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A brain injury can affect just about everything -- including the way you walk, talk, and think. That's why there are a number of treatments available that attempt to restore the parts of life that have been affected by a brain injury. The term "brain injury rehabilitation" refers to the many different kinds of specialized supports and services that are offered following the emergency and early phases of brain injury treatment.
Some brain injury rehabilitation is offered as a program within a hospital or other clinical setting; other types of brain injury rehabilitation might occur on an outpatient basis. While most everyone benefits from rehabilitation following a brain injury, the specific type of rehabilitation depends on the unique needs of the person and the challenges they face.
Gray Matters: G. Gayle Kelley
"TBI does not change the fact that we are human beings. We have feelings. We are not second class citizens. We are different, but different does not mean worse."
Gray Matters: T.K. Johns and Tim Johns
"You want your son back so bad and you want him to have a normal life. It's not going to happen ... all you can do is be there 100 percent."
What Is Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy and How Can It Help Children with TBI?
Constraining an unaffected limb while intensely using an affected limb can help children regain upper limb movement after a brain injury.
Does Scanning Therapy for Vision Problems Post-TBI Work?
Scanning therapy for hemianopsia after TBI isn’t a cure nor is there a guarantee that everyone will have good results. But oftentimes, there is great benefit.
Rise and Shine
An excerpt from a stunning book about what it means to return to live after a near-death experience.
Clinical Practice and Research on TBI Now and Going Forward
Dr. Ron Broughton of Brookhaven Hospital talks about measuring outcome, the importance of looking at the person as a whole and not as an injury, and erasing the stigma of TBI.
The Kubler-Ross Stages of Grief Are Different with TBI
The Elisabeth Kubler-Ross model of grieving shows stages from denial to bargaining to acceptance. For caregivers with a loved one with TBI, these stages are not so orderly.
What Could We Have Done Better for Our Patients with Brain Injury?
Ron Broughton of Brookhaven Hospital reflects on a success story and one that still pulls at his heart. He talks about the importance of always looking at what his team could do better.
What Does Autonomy Really Mean for a Person with a TBI?
Ron Broughton of Brookhaven Hospital talks about ways that healthcare providers can use flexibility to help their patients continue to make progress on a daily basis.
Brookhaven Hospital Helping People with Neurobehavioral Syndrome
Brookhaven, an inpatient psychiatric hospital, often has patients with TBI and a history of co-morbid issues like PTSD, depression, personality disorder, and severe behavioral problems.
What Is TBI Rehabilitation Really Like?
Ron Broughton of Brookhaven Hospital talks about moving away from standardized rehab treatments for people with TBI and focusing on a truly individualized model.
People with Brain Injury Need to Be True Partners in Their Care
Healthcare professionals often talk philosophically about the importance of the holistic approach to helping people with TBI, but do their actions match their words?
The "Whatever It Takes" Model for Brain Injury Recovery
Holistic rehab is like the "whatever it takes" model. Balance issues may need to be treated by a PT and depression by a psychologist, but those therapies overlap for the outcome of the whole person.
Vocational Rehab: What Works and Doesn't Work with TBI
Sometimes learning a job on the job works best for people with brain injury.
The Challenges of Measuring Outcome in Brain Injury
Dr. James Malec talks about the difficulties of measuring outcome in TBI since targeted outcomes can range from the patient opening his eyes to managing headaches to getting back to work.
Dr. James Malec Talks About Cognitive Rehabilitation
Cognitive rehab for people with TBI includes any intervention that addresses cognitive problems — from using a smartphone to help with memory to developing particular visual-spatial skills.
Timing and Frequency of Rehab for TBI Highly Individualized
It is often difficult for insurance companies — and the families, themselves — to understand why one person with a TBI may recover fully while another person with a seemingly identical injury needs life-long care.
The Ability to Drive Safely After a Severe Brain Injury Is Frequently Compromised
Driving takes a great deal of concentration and coordination. Rehab for this complex activity should be a main goal of certain reintegration programs.
