. The Motus hand and foot couples a therapist and technology together to get the best results and designs a program that is optimal for you.  It helps to take some of the guesswork out of what you need to recover Motus evaluates you and gives truly individualized care Motus looks at a person’s abilities to best use what you can do to improve  what you can’t Current research is working on engaging stroke survivors who have little to no functional movement as they have the least amount of ongoing rehab available to them Why does Motus Nova focus on the hand or foot rather than the whole limb in people with hemiparesis? When you focus on the fine motor skills it has a carryover effect to the larger muscle groups. Fine movements lead to whole limb recovery. Focusing on the hand or foot gives the most good to the most amount of people If you have the ability to use your hand or foot again, it gives you back pieces of your life and movements that you need to do the daily tasks of life Motus Nova focuses on gaining back freedom of movement so you can gain independence The Motus foot helps you get balance and support back in your foot which gets you back to walking faster and further Why is walking speed important? Safety in the community--you need to get across the street before the light changes. The foot helps you...

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Looking for new ways to regain movement after stroke or brain injury? Does your recovery feel stalled? Are you tired of the limited amount of time and number of rehab session insurance will cover? Do you feel like the healthcare system just isn’t giving you enough to regain movement? Look no further, Motus Nova may be a solution for you! In this episode, we interview David Wu, CEO of Motus Nova. This company is responsible for providing a robotic hand or foot that uses fun video games to create neural pathways that will get you moving again! When conventional rehabilitation is too slow, Motus is the answer for stroke recovery: a home based program revolutionizing stroke rehabilitation whether you are ten days or ten years after brain injury. Covered in this episode: What is Motus Nova A robotic exoskeleton that helps people move again A sleeve or a boot that you wear around your hand or foot It is capable of moving on its on providing resistance or assistance Recreastes the in-clinic rehab experience Mission is to increase access to rehab for stroke or brain injury survivors They work on the concept of neuroplasticity They have found that people don’t get enough rehab.  This allows a higher dosage of rehab How can you access it? In-clinic initially but they realized this didn’t increase access Insurance only allows for a limited number of visits per week Science says the brain needs 100s-1000s of hours of therapy to make neuroplastic changes They re-engineered the Motus Hand and Motus Foot to go directly into the home.  Each user has a personal device they can use at their convenience in their home. Go to https://motusnova.com/ (MotusNova.com) to learn more on how you can access it! Some users are treating rehab as their full time job doing 6-7 hours of therapy a day which allows them to achieve tremendous results For the proactive survivor tackling recovery this is an amazing solution! Motivation aspect of recovery They make rehab more fun and more engaging so people want to use it The exercises and movements of therapy are hidden in video games I.e. you are controlling a spaceship and have to dodge objects being launched at you.  The game requires you to do certain movements needed for your recovery in a fun way Games resemble Pong, Galaga, Space Invaders, fishing, cards--they have many games that make recovery fun and less monotonous The goal is to make this enjoyable so that it is something you look forward to and want to do at any time.   There is a social element too--high scores, group sessions, competition This type of therapy takes away the need to schedule appointments, hit insurance stipulations, find transportation, etc.. Learning from clinical trials  impacted how they provide their services Motus Nova with the VA--VA was having difficulty getting rehab to rural brain injury survivors.  Motus Nova brought devices to the survivor and would check up with them on a weekly basis.  What they found beyond physical recovery was this addressed the social isolation aspect of rehab. Survivors were calling not to troubleshoot the technology but to talk and share their experiences This learning inspired Motus Nova to start weekly sessions for users to join virtually, share experiences, ask stroke related questions to experienced clinicians, support each other, trouble shoot, and experience the product together Motus Nova is an established rehab program that has a proven virtual method of rehab.   They’re pioneers in remote rehab.  Their system was established before Covid.  It wasn’t thrown together to meet a Covid need.   Covid has helped to open up insurances to virtual therapy options. What to expect with a Motus Nova Hand or Foot  The device has sensors that get a gage for how much motion and strength you have It also has active assistance.  It can move the user into postures and sense if there is more tone

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How can we say this without shocking anyone?? We are not the only podcast looking to connect survivors together!!! Today we talked with our friend, Joe Borges, host of the podcast NeuroNerds. He suffered a hemorrhagic stroke from high blood pressure in 2016. He was feeling lonely and like no one understood him post-injury. It wasn’t until he met his future co-host, Lauren, who also suffered a brain injury that he felt heard. The support they gave each other gave birth to putting out a NeuroNerds in an effort to connect others so no one feels alone. Join us in this episode for all the feels! We laugh, we cry, we turn into butterflies, and make plans to get tattoos! Covered in this episode: Joe Borges co-host of The NeuroNerds tells his story He had a raging migraine, felt a pop in his head, and for a split second the most intense pain in his head disappeared but then another second later his body went to jelly.  He felt like he was learning to walk again. The pop in his head was his right basal ganglia (blood vessel in the bleed) popping--a hemorrhagic stroke! Stubbornly, he continued on with his night.  He doesn’t remember hardly anything for the next 2 months.  He tried sleeping it off.  He was waking up throughout the night puking blood but didn’t want to go to the hospital.  He had some behavior changes and confusion. A family member convinced him to call 9-1-1 He had a stroke and was in the hospital for a 1.5 months He woke up in a brand new body, 30 lbs lighter! He also woke up with a different brain--he couldn’t understand things and had left sided neglect.  He needed full care and had to learn to walk again. Leaving the hospital was the best day!! Seeing leaves blowing in the wind had new meaning Post stroke realizations “Your stroke was a blessing,” it took a few months for him to feel this but it ended up giving him more than it took.  It gave perspective and he has lived more in the 5 years since his stroke than he did the 30 years prior. Go to therapy! Process your feelings.   He found he had been existing and surviving in fight or flight since he was 7 years old.  He wasn’t living before the stroke, only existing He discovered boundaries and what life should be His stroke saved his life! The only reason you know what good feels like is because you have experienced bad.  When you can’t walk, toilet, or bathe yourself; it changes your perspective Tremors in right hand, short term memory issues, and cognitive changes persist but what he has gained from the stroke far outweighs it “Recovery is not easy.  Recovery is the hardest thing I have ever done. The world is not easy; it is very hard.  Things are heavy and feel insane some days but I feel blessed that I am still here to experience these things.” (17:40) Having the comparison of being stuck, dependent in a hospital shows how good life actually is It’s ok to joke about your injury if you are ready.  Some funny shit happened and it can be really helpful to laugh about it.  We all process differently Survivors are all in different places with this and it's ok if you can’t.  People who haven’t experienced an injury may not get it or feel comfortable laughing at the funny parts with you How the NeuroNerds came to be Loneliness during recovery: people that haven’t been through it don’t get it “Wow, now I have a new perspective but I’m lonely, no one gets it.  This is a second life and now I have to exist alone” He found someone at a party that had a car accident and bad concussion. They became friends and bonded over it. And best thing, they are both nerds! They started meeting weekly to support each other and talk about all things brain and nerd.  Selfishly, they started a podcast to help themselves get through this. He was super overwhelmed by doing the podcast and a blog and was ready to give up.  Then there was a listener who reached out with

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Have you ever heard the saying knowledge is power? When it comes to stroke, nothing is more true. Many of the risk factors for having a stroke are things you have control over--quitting smoking, a healthy diet, and exercise are just a few. In this episode, Dr. Jenna Tucker, DPT teaches us about regaining physical balance to increase mobility and rebuilding a healthy, balanced lifestyle to help prevent future harm. Recovering from a stroke is a full time job; it has the power to transform your life in very positive ways! Covered in this episode: Acquired brain injury: no direct impact causing trauma Anoxic brain injury: lack of oxygen causes brain injury Stroke: 2 mechanisms that cause stroke Hemorrhagic: a bleed from AVM, aneurysm, or other source Ischemic: a clot that blocks blood flow, most common type, lots of modifiable risk factors The line can be blurry as to what gets called a stroke versus not.  Clinical presentation and mechanism of injury are considered when deciding what gets called a stroke Typical presentations are based on which artery is affected.  MCA strokes are the most common Left MCA: hemiparesis on the right side of the body (weakness), right sided sensory loss, speech and language deficits Right MCA: hemiparesis (weakness on the left side), sensory loss, visual spatial deficits, visual impairments, cognitive impairments ACA: higher order cognitive impairments, problem solving, behavioral challenges PCA: visual deficits Cerebellum: “the little brain,” center for coordination and balance: will see symptoms called ataxia which are impairments in smooth movement  There are trends depending on the areas of the brain affected but everyone presents differently B.E. F.A.S.T.: Typical symptoms of a stroke.  If you have these, get to the ER immediately!! The faster you get treatment the better the outcome B: Balance E: Eyes. change in vision F: Face. facial droop  A: Arms.  Arm weaness S: Speech. Slurred speech, difficulty communicating words, not making sense or jumbling, unclear speech  T: Time: get to the emergency room immediately, best outcomes come from getting treatment as soon as possible.  If you have a clot, they can give you a “clot busting” medicine but it has to be given within a few hours of the onset of symptoms.  It is important for your doctor to know when the symptoms started.    In the book, https://amzn.to/3bdVXvE (My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey) by Jill Bolte Taylor, she explains her first hand account of how it feels to have a stroke.  This book is a great read! Patients who have had a stroke are at very high risk of having another one.  Stroke survivors need to be educated on the symptoms to watch for so they can get help as soon as possible.   Rehab after stroke “How long will my recovery take?”  “How much better will I get?” There is always room for improvement.  How much? Time and effort will tell Recovery depends on time and effort, every injury and stroke is different.   Get off to a good start with a lot of education on risk factors, stabilizing your general health, and education on reasonable expectations.   Recovery takes time--it is frustrating and overwhelming.  You end up learning to live with uncertainty and patience. The majority of physical recovery happens in the first year or two.  Recovery doesn’t end after this, it just slows down.  As the symptoms get better there is less improvement needed.  You may see a lot of gains and improvements early on.  You get to a plateau where it is harder to see gains-- be patient with yourself as changes slow down Education on follow through is very important.  As you move on in your recovery the length of time you work with a therapist decreases.  Recovery relies on you following through on your home exercise regimen.  The patient...

