Hope Survives | Brain Injury Podcast

After a concussion, it can be hard to find answers to reduce symptoms, especially when you “look fine” on the outside. Even conventional evaluations can fail to provide clear answers. Today, we are exploring the powerful connection between nutrition and brain function, and how targeted, holistic choices can calm inflammation and put recovery back into your hands.

In this episode, host Cristabelle Braden interviews Chelsea Tuttle, who shares her journey navigating post-concussion syndrome following a car accident and a delayed onset of life-altering symptoms. Chelsea details how discovering persistent neuro-inflammation on her brain scans led her to partner with a nutritionist to trial an anti-inflammatory elimination diet, producing a night-and-day shift in her cognitive clarity, headaches, and physical stamina. We also talk about sensory overload while driving, identifying individual food triggers, and learning to measure progress by celebrating small daily wins rather than fixating on limitations.

🥑*Access Our FREE Downloadable Resources on Brain Nutrition: https://hopesurvives.org/resource-hub/nutrition-physical-health

This week’s spotlight with Dr. Jeremy Schmoe from The Functional Neurology Center is on movement and nutrition in neuro-recovery. Dr. Schmoe explains how intentional movement activates cerebellar, basal ganglia, and frontal lobe pathways, how targeted therapies can engage neural circuits when movement is restricted from injury, and why adopting a brain healthy diet can significantly reduce migraine frequency and systemic inflammation.

🧠 In this episode:

• Navigating delayed concussion symptoms, driving-related sensory overload, and the frustration of "invisible" injuries.
• How brain scans revealed lingering neuro-inflammation when other tests came back normal.
• The science of anti-inflammatory eating: choosing foods that require less digestive energy so the body can prioritize brain healing.
• Reframing recovery by focusing on what you can do today and documenting small daily victories.

CONNECT

Follow @hopesurvives

Visit ⁠hopesurvives.org ⁠⁠

Join a support group at ⁠hopesurvives.org/community⁠⁠

Reach out to us anytime: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Hosted by Cristabelle Braden: @cristabellebraden |⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cristabellebraden.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Sponsor

Thank you to The Functional Neurology Center for sponsoring this podcast - The FNC offers personalized neuro-recovery programs for anyone going through brain injury and a wide range of neurological conditions. Learn more:⁠ thefnc.com⁠⁠

0:00 Intro

1:54 Welcome with Cristabelle

3:30 Movement and Nutrition for Brain Recovery - Dr. Jeremy Schmoe

9:24 Chelsea’s Concussion Story

15:45 Invisible Symptoms and Inflammation

18:52 Finding Nutrition for Concussion Symptoms

23:45 Changes and Improvements

25:30 Encouragement & Small Steps

31:36 Words of Hope

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Disclaimer

This podcast is for education and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your physician for individualized care. More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hopesurvives.org/podcast

A sudden stroke can alter everything in an instant. For many who have experienced brain injuries and strokes, the hardest battles aren't just physical, but the invisible challenges of neuro-fatigue, unpredictable cognitive stamina, and wrestling with who you are when your career and daily routines change overnight.

In this episode, host Cristabelle Braden interviews stroke survivor and founder of The Broken Road Project, Trent Peterson, who shares his journey following a life-altering brainstem stroke. Listen to discover how Trent navigated the sudden loss of independence, managed invisible symptoms like double vision and cognitive flooding, and had to come to big questions about his identity. We talk about the power of redefining your life after an injury like this, and how embracing a "broken road" can open the door to redefining your life and purpose.

We also feature a spotlight with Dr. Jeremy Schmoe from The Functional Neurology Center on hope for post-stroke rehabilitation. Dr. Schmoe discusses emerging therapeutic strategies that go beyond traditional motor rehab, including gut barrier support, photobiomodulation, virtual reality mirror therapy to stimulate mirror neurons, and pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy to drive neuroplasticity and blood flow.

🧠 In this episode:

• Navigating the sudden shift of life after a stroke or brain injury.
• Understanding invisible deficits and why cognitive stamina can feel like an unpredictable "moving target" day to day.
• The process of redefining, reinventing, and realizing the changes in identity.
• Practical self-advocacy: recognizing communication limitations, asking for accommodations, and extending grace to yourself.
• The mission of The Broken Road Project and how supporting others in the brain injury community and giving back can bring purpose.