An Interview with Alan Jette, PT, PhD
How can measurements of rehabilitation for brain injury enhance treatment?
Acute Rehab for Brain Injury Is the First Step in a Long Journey
Most stays in an acute rehab facitily are too short for people with brain injury. Familes need to make each day count and look ahead to next steps.
Marilyn Spivack: Be Patient but Hopeful After a Brain Injury
It is easy for people with TBI and their families to become discouraged or depressed at what seems like a very slow rate of recovery. But a bruised brain needs time to heal.
Advice for Families with a Loved One with Severe Brain Injury
Keeping a journal, taking videos, and looking back to mark progress can help families with a loved one with a severe TBI. But most importantly, families need to seek help.
Online Calendar More Popular than Traditional Paper Calendars Post-Brain Injury
This study showed that online calendars help with memory — as a tool and as a therapy.
Effective Strategies for Occupational Therapy Post-Brain Injury
Goal-directed OT can help people after brain injury.
How to Find Local or State Support After a Brain Injury
Learn what help is available before filing for disability benefits.
Fifty Years After a Concussion, Can Treatment Still Help?
The earlier the treatment the better, but it’s never too late to help your brain recover.
Culturally Sensitive Approaches for People with Brain Injury
If misunderstood, small cultural differences can hinder a good treatment plan for someone with a brain injury.
Recommendations for Cognitive Rehabilitation for People with TBI
Studies support the effectiveness of cognitive rehab after a brain injury.
Physical Therapy
People with TBI invariably improve on some or many levels with physical therapy. Learn more.
Making a Difference #6: Needs & Interventions
The continuum of care of aTBI starts at the moment of injury and can last a lifetime. Learn how to avoid barriers for care.
Making a Difference
A multi-module video that illustrates the neuro-anatomy of a TBI and the everyday difficulties experienced by many people with brain injury.
Quality of Emergency and Rehabilitation Care
Good care costs money and is predicated on the commitment to standard guidelines. Unfortunately, it varies greatly across the country.
The Book Studio Interviews Michael Paul Mason
Author and TBI case manager Michael Paul Mason talks about his eclectic experience working with people who have sustained a brain injury.
Ask an OT About Recovering from a Brain Injury
From preparing a daily schedule to managing anger, learn how occupational therapy can help after a TBI.
What Personality Traits Help with Successful Outcome After TBI?
Tenacity, acceptance, learning compensatory strategies ... what will work best for you?
Simple Interventions After TBI Prove Highly Effective
Simple interventions — from regular exercise to the use of a "quiet room" — are practical, inexpensive, and effective.
Recovering from a TBI: A Marathon, Not a Race
Living with a TBI can be lifelong; with work, improvement never ends.
The Effectiveness of Cognitive Rehabilitation
Cognitive skills can be relearned with a structured rehab plan of strategies and repetition.
How Exercise Can Help Heal the Brain After a TBI
Research studies show that people with TBI who exercise show fewer symptoms of depression, fatigue, and cognitive problems.
How Much Rest is Enough Rest After a TBI?
Honest self-reporting of symptoms is crucial when recovering from a TBI.
The Two Paths of TBI
The most common problems after a TBI can be behavioral, cognitive, or both. Learn more.
Every Brain Injury Is Unique
Tenacity, repetition, and hope contribute greatly to a successful outcome after a TBI.
How Music Helps to Heal the Injured Brain
Why neurologic music therapy should be part of standard rehabilitation care.
Guidebook for Psychologists: Working with Clients with Traumatic Brain Injury
A manual for psychologists not specially trained to work with patients with TBI.
Vision and Rehabilitation After Brain Trauma (Part 1)
Vision problems after a TBI are common and often complex. Part one of a three-part article.
Vision and Rehabilitation After Brain Trauma (Part 2)
Visual problems following a TBI are common and often complex. Part two of a three-part article.