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Shit happens! We don’t choose what occurs to us. We may feel victimized and out of control. We may feel scared.  How do you get through it?  In this episode we talk with Joanne Susi, life coach, stroke survivor, and a student of the law of attraction.  We talk about how to move through fear, learn from it, and choose joy. The only control we actually have in life is our thoughts. Need help listening to your inner wisdom and moving forward? Listen today to learn more about being a human being not a human doing.    Covered in this episode: Jonanne’s Stroke Survivor Story Her intuition told her she should go to the grocery store rather than staying home alone.   She experienced a stroke while at the store and was around others that were able to quickly help her Because of the speed of care, she was able to receive the clot buster drug TPA which you have to receive in the first 3 hours of a stroke.  She regained use of her left arm within 15 minutes after the shot While being hospitalized for her ischemic stroke she suffered cardiac arrest and had to be brought back to life.  Thankfully her daughter was with her, her intuition told her something was wrong, and she was able to get help from the medical staff quickly Intuition is our wisdom Joanne suffered a serious hemorrhagic stroke and needed brain surgery She was told she would never walk again Never say never, she was determined “Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t do.” (7:30)  She can walk, it’s just not like she used to “We remember how we were prior to brain injury and when we look at how we are today we are not the same as prior to brain in jury when in fact we are better because we’ve learned more about ourselves.  We need to look at the fact that we can do things, we just do it differently. “ (7:40) Joanne has residual effects from her stroke still that include walking with a cane and an AFO, and has paresis in her left arm/hand. “We don’t need to let go of our goals.  Joanne uses the law of attraction to help her reach her desired outcomes. (8:47) The Law of Attraction is a force in the world like gravity When we set a goal, there are two sides to it The goal is our desired outcome.   The other part is the desire of the thing that we don’t have When you have a goal and are thinking about how you haven’t met it your energy is focused on what you don’t have.  You are vibrating in a frequency that doesn’t allow you to have it If your focus is on what you don’t have than that is what you get Think of it like a radio station.  You have a choice of what station you want to listen to.  If you put on country and want pop you don’t get angry that you can’t hear pop, you turn the station.  The problem is one frequency, the solutio is another frequency.  If you are tuned into the problem you aren’t going to get anything but the problem.  If you tune into the solution, the solution will come to you (10:40) There’s power to positive thinking Intuition and Fear Intuition has no logic In Jonanne’s story, logic told her she should stay home where she would not have gotten help.  Her intuition let her know she she go to the store Logic (ego) is not bad but it can hold us back from what we want to do Fear is paralyzing, caution will keep you safe You have to calm the fear Stop and calm yourself down.  Wait until you have an inspired action Caution is something you listen to to stay safe Anxiety is not you thinking.  It is your brain turning something on that isn’t you.  It is something else going on in your brain.   Anxiety is not a personal flaw.  It is a chemical response that you can move on from. Intuition is our connection to the divine, the connected consciousness We all have fear, brain injury or not. We can learn to accept what it is.  Fear gives us an awareness.  Deep breathe when you feel it,

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Are you fatigued after using your eyes? Since your brain injury do you feel anxious in crowds or grocery stores? Are you dizzy or do you get headaches? Does reading bring on symptoms? Do you have trouble tolerating screens even when you take breaks? Is it hard to pay attention? You may need neuro-optometry! 20-30% of brain injury survivors have symptoms caused by oculomotor disturbances that do not self-resolve! Join us with Dr. Jacqueline Theis to learn more about this overlooked profession. We discuss visual processing and how therapy may help you with your lingering symptoms. We were both shocked to learn how much this field can help with many of our ongoing symptoms, you may be too! Covered in this episode: Differences between types of eye doctors  Ophthalmology: they go to medical school where they learn a little bit about a lot of the body systems.  Then they specialize in surgery and diseases of the eyes.  They are MDs who specialize in the eye Optometry: after undergrad they go to optometry school where they learn a lot about the eye and how other body systems impact the eye.  They can then choose to go to school longer for specialities like primary care, contact lenses, pediatrics, or neuro optometry. Neuro Optometry: works with atypical visual complaints.  Your eyeball looks normal but visual processing is interupted.  Typically subtle symptoms   Neuro ophthalmologist: medical doctors that can fix structural eye issues with surgery Neuro optometry: manages vision rehabilitation and vision therapy that can’t be fixed by surgery or medicine.  They can also make glasses that help accommodate for visual or eye tracking issues post neurological event   What Can Neuro Optometrists Help With? The signs and symptoms of vision issues post concussion or mild TBI can be very subtle.  Providers don’t even know all the signs and symptoms to be looking for If you complain of double vision, blurry vision, or light sensitivity you’ll definitely get a referral to an eye doctor.  The eye doctor will look at the eyeball for structural issues and most of the time the eyeball is fine. In the last 5-10 years they have found that common symptoms that are screened for iin brain injury get sent to other providers but are actually related to vision Symptoms of visual disturbances post brain injury Fatigue with reading and eye use Getting anxiety in crowded areas or grocery stores Dizziness Headache  Inattention Jaci aims to educate providers about screening for eye movements in patients with ongoing symptoms like those above (symptoms beyond 4 weeks).  If symptoms don’t self resolve in 4 weeks, there is rehab that can be done to help.   There is actually something that can be done and you can get better!! How do the eyes cause anxiety and cognitive problems? Vision uses your whole brain Imagine a soccer ball moving left to right in front of you.  The light signal from the ball moves to the retina, it transitions it into a chemical signal and sends it down the optic nerve all the way to the back of the brain to the occipital lobe.   The occipital lobe sorts the information and then sends it the part of the brain that needs to respond to it.   It gets sent to the temporal lobe which identifies what the object is.   At the same time the signal gets sent to the parietal lobe which tells where the ball is relative to where you are.    The parietal and temporal lobe send the signal to the frontal lobe to make a decision on what you want to do with the ball.   If it decides you want to kick it it sends a signal goes to the midbrain to coordinate the eyes to follow the ball.  This whole process moves very fast!  In something simple like tracking a ball left to right you have used every part of your brain.  If your head moves then your vestibular system and...

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Have you ever wondered what the long term effects of your brain injury will be?  We know that brain injury is a risk factor to developing types of dementia like Alzheimer’s.  BUT not all who have brain injury get dementia.  Today in our See BI segment, we are joined by The Ohio State University’s CBI researcher Olga (Niki) Kokiko Cochran to discuss TBI + what = Alzheimer’s.  Could sleep disruption in TBI have chronic effects that lead to long term neurodegenerative consequences? Listen to learn more about the emerging research on this topic.   We are super excited to announce our series: SEE BI! in partnership with The Ohio State’s CBI Program.  The Ohio State Chronic Brain Injury program (CBI) works on improving our understanding, detection, and treatment of brain injuries through research and community partnership.  Over the next few months, we’ll be chatting with brain injury researchers about their work and findings in the brain injury field. We are honored to be joining with them to bring you this educational series!!!  Covered in this episode: Chronic outcomes after brain injury How does the experience of traumatic injury set the stage for neurodegenerative disease? If you experience traumatic brain injury your risk of developing dementia or  Alzheimer’s is higher  BUT traumatic brain injury doesn’t cause brain injury In Nikki’s lab they wonder, Brain injury + what= Alzheimer’s Mouse models used for her research Models used mimic different types traumatic brain injury Trauma is induced on mouse brains several different ways which allows researchers to study and explore They need to carefully select which type of mouse model to use to most closely mimic the population they hope to study Niki’s Research Niki’s initial research focused on giving mice who have a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease a traumatic brain injury.  Her hypothesis was that brain injured mice would have a worse pathology (worse Alzheimer’s).  This was not true at all.  The brain injured mice did not do worse and in some cases did better. What they did see was that the inflammatory response to traumatic brain injury was different in mice genetically predisposed to Alzheimer's. That suggested that the presence of pathological proteins that predispose you to Alzheimer’s (which causes inflammation) was changing the inflammatory response from the traumatic brain injury.   This got Niki thinking about brain injury + what= Alzheimer’s Niki started thinking about common symptoms seen in TBI and Alzheimer’s--sleep disruption is present in both.   Could sleep disruption be the stressor that predisposes brain injured people to Alzheimer’s?   Brain injury alone can cause sleep disruption.  Then you have other life stressors (positive or negative) that disrupt sleep.  How does this combination impact your brain function? Sleep disruption is a common symptom of any type of stress. In Niki’s lab, they look at how sleep disruption, which is a common physiological consequence to stress, complicates recovery after brain injury. To research the connections, the researchers disrupt the brain injured mice’s sleep.  Their models mimic humans who have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.  The mice are only disrupted for four hours at a time.  After the 4 hours, they are no longer disrupted and can sleep as much as they need to.  They are not sleep deprived, only disrupted. They study the effects of this sleep fragmentation through: Behavioral testing:They test the mice to see how the stress of sleep disruption affects their cognitive performance--their tests look at the mouse’s spatial memory, information processing, motor function, and aspects of anxiety. Tissue analysis: looking for inflammatory changes and hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases (axonal damage, cell loss,...

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Since brain injury is invisible, survivors are often left on their own to figure out their cognitive and mental health.After injury, it can be hard to recognize what is going on, realize that this is not how your brain would normally function, and that you need help. Survivor Sara Howe joins us in this episode to share her story and her realistic perspectives on recovery. She has found physical and mental fitness to be monumental to feeling well. Listen on to be encouraged.  We promise you’ll be nodding your head in agreement and leave feeling inspired. We know we did!  In this episode: Sara tells her survivor story Playing hooky from college takes an unexpected turn Falling asleep behind the wheel led to a motor vehicle crash, many injuries (see below), an ICU stay, and moving back home with the parents Right vertebral artery occlusion that led to a right cerebellar stroke and subdural hemorrhage Cervical and thoracic spinal fractures, collar bone fracture, left arm and wrist fracture, right hand fracture, lacerations Punctured lung Compartment syndrome Outpatient PT, OT, Speech The invisible brain injury The fractures are the easy thing to address Sara and her mom needed to advocate as they were told she was “neurologically sound” when she didn’t feel it and knew things were off.  Find a doctor that will listen to you! Stimulant medications post brain injury helped for years with attention deficit issues post brain injury.  It was very helpful, but she eventually wanted to wean off of them Ways to cope with attention deficits without medicine: lists, to-do-lists, reminder app on your phone, take it day by day and be patient with yourself Sometimes you do need to be on medicine for a little bit; it’s ok to have help.  If the first med doesn’t work, work with your doctor to find something that does Sara’s experience rehabbing from multiple injuries She could walk post injury but needed to be cared for by her mom for 4 months PT/ OT for hand and neck.  Speech therapy (SLP)-Sara was in denial that anything was wrong, “I can talk fine.”  Denial was very strong Speech is more than talking. It's your organization and processing   4 Phases after trauma: denial, anger, depression, acceptance.  You cycle in and out of these throughout recovery.  It takes a long time to get through all of these Physical recovery was a lot shorter than mental recovery.  It took Sara a few years to recover mentally.  You never really get back to your preinjury self. Post injury Sara feels even stronger because she has a different perspective on life,  she doesn’t take things for granted, she has patience for people, and she’s learned so much through it.  She’s not the same but she ended up better. (14:07) Mental and cognitive health are often the hardest parts to get over. People assume that since you are physically fine you are also mentally fine Since brain injury is invisible, brain injury survivors are often left on their own to figure out the mental health piece.  It can be hard to recognize what is going on and realize that this is not how your brain would normally function and that you need help. (15:40-16:14) Mental health therapy People wait until something is wrong to go to therapy but “You go to the gym to keep your body in shape, You go to therapy to keep your mind in shape” (16:40)  You shouldn’t wait until you’re super out of shape to go to the gym, if you do it is harder to get back into shape.  Therapy gives you support in your day to day life.  It’s good upkeep You don’t have to have a brain injury to go to therapy Grief and anger post brain injury Anger isn’t always a part of the injury. It is always part of the grieving process Hearing you should be thankful and grateful makes you feel like you aren’t allowed to feel anger or be mad.  It’s ok to feel one with the other.  You can be grateful and...

