Overcoming Grief And Loss After Brain Injury

Overcoming Grief and Loss after Brain Injury is a practical, comprehensive, and simply-written book that provides foundational brain injury information and coping resources for persons recovering from and living with the disabilities that accompany this devastating injury. The book guides the reader toward self-assessment of their own concerns related to common post injury domains of impairment. Following help in identifying individual injury-related problems, the book provides clients with instructions and practice in use of a multitude of evidence-based compensatory strategies and coping skills. Clients can use the book to improve their cognitive, emotional, and functional status after brain injury. The book is written to assist patients, even if they are not able to work with a therapist or counselor. The supportive and therapeutic components of the book include the normalizing of brain injury symptoms and emotional responses, supported self-assessment, stress and emotional management techniques, compensatory strategies for a wide range of typical post injury deficits, links to community resources, and ideas for returning to work.

Therapists' Guide to Overcoming Grief and Loss after Brain Injury is written as a neurobehavioral and cognitive intervention manual for clinicians who counsel persons with brain injury. The Therapist's Guide provides step-by-step protocols, using the content of the patient workbook Overcoming Grief and Loss after Brain Injury. Each of the 9 Lessons can be used as a basis for therapy appointments with consumers. Most mental health clinicians do not fully understand the special learning needs of this client population or how to modify the usual psychotherapy or counseling process to accommodate their unique impairments and allow them to benefit. The Therapists' Guide provides the structure, grounded in the current brain injury literature that allows the clinician to teach and guide the client effectively.

Combining the science of emotional trauma with concrete psychological techniques— including dream interpretation, journaling, mindfulness exercises, and meditation—Shulman's frank and empathetic account will help readers regain their emotional balance by navigating the passage from profound sorrow to healing and growth.

A comprehensive guide for improving memory, focus, and quality of life in the aftermath of a concussion. Often presenting itself after a head trauma, concussion— or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)— can cause chronic migraines, depression, memory, and sleep problems that can last for years, referred to as post concussion syndrome (PCS). Neuropsychologist and concussion survivor Dr. Diane Roberts Stoler is the authority on all aspects of the recovery process. Coping with Concussion and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury is a lifeline for patients, parents, and other caregivers.

This workbook has been developed specifically for survivors of brain injury and blast injury. Based on journaling workshops for survivors of traumatic brain injury, it is filled with journaling exercises that guide the user through examining and expressing the many ways that the brain injury has affected and altered their lives. Vignettes by individuals give it a personal touch and also serve as examples of journaling. Users may go through the workbook from front to back or they may select chapters and activities most relevant to their lives and stage of recovery.Sections explore¿¿changing sense of self¿loss, memory and resilience¿altered relationships with family and friends¿anger and emotions¿grief and loss¿facing the future¿building hope¿moving forwardJournaling is a proven therapeutic tool used to explore one¿s inner self by expressing emotions, confronting fears, relieving anxiety, coping with stress, celebrating successes, and preparing for new challenges. By writing for only a few minutes at a time, journalers can heal and cope with crises due to illness, death, or any life-altering event. This is the first journaling workbook developed specially for adults with acquired brain injuries, and it can be used by individuals or facilitated groups. Families will find it helpful as an outlet and coping mechanism for survivors. Clinicians will find it a useful cognitive tool for building communication skills of reading, writing and comprehension. Families and clinicians will find it helpful for promoting insight, self-awareness and goal setting.

"And at that exact moment, the earth tipped, and we all slid into a parallel universe..." On Christmas Day 2016, the Jessops were just an ordinary family, but on Boxing Day, one near-death experience swept them all into the bewildering world of hospitals and serious illness, and their lives changed forever. Pulling Through is a handbook of everything Catherine has learned on their journey. It covers many practicalities, such as explaining hospital tests and scans, jargon-busting medical terms, finance, rehabilitation and more. But it also illuminates the emotional aspect of illness and how massively it affects family and friends. There are chapters on the power of nature, music, counselling, optimism and humour, and how to look after the mental health of both patient and carer. This is a book of hope, help and reassurance on every aspect of coping with life-changing illness in the family: the good, the bad, the funny, the sad, and the useful. If you, or someone you know, has a life-changing illness, then this book is here to help.

Whether caused by illness, accident, or incident, brain injury requires multi-tiered resources for the patient and considerable external care and support. When recovery is sidelined by depression, anger, grief, or turmoil, family members and the support network have critical roles to play and need their own guidance and compassionate therapeutic interventions. Psychotherapy for Families after Brain Injury offers theoretical frameworks and eclectic techniques for working effectively with adult patients and their families at the initial, active and post-treatment phases of rehabilitation. This practical reference clarifies roles and relationships of the support network in interfacing with the loved one and addresses the understandably devastating and sometimes derailing emotions and psychosocial adversities. The content promotes psychoeducation and guided exercises, delineates “helpful hints” and coping tools and proffers multimedia resources to overcome hurdles. Constructs of awareness, acceptance and realism for all parties are woven throughout, along with ideas to enhance the support network’s commitment, adjustment, positivity, hope and longevity. Case excerpts, instructive quotes from caregivers and nuggets of clinical advice assist in analyzing these and other topics in salient detail: The impact of brain injury on different family members. Treatment themes in early family sessions. Family therapy for moderate to severe brain injury, concussion and postconcussion syndrome. Family therapy after organic brain injury: stroke, anoxia, tumor, seizure disorders. Family group treatment during active rehabilitation. End-of-life and existential considerations and positive aspects of care giving. Aftercare group therapy for long-term needs. The hands-on approach demonstrated in Psychotherapy for Families after Brain Injury will enhance the demanding work of a range of professionals, including neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, rehabilitation psychologists, family therapists, marriage and family counselors, psychiatrists, behavioral/mental health counselors, clinical social workers, rehabilitation specialists such as speech-language pathologists, physical and occupational therapists, and graduate students in the helping professions.

Dealing with grief in a practical manner, this guide offers compassionate tips for those affected by a traumatic death. Included are topics such as coping with family stress, expressing feelings of hurt and anger, dealing with hurtful comments, and exploring feelings of guilt. Each of the 100 suggestions is aimed at reducing the confusion, anxiety, and huge personal void in order to help survivors begin their lives again. Some of the tips include understanding the special characteristics of trauma grief, planting a tree in memory of the person who died, and making connections with others affected by a similar death.