Episodes
-
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 neurodiverse, and Alan Barronian, his father and caregiver, about their experiences with ableism. Seth discusses how he has experienced ableism both in his personal and professional life, and Alan shares his perspective as a caregiver. They also discuss how to help those with invisible disabilities, and how to be an ally and an advocate for those with all disabilities.
Support Groups | Brain Injury Alliance of Washington - Providing free services to Individuals throughout Washington whose lives are affected by Brain Injury (biawa.org)
This episode of Brain Injury Today Podcast is sponsored by WA State Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Council and is produced and edited by Goal17media.com
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
PACTTrusts.org - The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show
Additional Resources:
Invisible Disability Project
Stanford University Guide
-
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 neurodiverse, and Alan Barronian, his father and caregiver, about their experiences with ableism. Seth discusses how he has experienced ableism both in his personal and professional life, and Alan shares his perspective as a caregiver. They also discuss how to help those with invisible disabilities, and how to be an ally and an advocate for those with all disabilities.
Support Groups | Brain Injury Alliance of Washington - Providing free services to Individuals throughout Washington whose lives are affected by Brain Injury (biawa.org)
This episode of Brain Injury Today Podcast is sponsored by WA State Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Council and is produced and edited by Goal17media.com
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
PACTTrusts.org - The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show
Additional Resources:
Invisible Disability Project
Stanford University Guide -
Missing episodes?
-
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 support group is his friend, Christian Rusby. This episode explores the importance of support groups and community for both survivors of brain injury and their caregivers.
This episode of Brain Injury Today Podcast is sponsored by WA State Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Council, and is produced and edited by Goal17Media.com
Resources
Get in touch with Brandon at, [email protected]
Website: https://www.bonustimemusic.com/
Instagram: @bonustimemusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpc1v7Hp_nKV3-UFCnIlLcA/videos
Seattle bike blog: https://www.seattlebikeblog.com/2014/10/07/one-of-too-many/
Get in touch with Christian at, [email protected]
Check out the Walk, Run & Roll event on April 30th 2022
Support Groups | Brain Injury Alliance of Washington - Providing free services to Individuals throughout Washington whose lives are affected by Brain Injury (biawa.org)
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
PACTTrusts.org - The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show -
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 injuries to better guide patient care. In this conversation, Dr. Vavilala shares why this update and personalization for traumatic brain injuries is crucial for both doctors and patients.
This episode of Brain Injury Today Podcast is sponsored by WA State Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Council, and is produced and edited by Goal17Media.com on behalf of Goal17Foundation.org.
Resources
Here is a link to Dr. Vavilala’s study:
https://hiprc.org/blog/traumatic-brain-injury-categories-should-be-updated-and-personalized-to-better-guide-patient-care-says-new-report/
Get in touch with Dr. Monica Vavilala at, [email protected]
Learn more about the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center (HIPC)
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
PACTTrusts.org - The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show -
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 the book helps fill information gaps about traumatic brain injury for their patients and fellow medical professionals.
To get your copy of Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury: A Guide for Survivors and Families, visit biawa.org/understanding-traumatic-brain-injury
This episode of Brain Injury Today was produced by Goal 17 Foundation and sponsored by the Washington State Traumatic Brain Injury Council.
Resources
Get in touch with Richard at [email protected]
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show -
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 build community. They also discuss their takeaways from this year that they plan to carry forward into 2022, in hopes that you’ll find a kernel of wisdom to incorporate into your life, whether you’re a survivor, caregiver, professional, family member or friend.
Tell us what you’d like to hear about on the podcast in 2022 by reaching out on social media or sending an email with the subject line “Brain Injury Today” to [email protected].
You can reach Deborah at [email protected]
Connect with Allison by emailing [email protected]
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show
This episode of Brain Injury Today was produced by Goal 17 Foundation and sponsored by the Washington State Traumatic Brain Injury Council. -
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 it can serve as an invaluable resource for those navigating the difficulties of brain injury. Richard, Brandon and Sabrina discuss how they worked together to create this comprehensive, step-by-step guidebook and their hopes for getting it into the hands of as many people as possible.
To get your copy of Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury: A Guide for Survivors and Families, visit biawa.org/understanding-traumatic-brain-injury
Get in touch with Richard at [email protected]
Reach out to Brandon using [email protected], via bonustimemusic.com or find him on social media with the handle @bonustimemusic
Connect with Sabrina using [email protected]
This episode of Brain Injury Today was produced by Goal 17 Foundation and sponsored by the Washington State Traumatic Brain Injury Council.
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show -
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 helps people with brain injuries and other neurological conditions find and maintain employment. Dr. Bob, as we like to call him, talks about the different challenges brain injury survivors face with work and the various resources available to help.
Learn more about NVSU at nvsrehab.org
Get help from Washington’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation by visiting dshs.wa.gov/dvr
This episode of Brain Injury Today was produced by Goal 17 Foundation and sponsored by the Washington State Traumatic Brain Injury Council.
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show -
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 can make a huge difference in reducing common causes of brain injury in kids, such as falls, what parents can do to keep kids safe, and how his department has changed their approach to injury prevention over the years.
This episode of Brain Injury Today was produced by Goal 17 Foundation and sponsored by the Washington State Traumatic Brain Injury Council.
Resources
View and download the form that resulted from the Kenney Bui Rule.
The National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI)
Daily Dozen 12-Point Playground Safety Checklist, designed for parents and caregivers to identify safety hazards and ensure kids have a safe place to play.