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C’mon, y’all know you’ve done some strange and laughable things while being brain injured. Maybe it was funny at the time, maybe it's taken years to laugh, or maybe you still can’t. Finding the humor in all the heart-(ahem, brain)-ache makes those hard days just a little easier. After Mimi Hayes suffered a brain hemorrhage from a ruptured cavernous malformation, she did just that. Taking her experiences on the road, she has made a career as a comedian. Nothing makes her feel better than having people laugh with her.  Join us for some chuckles today with Mimi Hayes, making brain hemorrhages look cool since 1992!  In this episode: Mimi’s Survivor Story: brain hemorrhage due to a ruptured cavernous angioma in the cerebellum Symptoms of fatigue, loss of balance, didn’t know where she was in space, visual disturbances, migraines, couldn’t move head or eyes without vomiting  Symptoms mistakenly categorized as psychological!!! Took a couple weeks to get an MRI--Mama Bear to the rescue! The bleed happened at a stressful time in Mimi’s life.  She thinks the added stress contributed to bursting her previously benign cavernous angioma (a clump of vessels that never unfurled correctly at birth)  Initial treatment was at home: watch, wait, and hope for reabsorption. Mimi started losing physical function, coordination, double vision and vision loss, loss of taste, weight loss.  With the increase in symptoms, her neurosurgeon reassessed and now Mimi needed brain surgery Recovery from brain surgery:  Post-anesthesia hilarity: Sit Down Helen!  ICU Rehab Hospital: coming to grips with changed abilities.  Aggressive therapy soon after surgery led to quick physical results.  If you didn’t get this it doesn’t mean it’s too late! Outpatient therapy Back to work in 5 months with accommodations and self regulation Recovery is nuanced.  Everybody’s recovery timeline is different.  The intensity of your injury doesn’t mean a certain timeline, i.e. “mild” injury doesn’t mean quick recovery and visa versa After about two years of teaching post injury, Mimi started some new creative pursuits: book writing and comedy.   Humor in tragedy, the importance of finding laughs through hard times Finding new purpose after brain injury Teaching after brain injury no longer felt like her purpose.  She opened herself up to new possibilities.  She hit the eject button and moved to NYC. Be open to new possibilities Jump into the void Book deal: https://amzn.to/2QW0n2I (I’ll be OK, It’s Just a Hole in my Head) by Mimi Hayes Brain Injury circuit: TV spots, comedy gigs with sets on brain injury, Brain Injury Association presentations Step into yourself after injury: you have a new perspective, changed spirituality, changes in life.  Get into those changes. It's a great time to reinvent yourself (48:12) Being an advocate in the brain injury community helps you care that much more about doing the work, It becomes bigger than you.  You are helping others.   Being a part of the brain injury community throughout the years: A support for you and others! Brain injury is always going to be a part of your story Owning your story and deficits showcases what is possible after brain injury How can you reframe your deficits as a special super power?? Own it! (52:41) Everyone is trying to make their way and be happy and confident Take that step and figure it out as you go.  You don’t have to be perfect; there’s never a perfect time.  Take the plunge if you feel a pull. Some of us are ready to share and others are not at that point.  Be patient with yourself and reach out to the community if you are ready. Some may not be aware the community exists and when they do find it they may not know how to interact with it Figure out what platform works for you and be patient.   There’s a full array of types of people, people in...

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Surprise! Our brains control our bodies! While it’s common knowledge that our brains control thoughts, movements, and perception; did you ever think about it controlling your hormones? Hormonal imbalance may sound abstract but could be behind many persistent and chronic brain injury symptoms. Fatigue, brain fog, mood changes, not feeling like yourself, menstrual irregularities, changes in libido, and weight gain, among many others could be signs of hormone imbalance related to your brain injury.  While hormone dysfunction may not be your answer; if it is, it is easily treatable and totally worth getting checked. Gain awareness and knowledge from our talk today with Dr. Tamara Wexler neuroendocrinologist.   Topics covered: Neuroendocrinology A specific set of hormones overseen by parts in your brain Includes: thyroid hormones, sex hormones (testosterone, estrogen, prolacin), growth hormones, and stress hormones Systems in the brain involved are the pituitary gland and hypothalamus--they affect end organs like the adrenal glands, ovaries, testes, the liver, and the thyroid The end organ glands are in a feedback loop with the brain The hormones carry the messages between the brain and the end organs Awareness of hormone insufficiency post brain injury There is under awareness of hormonal issues in brain injury It is under diagnosed and under treated You need testing to determine if there is pituitary deficiency.  You can replace the deficient hormone and remove the symptoms associated with its insufficiency Pituitary insufficiency is most researched in post concussion/TBI.  There is some information about acquired brain injuries and hormonal deficiencies but the literature isn’t as broad Common symptoms associated with hormonal insufficiency are vague and non-specific.  Not all of these symptoms are caused by hormonal changes but without looking you do not know if they are.  There is a higher rate of pituitary insufficiency after injury but it doesn’t mean every symptom is due to it.  Treatment may not lead to a complete return to pre-injury self.  Fatigue Mental fog Not feeling like yourself Changed menses and fertility weight changes exercise intolerance Body composition changes Slowed thinking Poor tolerance of things you used to be able to handle Mood changes School performance Behavior Growth  If you don’t look for insufficiency, you can’t tell if it exists How do you test? Menstrual irregularities, absence of menses, or changes in libido that persist more than 3 months after a concussion can reflect a brain related hormonal change (pituitary damage) If you are having regular periods without being on oral contraceptives you don’t need to be tested Estradiol and FSH: if ovary insufficiency or menopause are causing the symptoms, the estrogen will be low and FSH will be high.  The pituitary sends FSH to signal the ovaries. FSH is high if the ovaries are the problem  If the pituitary gland/brain is the problem the FSH will be normal or low.  It is trying to mount a response but it can’t You have to look at multiple hormones as they rely on each other to understand the cause of the problem (brain vs end organ) Thyroid testing: TSH and Free T4 need to be measured together after brain injury to determine if there is a brain or organ problem Testosterone deficiency in men post brain injury: needs two morning blood tests timed appropriately to catch insufficiencies Hormone testing is done by a blood test timed appropriately with your cycles.  If you are looking to see if something is low you need to test it when you expect it to be high.  Provocative testing is when you stimulate your body to mount a hormonal response and then test it There are 4 systems monitored by the pituitary gland: stress hormone system, thyroid hormone system, sex hormone system, and the growth hormone system  There is a domino effect if...

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Domestic abuse and brain injury. Don’t let this scare you off. It is a conversation we all need to take part in. 75% of domestic abuse survivors suffer TBI as a result and you know we can’t leave friends in the community hanging! Today we join How to Love a Battered Woman’s Nia Renee to discuss domestic abuse and brain injury. Strikingly, overcoming both require similar skills of resilience, perseverance, strength, and o-so-much inner work. You won’t want to miss out on this insightful conversation.  There’s a tremendous amount of wisdom shared for all those going through either or both experiences. And if you aren’t in either situation, it is still a crucial listen to gain understanding and insight. You never know when you might need to be an ally!       Covered in this episode: CTE is a result of repetitive brain trauma commonly recognized as a disease affecting professional football players.  Victims of domestic abuse are probably even more affected due to repeated knocks on the head at home but it is not publicized like it is for professional athletes Women are more susceptible to TBI due to the structure of our necks 75% of domestic abuse survivors have a TBI Nia is a survivor of 20+ years of domestic abuse She has a brain condition called Chiari Malformation that was sped up due to the abuse Therapy is an ongoing process throughout the rest of your life (5:45).  It’s not a one and done fix  Chiari Malformation Happens when the brain is herniating into the spinal canal because the brain is too big for the skull 185 (ish) symptoms associated with this disease Nia started experiencing symptoms her sophomore year of college While experiencing symptoms of the brain injury she was also being hit in the head which likely exacerbated her condition There is a lot of stigma around this disease in the neurologic world.  Some neurologists believe that Chiari is an incidental finding that doesn’t cause symptoms It took Nia advocating for herself and finding the right fit with a neurosurgeon to get treatment and surgery. Shout out to https://www2.mhsi.us/doctors/holly-gilmer/ (Dr. Holly Gilmer, M.D.!) Nia talks about recovery from surgery and trying to get to know her chronic illness self   A metaphor for living with chronic illness: A handful of spoons: every activity in your day requires you to give away a spoon. Eventually you have no spoons left to give away.  This represents the energy each activity in life takes when you have a chronic illness and brain injury.  You have to be deliberate on what you give your spoons to Surgery is not a cure; it just gives you a more livable life The surgery can make some people worse.  The experience and decision to have surgery is highly individualized  Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS): a connective tissue disorder that is commonly associated with Chiari.  Allow yourself to evolve and let go of the preinjury self.  You are who you are now.   Brain injury can cause an identity crisis Life lessons from surviving domestic abuse and living with a chronic brain condition Nia’s only 27! She has wisdom beyond her years. Remaining resilient Resiliency as a child consisted of doing something creative to express herself and help her bounce back, especially writing.  It was later on that she realized she doesn’t need to be quiet about what was happening to her.  Speak out! “I got to a point where I realized I don’t have to be quiet about any of these things.  Why do I have to? If it makes you uncomfortable that is not my concern, business or problem” (19:30) “If hearing about domestic violence experiences makes you uncomfortable, question why, look inside yourself.  Does it make you uncomfortable because you are a part of the problem?  Is it because it touches on something that you haven’t had a chance to work on yet? Are you realizing that you are not

