Hope Survives | Brain Injury Podcast

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed after a brain injury, with the mix of symptoms, daily stress, and simply coping with how your life has changed. It’s also common after brain injury to end up in survival mode, feeling disconnected from your body, and pushing yourself - which may be okay short term, but can add to long term stress and chronic symptoms. Today, we are diving into the topics of grounding,...

When you are recovering from a brain injury, simply trying to get through a daily task can feel like an absolute mountain to climb. Executive dysfunction can make it incredibly frustrating to finish what you start: you might find yourself losing your place mid-task, getting easily distracted, or completely forgetting what you were doing in the first place, leaving behind a trail of half-finished p...

Imagine a world where brain injury recovery isn't a frustrating game of trial and error, but a precisely mapped, tech-driven path designed for how your unique brain heals. The future of neuro-rehabilitation is no longer a distant dream - it is happening right now, and it brings so much hope. In this episode, host Cristabelle Braden sits down with Dr. Jeremy Schmoe from The Functional Neurology Cen...

Music has a unique ability to reach parts of the brain that regular speech or traditional therapies sometimes cannot. For those who have experienced a brain injury, the rhythmic and multi-sensory nature of music can bridge neurological gaps and provide a distinct pathway toward healing. In this episode, host Cristabelle Braden sits down with neurologic music therapist Serenna Wagner and her client...

Concussions are incredibly complex, and because they can disrupt up several systems in your body at once, recovery never looks the same for any two people. If you have ever felt like your (or your loved one’s) symptoms are completely overlapping, today we are going to help you understand why - and what to do about it. In this episode, host Cristabelle Braden is joined by neuro-rehabilitation speci...

Have you ever wanted to share more about your story, but weren’t sure how to start? The hidden realities of living with brain injury can feel overwhelming to explain, especially to people in your life - and it can feel daunting to know where to start with sharing. In this episode, our host Cristabelle sits down with bestselling author Laura Conaway to explore the vulnerable journey of living with...

When you are dealing with the overwhelming changes of a brain injury, it can easily feel like you are stuck in constant survival mode. There are so many changes in identity, dreams, and goals. So how do you move forward and find purpose? In this episode, Cristabelle sits down with Jackson Davis, who shares his powerful story of turning trauma into a deeper purpose. After surviving a catastrophic c...

When facing cognitive challenges after a brain injury, your mindset has a massive impact on your overall recovery. Today, Cristabelle talks with speech-language pathologist Jenny Traver about mindset, learning, emotional recovery, and returning to school after a brain injury. Whether you are a student trying to go back to a busy school, a parent figuring out how to guide your child, or anyone navi...

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death and disability globally, yet it has never received distinct, individualized attention from the world’s largest health policy bodies. For years, TBI has been treated as a "footnote" in broader neurological discussions, but that is about to change. In this episode, our host Cristabelle is joined by Paul Dubetz, whose lived experience...

Recovery after a brain injury can feel like solving a puzzle, uncovering the pieces and trying to put it all together. For many, dysautonomia is the missing piece of the puzzle that explains why symptoms like brain fog, lightheadedness, and extreme fatigue persist long after the initial impact. In this episode, Cristabelle sits down with Dr. Ryan Harvey from The Functional Neurology Center to pull...

Navigating life after brain injury often means managing a complex overlap of symptoms where the lines between neurological changes and mental health can become blurred. Too often, individuals find their very real neurological symptoms misdiagnosed as purely psychological issues, leaving them without the comprehensive care they need. Or there can be mental health needs that go overlooked due to the...

One moment can alter the course of a lifetime, but no one should have to navigate that new reality alone. Brain injury is a journey that impacts the entire family, often requiring a level of patience and resilience that must be discovered along the way. In this special episode, Cristabelle leads us on a look back on Brain Injury Awareness Month by sharing a diverse range of perspectives- including...

When words feel out of reach, the frustration and isolation of aphasia can become one of the most challenging parts of the recovery journey, especially because maintaining communication is essential for the social connections that fuel our healing. So how do we navigate this? In this episode, Cristabelle sits down with Tawni Ballinger (M.A., CCC-SLP), a speech-language pathologist specializing in...

