A Recovery Now

We're here with you .. Great holidays, or not so much .. Call in and share your season, your heart, your feelings with Kim and Matt.

Dr. Chrisanne Gordon is a physician, author, filmmaker, innovator, and advocate for the successful reintegration of veterans with traumatic brain injury.  Her book, Turn the Lights On! A Physician's Personal Journey from the Darkness of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) to Hope, Healing, and Recovery, was published in January 2018, and documents her own TBI recovery and the research and resources avail...

Dr. Tim Conway earned his PhD in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Neuropsychology from the University of Florida. His background as a clinical research scientist produced publications on dyslexia, learning disabilities, aphasia, alexia, fMRI, auditory working memory and various cognitive disorders. Dr. Conway is the Director of The Morris Center clinics in Florida, and The Morris Centre...

There are a LOT of Holiday geared programs around this time of year. One that I've watched every year of my life (REALLY long time), is Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. I began to consider what messages that show was sending. Hmmm .. I guess I could relate to the underpinnings of a few of those differences from a young age. Worse since my brain injury when I couldn't recognize myself, or communicate...

In this Simon says segment, Kim & Simon discuss the stressors (both challenging & joyful) that come with the dash through the holidays. Gifting, Entertaining, Wrapping, Shopping, Traffic, Lines, Weather, Holiday Events, Friends & Family from afar .. OH MY!  Then there's often some sadness, regret, loneliness, and fear of what the next year will bring. Whether it's the joy, the pain or...

Lyn O’Callaghan was born and raised in an idyllic small town, to amazing parents, three brothers and a sister. She played competitive sports until 21, earning her degree in Human and Community Studies. Lyn was married and taught middle school for four years, while simultaneously running two family businesses. It wasn’t long before her son Connor was born, and then came daughter Maggie, as well as...

Moshe Mark Ittleman, M.S., CCC/S:P is a Senior Speech Language Pathologist who has worked in some of the nations' best rehabilitation hospitals. Ittleman specializes in complex speech language pathology which includes diagnosis and therapy for aphasia, apraxia, dysarthria, and dysphagia while also providing speech therapy for adults and children. He is the author of The Teaching of Talking which h...

Guest Donna O'Donnell Figurski is a lot of things, but first is a caregiver for her husband David. When David incurred a severe TBI, their lives changed course forever. Many caregivers succumb to the task at hand only, and forget they have needs beyond that of caring for their loved ones. If Donna ever had her moments like that, she overcame them to become a successful advocate for Brain Injury Aw...

Tricks, a Few Treats and the issue of Overcoming of Fear this Halloween Night! Join Simon Lewis and Kim Justus as they opine about these topics, the meaning of Halloween and more. Grab your treats and tune in :)  Don't forget to wear your costume. We are! This show is a gathering place for anyone seeking recovery from the challenges of life on life's terms. We discuss useful tools that have helped...

Heidi Lerner has lived more than half of her life with a brain injury; now, she helps survivors to reconnect to their own inner core for self-healing.  When it comes to health, she tends toward the more natural approach. Heidi’s coaching style is creative, because each brain injury is unique.  As a coach, she helps each client to compensate, accommodate and figure out how to bring strength and bal...

Megan Bacigalupo is passionate about the ethical treatment of animals. She is an intuitive, and a sensitive which makes her empathetic by nature. She considers herself a spiritual eclectic and a seeker. She has worked for many years providing excellent customer service in the restaurant business. She has a degree in Human Services.  She has been a contributing writer on and off since 2012, for the...

Some of you know him as Nolan McDonnell on Facebook ... The Man Who's Beating the Heck Out of the Odds! Many of you know him as Nolan Thomas on his Blog: tbitreatment.org     On OCT 10th Nolan and I did Part 1 of an ongoing series we're discussing. As it happens .. Regular host Capt James McCormick is out of town tonight, so rather than play a tape, Nolan and I decided to roll right into Part two...

My guest NOLAN Thomas was shot in the head.  On April 23, 2017, two months before he was due to graduate college, his car was surrounded by six people when a gunman shot through his driver’s side window in a random attempted robbery.  When the shooter saw that Nolan was still alive, he put the gun against his head and pulled the trigger, causing the bullet to enter one side of Nolan’s brain and ex...