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What is one symptom all brain injury survivors have in common? No, the answer we’re looking for is not our overwhelming awesomeness--although that’s also true! It’s FATIGUE.  There are several different types of fatigue and many ways to manage it.  Join Jenn Freeburn, MS, CCC-SLP as she schools us on the hows and whys of cognitive fatigue.  She’ll help us strategize our way through the fog, no loud fog horn necessary.   Covered in this episode:  Types of fatigue Physical fatigue- the body being tired and needing rest Psychological fatigue- lack of motivation, trouble starting anything Cognitive fatigue (mental fatigue)- brain fog, not being able to attend or focus Theories for brain fatigue The brain is trying to heal and has less energy for other things.  Tasks feel more taxing The brain is less efficient after injury possibly due to:  the healing process or  additional attentional resources are being put towards other aspects of life and those resources drain energy leading to fatigue After a brain injury, the brain is more sensitive to things in life that cause tiredness.  You used to be able to push through and now your brain can’t Your brain is healing! And that can make you feel tired Managing fatigue: it's not just about today; there is a cumulative effect.  If you drain your daily “battery” and dip into your reserve battery, it will take more than a good night’s sleep to recover from the cognitive fatigue.  When you are running low, you have to be gentle with yourself and not schedule a lot when you are drained Examples of cognitive demands: Sensory heavy environments: crowds, bright lights, stores, noisy, socializing Prolonged attentional tasks: reading especially nonfiction, anything that requires a lot of processing, taking in a lot of information.  Tasks where you need to focus in and wouldn’t do with someone watching TV in the background.  Mixing physical, cognitive, and psychological demands Laundry: has lots of steps mixing physical movement with cognitive aspects Times when your attention is pulled multiple directions: example parties and conversations Multi-step processes: Cooking: lots of steps and movement What’s one to do? Understand yourself What triggers fatigue for you?  Plan your day around those:  know what is going to cause fatigue and be nice to yourself after so you can rest  Do the hardest tasks during the time of day you are feeling your best Don’t schedule hard/high stakes things during your times of higher fatigue Structure your day around your fatigue patterns with breaks interspersed throughout the day What does fatigue look like for you?  Brain fog Not being able to pay attention Irritability, everything is annoying or frustrating.   Self judgment i.e. negative self talk Making errors Emotionality Try not to ignore your triggers What are your early indicators that fatigue is setting in? It’s important to understand these so you can slow down and not hit the wall Check in with yourself to see where you are rather than pushing through Fighting to complete tasks isn’t beneficial for your brain How do I figure out my patterns? Keep a simple journal/log of what you do throughout the day and when Rate how fatiguing each thing was on a scale of 1-5 Look for patterns Build your day around your patterns Increase routine Especially important when you are recovering at home and don’t have much of a schedule or structure to the day Establish some regularity, especially around sleep What is restful? What restores you? I.e. what recharges the battery; how can we make deposits to our energy bank? (rather than constantly drawing from it) Breaks are something that provides cognitive rest and is pleasurable What actually restores your energy? Mindless scrolling is not cognitively restful Identify what gives you back mental energy Physical movement or...

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Faces of TBI, Huffington Post, Brain Health Magazine, author of multiple books, brain behind the scene of many advocacy events...what do all these things have in common, Amy Zellmer!  Amy used her experience as a concussion survivor to build community, share resources, and advocate for policy to benefit brain injury survivors across the country. If you’ve wondered how you can get more involved, listen here to get some ideas of where to go!    Topics covered: Amy’s Injury: a fall on the ice that led to concussion Helpful treatments: chiropractor, yoga, functional neurology Vision issues: nystagmus, trouble focusing  Amy feels neurologists tend to focus more on managing long term neurologic diseases rather than brain injury Amy’s injury taught her that there are resources available but they were hard to find.  This spurred her on to advocacy and education with a focus on making resources more readily available to all.  Medical advances and technology had the unintended consequences of pulling medical doctors from the bedside doing thorough physical exams to an over reliance on imaging “You know your body best, don't ever let a doctor, friend or loved one tell you that that is not possible or can’t happen” (19:30) Amy’s Journey to Brain Injury Leader Her goal has been to build community, share resources, and advocate.  Every 9 seconds someone in the US has a brain injury and they don’t know what to do or where to go. First Huffington Post article Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/792052120888627/ (Amy’s TBI Tribe) Author: Life with a Traumatic Brain Injury: Finding the Road Back to Normal by Amy Zellmer, a compilation of her articles early on; helps with understanding what it is like to have a brain injury and validates experience Second book came after she started getting better: Embracing the Journey: Moving Forward After Brain Injury by Amy Zellmer Podcast: Faces of TBI: features survivor and caregiver stories, Brain Injury Awareness Day in Washington D.C. https://www.braininjurymn.org/ (Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance) Advice to others who want to help with advocacy and policy Don’t recreate the wheel Connect with your local brain injury alliance or brain injury association Reach out to https://www.biausa.org/ (Brain Injury Association of America) Know your own limitations and where you are in your recovery Take baby steps.  Maybe the first thing you do is write down your story and share it;  be a guest on a podcast.  You don’t have to do everything to have a ripple effect.    Be mindful of your energy reserves Be ok with your limitations.  Learn how to understand your energy and how much you have to give so you don’t crash Continue to be mindful You are a part of the brain injury community no matter where you are on the road of recovery Poor experiences with brain injury resources may cause you to try to start from scratch.  Don’t recreate the wheel, join it and make it better.  MAny state alliances and associations only have 1 or 2 employees--have grace and understanding.  Advocacy work takes a lot of energy and you have to be ready to take it on Don’t compare your recovery to somebody else’s Imposter Syndrome: just because you are in a better place than someone else doesn’t mean you don’t have a voice or that your injury isn’t “worthy” of speaking out about.  Join the community, you may be the voice and have the ability that someone else needs but doesn’t have March 16th, 2021: Join the free event “Not Invisible” a Virtual Brain Injury Awareness Day March 22nd, 2021: launch of season 2 of Concussion Discussions video series, free event to help you find your way through the murky waters of recovery

Links to any resources mentioned: https://www.huffpost.com/author/amy-zellmer-634 (Amy’s Huffington Post articles) https://amzn.to/3sZ5MDX (Life with a Traumatic Brain Injury:...

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Every once in a while, we like to give y’all an update on how we are doing and what we are learning from hosting the Making Headway Podcast (MHP).  Listen today as we get real on everything from our mission, to our reflections on hosting, and all the positive takeaways we’ve learned along the way.     Topics covered today: Making Headway Podcast Mission: To share brain injury related information from multiple viewpoints without judgement We want to make as many resources as possible available to survivors  so you know what your options are and can choose a recovery path that makes the most sense for you. To advocate for the brain injury community Make our voices heard To promote the open sharing of recovery journeys in the hope that it lends support to other survivors  Every story comes with an epic tale.  Sharing stories is a source of inspiration and hope to keep moving forward. Reflections from doing the podcast Protecting ourselves from re-traumatization and getting stuck in our past selves The fine dance between telling your story, self awareness, recognizing your needs, and moving forward There’s no simple fix for brain injury recovery.  You have to make the decision and put in the work to move forward.  Effects on parenting. Increased concussion awareness Brain injury baggage- finding the positive.   Staying in the moment and stopping comparisons. I just am me! “You get what you get and don’t get upset.” (17:40) Just be where you are.  The pre-injury self is not the gold standard.  Books https://amzn.to/3dUiOhD (Where is the Mango Princess?)  by Cathy Crimmins Has been a really helpful book in moving forward about a person with brain injury and his caretaker https://amzn.to/3b2Bn1x (This is Your Brain on Food )by Uma Naidoo, MD Positive things we’ve learned Eating well 4 colors on the plate.  Frozen veggies really make this easy Stir fries are easy ways to add more veggies Bowl full of blueberries always available to snack on You can add a lot of veggies into chili and soups https://amzn.to/37X5wNB (The Defined Dish) by Alex Snodgrass, converts recipes to Whole 30, clean and healthy eating Embracing where I’m at.  Doing something positive just for me everyday. https://www.loveyourbrain.com/ (Love Your Brain Yoga) Yoga nidra Meditation apps: https://www.calm.com/ (Calm), https://insighttimer.com/ (Insight Timer), https://www.headspace.com/ (Headspace) Getting back into exercise.  Working out now is more about what feels good rather than having lofty goals.  Working out without body shame and self-judgement. Inconsistency is ok.   Caution keeps you safe.  Fear keeps you from doing things.   You can’t “fix” it all at once.  Your reliance on the team and not trying to be everything. Recognizing your strengths and weaknesses; when to delegate and when to hang on. Stay in the moment.  Be real with who you are and let people know your strengths and weaknesses are. People pleasing: have had to stop filling the needs of others without ever filling yourself up Making boundaries is like putting your airplane oxygen mask on first.  You can’t help someone else if you haven’t saved yourself Allowing relationships to evolve, especially in families.  I don’t need someone else telling me that what I am doing is ok.  I need to be ok with what I am doing.  Enjoy the journey!   Support us: Leave us a review on https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Apple Podcasts) Follow us on https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (Instagram) orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook): @makingheadwaypodcast Follow us on https://twitter.com/makingheadwaypo (Twitter:) @makingheadwaypo  Use the links in our show notes if you’d like to buy products mentioned...

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Looking to learn more about how your diet can influence your brain injury recovery? Post-concussion and all other brain injury survivors, go no further!  This episode has it all!!  Chelsie Moore functional medicine nutritionist, action sport aficionado, and all-around super-smart, bad-ass teaches us about all things brain and gut.  We dive deep on neuroinflammation, the brain-gut connection, and hormonal imbalances along with what YOU can do to take control and get better.  Grab your pencil and take notes; you’re going to feel inspired to take action after hearing this! Topics covered in this episode: Functional Medicine Getting down to the root cause of what is going on with your health Differs from Western medicine as it looks to treat what causes the problem instead of just treating the symptoms of the problem Practitioners in functional medicine spend a lot more time with their clients to uncover root causes and provide individualized care Chelsie’s Story--Motocross rider with multiple concussions She lost 5 years of her 20s because she didn’t have the right help that she needed.  As bad as it was, it led her to turn it on its head and became a functional medicine nutritionist to be able to help others heal their brains Suicide prevention  Untreated brain injuries can lead to chronic inflammation causing mental health struggles which include suicidal thoughts People may feel embarrassed to seek help if they’re having depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts.  There can be a stigma in the action sports community to not seek help and suffer alone Don’t be ashamed to ask for help: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ (https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/)  Neuroinflammation There is a lot we can do for neuroinflammation Brain injuries cause a breach to the blood brain barrier which allows toxins into the brain.  That creates a cascade of reactions that cause inflammation (inflammation is an immune response) Anti-inflammatory diet Clean diet The first most basic thing to do is to do lower inflammation in the brain is to eliminate gluten, dairy (casein), and sugar gluten and casein fuel trigger an autoimmune reaction called molecular mimicry that fuels the vicious cycle of neuroinflammation  What has gluten in it?  Learn how to read your food labels.  Most food labels have to say if it has wheat (gluten) in it Wheat, barley, soy sauce, some condiments Anything that is “enriched”, “self risen”  Graham or durum flour, food starch Emulsifiers Most of the fake meats have gluten Hydrolyzed vegetable protein Malt Cammett Rye Oats, unless certified gluten free Stabilizers Thickeners Wheat starch, wheat bran, wheat germ, semolina What has dairy in it? Milk Whey Casein Anything lacto-based (although some lactobacillus is dairy free) Brown sugar and caramel Binding agents More chronic severe symptoms may need more dietary controls than the above Autoimmune paleo diet: Fruits, vegetables ,grass fed meats, wild caught fish Ketogenic diet: has the most research around it for neuroinflammation.  Can be hard to maintain How you exercise affects inflammation. Subthreshold high-intensity interval training protocols are best It’s better to do something rather than nothing.  It is ok if you can’t fully overhaul your diet overnight.  Take it in small bits. Chelsie focuses on easing people in by assessing where they are at and making small changes over a period of time. Maybe it is starting with just cutting sugar or gluten and then see how you feel When you actually feel a difference you will be more inspired to make more changes. That is when you can introduce other changes Get through two weeks of cutting sugar.  You do detox and don’t feel well at first; but it gets better!! EAT REAL FOOD, stop eating processed food Is there ever a place for moderation (aka cheat days)?  Stay strict for a certain...