Navigating conversation after a brain injury can often feel like a series of constant roadblocks, but rebuilding connection starts with understanding the "why" behind these challenges. In this episode, we sit down with Roberta Brooks (M.A. CCC/SLP (ret), CBIS), a neuro resource facilitator and retired speech-language pathologist who has spent her entire career spanning 40 years in the field of bra...

Even when they are not immediately obvious to outsiders, the symptoms of a brain injury are valid and real- yet it can be so frustrating to feel misunderstood while navigating these invisible effects. Today, we’re discussing the reality of living with an invisible injury with Judy Kim Cage, who has experienced a hemorrhagic stroke and brain surgeries due to MoyaMoya, and also lives with hypermobil...

Nutrition is one of the most overlooked, yet most powerful tools for healing from brain injury. Let’s dive into how what we choose to eat can actually help our brains to recover in this conversation with Dr. Karen Carpenter, a clinician with over 30 years of experience in Chiropractic Neurology and Functional Medicine. 🧠In this episode: Why you should care about nutrition in brain injury recovery...

At Hope Survives, we know there is no one-size-fits-all path to recovery. Today we’re sharing a preview of where we are going in Season 5. This season, we’re having thoughtful conversations with clinicians and individuals impacted by brain injury: connecting expert insight with the real-life, day-to-day experience of life after brain injury. Today’s preview episode includes a first look at some of...

It's okay if your holidays feel different this year... there is hope to find comfort and joy this holiday season, even while navigating brain injury. Today, Cristabelle offers encouragement and practical tools to help you move through this season with grace - and beyond - because these strategies work anytime of year! We’ll discuss sensory regulation strategies, graceful social "scripts" for setti...

Have you ever wondered why the healing brain’s battery seems to drain so quickly, even after simple tasks? Today, we’re diving into the complex and often misunderstood topic of neuro fatigue after brain injury. In this informative episode, host Cristabelle Braden welcomes back Dr. Jeremy Schmoe of the Functional Neurology Center to uncover the science behind this exhausting symptom. Dr. Schmoe exp...

How do you hold on to thankfulness when you’re navigating symptoms, setbacks, or the emotional weight of daily challenges? Together we’ll explore how gratitude can coexist with grief, struggle, and healing - along with a podcast spotlight on the power of gratitude from Dr. Jeremy Schmoe. In this heartfelt panel, host Cristabelle Braden invites Holly Kostrzewski, Joi Kue, and Robin Luftig for an ho...

Unseen struggles, PTSD, and the mental battle… how do you keep moving forward? In this two part series we’re sitting down with veterans as they share the “necessary conversations” that need to be had in our communities. Stay tuned to hear once in a lifetime stories filled with raw emotion and genuineness. Let’s discover how the heroes of our country beat the odds in the service and how they found...

Combat Deployments, Brain Injury, and Healing..?! Where does your help come from? In this two part series we’re sitting down with veterans as they share the “necessary conversations” that need to be had in our communities. Stay tuned to hear once in a lifetime stories filled with raw emotion and genuineness. Let’s discover how the heroes of our country beat the odds in the service and how they fou...

When you first realized that this brain injury would impact you or your family’s life, what thoughts or emotions came up for you? Today, we’re asking questions about the emotional side of brain injury. We want you to know you’re not alone, and it’s natural to have these feelings… but it’s what you do with them that matters. So let’s explore these very real feelings and talk about how to find hope...

Brain injury affects every single person in the family - so how do we move forward, together? In this heartfelt episode, Cristabelle sits down with Lindy Boone Michaelis to explore the journey of hope, heartbreak, and healing after her family's life-changing experience with traumatic brain injury. Lindy is the daughter of beloved singer/entertainer Pat Boone and the founder of Ryan’s Reach, a nonp...

Have you ever had days that felt like hope is just out of reach? You wake up already exhausted, feeling anxious, foggy, and afraid of what the day might bring? If you can relate, you’re not alone. In this episode, Cristabelle is sharing honestly about the fears she faced through her brain injury recovery, and how she has learned to acknowledge them without letting them take over. We’ll talk about...