Creating Community

As brain injury survivors and supporters,
we share a common experience.

This common experience unites us to create a community, a place where we can join together to increase our knowledge and grow as human beings. We do this by sharing of ourselves and learning from one another’s experience.

Even mild brain injury may have profound consequences, i.e., short-term memory problems and reduced capacity to "keep one's act together". A serious brain injury changes everything. It's like starting a new life as a new person. This interesting interview explores changes in personality and behavior after brain injury. Series: Coping with Brain Injury [Health and Medicine]

When a Brain Scientist Suffers a Stroke

As a Harvard-trained neuroanatomist, Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor has always known more about brains than most people. But when a brain hemorrhage triggered her own stroke, she suddenly had a front-row seat on the deterioration of the brain. Dr. Taylor recounts the details of her stroke and the amazing insights she gained from it last month.

On a December morning in 1996, Dr. Taylor woke up with searing pain behind her left eye, the beginnings of a hemorrhagic stroke, (an acquired brain injury). As the left side of her brain shut down, she began to feel disconnected from her body and entered an almost-euphoric like state. It took her a while to make sense of the experience, but as her right arm became paralyzed, it dawned on her that she was having a stroke. "How many brain scientists have the opportunity to study their own brain from the inside out?," To learn more about Dr. Taylor, visit her website.

This is an amazing 18-minute presentation by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor from the
TED conference in Monterey, CA on February 27, 2008.
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design.

Watch "Coping with Brain Injury: Life After Brain Injury"

(If you are not able to see this video, you may view it here on YouTube.com)

This is the place to come when you are looking for support or hope to benefit from another’s experience or when you are ready to support others by sharing your experience.

One way to share is by participating in a brain injury support group. BIAT collaborates in the oversight of a network of statewide support groups. These groups welcome both survivors and their supporters. Take a look at our calendar to find the location, date, and time of the support group nearest to you as well as other upcoming events throughout the state.

Many survivors and their supporters find creative expression to be a helpful outlet for their feelings about their experiences. We welcome you to let your creative juices flow and share them with your community through our Survivor Creativity page.

Survivor Spotlight is our way of letting brain injury survivors from across Tennessee shine. If you would like to be highlighted in our Survivor Spotlight section, please contact us.

Please take your time and enjoy getting to know your community.

You are always welcome here.