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Mariah and Eryn were interviewed for episode 72 of the Concussion Talk podcast. If you like what you hear, check them out on a podcast platform near you- they have tons of great interviews and resources for brain injury and concussion survivors!

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Two brain injured friends who were able to support each other through their recoveries and then start a podcast...WAIT, WHAT?!?!? We thought that was our thing but were so happy to learn that there are others using their friendships, conversations, and experiences with brain injury to help others! Today we talked with https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-brain-injured-friends/id1529786856 (My Brain Injured Friends), Alexandra and Beate about their survivor stories and lessons learned.  We quickly became friends! Take a listen, we guarantee they’ll feel like your friends too.   In this episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-brain-injured-friends/id1529786856 (My Brain Injured Friends (podcast)) Alexandra’s story: hemorrhagic stroke survivor due to AVM Beate’s story: ischemic stroke survivor Neuropsych testing Dealing with the hard stuff Will you ever get better? When will you be 100%? Dealing with religion and relationships post brain injury If you just xxx, your xxxx will go away.  Praying, hoping, and wishing for a different circumstance. Why would God do this?  Therapy Being flexible “If God can love you wherever you are, you can love yourself wherever you are.  Praying hard for a miracle? Maybe the miracle is what you are going through.  Maybe it’s not wishing it away.  Maybe you are in this spot to learn something monumental”  (33:10) “You get to define why your injury happened, you are the one who gets to see how it changed your life.”  As life goes on your perspective changes and the list of lessons that come from it grows longer (33:50) “I am what I am right now” (35:14) Recovery is a lifelong process, version 2.0 of me Friendships may change and some relationships need to be cut loose Podcast life Starting the podcasts gave rise to community and addressed feelings of loneliness.  We realized we aren’t alone! Opportunities to share with others who totally get it.  When talking with other survivors you don’t have to hold back or protect non-injured people’s feelings. Revisiting the injury frequently can be intensely emotional Recognizing the trauma without getting stuck in it Reprocessing  “I own the brain injury, the brain injury doesn’t own me. The podcast is a way to pay it forward. [The injury] doesn’t tell my story, I tell my story.” (46:37) It’s easy to think there isn’t a brain injury community since brain injury is invisible.  The pandemic has pushed us to do more social media, video chat, and make online connections with others in the community. Yay! Has taught us about our communication styles https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/yoga-girl-conversations-from-the-heart/id1219728105 (Yoga Girl) podcast, the art of listening What surprised you the most about your brain injury? Cognitive fatigue and speech therapy for thinking therapy How easy it is to take movement for granted.  The brain-body connection The amount of information you process visually Neuro-optometry: for anyone with visual deficits post-injury.  They will teach you how to live and compensate for your deficit. Having to limit how much you schedule into a day Learning your limits and drawing boundaries Learning how to say “no”

Links to any resources mentioned: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-brain-injured-friends/id1529786856 (My Brain Injured Friends (podcast)) https://pages.vanessawoodburn.ca/download-book (Bounce Back: Reclaim Your Life after a Concussion )By Vanessa Woodburn https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/yoga-girl-conversations-from-the-heart/id1219728105 (Yoga Girl) podcast https://nora.memberclicks.net/find-a-provider (Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association) to find a neuro optometrist

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and...

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What can survivorship look like? This week’s guest has done it all! Join Chloe Luckett, a TBI survivor, program coordinator and community educator for Brain Injury Nova Scotia, yoga instructor for Love Your Brain, and podcast host of Between Two Brains.  She found yoga to be a tremendous help in getting her out of learned helplessness and into her new post brain injury life.  Listen for inspiration on all you can do to help yourself! You can do it! Topics covered in this episode Survivor Story: bike vs car It takes a week for long term memories to form--this is why you may not remember up to a week before your injury Chloe had several brain bleeds, needed surgery, and was in a coma She needed rehab for her speech and function Her time after leaving the hospital and rehab was when the hard stuff set in Loss of independence In the hospital it is easy to fall into the role of being the patient, being cared for, and not needing to make decisions for yourself.  These times of dependence can have a lasting impact on our mental health, how we think and how we act .  It can take a toll on your confidence leaving you unable to make decisions long after you actually can. (9:37) The lack of confidence gets you into a place of questioning yourself and becoming very hesitant.  It made Chloe feel unlike herself Chloe’s discovery of yoga helped her out of this place  Yoga Yoga requires one to look into themselves and make the decision to be there; it's very mindful Yoga encourages you to do movements that are right for you; there is always the option of taking a break.  You are encouraged to listen to yourself and your body https://www.loveyourbrain.com/ (Love Your Brain Yoga) Kevin Pearce (founder): US snowboarder who sustained a TBI, fell in love with yoga after his injury and its healing properties for the brain 6 week course, one class a week, virtual options available!! Restorative, slower, breaks down the movements into more manageable steps for people with brain injury symptoms (balance, vestibular, etc) What are survivors saying: “I didn’t think I would have ever been able to practice yoga before” Part of the program is a chat with your class after the yoga practice on a relatable topic: i.e. resilience, mindfulness Benefits of yoga for brain injury survivors, “Why would I want to do yoga?” Breathwork reduces anxiety Improvements in sleep Community: connection with others who have brain injuries How will Love Your Brain accommodate your brain injury symptoms? They are conscious of your head staying above your heart to help prevent vertigo or dizziness The poses focus on keeping your gaze in one spot   https://braininjuryns.com/ (Brain Injury Nova Scotia) Yoga program similar to Love Your Brain- Brain Injury NS allows more types of brain conditions to be included. They have the capacity and ability to accommodate more levels of ability due to smaller classes  Programming during Covid:  Brain injury community check ins, “How are you doing. How can we help” Virtual programming to reach any one who wants it Live yoga that follows Covid restrictions https://braininjuryns.com/podcast/ (Between Two Brains Podcast) Focuses on any and all brain injury stories to show how many different types and experiences there are Gives awareness to the injury so that it is not invisible Attempts to reach the public as brain injuries are very common but yet have poor awareness and can be a taboo subject Everybody knows somebody who has had a brain injury, you are not alone! Advice for those going through brain injury Stay active! Get fresh air and a daily walk Eat well Be mindful of who and what you surround yourself with: what are you feeding your brain? Not only food, but the TV you watch, the messages you hear from others around you, etc...  “What goes into your brain influences what comes out” (40:14) Fuel your body for success

Links to any...

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Life. Is. Hard! (Thank you Captain Obvious).  How we tell our stories and talk to ourselves directly impacts our mental health and abilities, to not only recover from brain injury, but to live a fulfilling life. In this episode we talk about how to love yourself through ALL times.  Vanessa Woodburn, integrative health coach, PCS survivor, and author of Bounce Back: Reclaim Your Life After a Concussion joins us with practical advice on self care.  Even if you don’t have PCS this episode applies to all brain injury survivors and we venture to say, all humans.   Topics covered in this episode: Integrative health coaching: looks at the whole person: emotional, spiritual, nutritional, physical, sleep Post concussion syndrome: there can be a lack of awareness in the medical community of what to do for someone with PCS, “you look fine,” “your test results are fine” Vanessa found she needed to search for help on her own https://www.vanessawoodburn.ca/#:~:text=Bounce%20Back%20is%20for%20people,navigated%20the%20post%2Dconcussion%20experience. (Bounce Back: Reclaim your Life After a Concussion) by Vanessa Woodburn Applies to any brain injury.   The book focuses on self compassion while doing this work.   Gives a stepwise approach for recovery addressing many topics such as sleep, nutrition, exercise, self talk, telling your story, etc Writing our stories (self talk) Is what I’m telling myself true? We have the ability to change our story into positivity https://amzn.to/3r60l5a (Rising Strong by Renee Brown).  The reckoning, the rumble, and the revolution of our stories. We are neuro-biologically wired to make ourselves safe in our story.  We have to search for what is true.  Our stories never end and constantly change https://amzn.to/3j2cW6N (Night of the Gun by David Carr): a reporter who had addiction issues that after recovery wrote about his story.  He found that the way he represented his story was not actually true, he had created a safer story leaving out difficult parts. After interviewing others he found a more true version  The constant rehashing of your story can get you bogged down.  What does the revisiting to the story do to your mental health?  There have to be points along the way where you release parts of your story so you don’t get stuck. Sometimes you need space from it rather than living in it “If you fight for your limitations you get to keep them” (Jim Kwik).  Am I putting a lot of energy to stay in a certain place that doesn’t feel good? You can choose to put your energy into moving forward (16:12) It's a balancing act of listening to what you need but not getting stuck in a spot Self compassion: with all these things going on, what do I need today? The answer might be different then what it was yesterday. Is today the day to push yourself?  (18:45) Self-compassion and Self-care: what will nourish you? Your brain, your body, and your mental health? Self-care considerations:  moving your body,  how is your sleep?  how are you connecting with yourself on the inside, building in quiet so that you can actually listen to what you need? Bring it to a practical level.  Kristen Neff, researcher- self care has a ying and yang, a fierceness to take care of yourself and to ask yourself “what do I need.”  It is a push and a pull, the both/and Your standards for what you need change daily.  Just because you are resting and caring for yourself doesn’t mean you have to let your goals go. It just changes the path to get there Balance- there are many ups and downs that happen at a fast speed.  We have to be kind to ourselves and recognize that our needs change Rigidity is not practical.  Have to be flexible Have to be nice to yourself through the process “O my gosh, but I said i was going to do this” (25:55) Self-compassion and kindness to ourselves allows us to change...

