It’s easy to feel overwhelmed after a brain injury, with the mix of symptoms, daily stress, and simply coping with how your life has changed. It’s also common after brain injury to end up in survival mode, feeling disconnected from your body, and pushing yourself - which may be okay short term, but can add to long term stress and chronic symptoms. Today, we are diving into the topics of grounding, mindfulness, and how learning to regulate your nervous system can help you to move forward with healing after a brain injury.
In this episode, host Cristabelle Braden interviews Occupational Therapist Shelley Latendresse, who shares practical insights on how mindfulness and grounding techniques can aid recovery from a brain injury. Listen to discover how simple daily practices can help manage symptoms, reduce cognitive load, and promote healing. We also talk about coexisting with pain, symptoms, and the ways that we can acknowledge where we are at while also moving forward.
We also feature a spotlight with Dr. Jeremy Schmoe from The Functional Neurology Center. Dr. Schmoe explains how to bring your nervous system out of a hyper-sympathetic "fight-or-flight" state using targeted neurological stimulation as well as ways to do it at home.
This is also our Season 5 finale! We are so grateful for the conversations we've had this season and we look forward to staying connected as we enter a break to prepare for the next season.
🧠 In this episode:
- Navigating the process of managing symptoms, pain, and cognitive load post-concussion.
- Why focusing on simple, everyday habits can bring forward healing after brain injury.
- Understanding mindfulness as a core skill for present moment awareness to reduce stress after brain injury.
- Exploring grounding techniques that actively involve your senses and nature.
- Ways to stimulate your vagus nerve for nervous system regulation.
CONNECT
Follow @hopesurvives
Visit hopesurvives.org
Join a support group at hopesurvives.org/community
Reach out to us anytime: hi@hopesurvives.org
Hosted by Cristabelle Braden: @cristabellebraden | cristabellebraden.com
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Sponsor
Thank you to The Functional Neurology Center for sponsoring this podcast - The FNC offers personalized neuro-recovery programs for anyone going through brain injury and a wide range of neurological conditions. Learn more: https://www.thefnc.com
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0:00 Intro
1:53 Welcome with Cristabelle
3:00 Season 5 Finale
7:15 Nervous System Regulation - Spotlight with Dr. Jeremy Schmoe
13:00 Introducing Shelley Latendresse, OT
17:51 Why Mindfulness Matters
19:55 Feeling Disconnected from Your Body & Mind
21:40 Ways to Connect to the Moment
31:30 Grounding for Coexisting with Pain and Symptoms
40:44 Finding Beauty in the Everyday
42:22 Words of Hope
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Disclaimer
This podcast is for education and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your physician for individualized care. More: hopesurvives.org/podcast