Vision and Rehabilitation After Brain Trauma (Part 3)
Visual problems following a TBI are common and often complex. Part three of a three-part article.
What Is Balance and Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy?
Learn more about physical therapy for dizziness and imbalance, common symptoms after a TBI.
Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines for Adults with Traumatic Brain Injury
For professionals, a thorough overview of the occupational therapy process for people with traumatic brain injury.
Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury
The effects of a TBI in childhood are not fully realized right away and, in fact, new challenges can emerge after the individual has become an adult.
Creative Community Involvement to Prevent TBI
Learn how one SLP uses melons, swim caps, and brain-shaped chocolates to teach kids how to prevent a TBI and all the communication problems that can come with one.
Executive Functions and Communication in Adolescents
Adolescence is a time of significant brain and cognitive development and, related to these developments, significant changes in communication functions.
What Determines Rehab Length of Stay After Brain Injury?
Statistical model can help rehab teams work best with people with TBI.
Brain Games for People with TBI: Pros and Cons
Computer brain games can be fun and stimulate the brain, but should be used in conjunction with cognitive rehab.
Help from a Neuropsychologist: The Big Picture
A neuropsychologist talks about working with people with TBI -- from basic cognitive rehab to strategies for successfully navigating the world.
How to Become a Neuropsychologist
So the brain interests you? Learn more about what it takes to become a neuropsychologist.
Ayudando con el proceso de recuperación después de lesión cerebral traumática
Dr. Judd describe el proceso de recuperación y rehabilitación después de una lesión cerebral, y los papeles de los familiares en este proceso importante.
Changes in Circles of Support After Brain Injury
A TBI can damage parts of a person's brain but it can also damage -- or at least change -- that person's circle of support.
Selecting the Right Rehabilitation Facility After Brain Injury
Most rehab facilities specialize. Make sure to ask lots of questions to find the right one for you or your loved one.
Options for Rehab After a Brain Injury
Rehab can run the gamut from residential nursing homes to vocational rehab instruction.
Why Do Some People Recover Faster or Better than Others from a Similar Concussion?
Learn more about the relationship between symptom reporting and ultimate recovery.
Longer Recovery Time Needed for Younger Brain?
An adolescent athlete may need a few extra days of recovery time than her college counterpart since her brain is still developing.
Qué hacer cuando alguién está desanimado
Aprende cómo superar el desánimo durante rehabilitación.
Obstáculos posibles para las familias hispanas frente una lesión cerebral traumática
Aprende sobre los obstáculos al proceso de recuperación para las familias latinas aquí en los Estados Unidos.
After Brain Injury: Telling Your Story - A Journaling Workbook
Learning how sharing your story can be "medicine" for you and others.
The Power of Working in a Group Setting After a Brain Injury
Group treatment could help with learning compensatory cognitive strategies.
Post-Acute Adult Continuing Education After TBI
Cognitive rehabilitation is crucial for enhancing the lives of people with brain injury.
Brain Injury Resource Directory
A national directory of TBI outpatient rehab, residential rehab, and general information services.
Transitioning to Adult Life for Kids with TBI
Studies are being done to find the best ways to help kids transition from the hospital back to school and from school to adult life.
Can Cognitive Therapy on the Internet Help with Depression After Brain Injury?
A study shows internet-based cognition therapy helps, but with caveats.
Why Predicting Outcomes After Traumatic Brain Injury Can Be Limiting
Learn about someone who went from fatal coma to professional athlete and educator.
Landmarks Help Orientation After Brain Injury
Helping people follow directions after brain injury.
Pediatric Versus Adult Rehabilitation After Brain Injury
Learn how age and developmental experience can affect outcome.
When do you Begin the Rehab Process?
When it comes to rehab after TBI, the earlier the better.
What Does a Rehabilitation Psychologist Do?
Rehabilitiation takes a team — from PTs and OTs to psychologists to family members. Learn more.