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We have heard from many of you that going through a brain injury has been a lesson in listening to yourself at a fundamental level. Having an invisible injury means you have to rely on what your body and mind are telling you; no one else knows! We all have a voice, an instinct, a gut feeling that guides us in knowing what is right. This is intuition. Intuition is alive in all of us. Susan Gorman, Intuitive Counselor, joins us in this episode to unearth the myths and to teach us how to trust and strengthen the voice that is our intuition.      Topics covered: Common misconceptions about intuition in our society we marginalize intuition...what we believe about it is that:  it is rare- many people don’t have it or experience it, if you strongly believe in it you are weird,  it is unreliable, if you can’t confirm it with your 5 senses it can’t be real, and  it is dangerous or immoral.  (3:56) If you prescribe to a system of thinking that “tells” you what to think, intuition isn’t heard If you believe in a higher power, it helps you to embrace intuition as it puts you more in tune spiritually Intuitive counseling is coaching people how to listen to and hear their own intuition  Hearing intuition over anxiety and fear Most don’t listen to intuition until it is a last resort.  Some don’t listen at all Intuition is not really a mental capacity, it uses language and thought but thinking about something and having intuition are two different things Intuition and anxiety/fear cannot exist together The things we spend time worrying about don’t usually come to pass.  We waste a lot of time and energy on these types of thought patterns To listen to our intuition we have to stop the grooves we are used to existing in (the gutter ball analogy).  We have to learn to stop fear and anxiety and how to “bowl a strike” to begin thinking clearly (11:14) What does Susan do as an intuitive counselor? Life would be easier if we didn’t have bodies or egos.  She believes in tapping in and listening to our spirit Empathy: she feels your thoughts and feelings as if they were her own Spiritual connection: we are all connected to each other.  The “force” is the energy that connects all living things together and she taps into that Clairvoyance: objective clairvoyance--visual images, seeing it as if it was right in front of you.  She sees things others do not and it gives her information She does not give advice or tell people what is actually going to happen (unless she fees it very strongly) She helps people identify and figure out what information they want to take in or listen to Healthcare and intuition A true therapeutic relationship with a healthcare provider is one where you feel comfortable and respected saying anything to the provider The provider should accept you for who you are and listen Trust your instincts about your healthcare provider and your own health. https://amzn.to/3c8Nz1K (Protecting the Gift by Gavin De Becker)...you have to trust yourself and what you are feeling.   Systems (healthcare, legal, social, religious, etc) tend to prime us (women especially) to not listen to themselves in an attempt to please others “The body has its own language, it just doesn’t necessarily speak English.  We have to learn how to listen” (32:38) Using your intuition Take the time to stop and listen to yourself: There's an added layer of noise in our lives that stops us from listening to ourselves Try not to use your intuition as a way to be like “why didn’t I know” Stick to the things you do hear and the things that are loud whether they make sense or not (36:20) Divine timing We learn from our experiences so experiences will still occur The aftermath of brain injury Think of all the lessons learned from the injury.   It doesn’t make the injury ok but listen, so much good can come out of it! “I'm sure there...

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Have you ever tried to tell your story while in the middle of it? Seeing the light and lessons can be challenging in hindsight let alone while living it. Ruth Kavanagh who is currently fighting, surviving, and thriving with brain cancer shares her message of hope, courage, and strength in the midst of metastasis. She is a true warrior advocating for others even while she is in the throes of her own treatment. Our souls were touched and tissues were wet during this recording. Be prepared for tears, laughs, goosebumps, and inspiration. We caution you that this is an emotionally powerful episode, please be in a safe space while listening.   In this episode: Traumatic vs. Acquired Brain Injury Traumatic- from an outside injury or force, i.e. car crash, hitting head, concussion Acquired- an internal factor, i.e. lack of oxygen, aneurysm, stroke, infection, brain tumor Ruth Kavanaugh’s story Thriver, survivor, fighter!  Listen to your body, it will tell you if something is wrong Anaplastic Ependymoma: one of the rarest forms of brain tumor, only about 2% of brain tumors are this type. It is cancerous and extremely aggressive.  Because it is so rare there is little research or treatment options. Ruth set her mind that she will get through this If you go online, make sure it is a reputable site (see below for suggestions) Radiation therapy Caused extreme fatigue Life after treatment: too tired to do anything and left to your own thoughts.  Can be a very dark time.  Taking care of your emotional and mental health Remove the stigma.  There is zero harm in seeing a counselor.  Only good will come from it.  You’ve got nothing to lose! Important to “date around” and find a counselor/psychiatrist who is the right fit The cancer chaos “Scan-xiety” is a real thing.  Cancer survivors, you are not alone when you feel anxious about upcoming scans Recurrence  More discussions in tumor boards, consultations, surgeries, and therapies Stereotactic radiotherapy Avastin- side effects bleeding and prevention of wound healing Infection Loss during hard times Revisional surgeries Metastasis, only 25 cases known in the world that spread the way Ruthie’s has More chemo Lessons for healthcare professionals: listen to your patient, don’t make pre-judgements, be very cognizant of where the patient is now rather than basing all judgement on your past experience with the patient, sitting with a patient lowers the power divide (standing over a patient is very intimidating and strengthens a patriarchal model of care), respect the person as a person (not just a condition) Self-advocacy is advocacy for those who don’t have a voice.  By standing up, telling your story, and advocating for better care; you can serve to stand up for those who can’t do it for themselves and help others.  “I'm tired, but there is hope!” Strength, courage, and hope through extended trauma “There’s always hope.  It doesn’t necessarily mean that there is going to be a magical cure.  Look for it in the little things.” Hope can be finally being able to eat real food, getting out of bed, hoping for peace and being surrounded by loved ones Find your tribe--find someone who has been through your experience To get connected with others and reputable resources:  National Brain Tumor Society,  American Brain Tumor Association,  First Descents- free camps for young adults with brain tumors  or MS Epic Experience: cancer camp for adults American Cancer Society:https://www.cancer.org/ Connect with the social worker in the hospital or cancer center to get more resources

Links to any resources mentioned Brain Injury Association of America: https://www.biausa.org/ (https://www.biausa.org/)  National Brain Tumor Society: https://braintumor.org/ (https://braintumor.org/)  National Institute of Health (NIH): https://www.nih.gov/...

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Many of our speakers have alluded to the effects that nutrition has had on their recovery.  If you’re like us, you want to learn more but don't know where to turn.  This. Episode. Is. It! Susannah Juteau, the Headache Nutritionist, schools us on dietary approaches to headaches, migraines, post-concussive syndrome, and mental health.  Do you think this means that you need to follow a super, restrictive elimination diet?? Susannah teaches us a different approach and gives practical advice on how to improve our diets.  Listen and learn with us!  Topics covered: Susannah’s survivor story and path to nutritional approaches for migraines Solving headaches requires focus on 3 pillars: Sleep Stress  Nutrition Nutrition is only part of the solution “A healthy diet doesn’t mean a headache-free diet” Anti-inflammatory diet to treat migraines and headaches Migraines are an inflammatory condition It’s not a quick fix.  Migraine and headache treatment require an interdisciplinary approach.  Work with your practitioners on what they specialize in, advocate for the right people on your team What to expect when seeing Susannah, the headache nutritionist Micro-nutrient assessment Timing of eating, what are you eating Diagnostic test: the mediator release test, tells the specific foods that cause inflammation in YOU Goal of treatment is to calm the immune system Typical approach is to have an elimination diet which is very restrictive. Susannah offers something different.  Her approach using the mediator release test allows you to target specific foods to remove rather than whole categories of foods Elimination diets can take a year and may not hit the nail on the head as well as using a mediator release test How do you know that inflammation is a problem? Migraines Chronic headaches IBS Indigestion Mood, irritability Poor sleep High stress Females’ hormones and stress response make females more susceptible Most common food culprits for inflammation Processed foods Dyes Chemicals MSG What to eat: Focus on brightly colored whole foods To make this easy: Frozen vegetables and fruits are oftentimes more fresh than what’s in the produce section meaning they are more healthy.  They are easy to grab, already cut up, and make a great addition to any meal.  Fish: omega-3 fatty acids are essential.  Fish is quick and easy to make, bakes in 20 minutes! Anchovies Cod Oysters Mackerel Sardines Salmon  Clams--canned is good too!! Great source of iron. Big bad wolves in nutrition: dairy, gluten, sugar.  You might not need to cut them or eliminate every food in each category!! The mediator release test will guide what needs to be removed.  Common elimination diets cut all gluten, sugar, and dairy as they are often reactive for people.  With Susannah’s approach you cut these for the 14 days while waiting for the mediator response test results.  This calms the immune system and inflammation.  Once results are back, you can cut the specific culprits for you and see how you feel.  This approach is more sustainable because you don’t need to cut whole groups of food. Nutrition is highly personal.  See a nutritionist that can do the mediator response test 5 nutrients for chronic headaches and migraines 1. Omega-3.  Fish at least 2 times a week.  Fish more than meat.  Eating fish is best as it primes the digestive system to be able to break down the fatty acids.  Supplementation may not work as well if you are not eating fish because your gut is not primed. 2. Vitamin D: This is one that you need to supplement.  Shitake mushrooms and fortified milk are food sources but don’t contain enough.   Dont assume that since you live in a sunny area that you get enough.  Most of us are covered up when we are out in the sun and get little, if any vitamin D from the sun. Take in the...

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If you have been struggling with putting it all back together post brain injury, this is the episode to listen to!  Holly Kostrzewski is a veteran brain injury survivor 21-years out.  She uses her experiences to provide encouragement and advice to others experiencing the aftereffects.  This episode provides heartwarming inspiration and support for anyone in the throes of recovery.  It is a MUST listen! Bulleted list of topics covered: Female Brain Injuries-- all the research until recently has been done on male brains.  Female hormone cycles affect how we respond to the injury and heal Holly’s survivor story Motor vehicle accidents are not accidents.  They are predictable events due to a cause i.e. you run the stop sign and it causes a crash; the correct term is motor vehicle crash.  Calling it an accident diminishes the event to something random.  It’s important to determine the cause Neuropsych testing: everyone should have it.  It gives a baseline and things to work on The first five years are the hardest Holly uses a combination of Eastern and Western medicine: craniosacral therapy for pain, kinesiology chiropractor, anti-inflammatory diet and supplementation Nutrition and brain injuries: you need to research what will work for you.  No two injuries are alike. Some ideas to research for yourself: Limit caffeine Clean diet Remove inflammatory foods Some with epilepsy find keto helpful Resources: Funk’tional Nutrition podcast and Adventures in Brain injury podcast (see resources section below for links) Safety net support system Fatigue, being overwhelmed, poor instincts, mental health, and grief all affect the brain injured person’s safety.   Survivors may think they are fine but they need someone watching out for them Grief and depression post injury It’s ok to be sad after your injury.  Something terrible happened! Medications don’t address the cause of the symptoms Grief is an upward spiral and you never know when it is going to hit you.   Grief therapy Bereavement overload The first five years after injury, you are still acute and trying figure it all out Brain injury symptoms and the grief get diminished.  People without brain injuries may try to commiserate with you saying that they have headaches, feel down, and are tired too not realizing how different it is for you To overcome you need to have an abundance of gratitude and grace for yourself.   Find the small victories.  Celebrate you! Look at where you were at the beginning of the injury compared to now--you have done hard things and overcome!!! There is a difference between disappointing and devastating events.  Brain injuries are devastating! Dealing with the struggle Give yourself grace Keep a positive attitude Make a plan with goals that you can work on daily Google the lobes of the brain to understand what each part does.  It will help you understand your injury and the symptoms you experience  Functional medicine or functional neurology could be helpful Remove alcohol (it lowers your seizure threshold and all brain injury survivors are at higher risk for seizures) Try taking out gluten and sugar and see how you feel TBI: Truly Brave Individual Devaluation of feelings You’ll get through the feelings; its ok to feel them Music Get a theme song.  No matter how bad it is, pull up the song and dance it out Holly’s motivational speaking and journey to her traffic safety career “Brain injury, the gift that keeps on giving” ~Cathy Crimmins Be mindful with how you sit in your injury.  Your brain injury is your story but doesn’t need to become you Hope, Humor, and Inspiration: Holly is available to book for speaking events; see the link to her website and social media below

Links to any resources mentioned Brain Injury Medical Provider: “Women vs. Brain Injury”:   ...

