The Well Brain

03/12/2026

Advocacy for change and progress-

As many colleagues, care partners and survivors are currently in Washington DC I figured I do my part here on social media.

We continue to identify roadblocks and brain injury recovery that continue to fuel the purpose and mission behind ongoing advocacy work.

-Education: there continues to be a lack of training for providers about brain injury. The overall curriculum and education must include brain injury in all of its severity and impact on life.

-Screening: brain injury screening is not routine across all settings. We fill out so many forms and screenings and yet brain injury is not one of them at any visit. Brain injury screenings are essential for detection and education.

-Diagnosis: either lack of diagnostic language or minimizing diagnostic language as it pertains to brain injury is far too common even when it's abundantly clear that brain injury is part of the visit.

These are just three examples of systemic roadblocks in a brain injury journey.

The advocacy must continue not just in brain injury awareness month!

Thank you to the advocacy groups, agencies, an individuals who continue to use their voices advocate for brain injury awareness.

03/11/2026

Mark your calendars for the next Maine Brain Aneurysm Support Group ZOOM meeting on March 26th.

This month we will have a speaker talking about “Fatigue, Energy Balance, and Cognitive Distortion”

More info will be posted here on Facebook and by email in the weeks ahead on how to REGISTER to participate either by internet video or by phone.

For more information about the Support Group- visit our website at: www.MaineBA.org
Or contact: Dave@MaineBA.org

03/10/2026

Local to Hopedale, MA? Connect with the Office of Career Pathways & Work Based Learning at Hopedale Jr./Sr. High School

03/08/2026

Intentional women's Day is about recognizing the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women while advocating for gender equality.

So let's do that brain style here as we celebrate progress, while also raising awareness of ongoing challenges.

There are major differences in the way women's brains work and the research is only beginning to dig in.

Thus the misdiagnosed and misunderstood and mistreated women are far too frequent.

To the women who know or don't know yet that brain injury was part of what changed so much in life...

-you're not 'crazy'
-it's not being emotional
-it's not just anxiety
And you're never too much!

Free OBISSS screening support to find out if brain injury could be part of your story.

Non judgemental, open, honest, safe care here.

You're amazing and don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

03/06/2026

Cognition is the mental process and systems that directly support our communication, learning, self-regulation, social interaction, and daily functioning.

Some cognitive abilities that can be affected by brain injury include:

Concentration and attention

Following directions and sequencing

Decision making

New learning

Initiation and/or self-monitoring

Sometimes there is a delayed awareness for changes in cognition.

If the organ that is responsible for cognition has been injured, it's more than reasonable to request a specialist to evaluate cognition.

It's also reasonable that from day to day, or task to task you notice fluctuations in cognition after brain injury (there are so many variables to consider). Which also deserves a specialist support.

It's also reasonable that although someone may tell you you look fine after brain injury, that you can still use support with cognition in day to day life.

It's not all in your head... Oh wait, it is in your head because that's where your brain is and it deserves support.

03/03/2026

New!! I'm excited to offer my time to continue to improve care and access to brain injury support through the use of a nation wide screening tool.

OBISSS: online brain injury screening and support system

So although many of you who follow my page already have awareness that brain injury is part of what you are experiencing, this is for all those individuals who you may meet or know already in your world who are unsure. They may be curious if brain injury could be part of what they are experiencing.

Brain injury screening can be a valuable tool to help individuals who may have a history of brain injury. By screening for potential brain injury, there can be improved outcomes for individuals with chronic symptoms.

The system has validated tools and secure data storage that is reliable and confidential.

Anyone can complete the screening on their own or with the help of a professional, like me!

After completing the OBISSS the screening results are automatically emailed to the participant and their provider (if applicable). If someone screened positive for potential brain injury, the OBISSS, will automatically email information on any challenges that may be experienced and tips for support.

So please share this resource to continue to allow improved information, access, and support within the world of brain injury.

03/01/2026

Brain Injury Awareness Month 2026 kicks off!

Here's what to expect and how to engage here

All month long you can expect brain injury education, awareness, resources, wins, challenges, and strategies.

I truly look forward to your engagement and hope that you comment with wins, challenges, and questions.

If a post helps you educate, share the post with your support system. Because sometimes I recognize it's hard to find the right words to express what you might be experiencing. Or maybe it's just a little reminder of the continued journey.

Save any post that you think could support you at a later date, because it's okay to need a reminder.

The most important thing that you know about brain injury awareness month posts here at the well brain is that you are truly seeing, respected and honored.

