Kessler Foundation Podcasts

After a spinal cord injury, government assistance programs can help cover healthcare, replace lost income, support employment, and meet basic living needs. But attaining that help is rarely simple. Kessler Foundation researchers at the Northern New Jersey Spinal Cord Injury System (NNJSCIS) and seven additional collaborating spinal cord injury model systems centers across the United States conduct...

The QuadCast Inner Strength, Featuring Angela Smith and Maryann Hobbie This episode of The QuadCast explores how people living with spinal cord injury and their loved ones find inner strength while navigating loss, change, and the emotional and social experiences that often accompany injury. The conversation shows how social connection, shared experience, personal reflection, and community can fos...

Many people with progressive multiple sclerosis experience slower thinking speed. This can make it harder to process information, stay focused, and keep up with everyday tasks. According to a secondary analysis of the international CogEx trial, tailoring cognitive rehabilitation to each person’s needs may help improve thinking speed in people with progressive multiple sclerosis. Kessler Foundation...

The Summer 2026 Brainstorm webinar features Thomas Dixon, the author of I'm Sorry... That's Awesome!: Inventing a Solution for Memory Loss. He is also the creator of ME.mory, a digital memory app. After surviving a severe traumatic brain injury caused by a car accident, he experienced significant memory loss and developed ME.mory to help manage daily life. He is a speaker and advocate who shares h...

The audio version of the Summer 2026 issue of Facets, Kessler Foundation’s autism newsletter, explores the vital role parents play in creating businesses that support successful transitions to adulthood for neurodivergent youth. Stories include community-driven efforts in job training, life skills, and supportive employment and the importance of the Center for Autism Research in advancing understa...

Read the transcript - https://kesslerfoundation.org/sites/default/files/2026-07/Milestones-Newsletter_Spring-2026_Transcript.pdf In this episode of MileStones, Kessler Foundation’s multiple sclerosis research newsletter, John DeLuca, PhD, shares key insights on cognitive impairment in MS. He discusses advances in assessment guidelines, effective cognitive rehabilitation, and lifestyle changes that...

This one-hour session is designed to provide clear, practical guidance for people with disabilities and their families. In this session, you can: - Get clear, straightforward answers to your questions about SSI and SSDI - Learn how to avoid common challenges in the application and appeals process - Understand how to protect benefits eligibility over time - Gain practical insights you can use right...

In this episode of Real-Life Science, we explore how mental fatigue may relate to your brain age rather than chronological age. Discover how brain scans reveal differences in fatigue development, what this means for aging, and practical steps you can take to manage cognitive tiredness in daily life. Join us for insights that connect scientific research with real-life decisions about your brain hea...

This episode of Real-Life Science summarizes research on a one-on-one travel training program in New Jersey designed for people with disabilities to help them use public transportation more confidently and independently. We discuss how personalized lessons improved travel skills, findings on lasting transit use, and why access to transportation matters for health and social life. Tips and resource...

This episode of Real-Life Science from Kessler Foundation highlights research on virtual reality’s role in treating chronic pain. VR is well-known for easing short-term pain during medical procedures, but experts say more work is needed to make it effective for long-term pain conditions. Lead investigator Carly L.A. Wender, PhD, outlines a roadmap for progress that focuses on multiple causes of pa...

In this recorded webinar, Helen Genova, PhD, associate director of Kessler Foundation’s Center for Autism Research, explores a strength‑based, evidence‑driven approach to autism research grounded in positive psychology. The session highlights research focused on expanding employment opportunities, participation, and quality of life for autistic and neurodiverse individuals. The webinar also featur...

In this episode, we look at innovative research on shockwave therapy for reducing muscle spasticity after spinal cord injury. We hear from study participant Scott Texidor about his experience with this new treatment. Then, we discuss a study on how outdoor spaces can be made more accessible for people who use wheelchairs. These research efforts aim to improve quality of life and promote inclusion...

