What did I gain from the 2012 Washington TBI Conference? ● “ASCEND - Making Change Work for You” Dr. Nancy Reeves ● Adjustment- living well, freedom in life. ● Self-awareness for healing and growth. Knowing strengths and weakness helps. ● Caring stands for effectively for self and others. ● Energy management during change. ● Needs Physical well being, connection, honesty, play, peace, autonomy and meaning. ● Dreams clarifying and manifesting our dreams, realistic setting goals.

Day 1 Thursday, May 3 ● CURE vs HEALING ● Cure - brain injury totally gone life the same as it was. ● Healing - the focus is not completely on the brain injury. ● Yes our abilities change, but our Basic Personality stays the same. ● Part of healing is liking our selves. ● Being in charge vs being in control.

● Balancing between doing it yourself and allowing others to help! ● Importance of LOVE ♥ ● Importance of GRATITUDE ● Holistic self care strategies ● -physical ● -mental ● -emotional ● -spiritual

Workshop Session I Adults with TBI Susan Butz, Sue Closser, Rick Hannika & Joanne Norman: “Where to Live” ● “Impulse Control” ● Community inclusion people with disabilities - get out into the community. ● Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. ● Funds for Housing projects for TBI survivors.

“Defying the Odds: Believe It Can Happen” Marjorie Crigler & Jason Crigler

● “Stop trying to be who you were in the past it will get you nowhere, Be who you are Now, LOVE who you are NOW, Not how you were last year.”- Craig Sicilla. Workshops Session II Adults with TBI Craig Sicilla & Penny Condoll: “PEER Mentoring-Realizing Hope for Tomorrow”

Workshop Session III Adults with TBI Dr. Xavier Figueroa: “TBI: Acute & Chronic Therapies in the Pipeline” ● Neurobehavioral Therapies ● Retraining the brain to perform tasks. ● Engages a mixture of neuroplasticity and exercise prompts Blood flow to the brain. ● Drugs for symptom management in TBI and PTSD ● Anti-Depressants; Anti-inflammatory/Pain ● Amantadine: Further research is needed to answer the obvious question… can amantadine work for mild head injuries. ● Progesterone: Mild to Moderate TBI ● Citicoline: mild head injury, citicoline, post concussion symptoms. Treatment of this condition is a subject of ongoing research. ●

Day 2 Friday, May 4 ● Don’t be a Wallflower ( i.e. Ginny Ruffner “Bloom”, “Creativity”) ● You will get out of a conference or expo what you put into it, so if you keep to yourself, you aren’t doing yourself any favors. ● Take advantage of the mixers offered at the event you are attending. It’s a great way to network with new people while catching up with those you already know. But if you spend the entire time surrounding yourself with the same people, you are limiting your reach. Remember—you are there to learn and network! ● If you just hang out with your friends, you are wasting precious time. Those people already know you and how awesome you are—you need to introduce yourself and your services to people who DON’T know your capabilities. You never know where a referral might come from unless you put yourself out there.

Ginny Ruffner “Creativity”

Workshop Session IV Adults with TBI Dr. Nancy Reeves: “From Grief to Growth - A Survivor’s Journey” ● Knowledge is power ● What is one personal quality that helps you on your journey? 1. Become Informed

2. Understand Grief We grieve for meanings and implications of our change such as: ● Way of viewing self ● Relationships with others ● Financial ● Change in role ● Status change ● Change in dreams and expectations ● 2 styles of grieving from Ken Doka ● Instrumental style - doesn’t need to talk much, does something productive and thinks about change and loss ● Intuitive style - helped by talking, showing emotion

3. Know the difference between healing and cure ● Cure - brain injury totally gone. Life the same as it was ● Healing - the focus is not completely on the brain injury – Life feels worth living – You are able to access support – You use inner resources – You like yourself

4. Expensive Emotions ● Anger – bitterness resentment hate vengeance ● Guilt – healthy to unhealthy ● Longing for healing – envy/jealousy ● Sadness – depression/despair ● “Status Change” ● Before and After Picture

5&6. Anxiety and Stress Reduction ● Holistic - mind, body, emotions, spirit ● Visualizations for relaxation and pain reduction ● Journaling ● Thought-stopping

7. Finding life meaning ● Affirmations to comfort and guide ● Develop symbols of the journey ● - healing, growth, new person ● In rough times we can adjust our qualities to aid us in our limitations in a way that can be useful.

Workshop Session V Adults with TBI Janet Novinger, Penny Condoll & Craig Sicilia: “The Power of Support Groups” What are the Qualities of a Support Group Leader/Good Facilitator ?

● Over 33 Brain injury support groups in the State of WA with more than 600 people with TBI's. ● Facilitators are trained, funded, screened, supported, and informed through Webinar. ● BISGN.ORG open to the public ● GET OUT THERE ● GET INFORMED ● GET INVOLED ● EMBRACE THE NEW YOU.

Collaboration work of Ruth Rodriguez and Matt Padgett. Matt, Thank you for all your love, support and editing. :-)