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In this episode, Mariah and Eryn give you a peek into who they are, where they are at in their brain injury recovery journeys, and all their favorite binges from 2020.  Get to know your hosts and some of the books, podcasts, shows, and food that got them through this year.   In This Episode: Mariah and Eryn talk about where they are at in their brain injury recovery journies Wading through the trauma Mental health Lessons learned this year Resources for recovery https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452295548/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=makingheadway-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0452295548&linkId=ea381d1d281728ba62d19ac43aae7440 (My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D.) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039957400X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=makingheadway-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=039957400X&linkId=93d0f6178a9ddcc09c0d4ab0fe84dab3 (Brain Food: The Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power by Lisa Mosconi, Ph. D.) The Passion Planner https://passionplanner.com/ (https://passionplanner.com/)  Joanne Soucy: https://h4hp.org/ (https://h4hp.org/) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0979624150/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=makingheadway-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0979624150&linkId=f6340965c38b8fe4b56b6464ea38470e (Brainstorm: From Stroke to my Trusting Place by Joanne M. Susi) Favorite Books this Year https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1501181831/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=makingheadway-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1501181831&linkId=4bcc6639562004d47638820cbad006ba (The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0778309452/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=makingheadway-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0778309452&linkId=3838381b2639648187abf7b7ac2f840c (The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052554190X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=makingheadway-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=052554190X&linkId=a5fb45b6f7af85957d22cb103dcc6052 (Such a Fun Age by Keily Reid) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316453692/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=makingheadway-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0316453692&linkId=2db55b85b7242f33bf10e8eed444d348 (Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning by Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062080237/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=makingheadway-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0062080237&linkId=9dd1f9ae20142b449886edbebf2ec278 (American Gods by Neil Gaiman) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1984801252/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=makingheadway-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1984801252&linkId=43e15ad036becfa136210a8050a84a06 (Untamed by Glennon Doyle) Favorite Podcasts https://katebowler.com/podcasts/ (Everything Happens by Kate Bowler) https://facesoftbi.com/podcast-series/ (Faces of TBI) https://www.theneuronerds.com/ (NeuroNerds) https://open.spotify.com/show/79ZRMS7fMysZMx70av90mK (Life With No Filter) https://open.spotify.com/show/3PnZGf5hEp4Bd4O4eu81H8 (My Brain Injured Friend) https://www.stitcher.com/show/slow-burn (Slow Burn) https://open.spotify.com/show/71mvGXupfKcmO6jlmOJQTP (Michelle Obama Podcast) https://open.spotify.com/show/2uAMVIo2ZopNriGs7nEX1J (Everyday Intuition) https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/ (Anxiety Coaches Podcast) Favorite Shows Dead to Me The Queen's Gambit Shrill MTV’s The Challenge Queer Eye The Flight Attendant  Love Life Workouts Obe https://obefitness.com/ (https://obefitness.com/) Running (app): Couch to 5K program Boho Beautiful https://www.youtube.com/user/cexercize/videos

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Why do silos show up so much in healthcare?  Aren’t they meant for holding grain on farms?? Today we talk with Dr. Taylor Eaves who teaches us all about chiropractic neurology.  This specialty looks at the whole person; the physical, the physiologic, and the cognitive to see how each system is affecting the other and creating a problem.  They use this information to create a plan that addresses your individualized needs.  Treatments are multimodal using a wide combination of therapies to get you back from your brain injury.  This is not your traditional crack your back and send you on your way.  If you’re looking for someone willing to consider how all your systems work together (rather than looking at each individually), a chiropractic neurologist may be for you! In this episode: What is chiropractic neurology? Ties the physiology, mental, and physical aspects of recovery together  They typically see chronic conditions or symptoms post concussion or brain injury What makes chiropractic neurology different? They test the eyes, cognition, and balance; do brain mapping, and combine the many findings into what your brain and body are outputting. Can these outputs be changed? What are the deficiencies?   They use this information to make an individualized treatment plan. Chiropractic neurologists look at all the components together rather than in a silo Don’t accept an answer of “this is as good as it gets; there’s nothing we can do.”  There’s likely more to be done Brain injuries disrupt the connections (axons) between nerves.  Your brain will compensate but these compensations do not always lead to smooth function.  The goal of chiropractic neurology is to find the area of initial trauma and the compensations the body/brain has made for that and treat it all to make the body work as efficiently as possible Types of treatments offered: neurofeedback, physical therapy, neurofacilitation, hyperbarics, context specific exercises (training that mimics the goal activity) It is not a crack to the spine and send you on your way! More on hyperbaric chambers: provides oxygen to promote healing Metabolic and autonomic function Brain injured patients can have trouble regulating automatic functions in the body.  Dr. Eaves tracks the heart rate responses (metabolic activity) while challenging a patient to see where their metabolic and autonomic thresholds are. Not pushing beyond a threshold prevents a patient from crashing--have to work within the boundaries to improve them Do I need a chiropractic neurologist?  Some things they treat (not all inclusive, they see most anything!): Dizziness, balance issues, severe fatigue, ongoing symptoms, strokes (should try to see as early as possible), headache, post concussive syndrome Dr. Eaves recommends a care team of functional medicine, physical therapy, and chiropractic neurology to provide a holistic approach to brain healing Age is not a limiting factor! Any age can be helped with chiropractic neurology

Links to any resources mentioned How to find chiropractic neurologists: Visit the American Board of Chiropractic Neurology website https://www.acnb.org/ (https://www.acnb.org/) --doctor finder tab, this shows diplomate level practitioners meaning they have had 300 hours + of specialized training Find Dr. Eaves on Instagram: @dr.e_neurochiro

The Southwest Brain Performance Centers: https://swbrainpc.com/ (https://swbrainpc.com/)  HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via...

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“As long as the world is spinning, we are going to be dizzy and we are going to make mistakes.”  Thanks, Mel Brooks, but today’s speaker tells us the mistake is not seeking treatment for the dizziness.  In this episode, vestibular therapist Dr. Emily Beus DPT, teaches us about different causes and treatments for the spins, the lightheadedness, or the rocking boat feeling that you’ve been living with (unless of course you actually live on a boat, she can’t help you with that).   Join us and learn how to get your head to stop spinning!  Covered in today’s show: Check in with Mariah and Eryn: What’s one thing you wish you would have known earlier in your brain injury? What is the vestibular system? A sensory system that provides our brain information about motion and spatial orientation.  It maintains our balance, movement, and posture.   Vestibular Rehab: a physical therapy specialty  What to expect with vestibular rehab: Give a history: really important to describe your dizziness--Lightheaded? Faint? Spinning? Off balance? Rocking? Swaying? Floating? Eyes aren’t tracking right? You might have all of them! Your therapist will help guide the conversation to help you identify what your symptoms are; it can be hard to find the words but don’t worry they will help you Your symptoms guide the therapist to what the cause is and what needs to be worked on Peripheral nervous system issues:  BPPV: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Positions such as rolling, bending, or looking up gives the sensation of vertigo You don’t need to avoid your triggers for vertigo, see a therapist!! They can fix it (and it usually doesn’t take long). Sometimes you’re fixed that day! Mechanical problem in your inner ear: the “crystals” are out of place Treatment involves laying you in a position that triggers symptoms and then moving the head around to move the “crystals” into a better spot You can be premedicated to help with symptoms if moving into the position is scary to you--work with your doctor and therapist to arrange this Central nervous system issues Ocular motor function: looks at how your eyes are moving.  Depending on what your eyes do determines if it is a peripheral or central nervous system issue Nystagmus Balance assessment: standing still and with walking Damage to the cerebellum, a part of the brain that controls balance, is treatable but takes longer Acquired Brain Injuries (an injury that happens without a knock to the head or an trauma) Dizziness might be from blood pressure issues (orthostatic hypotension) Therapy strategies to work with the changes caused in your brain Treatment may be slower Treatment focuses on strategies on how to be safe Talk to your provider and get an order for physical therapy: great doctors to have on your team are neurologists, PMNR physiatrist; Ear, Nose, Throat doctor (VMG testing that assess the eye movements more in-depth)

Check out these resources!:  http://www.vestibular.org (www.vestibular.org) (VEDA) Logs that are free to print for tracking symptoms, medications, foods, etc http://www.neuropt.org (www.neuropt.org) Lots of educational resources written for patients

Questions? Want to connect? Find Emily on Instagram @DrEmilyBeusPT   HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!   If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

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You are the unfortunate recipient of an injury that caused whiplash, concussion, and persistent concussion symptoms (PCS).  You do all the physical, vestibular, and vision therapy but the symptoms persist.  You experience a constant headache with zapping pain that goes from the back to the front of your head.  You’ve tried migraine treatments, you’ve seen specialist after specialist, but nothing helps. Sound like you?  Join us in this episode as we learn more about occipital neuralgia (ON) from the founder of the Occipital Neuralgia Foundation, Kayla Smock! Learn more, and find hope and support at http://www.onfsupport.org (www.ONFsupport.org); on facebook at Occipital Neuralgia Foundation; and on Instagram at Occipital.neuralgia.   Covered in this episode:  Occipital Neuralgia Foundation: The mission is to raise awareness in the medical community and public about ON and to foster research on ON.  The foundation focuses on providing an online community to support and educate.  They are working on establishing connections in the medical community to pursue research.  Social media accounts and the website focus on sharing resources, survivor stories, education, and most importantly providing light and positivity to those with ON.

3 in 100,000 people have Occipital Neuralgia diagnosed, likely there are many more but it is not readily diagnosed or broadly known about in the medical community

Symptoms: People with ON have constant headaches that do not improve with treatment characterized by a zapping pain from the back of the head to front of the head. They may also have pain down the arms, blurry vision, and eye fatigue

Treatment: headache medications, injections: botox, nerve blocks, or trigger point; nerve decompression surgery, radio frequency ablation, nerve excision, neuro-stimulator implant

Advice to those going through ON: connect with others who have what you do (see links below), keep advocating for yourself and find a provider who will listen.  Doctors are humans, not every doctor knows everything; it's ok to find one that knows about what you’re going through.  Have a support person to help you advocate.  