CONNECT

Follow @hopesurvives

Visit ⁠hopesurvives.org ⁠⁠

Join a support group at ⁠hopesurvives.org/community⁠⁠

Reach out to us anytime: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Hosted by Cristabelle Braden: @cristabellebraden |⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cristabellebraden.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Trent: thebrokenroad.org

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Sponsor

Thank you to The Functional Neurology Center for sponsoring this podcast - The FNC offers personalized neuro-recovery programs for anyone going through brain injury and a wide range of neurological conditions. Learn more:⁠ thefnc.com⁠⁠

0:00 Intro

2:12 Welcome with Cristabelle

4:48 Hope for Stroke Rehab - Dr. Jeremy Schmoe

7:40 Trent’s Stroke Story

12:25 Invisible and Identity Changes

16:02 Redefining and Reinventing

21:10 Adjusting Pacing & Advocating For Yourself

24:25 Broken Road Project & Giving Back

30:52 Words of Hope

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Disclaimer

This podcast is for education and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your physician for individualized care. More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hopesurvives.org/podcast

Recovering from any type of concussion or brain injury can feel like a really long journey. But what if you have been developing a resilience you didn’t know you had all along? Whether you’ve had the injury yourself, or if you are a loved one - join us in this episode for some encouragement.

In this episode, host Cristabelle Braden interviews Speech-Language Pathologist Wendy Ellmo, who shares both her professional expertise and personal insight after sustaining a severe traumatic brain injury at age 17. Wendy breaks down the foundations of cognitive recovery, offering practical tools to reframe accommodations and strategies as empowering safety nets rather than limitations. Listen for practical ways to foster resilience and find purpose along the journey.

We also feature a spotlight with Dr. Jeremy Schmoe from The Functional Neurology Center on neurological resilience and neuroplasticity. Dr. Schmoe shares how intentional stimulation, including quick eye movements, visualization, breath mechanics, and cognitive dual-tasking, helps neurons fire and wire together while calming microglial neuro-inflammation.

🧠 In this episode:

• Recognizing attention as the foundational building block for memory, word-finding, and cognitive organization.
• Overcoming resistance to compensatory strategies and embracing accommodations as supportive tools.
• Making the crucial mental shift from "rehab mode" into "living mode" after brain injury.
• How gratitude and tracking small daily victories physically alter brain chemistry and elevate mood.
• Navigating the grief of changed identity and learning to give yourself grace on tough days.
• How family members and friends of the brain injured person can adapt communication and stay connected to prevent isolation.

⁠The Hope Collective: read and share reflections on life after brain injury: hopesurvives.org/thehopecollective

CONNECT

Follow @hopesurvives

Visit ⁠hopesurvives.org ⁠⁠

Join a support group at ⁠hopesurvives.org/community⁠⁠

Reach out to us anytime: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Hosted by Cristabelle Braden: @cristabellebraden |⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cristabellebraden.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Sponsor

Thank you to The Functional Neurology Center for sponsoring this podcast - The FNC offers personalized neuro-recovery programs for anyone going through brain injury and a wide range of neurological conditions. Learn more:⁠ thefnc.com⁠⁠

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0:00 Intro

1:55 Welcome with Cristabelle

2:50 Neuroplasticity & Brain Resilience - Dr. Jeremy Schmoe

7:07 Introducing Wendy

11:45 How Personal TBI Experience Helped in SLP Practice

13:15 Common Changes after Brain Injury

16:48 Ways to Strengthen Resilience

25:04 Small, Practical Steps

29:08 Encouragement for Family Members

31:18 Words of Hope

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Disclaimer

This podcast is for education and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your physician for individualized care. More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hopesurvives.org/podcast

Living with post-concussion syndrome often means navigating a disorienting loss of identity, unpredictable symptoms, and the frustration of feeling like a stranger to yourself. When a good day is suddenly followed by an overwhelming crash, the uncertainty of recovery can make finding a clear path forward feel impossible. Today, we are exploring how to navigate the emotional and physical toll of lingering symptoms, adapt to an invisible injury, and discover true peace in the midst of life's chaos.

Today, host Cristabelle Braden interviews author and speaker Tara L. Banks, who candidly shares her personal experience recovering from multiple concussions. Listen as Tara opens up about grappling with a shifted sense of self, managing light and sound sensitivity, dizziness, and brain fog, and learning to advocate for herself when her struggles aren't visible to others. We also discuss redefining victory through the "little wins" of daily life, leaning on faith and supportive community, and cultivating internal peace when external circumstances remain uncertain.

We also feature a spotlight with Dr. Jeremy Schmoe from The Functional Neurology Center on hope for post-concussion syndrome. Dr. Schmoe shares the importance of looking beyond traditional rehab to explore blood chemistry, gut health, neuro-inflammation, and supporting the brain's glymphatic system.