Comparing Traumatic Brain Injury and Anoxic Brain Injury in Rehabilitation
Are there differences in recovery rates?
Brain Injury Survivors: Narratives of Rehabilitation and Healing
A creative and professional approach to improving care for people living with brain injury.
After TBI, Virtual Reality Therapy Helps with Upper Limb Rehab
This three-D computer-based technology shows early promise.
Finding Strategies That Work After Brain Injury
Learn how to break down strategies into smaller, easier steps.
Traumatic Brain Injury for VR Counselors
An educational resource for vocational rehab counselors.
El habla de los pacientes con traqueostomías o ventiladores mecánicos
Este artículo presenta información sobre la traqueostomía, cómo afecta el habla una traqueostomía, y cómo se comunican las personas que tienen una traqueostomía.
Los sistemas aumentativos y alternativos de comunicación
Aprende sobre los sistemas aumentativos y alternativos de comunicación y cómo ayudan a las personas con dificultades de habla o de lenguaje.
Traumatic Brain Injury in Prisons and Jails
Learn about this often underestimated correlation.
Choosing a High-Quality Medical Rehabilitation Program
After a brain injury, one of the most crucial decisions for you — or your loved one — is where to spend the rehabilitation phase of treatment.
An Introduction to Rehabilitation: The Healing Brain
An invaluable overview and resource to the rehab process — short- and long-term.
Long-Term Disability After TBI
How many people are affected?
Compensaciones para la memoria
Ayude a las personas con una TBI con la compensación de la memoria.
Ayudando en la recuperación
Aprende cómo puede ayudar a una persona querida después de una lesión cerebral.
Measuring Reaction Time Post-TBI
Speed does not necessarily predict accuracy after brain injury.
Vocational Rehabilitation Services: Can They Help You?
Tools and services needed to make the leap to your post-secondary years.
Brain Injury Rehabilitation in the United Kingdom
Find out what's happening in brain injury rehab in the United Kingdom.
TBI Case Management and Video Teleconferencing
A way to keep client and case coordinator in close communication.
Driving and Community Integration
Driving again helps people get more involved post-TBI.
Cognitive Rehabilitation for Children and Youth
Why collaborative partnerships work.
Are Brain Injury Support Groups Worth the Time?
A place to share resources and feel more connected to others with TBI who understand.
Disaster Readiness Tips for People with Sensory Disabilities
Prepare your plans to fit your own unique circumstances.
Disaster Readiness Tips for People with Mobility Disabilities
Plan and prepare for unexpected disasters.
Disaster Readiness Tips for People with Developmental or Cognitive Difficulties
It's important to take steps to prepare before a disaster occurs, especially if you have a brain injury.
Learning to Be Patient with the Idea That Recovery Takes Time
Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes after a TBI.
Returning to Work After Brain Injury
Learn what the research tells us.
BrainLine Talks with Dr. Jeffrey Kreutzer and Dr. Taryn Stejskal About Their Research and Areas of Interest
Hear about some current research in the works on how best to work with people with TBI and their families.
BrainLine Talks with Dr. Jeffrey Kreutzer and Dr. Taryn Stejskal About What Kinds of Support they Provide
These doctors share their experience working with people wth TBI and their families.
BrainLine Talks with Dr. Jeffrey Kreutzer and Dr. Taryn Stejskal About What Services They Provide at VCU
Find out what kind of services these doctors offer and why their work is highly effective.
BrainLine Talks with Dr. Jeffrey Kreutzer and Dr. Taryn Stejskal About When Couples Should Seek Help
Brain injury can deeply affect a marriage. When do you know it's time to seek couples therapy?
BrainLine Talks with Dr. Jeffrey Kreutzer and Dr. Taryn Stejskal
Strategies and thoughts from two family and marriage counselors.
Brain Injury Dialogues: Rehabilitation
Hear from people in rehab.
Crooked Smile - Video Excerpt of Daniel Skiing
Watch Daniel Cohen, 33, who sustained a brain injury 16 years before, enjoy the Calgary slopes.
