The Well Brain

06/18/2026

Love my job and now I get to share about it.

For counselors, social workers, and mental health clinicians, there is a distinct frustration that comes with watching a client get "stuck." You are using evidence-based interventions, but the progress just isn't mirroring the effort.

The reality? Interventions that rely heavily on complex executive functioning, abstract processing, and long-term memory retrieval can overwhelm an injured brain.

If you missed our earlier updates, registration is open for NASHIA’s upcoming specialized training - Beyond Traditional Therapy: Faith Counseling, Cognitive Coaching, and Problem-Solving Approaches for Brain Injury.

This session is designed specifically to help clinicians move past standard protocols and master modified counseling frameworks that integrate diverse approaches—spiritual, cognitive, behavioral, and community-based— that can enhance recovery, empower individuals with brain injury, and promote meaningful participation in everyday life.

🔗 Secure your clinical toolkit and register here: https://www.nashia.org/trainings/beyond-traditional-therapy

05/18/2026

Happy speech language pathologist day!

To every SLP who sits in the hard moments, celebrates the tiny wins, holds space, builds skills, restores confidence and helps people reconnect with their world, it's a pleasure sharing this passion profession with you.

Whether you're supporting communication, cognition, swallowing, advocacy or any of the other invisible parts of brain injury recovery that don't fit neatly on a chart I see you putting in the work.

Tag a SLP who deserves to feel celebrated today!

05/07/2026

Advocacy in the medical community 101

It's not too much to ask for...

-providers to talk to each other, after you sign consent and share contact information. Actually it's collaborative care and everyone wins.

-the history or chart to be reviewed prior to being asked questions. It's helpful for providers to be given a minute, in silence, to review and it's less recall demand for the patient. Another win win!

-the best way to ask follow up questions after the appointment ends. It's human for both people to think of things after the appointment. Knowing which way is best to communicate before you need to, is yet another win win.

-things to be repeated back to you in a different way to make sure you understand. Blank nods don't help anyone. Asking for clarification is, you guessed it, a win win.

So the next time you wonder, what every patient deserves, know it's a win win for the providers too.

If it is too much, find a new provider💯

05/01/2026

Collaborative care is always a win for everyone involved.

This feedback means the world to me. Thank you to providers who take time to connect on behalf of our mutual clients. We're doing what's right, while also getting to witness their progress together.

One of the greatest gifts of managing my own time is that no one gets to overbook me in a way that makes collaborating inaccessible.

This is built in time for every client.

I know the traditional medical model is not set up in a way that makes this easy to do.It is really one of the reasons I was going to burn out in the traditional system, because I never let it go unaddressed. I made the calls anyway, nearly always unpaid.

Collaborative care is not too much to ask for.

04/30/2026

Come learn!!!

Transitioning my clinical experience into the world of cognitive health coaching has been such a rewarding journey. I’ve always believed that looking at the "whole person" is essential—because our cognitive health is the foundation of living confidently and independently.
​There is nothing more fulfilling than supporting individuals as they redefine their brain confidence and reclaim their sense of self. I feel so incredibly blessed to call this passion work. 🧠✨

For many survivors and their families, the transition from formal therapy to daily life is a challenging part of the journey.

On July 29th, join NASHIA for a special webinar - Beyond Traditional Therapy: Faith Counseling, Cognitive Coaching, and Problem-Solving Approaches for Brain Injury. We’re moving the conversation beyond the clinical setting and into the community.

We’ll discuss how to build a support system that addresses:
✅ Meaningful social participation.
✅ Innovative problem-solving and self-management interventions.
✅ Emotional and cognitive wellness in real-life settings.

🔗 Save your seat!
https://www.nashia.org/trainings/beyond-traditional-therapy

04/30/2026

Oh let me just do this one last thing.

We've all said that phrase. ✋

If you keep compounding that one last thing, especially while navigating the precarious physical and cognitive capacity after brain injury, it could be part of a cycle of flare ups.

Try asking yourself these questions:
Who told me I have to?
Who told me I should?
Who told me I can't rest until I do this?

These questions are examples of executive function self-monitoring.

The quick check questions help you determine if it is worth checking that one more task off the list or if you're doing it as a way to earn rest.

Cycles and patterns and habits are real however the first step in changing them is awareness and these questions are meant to catch your awareness.

If you're doing the task from a place of internalized pressure based on your personal invisible rules to deserve rest then come back to that one last task after the rest.

Because then what you're doing is you're practicing executive function self-monitoring, managing capacity, and you found success with better balance in the long-term trajectory of capacity management with cognitive and physical endurance.

04/18/2026

04/14/2026

Using my professional education,experience and passion in a non-traditional way to level up brain injury outcomes has been the most personally challenging and best decision I've made. Come learn more...

Traditional therapy is a vital foundation, but for a survivor of a brain injury, the ultimate goal is getting back to life. 🏠💼

Are your state programs and community partners equipped to support that transition? Our upcoming webinar, ""Beyond Traditional Therapy,"" is designed to help advocates and providers look at the ""whole person"" beyond the clinical walls.

Learn how to:
✅ Support meaningful community participation.
✅ Implement strategies for long-term success at home.
✅ Foster independence that lasts a lifetime.

Registration is officially OPEN! Join us on July 29th.

🔗 Get registered: https://www.nashia.org/trainings/beyond-traditional-therapy

04/09/2026

Just this year I became a Massachusetts screener for the OBISSS (Online Brain Injury Screening and Support System) which can help determine a potential exposure to brain injury in someone's lifetime and identifies any associated problems that are present. The report for 2025 is the data-based evidence that further supports why access to brain injury screening is crucial. It also 100000% supports the role of neuro speech language pathologist in brain injury care!

Data that Demands Action: Our 2025 OBISSS Annual Report is Here! 📈🧠

We are thrilled to release the latest report for our Online Brain Injury Screening and Support System (OBISSS). This year, the data tells a powerful story of growth, advocacy, and a deepening understanding of brain injury across the country.

The Highlights:

🚀 Tremendous Growth: We nearly tripled our reach this year, surpassing 3,000+ total screenings nationwide.

⚠️ High Prevalence: Of those screened, 80% resulted in a positive indicator for a potential brain injury—underscoring the critical need for this tool in every state.

🔍 Deep Insights: The report breaks down barriers by analyzing demographics, symptom challenges, and service delivery settings.

The "Why" for Your Organization:
This isn't just a report; it’s a blueprint for advocacy. Our subscription holders are using this data to secure funding, shape policy, and ensure no survivor falls through the cracks.

Ready to bring these insights to your state? Join our growing network of subscribers and start capturing the data that changes lives.

🔗 Read the Full Report & Join Us: https://www.nashia.org/obisssprogram

04/03/2026

I love helping out with research and sharing it. Way to go CBIRT!
https://oregon.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3wJZlNNuezlWScS