🧠 In this episode:

• Navigating the deep sense of losing your identity and feeling disconnected from yourself after a concussion.
• Managing unpredictable day-to-day symptoms, light and sound sensitivity, and "invisible" recovery struggles.
• Learning self-advocacy and extending patience toward loved ones who may not fully understand post-concussion syndrome.
• Redefining resilience, embracing vulnerability, and celebrating the "small victories" in daily healing.
• Finding peace through faith and community support.

The Hope Collective: read and share reflections on life after brain injury: hopesurvives.org/thehopecollective

CONNECT

Follow @hopesurvives

Visit ⁠hopesurvives.org ⁠⁠

Join a support group at ⁠hopesurvives.org/community⁠⁠

Reach out to us anytime: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Hosted by Cristabelle Braden: @cristabellebraden |⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cristabellebraden.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Tara:.taralbanks.com

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Sponsor

Thank you to The Functional Neurology Center for sponsoring this podcast - The FNC offers personalized neuro-recovery programs for anyone going through brain injury and a wide range of neurological conditions. Learn more:⁠ thefnc.com⁠⁠

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0:00 Intro

2:05 Welcome with Cristabelle

4:24 Hope for PCS - Spotlight with Dr. Jeremy Schmoe

8:26 Tara’s Concussion Story

15:14 “Looking Fine” - Not Feeling Fine

20:18 Finding Peace in Post-Concussion

23:25 Sense of Self & Not Giving Up

31:10 Finding Everyday Fruit - Tara’s Book

32:22 Words of Hope

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Disclaimer

This podcast is for education and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your physician for individualized care. More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hopesurvives.org/podcast⁠

Have you ever felt stuck and unsure how to move forward in your recovery journey? Today, as we kick off Season 6, we are talking about how learning about brain health can make a huge impact - and giving you some practical tools to take with you.

In this episode, host Cristabelle Braden interviews Luke Bohnenberger, known as Luke Speaks TBI, who shares his powerful journey from a severe car accident and mental health struggles to becoming an advocate for others. Listen to discover how understanding your brain’s needs on a neurological level can remove shame, empower recovery, and help you regain a sense of control over your life and recovery journey.

We also feature a spotlight on brain health with Dr. Jeremy Schmoe from The Functional Neurology Center. Dr. Schmoe explains practical, daily habits for supporting your neurology, focusing on blood sugar regulation, hydration, and simple ways to activate your brain through movement, visualization, and stress reduction.

🧠 In this episode:

• Reframing post-injury symptoms as "signals" and learning to listen to your brain before it reaches an overload state.
• Exploring 6 pillars of brain health: connections, movement, diet, novelty, environment, and rest.
• Why establishing a sense of neurological safety is a required foundation for deep healing.
• How to navigate the "push and pace" dynamic to challenge your brain without causing a setback.

CONNECT

Follow @hopesurvives

Visit ⁠hopesurvives.org ⁠⁠

Join a support group at ⁠hopesurvives.org/community⁠⁠

Reach out to us anytime: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Hosted by Cristabelle Braden: @cristabellebraden |⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cristabellebraden.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Luke: lukespeakstbi.com

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Sponsor

Thank you to The Functional Neurology Center for sponsoring this podcast - The FNC offers personalized neuro-recovery programs for anyone going through brain injury and a wide range of neurological conditions. Learn more:⁠ ⁠https://www.thefnc.com⁠⁠

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0:00 Intro

1:45 Welcome with Cristabelle

2:59 Brain Health - Spotlight with Dr. Jeremy Schmoe

6:02 Introducing Luke

8:45 The TBI Journey

14:35 Foundation of Brain Health

23:00 Understanding Safety in Nervous System

26:45 Takeaways and Small Steps

31:35 Final Words of Hope

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Disclaimer

This podcast is for education and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your physician for individualized care. More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hopesurvives.org/podcast⁠

At Hope Survives, we know that life with brain injury isn’t easy - so we're here to talk all about the ups, downs, and in-betweens, and offer some encouragement and practical tools to help you on your journey. Today we're sharing a preview of where we're going in Season 6.

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 our conversations. Subscribe and stay tuned for the official premiere!

CONNECT

Follow @hopesurvives

Visit ⁠hopesurvives.org ⁠⁠

Join a support group at ⁠hopesurvives.org/community⁠⁠

Reach out to us anytime: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Hosted by Cristabelle Braden: @cristabellebraden |⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cristabellebraden.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Sponsor

Thank you to The Functional Neurology Center for sponsoring this podcast - The FNC offers personalized neuro-recovery programs for anyone going through brain injury and a wide range of neurological conditions. Learn more:⁠ ⁠https://www.thefnc.com⁠⁠

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Disclaimer

This podcast is for education and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your physician for individualized care. More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hopesurvives.org/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, mindfulness, and how learning to regulate your nervous system can help you to move forward with healing after a brain injury.