Vocational Rehabilitation, Traumatic Brain Injury, and the Power of Networking
This manual pulls together in one place diverse insights into vocational rehab for people with TBI.
The Role of Rehabilitation
Inpatient rehab plays a key role in outcome after TBI.
Caron Gan Talks About Being a Family Therapist
Learn about the work of a family therapist.
Caron Gan Talks About Using Her Cultural Background to Her Advantage
This marriage and family therapist talks about her Chinese-Canadian heritage and how it comes into play in her everyday practice.
Caron Gan Talks About Finding Support in the Brain Injury Community
Advice from a family therapist on finding community support after TBI.
Caron Gan Talks About Providing Culturally Relevant Treatment
Why therapists need to take a person's cultural background and traditions into account.
Caron Gan Talks About Working With Adolescents After Brain Injury
Adolescence is never easy. Hear how this family therapist works with young adults with TBI.
Dr. Tedd Judd Talks About Brain Injury, Cultural Competency, and Relavence in Rehabilitation
Neuropsychologist Dr. Tedd Judd talks abou the way professionals can help their patients with brain injury — and their families — who are from different countries or cultures.
Dr. Tedd Judd Talks About Errorless Learning After Brain Injury
What exactly is this teaching tool used for people with TBI?
Dr. Tedd Judd Talks About Understanding Behavior Changes with TBI
Emotional and behavioral changes in a person after a TBI can be significant.
Guidelines for Using Brain Injury Rehabilitation Techniques at Home
The more professionals can teach caregivers, the more effective the rehab techniques will be at home.
Dr. Tedd Judd Talks Incorporating Brain Injury and Cultural Background
The more doctors or therapists know about the background and traditions of their patients, the more effective they will be.
Dr. Tedd Judd Talks About Brain Injury Professionals and Cultural Competence
Professionals need to be culturally savvy to work most effectively with people of different ethnicities.
Dr. Tedd Judd Talks About Brain Injury and Setting Family Centered Goals
What makes family-centered care so effective?
Dr. Tedd Judd Talks About Navigating Cultural Barriers in Brain Injury Rehabilitation
Professional advice about getting buy-in from patients and families when cultural barriers are in the way.
Trisha Meili: Going the Distance
Trisha Meili — the Central Park Jogger — shares her personal best.
The Nuances of Self-Awareness Post-TBI
A person's level of self-awareness after a brain injury can impact rehab.
Group Versus Individual Rehab Therapy After Brain Injury
Is one more effective than the other?
"Speechless"
One person with TBI moved from being "speechless" to recording his own song.
Your Brain at Work
Putting it all together — enrich your life, enrich your brain.
Releasing a CD of Original Client Music to the Public as an Aspect of Brain Injury Treatment
Why is music such a powerful form of rehab therapy?
Buscando el equilibrio de la recuperación y la compensación
Aprende cómo encontrar el equilibrio de la recuperación y la compensación después de una lesión cerebral.
Balancing Recovery and Compensation
Deciding what course of treatment to pursue after a TBI isn't easy.
Study Sheds Light on Best Rehab Approaches for Brain Injury
What rehab treatments work for service members with TBI?
Reducing Restraint and Seclusion of Individuals with TBI
Learn about the issues and behavioral challenges of individuals with TBI and the concerns about using seclusion and restraint on these individuals.
Unthinkable - Tips: The Rehabilitation Hospital
Choosing the right rehab hospital for your loved one following a brain injury can be overwhelming. Tips from a mother who has been there.
Recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury: A Self-Help Primer
A self-help guide from someone who orchestrated his own successful recovery post-TBI.
How to Choose a Healthcare Provider or Facility
Finding the right services after a brain injury.
Traumatic Brain Injury: Effects and Interventions
Learn how occupational therapy can give you the skills for the job of living.
The Benefits of Peer Mentoring
In what ways can peer support be a life saver?