Brainwaves TBI newsletter explores recovery journeys for traumatic brain injury survivors. In this podcast of a recent article, we hear Darcy’s remarkable story of overcoming TBI after a devastating car accident. Despite sustaining a brain bleed, collapsed lung, and memory loss, Darcy shifted her mindset from focusing on limitations to possibilities. Darcy shares a five-step method to rebuild life...

Mandy Dickey, a nurse practitioner with over 20 years of experience, shares her profound journey through traumatic brain injury and recovery. Her story reveals how standard tests missed visual issues that caused headaches and how unconventional treatments like photobiomodulation and neurofeedback helped improve brain function. Supported by leading organizations, this episode provides hope and guid...

In this episode, scientists at Kessler Foundation share how promising research is opening new pathways for individuals living with spinal cord injury and changing the landscape of recovery. This podcast is from the second event in our three-part Spinal Cord Injury Community Event Series, held on November 14, 2025. Kessler Foundation’s SCI research addresses mobility, pain and spasticity management...

In honor of Brain Injury Awareness Month, this recorded webinar highlights how Kessler Foundation advances traumatic brain injury research through collaboration across disciplines. Led by Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, Director of the Centers for Traumatic Brain Injury and Neuroscience and Neuropsychology Research, the discussion features insights from Brian M. Sandroff, PhD and Silvana Lopes Costa, Ph...

In this episode of BrainWaves, hear the powerful story of Craig Philips who overcame a brain injury sustained in childhood to find purpose and hope. Learn practical tips on acceptance and recovery. Discover how simple home changes can boost safety and independence. Understand the importance of balance and where to find free resources. Finally, explore the science behind music therapy and its role...

In this episode, Karen Olson shares her deeply personal journey, marked by early tragedy and perseverance. Following a fall that resulted in spinal cord injury, her life became significantly more challenging, requiring her to adapt to new physical and emotional realities. These challenges built on earlier hardship, including the loss of her mother to suicide at age twelve, which had already shaped...

In this episode, we explore Kessler Foundation’s latest research revealing how neighborhood economic status, physical environment, and access to healthcare influence quality of life after spinal cord injury. Discover how these environmental factors affect health, independence, and participation. Learn why this matters for improving rehabilitation and community support for people with disabilities....

Karen Nolan, associate director in the Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering at Kessler Foundation, sat down with Heather Rose of Radio Free Roanoke for a powerful conversation on her work in traumatic brain injury research and her role as a professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. LEARN more about Kessler Foundation, https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us Make a Gift, https://...

Michele Pignatello, Chief Development Officer and Vice President, Development and Communications at Kessler Foundation, spoke to Radio LoRa Switzerland about our work to improve quality of life for people with disabilities through discovery, innovation, demonstration, application, and dissemination. LEARN more about Kessler Foundation, https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us Make a Gift, https://ke...

People with progressive multiple sclerosis often experience slowed cognitive processing speed. Researchers from Kessler Foundation analyzed data from the international CogEx trial, involving over 300 participants using brain training and exercise over 12 weeks. They found that improvement in cognitive speed varied, with better memory and higher pre-symptom IQ predicting greater gains. Factors like...

Nearly two-thirds of autistic adults face unemployment, often due to workplace misunderstandings around communication styles rather than ability. This episode explores research from Kessler Foundation that uses a novel voicemail elicitation task to assess polite language use among autistic youth in mock work scenarios. Discover how perceived impoliteness arises from pragmatic differences in langua...

Opinion: Why Cognitive Care in MS Needs a Team Approach By John DeLuca, PhD, Senior Vice President, Research and Training, Kessler Foundation This episode shares expert opinion on how cognitive changes in multiple sclerosis should be understood and treated. Changes in thinking and memory are complex and can be affected by many factors, such as mood, heart and blood vessel health, and daily lifesty...

In this episode, we discuss research exploring how storytelling and mental imagery techniques can improve memory in older adults with mild cognitive impairment or normal aging. A 5-week study with 30 participants showed that specialized memory training led to significant improvements in lab-based tests and everyday recollections. These findings suggest non-pharmacological strategies could help old...