Paige Speers original major in college was equestrian science, and her B.A. is in dance in 2007. She has also had experience in walking and training  dogs. Strong reading and organizational skills, in addition to uncertainty about effective utilization of her true interests led Paige to clerical office work. Her first job with full time hours and pay only lasted for 9 months  before the injury. 12...

Former Chicago radio reporter Janet Sutherland was living alone when a ruptured brain aneurysm left her fighting for her life. Now she is a survivor and an author! Her book highlights that caring for dogs often inspires us to take better care of ourselves, particularly in times of crisis. Andrew J immediately took on the role as a “therapy” dog for Janet. A portion of the proceeds from this book w...

We must stop hoping for a better past .. That ship sailed. Would we change it if we could? Of course. Now that we are here, can life become an adventure we could have never foreseen .. Absolutely! Don't  drop the rope, there is still reason for hope. Join Simon and I for this honest, realistic discussion. This show is a gathering place for anyone seeking recovery from the challenges of life on lif...

In June 2009, guest Steve Schwiering was experiencing a very painful headache from above his eye rounding his skull. The pain was unbearable so he went to the local walk-in clinic, hoping they could find out what was going on. Steve was there for several hours before it was decided he should be sent via ambulance to a hospital. After laying in the ER for 11 hours he was finally given a CAT scan an...

In Dr Maria Romana's Series on Relational Skills, tonight we discuss the third! Dr Maria is a Brain Injury Survivor who has worked extensively in Brain Injury Recovery protocols. She has become a regular Co-Host sharing what she has learned in her journey. Dr Maria is employed at the VA as a Pathologist. Number 1 we discussed was: Can you see me? (Are they really paying focused attention) Number 2...

Joanny Liu is an international best selling author of the book, Heal Your Concussion: How to Quickly and Effectively Get Back in the Game, speaker, physician and brain expert, Dr. Joanny Liu is an international leader in Chinese Sports Medicine and Chinese Sports Psychology.  She has appeared on FOX TV, NBC, CTV and Global TV and has been quoted by ABC, CBS, The Boston Globe and the Miami Herald. ...

September is Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month! Few of us who survived them, had ever heard of one until that fateful moment ... And then our lives were changed forever. 1 in 50 people have aneurysms. I'm 1 in 50, are you? Please call in and share your experience if you're an aneurysm survivor or caregiver. We have a great slate of guests that represent all walks of aneurysm.. Help me kick off the Aw...

Cristabelle Braden is a singer, songwriter, speaker, author, worship leader, and founder of Hope After Head Injury. After suffering a traumatic brain injury as a teen, she has overcome barriers never dreamed possible, including graduating from college, releasing three albums of original music, and touring the country as a singer and speaker on brain injury. She never wrote a song before the brain...

Jim Proebstle received his BA and MBA from Michigan State University and was honored as an outstanding alumni from the Eli Broad College of Business in 2001. He was fortunate enough to play on MSU’s National Championship football team in 1965 and earn academic honors. In addition to Unintended Impact, Jim has two award-winning, novels; Fatal Incident and In the Absence of Honor. Unintended Impact:...

Join Simon Lewis and Kim as they discuss the "Acceptance" and moving forward after Brain Injury. Acceptance frees us from the denial that inhibits our growth and ability to move forward. We all need to grieve the losses we've suffered because of our brain injuries .. But then need to accept our new circumstances, and move ahead to create a new life worth living. It's easy to get stuck and stay mis...

Matt Mobley is a writer at Always Braves, and Sports News Magazine. Matt was an athlete himself, who has always loved sports ..Particulary Baseball and the Braves! Born in California, with a stop in Texas, then ultimately to settle in Rural South Carolina, the only place Matt could imagine moving now, is perhaps to Atlanta with season tickets to his Fave Team! While in Texas, Matt met and married...

LeaAnn Nielsen-Swinney is the mother of the mother of two beautiful daughters and an an Angel. She's been married to her wonderhusband/caregiver for 28 years, and delights in her fur babies too! She always start her story with " I went to sleep as LeaAnn and woke up a total stranger."  In Labor Day 2014, she suffered a bleeding stroke and brain aneurysm, which led to brain surgery to relieve the p...