Ableism impacts individuals with physical disabilities as well as those who are neurodiverse. In this episode, we discuss what ableism is and how it impacts those with disabilities, particularly those in the brain injury community. Sabrina speaks with Seth Barronian, a brain injury survivor with both physical disabilities and who is also neurodiver…

In this episode of the Brain Injury Today Podcast, new host Sabrina Bonaparte explores the importance of finding and building a community of survivors of brain injury. Her husband, Brandon Blake suffered a traumatic brain injury 8 years ago and found a community of people whom he could relate and recover with. One of the people Brandon met in a sup…

The labels of “mild,” “moderate,” and “severe” to classify traumatic brain injury (TBI) are imprecise and are ineffective. Dr. Monica Vavilala is a board-certified anesthesiologist and director of Harborview's Injury Prevention and Research Center. Earlier this year Dr. Vavilala served on a task force to help update and personalize traumatic brain …

In this episode we continue our discussion about a groundbreaking new book called Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury: A Guide for Survivors and Families by BIAWA Board Member Richard Adler. Deborah and Richard discuss the value of the book with two doctors who contributed to its development: Dr. Samuel Browd and Dr. Gary Stobbe. They discuss how …

2021 has been another challenging year, but there is plenty of good to reflect on as we head into a new year full of new possibilities. In this episode, Deborah chats with BIAWA Board Member and former Board President Allison Mollner about some of their favorite Brain Injury Today episodes and the power of using personal stories to educate and buil…

This is the first of a two part episode about a groundbreaking new book called Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury: A Guide for Survivors and Families. BIAWA Board Member Richard Adler, who authored the book, joins Deborah along with Brandon Blake and Sabrina Bonaparte, who contributed their perspectives as a survivor and caregiver, to discuss how…

Work is one of the biggest challenges for brain injury survivors. It’s common for survivors to lose or leave jobs after a brain injury. And even those who maintain employment will likely need accommodations. In this episode Deborah speaks with Dr. Bob Fraser, a psychologist who runs the Neurological Vocational Services Unit (NVSU), a nonprofit that…

As Chief of Pediatrics at Harborview Medical Center, Dr. Brian Johnston sees brain injuries in young children from all over the state and region. So there’s really no one better to talk to about how to prevent brain injury in our youngest kids! In this episode Deborah and Brian talk about how changes to the products we use and our built environment…

The Brain Injury Alliance of Washington has been involved in improving sports safety policy for kids for over a decade. In this episode, Deborah speaks with three key players who have helped BIAWA improve sports policy in the state and across the nation: the University of Washington’s Dr. Stan Herring, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Asso…

Sims Weymuller and Stacy Connole’s son was just four years old when he sustained a traumatic brain injury that upended their lives. In this episode of Brain Injury Today, Sims and Stacy share their story so that other families can learn from it and know that they are not alone. Sims and Stacy spoke with BIAWA Executive Director Deborah Crawley abou…

As more people get vaccinated and governments lift COVID restrictions, there is pressure to race back to “normal” life. But given brain injury survivors’ fatigue and overstimulation, it’s important to re-build in a way that meets their needs and values. In this episode of Brain Injury Today, Deborah Crawley speaks with therapist Lori Weisman about …

In this episode of Brain Injury Today, Deborah Crawley speaks with Jeanne Hoffman, UW professor of Psychology and Rehabilitation Medicine and Director of UW’s TBI Model System, who answers the most commonly asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination from our community. Brain Injury Today is the official podcast of the Brain Injury Alliance of Washi…

Here at the Brain Injury Alliance, we call Zackery, Victor and Mercedes Lystedt the “first family of prevention.” Back in 2006 Zack suffered a preventable brain injury playing football. It was a long road to recovery, which is still Zack's full time job, but the family is stronger than ever and has always shared their story to help others. In fact,…

Safety and participation should go hand-in-hand when it comes to sports and exercise in general. In this episode of Brain Injury Today, BIAWA Executive Director Deborah Crawley speaks with Darin Harris and Dr. Stan Herring about why it’s important to keep kids active, while also avoiding preventable injuries by building a culture of safety. Darin H…