The Foundation is IN SEARCH OF medical providers and researchers interested in finding a cure.  Please contact the Occipital Neuralgia Foundation at ONFsupport.org

Links to resources: http://www.onfsuppport.org (www.ONFsuppport.org) Facebook: Occipital Neuralgia Foundation Instagram: @occipital.neuralgia   HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!   If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram) orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook).

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Mice. They aren’t just the scurrying creatures who’ve made a home in your attic.  Their contributions to the brain injury community are substantial.  In this episode, we learn how scientists research brain injuries and develop new therapies to prevent some of the devastating effects.  Listen to our talk with Paige Martin, Ph. D. in biomedical science who gives us an introduction into the research and genetics of brain injuries.  What goes on behind the scenes with brain injury research gives us hope for future treatments and lesser long term effects.     Topics covered in this episode: The relationship between head injury and neurodegenerative diseases Mouse models in the research of traumatic brain injury, diffuse axonal injuries, cerebral hemorrhages, strokes What do we learn from mouse model research? How the brain responds to injury What biochemically needs to be turned on or off to promote healing Therapeutics that could be helpful for brain injury and healing Genetics and their role in the healing brain: personalized precision medicine Genetics and predicting the effects of brain injuries Targeted therapies based on personalized genetics Current research on brain injury  Atorvastatin (Lipitor) Medicine to reverse short term memory deficits in concussions and repetitive head traumas

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Eryn and Mariah interview fellow survivor, Chris Dittrich, who suffered from a traumatic brain injury as a result of a car crash during his senior year of high school.  Early on, his family used a white board posted in his rehab room to post basic reminders (where you are, what happened, goal for day, etc) when memory is poor.  The most important message on that whiteboard: KEEP MOVING FORWARD! Chris credits his brain injury with teaching him to be open with everyone around him and comfortable approaching others for help. Chris teaches us that setting manageable goals and achieving them builds confidence. He uses videos on social media to be able to look back and see achievement.  Chris believes strongly in being an inspiration to others through actions- showing others that they too can make incredible progress and be a positive influence on others and the world.

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In today’s episode we go deep into the world of all things concussion. Concussions are one of the most common causes of traumatic brain injuries but because imaging can’t “prove” that there is damage, it can turn into one of the most lonely. Good news is, YOU’RE NOT CRAZY! What you’re feeling is real. And it can be treated! It’s not normal to wake up feeling dizzy, foggy, in pain, and off balance every day.  Join us today as we talk with Matt Campbell, clinical director at the Midwest Concussion Clinic. Matt provides hope and in-depth knowledge on concussions, PCS, and its treatment. There is an end in sight! In today’s episode, we cover: Concussions: the treatment has changed over the last 18 months--hint, it’s done a 180! Sit and rest in dark rooms for 2 weeks leads to a longer recovery and is a disservice to your recovery Symptoms of a concussion: headache, dizziness, fogginess, balance issues Concussions need evaluation by a concussion specialist Components of a concussion evaluation SACT 5, golden standard for immediate diagnosis VOMS assessment, tells them the most Modified Clinical Balance Test Treatment for concussions  Psychological effects of concussions How return to activity decisions are made The insurance aspects of getting care through an athletic trainer: the concussion specialist Worker’s Comp and concussion treatment Early treatment is crucial PCS: Post Concussion Syndrome or Persistent Concussion Symptoms? 20% of concussions have prolonged symptoms Who’s most at risk: females 18-34 y/o likely due to hormone shifts with females’ cycles Research on concussions Treatment of PCS  Relies on the underlying cause  5 main causes of PCS: decreased blood flow to the brain, soft tissue injury to the cervical spine, vestibular-ocular relationship (visual therapy), inflammation, psychological aspects You’re not crazy!! What you’re feeling is real. Helmets: skull fracture protection not concussion protection Modifications to make to live with concussion and PCS Brain injuries are the ultimate lesson in learning how to listen to your brain The healthcare system in general may gas-light concussions.  There is hope!! There is treatment! Caring practitioners who will help you are out there!! Integrated approaches and other treatments for PCS: PRTMS, neuropsych testing, neurology, vestibular therapy

To find Matt Campbell or to ask any questions, reach out on: https://www.instagram.com/mwconcussion/?hl=en (Instagram) https://www.facebook.com/MWConcussion/ (Facebook)  https://twitter.com/MWConcussion (Twitter) MWConcussion@gmail.com

Quotable quotes:  "Concussion treatment has changed...The goal of concussion treatment is to get back to activity as quickly and safely as possible." "The definition of post concussive syndrome is changing to persistent concussion symptoms. PCS is not something separate from a concussion and its prolonged symptoms.  The definition for PCS is symptoms that are lasting longer than 2 weeks in adults and 30 days in adolescents.  80% of the time the brain heals itself.  20% of cases have prolonged symptoms."   "You’re not crazy!! What you’re feeling is real. And it can be treated!" "Work with your brain, not against it.  Your brain will always win."  "Don’t suffer in silence.  It’s not normal to wake up feeling bad after a concussion.  There is help!"

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen...

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Brain fog. Trouble concentrating. Difficulty planning and organizing.  Trouble with problem solving. Memory issues. Word finding challenges.  These are just a few of the symptoms after a brain injury.   We have therapy to help us get back to walking and doing our daily activities but who rehabs our thinking and how our brains work after an injury??  In today’s episode we delve deep into the world of Speech Language Pathology (SLP) with therapist Emily Overbaugh of Thrive Speech Pathology.  She teaches us the instrumental role speech pathologists have in treating the “invisible” parts of our injuries. Join us as we talk about all things thinking-related and how we can recover this crucial part of our brains!!   In this episode we cover:

When in your course of injury you start speech therapy What speech therapy addresses How you know you need speech therapy.  Below are a few symptoms SLP helps with: Fogginess and cognitive fatigue Memory issues Difficulty with attention Word finding issues and trouble conversing Executive function difficulty (ability to plan, organize, and set goals) Cognition, communication, or swallowing issues Problem solving difficulties Tasks taking longer than usual Getting a cognitive baseline The relationship between attention and memory The role of speech pathologists Strategies: Goal, plan, do, review Reduce environmental distractions  Plan your time  Take breaks and rest Evaluate your performance and how it could have gone better Return to work strategies Technology that will help you (hint: use your smartphone) Advice for caregivers of brain injured people: it’s a family injury! Recognizing brain fatigue and what to do about it Understanding your own boundaries: learning how you think and acting on this Coming to terms with your “new normal” Final thoughts:  self advocacy find providers you really connect with dealing with the “shoulds,” “I should be able to do this,” “people say I’m fine, so shouldn’t I be?”--trust your instincts rest/activity balance--strike a healthy balance

Links resources from this episode: 

AnyList: https://www.anylist.com/ (https://www.anylist.com/) Todoist: https://todoist.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAqJn9BRB0EiwAJ1SztT67m-46bmUc4tq17wxyqY3qDNCbLSrT8xLxoi-4npSKQFUVsw4HjxoCuNIQAvD_BwE (https://todoist.com) Google calendar: https://www.google.com/calendar/about/ (https://www.google.com/calendar) American Speech and Hearing Website for a list of providers and their specialities in your area: https://www.asha.org/ (https://www.asha.org/)

To follow Emily Overbaugh: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivespeechpath/ (https://www.instagram.com/thrivespeechpath/) Website: https://www.thrivespeechpathology.com/ (https://www.thrivespeechpathology.com/) Quotes from the show:

Every patient is so different, therapy is individualized based on symptoms. The role of a speech pathologist is to delve into the underlying difficulty that you have on a daily basis.   That patient knows themself the best.  They know if they don’t quite feel like themselves.  If you feel this way and haven’t met with a speech therapist yet, you should consider it.   Speech therapy is an umbrella term...Speech therapy is thinking therapy...They teach thinking skills. Think about things you want to do with more forethought than you did before. Learn from your experiences and adjust as needed.    Be gentle with yourself.  This [injury] is not your fault.  It happened to you. You are your own best advocate. You can get to the same goal that you had before.  It just may be a different path to get there.  Meet yourself where you are at.   It’s ok to leave a provider and seek someone you click with better.

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Subarachnoid hemorrhage. It’s a mouthful and it sounds terrifying. Join host Eryn Martin as she talks about the subarachnoid hemorrhage that she experienced in  May of 2020 in the midst of the US Covid quarantine. Out of nowhere, Eryn was struck by an uncontrollable headache and vomiting after completing an at-home workout. After being rushed to the hospital, she was told by neurologists that she had suffered from a perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage, meaning that she had experienced a spontaneous venous rupture in her brain. Eryn was rushed from her local hospital in New Hampshire to the neurological intensive care unit at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where she spent seven days recovering. Eryn talks about her time in the hospital, her return home, what her recovery journey has been like, and the hurdles and surprises along the way. HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!   If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindlyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 ( leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us onhttps://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ ( Instagram) orhttps://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast ( Facebook).

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Our. First. Episode!! Join us for the premiere of the Making Headway Podcast as we learn more about our hosts and what brought them to share with you. We begin our series with Mariah’s harrowing traumatic brain injury recovery journey after being hit by a car while walking to work.  This trauma caused a subdural hematoma with a skull fracture. She was placed in a medically induced coma and needed mechanical ventilation for a short time. Her doctors told her it’s a miracle that she is alive. So why did this happen?? Why did it not always feel so joyful? Join us on Mariah’s road to recovery where we take time to talk about mental health struggles post-traumatic brain injury (TBI) and lessons learned with the destination of her improved state of mind and a better way of living. HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you dug this episode head on over to Apple Podcasts and kindly https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!) Ways to subscribe to the Making Headway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-headway/id1534964037 (Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts) https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ishnxgh8xbJfV8BtbCtZw (Click here to subscribe via Spotify) https://making-headway.captivate.fm/listen (Click here to subscribe via RSS) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/making-headway (You can also subscribe via Stitcher)

https://www.makingheadwaypodcast.com/ (Visit the Making Headway Podcast website) to learn more about Eryn and Mariah and our journey to podcasting. Follow us on https://www.instagram.com/makingheadwaypodcast/ (Instagram) or https://www.facebook.com/makingheadwaypodcast (Facebook).

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Join hosts Eryn Martin (subarachnoid hemorrhage survivor) and Mariah Morgan (subdural hematoma survivor) as we chat a little bit about why we decided that we wanted to begin our podcast. Making Headway came to be because, as good friends, we were lucky to have each other to lean on during our brain injury recovery journeys but we quickly recognized how easy it is to feel like you are isolated or alone. In addition to this, it can be hard to find solid advice on how to heal your body and your mind. Our hope is that by sharing survivor stories and practitioner interviews, we'll normalize the recovery process so that other survivors know that they are not alone on their roads to recovery. Full episodes will be launching in November 2020. Check us out at our website: www.makingheadwaypodast.com Instagram: @MakingHeadwayPodcast Facebook: @MakingHeadwayPodcast