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#026 Allison‘s Story of Traumatic Brain Injury
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Allison suffered a traumatic brain injury with life-altering effects. She walks us through her story from the injury through coming to terms with her new ability levels, to now thriving in her work as a career coach. We discuss what it means to have an invisible disability, women in the workplace, learning to set boundaries, and so much more.
Topics Discussed:
(2:25) The injury: Allison suffered a traumatic injury as a young working mother of 2. While some of the effects were evident right away, her symptoms continued to worsen.
(9:49) Losing it all: Allison lost the ability to work, drive, cook, maintain her home, and care for her children,
(13:00) Recovery: Through various therapies, Allison relearned many of the skills she’d lost including, how to cook, use a phone, and read.
(21:09) “What am I going to do with my life?’: Allison started examining her limitations and strengths as she tried to figure out how she was going to work.
(30:27) Career Coach: Allison talks a bout the decision to become a career coach, and she details some of the adaptive tools that she uses to get the job done.
(40:56) Women in the pandemic: Allison talks about the ways in which women in the workplace were inequitably affected by the pandemic, and how Moms at Work helped support many women who were being forced out of the workplace.
(44:33) Setting boundaries for herself: Allison has learned that she needs to have boundaries for herself that takes her abilities into account. This includes working in pockets of time that work for her, and placing limits on social media.
(51:44) Grieving the life she once had: Allison gets into more detail about how she processed her new reality, and shares a rock-bottom moment when her neurologist placed limits on what she can do. She discusses grieving the life she once had.
(61:05) Invisible Disability: Allison explains some of the things that people have said to her about her disability, assumptions people make about her, and the idea that people feel comfortable around her because she doesn't look “disabled”
(66:50) Saying No: We chat about women learning to say no, without explanation.
Resources:
Moms at Work
Pay Transparency:
About Traumatic Brain Injury
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/traumatic-brain-injury/symptoms-causes/syc-20378557
"Fair Play" by Eve Rodsky
"And then it hit me" by Allison Venditti
https://careerlove.ca/2019/02/19/and-then-it-hit-me/
About Allison:
Allison is a career coach, HR professional, advocate for working mothers and survivor of a traumatic brain injury.
Allison founded Moms at Work - Canada's first professional association for working mothers with the goal to create education, community and support for working mothers. We advocate for the change you want to see in the world.
When she isn't climbing with her boys aged 10, 8 and 3 she is attempting to write terrible science fiction, improve her star wars trivia and pretend to use the craft supplies she secretly hates. She can be found on IG @thisismomsatwork
Want to be a guest on the show?
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Email: nowwhat.podcast.info@gmail.com
Instagram: @nowwhat_podcast
Facebook: nowwhat.pod.community
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