Karen Kaizuka’s son suffered a sports-related brain injury about ten years ago, and, like many parents, she stood by his side during each step of his recovery. She also became deeply involved in the brain injury community through her work in healthcare and as the current Chairperson of Washington’s Traumatic Brain Injury Council. In this episode of…

Brain Injury Today is the official podcast of the Brain Injury Alliance of Washington. Hosted by BIAWA Executive Director Deborah Crawley, the show brings listeners inspiring conversations with survivors, researchers, counselors, caretakers and more, in an effort to strengthen connections within the brain injury community. In this episode, Deborah …

Wow, what a year it has been. Even in the midst of all the challenges that 2020 has brought, the brain injury community has grown stronger. As we approach a new year, we’re taking some time to reflect on past episodes and how this podcast has become an integral part of how we share the stories of brain injury survivors, offer hope and knowledge, an…

Jason Donaldson lost his mom, Mo, to a traumatic brain injury ten years ago. Before Mo passed, Jason experienced what something many families go through: he felt like there was no information at a time when he desperately needed answers. In this episode of Brain Injury Today, Jason speaks with Deborah Crawley about how he got connected to the Brain…

Brain Injury Today is the official podcast of the Brain Injury Alliance of Washington. Hosted by BIAWA Executive Director Deborah Crawley, the show brings listeners inspiring conversations with survivors, researchers, counselors, caretakers and more, in an effort to strengthen connections within the brain injury community. In this episode, Valarie …

Brandon Blake is many things. He’s a teacher, a cyclist, musician, and more. And he is also a traumatic brain injury survivor. In this episode of Brain Injury Today, Brandon speaks with host Deborah Crawley about how he has used music to practice mindfulness and stop rumination, and why he loves to share the concept of “bonus time” with fellow surv…

This is part-two of a conversation about ambiguous loss with brain injury therapist Lori Weisman. In this episode, Lori discusses how to tap into the warrior spirit that lives within each of us and use it to move forward. Lori also talks about how those supporting a loved one or friend with a traumatic brain injury can encourage the warrior spirit.…

Coping with loss is an important part of rebuilding after traumatic brain injury, but it’s difficult to do with losses that aren’t well understood and recognized by society. Therapist Lori Weisman calls this “ambiguous loss.” For more resources related to traumatic brain injury go to: Brain Injury Today Podcast – braininjurytodaypodcast.com Brain I…

In this episode of Brain Injury Today, Brain Injury Alliance of Washington Executive Director Deborah Crawley speaks with former UW football player and BIAWA board member Darin Harris about his journey following a severe brain injury that nearly killed him. Darin gets candid about his struggle with symptoms like depression, how he has maintained a …

In this special episode of Brain Injury Today, host Deborah Crawley, BIAWA Executive Director, has a conversation with Jeanne Hoffman, Ph.D. Director of the University of Washington's TBI Model Systems to discuss how research is helping improve outcomes for people with traumatic brain injury. For more resources related to traumatic brain injury go …

In this special episode, we bring you voices, solutions and inspiration from some of the brightest minds across the country in the brain injury community. For more resources related to traumatic brain injury go to: Brain Injury Today Podcast – braininjurytodaypodcast.com Brain Injury Alliance of Washington – biawa.org The Pooled Alliance Community …

In this edition of Brain Injury Today, psychotherapist and former BIAWA board member Lori Weisman joins Deborah and president Allison Mollner to offer practical advice on ways to manage your mental health and relationships during the COVID-19 self-quarantine. For more resources related to traumatic brain injury go to: Brain Injury Today Podcast – b…

Brain injury survivor and support group leader Michele Kauffman joins Deborah Crawley to offer her experience and advice for folks trying to manage their lives and keep connected during the ongoing coronavirus-imposed quarantines. Michelle brings joy, laughter, empathy, important information and a whole lot of love to the show. For more resources r…

Executive Director Deborah Crawley and President (and client) Allison Mollner share what BIAWA is doing to keep the entire community connected and coping with the coronavirus outbreak. They offer helpful information and resources as well as comfort and strategies to get through the isolation and uncertainty. For more resources related to traumatic …