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show -
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 Association’s Justin Kesterson, and Richard Adler, a renowned personal injury attorney with the firm Adler Giersch. The four discuss the passage of the Lystedt Law in 2009, which was eventually adopted across the country, the Kenney Bui rule, which passed in 2020, what each policy entails and the heroic families that honored their loved ones by lending their names and sharing their stories to advocate and pass better sports safety policy in Washington and beyond.
This episode of Brain Injury Today was produced by Goal 17 Foundation and sponsored by the Washington State Traumatic Brain Injury Council.
View and download the form that resulted from the Kenney Bui Rule
If you’d like to get in touch with the guests from this episode, you can find their emails below:
Dr. Stan Herring: [email protected]
Richard Adler: [email protected]
Justin Kesterson: [email protected]
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.
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show -
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 about navigating the school system as their son entered kindergarten and helping his older brother cope with the trauma. They want other families to know that recovery is possible with enough time and support, and that the Brain Injury Alliance offers services to support families with fewer resources.
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.
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show -
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 “conscious re-entry,” how to identify and prioritize your values, and becoming comfortable with saying “no” when it’s time to take care of yourself.
Here are Lori’s four questions to ask yourself when considering what you want your post-COVID life to look like:
What kind of life do I want to create for myself? (Describe what it looks like.)
What will I have to change in me to have the life I envision?
What obstacles will I face in achieving this life?
What is my level of motivation from 1 (not at all motivated) to 100 (extremely motivated)?
Listen to Deborah’s previous conversations with Lori about ambiguous loss here and here.
Get in touch with Lori Weisman
This episode of Brain Injury Today is sponsored by the Washington State Traumatic Brain Injury Council was produced and edited by Goal 17 Foundation and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify.
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show -
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 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.
This episode of Brain Injury Today is sponsored by the Washington State Traumatic Brain Injury Council was produced and edited by Goal 17 Foundation and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify.
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show -
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, their advocacy has helped pass sports safety laws in all fifty states.
In this episode of Brain Injury Today, Deborah Crawley speaks with Zack, his dad Victor and his mom Mercedes about their journey with brain injury and how laughter has helped get them through the toughest moments.
Learn more about the Lystedt Law and sports safety by listening to episode 15 of Brain Injury Today.
Read more about how the Lystedt Law came to be.
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show
This episode of Brain Injury Today is sponsored by the Washington State Traumatic Brain Injury Council, was produced and edited by Goal 17 Foundation and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify.
-
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 Harris speaks from his perspective as a former UW football player who suffered a brain injury but continues to coach youth football. And Stan Herring shares his insights as a leading sports medicine doctor who has helped pass state laws to make sports safer and continues to promote safety as the co-founder of the Sports Institute at UW Medicine.
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 and Karen Kaizuka talk about what it’s like to be the parent of a child with a TBI, learning advocacy and the importance of connecting with fellow caregivers.
Reach out to Darin at and learn more about his work coaching 7-on-7 football.
Connect with Stan by emailing [email protected], and learn more about The Sports Institute at UW Medicine.
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show
This episode of Brain Injury Today is sponsored by the Washington State Traumatic Brain Injury Council, was produced and edited by Goal17Media.com, and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. -
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, Karen speaks with BIAWA Executive Director Deborah Crawley about the unique process parents go through, finding hope amongst those who had been in her shoes, learning advocacy, and her ongoing quest to improve the support systems available to brain injury survivors and their families.
In this episode, Deborah and Karen Kaizuka talk about what it’s like to be the parent of a child with a TBI, learning advocacy and the importance of connecting with fellow caregivers.
Resources
Reach out to Karen at [email protected]
Learn more about HeadStrong, the peer support organization that focuses on TBI survivors and their families.
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show
This episode of Brain Injury Today is sponsored by the Washington State Traumatic Brain Injury Council was produced and edited by Goal17Media.com and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. -
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 and Laura Jantos discuss rapid changes in telemedicine and access to medical records that brain injury survivors should be aware of. As a two-time brain injury survivor and former healthcare consultant, Laura gives her best tips for having a telemedicine visit and more.
To get in touch with Laura, email [email protected]
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show
This episode of Brain Injury Today is sponsored by the Washington State Traumatic Brain Injury Council, was produced and edited by Goal17Media.com, and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. -
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, and stay connected even when we can’t be together in-person.
Brain Injury Today
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 takes listeners through some past episodes and reflects on what we’ve learned as a community in 2020.
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show
This episode of Brain Injury Today is sponsored by Brothers & Henderson Law, was produced and edited by Goal17Media.com and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. -
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 Injury Alliance of Washington and used his passion for bike riding to raise awareness about brain injury around the state and keep Mo’s memory alive.
If you want to get in touch with Jason, reach out at [email protected]
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show
This episode of Brain Injury Today is sponsored by Brothers & Henderson Law, was produced and edited by Goal17Media.com and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify -
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 Cooper and her aunt, Tammy Woodrich, speak about overcoming adversity after Valarie was diagnosed with Hydrocephalus as a baby. They also discuss being part of the Nooksack Indian Tribe, and how Valarie’s understanding of brain injury comes into play during her work as a vocational rehab counselor.
Get in touch with Tammy via Facebook, or send her an email at [email protected]
Reach out to Valarie at [email protected]
For more resources related to traumatic brain injury visit:
Brain Injury Today Podcast
Brain Injury Alliance of Washington
The Pooled Alliance Community Trusts
Brain Injury Art Show
This episode of Brain Injury Today is sponsored by Brothers & Henderson Law, produced and edited by Goal17 Media, and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. - Show more