Community Transition and the Fine and Performing Arts
Rehabilitation comes in many forms. Watch here to learn more about the power of creative arts therapy and TBI.
Rhythms of Hope Dance Therapy
Through the use of dance, people with traumatic brain injuries make new connections in their brains, which pushes them forward on the road to recovery.
Michael Paul Mason Talks About Brain Injury Case Management
BrainLine talks with Michael Paul Mason about being a case manager and his experience finding resources for his clients.
How to Succeed in Biz-Ness by Really Trying (Logan's Story)
This is the story of a girl named Logan who persevered through her brain injury to create a magazine for other kids with disabilities and inspire them to achieve their dreams and goals.
PDA Intervention Plan: Implementing Electronic Memory and Organization Aids
Can a PDA help a person with TBI get organized?
Expanding Your Social Network
After brain injury, reaching out to others can be challenging.
Making Connections After Brain Injury: A Guide for Social Peer Mentors
A resource for social peer mentors.
Traumatic Injury, Dramatic Results
Physical therapists are helping civilians and veterans with TBI reclaim their lives.
Driving Following a Brain Injury
When is it safe to drive after a TBI?
Who Are the Rehab Specialists?
This resource is a glossary that describes the different types of rehabilitation specialists.
Head Cases
An excerpt from a book that takes us into the dark side of the brain with stories that are at once true and strange.
Medical Complications from TBI
The body almost always heals faster than the brain after injury.
Harnessing the Brain's Power to Adapt After Surgery
Physical therapy can greatly influence how a person recovers function damaged by a brain injury.
Brain Trauma, Concussion, and Coma
Learn about the anatomy of different brain traumas.
Community Integrated Brain Injury Rehabilitation: Treatment Models and Challenges for Civilian, Military, and Veteran Populations
An in-depth look at the issues around community-based rehab for people with TBI.
Systematic Approach to Social Work Practice: Working with Clients with Traumatic Brain Injury
A guide for social workers who may not have specialized TBI training — and for others trying to find answers.
Adaptive Equipment: An Illustrated Guide
Find out about adaptive equipment that can help with daily tasks like washing and dressing.
TBI Consumer Report: Person-Centered Planning
Every person with TBI is different and unique.
Aerobic Exercise Following TBI
Exercise for people with TBI has enormous benefits — both physically and mentally.
Managing Memory and Metamemory Impairments in Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury
Learn what steps to take to improve your memory after a brain injury.
A New Kind of Patient for Speech-Language Pathologists
Learn why speech-language rehab is so crucial for veterans like Sgt. Wade.
Making Connections after TBI: A Guide for Social Peer Mentors
Learn how to be a peer mentor — oftentimes a lifesaver for someone with TBI.
Why Aquatic Therapy?
Learn how water helps break the cycle of chronic pain after TBI.
Cognitive Rehabilitation Denial Overturned: Montana Case Sets Precedent
This landmark case overturned the denial for cognitive rehabilitation services for TBI.
The Great Leap Forward: Transitioning into the Adult World
Learn about services to support students with TBI before and after they leave public school.
A SWOT Analysis of the Field of Virtual Reality Rehabilitation and Therapy
It's no game. Virtual Reality technology is also a brain injury rehabilitation tool.
Cultural Competence in Health Care
The rapidly changing demographics in the US are changing how people are treated for brain injury and other medical issues. Learn more.
Analysis of Assets for Virtual Reality Applications in Neuropsychology
VR technology is not fun and games. It also offers new ways to help people with TBI or PTSD.
Moving On: A Personal Futures Planning Workbook for Individuals with Brain Injury
A workbook to be used by people with TBI and thsoe who want to work with them on planning for a better future.
Management of Behavioral Problems During Acute Rehabilitation of Individuals with TBI
Behaviorial issues can be significant challenges to rehab staff.
Over My Head
Dr. Claudia Osborn never thought she would be in the ER for anything else but treating patients.
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