You are doing the most important job, you never wanted to have, and healing and you are an inspiration for resilience and courage.

02/27/2026

The Maine Statewide Brain Injury Support Group meets on the first Wednesday of each month, and the next meeting is on Wednesday, March 4. More info below!

02/07/2026

Always such a great conference for everyone! I'll be presenting this year, Navigating the real life cognitive load of recovery. Hope to see you there.

🎉 Registration is OPEN! 🎉 As of today, you can sign up for BIA-MA’s 44th Annual Brain Injury Conference, happening March 25–26, 2026. Take advantage of early bird pricing through 2/20/26 and save your spot now!

✨ BIA-MA members receive a special discount—so if you’re thinking about attending, consider becoming a member before you register to get the best rate.

👉 Learn more and register at biama.org/annualconference.

02/02/2026

Spoon theory doesn't make sense to everyone and that's ok.

Part of the work that I do is figuring out with each individual client which method of thinking or analogy make sense to them in a way that makes it so easy to use every day.

This is one such model!

Bump: a bump into its symptoms is okay. We greet them, we name them, and we allow them to bump or increase a point or two up on your personal tolerance scale. This is meant to change and improve over time. What you bump early in recovery is not the same thing as what you bump years down the road in healing and life

Push: a push is something that you push into or against as far as symptoms. Again we acknowledge why the symptoms are happening and remind the body it is safe. A push has a why or a priority that you know is important to you and it's worth the push. Again what you can push early in the journey is very different than what you can push later on. As your strategies get better this also changes because you're recovery time from a push shortens.

Shove: shoves happen either by life or by situation. We again acknowledge symptoms, and we pull out all the strategies and tips and techniques to help navigate the best you can. There is intentionality in your recovery and how you can build back up to a bump.

A few questions you can ask yourself:

Do I bump enough? Because this speaks to improved cognitive and physical endurance.

What is worth a push? Because having your world get too small is so detrimental to healing.

What are my strategies for shoves? Because life will certainly give us situations and events that require us to know exactly what are best strategies are to get back to bumps as quickly as we can.

If bumps, pushes, and shoves is also a spoonful of no thanks for you, I encourage you to consider what analogy aligns best with your continued learning for managing capacity and symptoms.

Share, like, and follow for more

01/21/2026

As if parenting wasn't hard enough!

Navigating parenting after brain injury brings in so many new challenges, heightened sensitivities, and changes the dynamic in the family.

Here are 3 strategies to put in place right away while navigating the dual demands of a healing brain and a family.

#1 let your village in. Family and friends want to be helpful. Give them specific ways to help and educate about the why.
Example: could you please bring Timmy to the birthday party with your son. Since sustaining a brain injury these party places start a migraine that can last for days. I don't want Timmy to miss out.

#2 Schedule restorative time like it is an appointment. Yes actually put it on a calendar! Treat rest and recovery like the non-negotiable job that it is.
Example: after dinner time I need Suzy to put the dishes in the dishwasher, Timmy to put away cups, and Hunny please clean the pan in the sink. I have an appointment with my noise cancelling headphones and binaural beats in the bedroom for 30 minutes.

#3 Prioritize your energy on the things that mean the most to you and your family (you will have to ask them for this info).
Example: Suzy you have basketball and a birthday party this weekend, which one is most important for me to be there for even if only for a little bit.

I hope these 3 little strategies find their way into the challenges of navigating brain injury recovery and parenting.

Share your tips in the comments for others on a similar journey.

Follow me for more brain injury education and tips.

persistentpostconcussion traumaticbraininjury braininjury braininjurystrategies

12/09/2025

Anyone confused about brain fog or neurofatigue?

One of my favorite topics to unpack...

The hard truth is that although you no longer take your brain for granted, it's likely that you are taking your brain's job for granted when it comes to cognition.

Attention, memory, problem solving, executive function are all part of a major cognitive workout that we do everyday all day.

The difference after brain injury is that cognitive endurance also needs to be rebuilt and there may be a new threshold, just like physical endurance.

So stop and think about all the things you did yesterday that required cognition...

-attention
-reasoning
-sequencing
-problem solving
-insight
-planning
-self-correction

You're now thinking, well that was a lot! 😉

In addition the truth is that understanding what impacts in our fatigue is just as individual as brain injury itself.

We have to consider priorities, motivation, expectations, daily variables, other symptoms, and so much more.

So now do yourself a favor and give your brain credit.