In this episode, host Cristabelle Braden interviews Occupational Therapist Shelley Latendresse, who shares practical insights on how mindfulness and grounding techniques can aid recovery from a brain injury. Listen to discover how simple daily practices can help manage symptoms, reduce cognitive load, and promote healing. We also talk about coexisting with pain, symptoms, and the ways that we can acknowledge where we are at while also moving forward.

We also feature a spotlight with Dr. Jeremy Schmoe from The Functional Neurology Center. Dr. Schmoe explains how to bring your nervous system out of a hyper-sympathetic "fight-or-flight" state using targeted neurological stimulation as well as ways to do it at home.

This is also our Season 5 finale! We are so grateful for the conversations we've had this season and we look forward to staying connected as we enter a break to prepare for the next season.

🧠 In this episode:

• Navigating the process of managing symptoms, pain, and cognitive load post-concussion.
• Why focusing on simple, everyday habits can bring forward healing after brain injury.
• Understanding mindfulness as a core skill for present moment awareness to reduce stress after brain injury.
• Exploring grounding techniques that actively involve your senses and nature.
• Ways to stimulate your vagus nerve for nervous system regulation.

CONNECT

Follow @hopesurvives

Visit ⁠hopesurvives.org ⁠⁠

Join a support group at ⁠hopesurvives.org/community⁠⁠

Reach out to us anytime: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Hosted by Cristabelle Braden: @cristabellebraden |⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cristabellebraden.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Sponsor

Thank you to The Functional Neurology Center for sponsoring this podcast - The FNC offers personalized neuro-recovery programs for anyone going through brain injury and a wide range of neurological conditions. Learn more:⁠ ⁠https://www.thefnc.com⁠⁠

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0:00 Intro

1:53 Welcome with Cristabelle

3:00 Season 5 Finale

7:15 Nervous System Regulation - Spotlight with Dr. Jeremy Schmoe

13:00 Introducing Shelley Latendresse, OT

17:51 Why Mindfulness Matters

19:55 Feeling Disconnected from Your Body & Mind

21:40 Ways to Connect to the Moment

31:30 Grounding for Coexisting with Pain and Symptoms

40:44 Finding Beauty in the Everyday

42:22 Words of Hope

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Disclaimer

This podcast is for education and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your physician for individualized care. More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hopesurvives.org/podcast⁠

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 projects and not knowing how to continue.

In this episode, host Cristabelle Braden sits down for a full interview with Stacia Bissell and Katya Bowen to discuss the ins and outs of task completion after brain injury - and how you can map out a plan to get your focus back.

We also feature a spotlight with Dr. Jeremy Schmoe from The Functional Neurology Center all about some of the neurological and metabolic reasons behind executive dysfunction.

*Join the Maps for Task Completion Live Virtual Workshop - coming up on September 18 - register now! https://hopesurvives.org/maps-workshop

🧠 In this episode:

• Why a brain injury makes it incredibly difficult to stay organized, manage your time, and follow through on daily tasks.
• How to create your own “map” to finish your task.
• How setting a simple, repeating alarm can systematically interrupt distractions and pull your focus back to the job at hand.
• Importance of breaking the cycle of self-criticism and internal pressure, which actively drains the cognitive energy you desperately need to get things done.
• Encouragement to step forward into initiation when it can feel like a struggle to just start.

CONNECT

Follow @hopesurvives

Visit ⁠hopesurvives.org ⁠⁠

Join a support group at ⁠hopesurvives.org/community⁠⁠

Reach out to us anytime: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Hosted by Cristabelle Braden: @cristabellebraden |⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cristabellebraden.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Sponsor

Thank you to The Functional Neurology Center for sponsoring this podcast - The FNC offers personalized neuro-recovery programs for anyone going through brain injury and a wide range of neurological conditions. Learn more:⁠ ⁠https://www.thefnc.com⁠⁠

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0:00 Intro

2:10 Welcome with Cristabelle

5:00 Executive Dysfunction - Spotlight with Dr. Jeremy Schmoe

8:45 Introducing Stacia & Katya

16:55 Task Completion

19:25 Creating Your Map

26:00 Setting Yourself Up for Success

34:35 Encouragement

36:25 Words of Hope

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Disclaimer

This podcast is for education and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your physician for individualized care. More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hopesurvives.org/podcast⁠

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 Center to unpack some of the recent groundbreaking technology advancements reshaping rehabilitation. If you or a loved one has ever been stuck in survival mode or told your scans look "normal" despite a daily battle with brain fog and fatigue, this conversation is an exciting look at the advanced care happening across the globe.

🧠 In this episode:

• Why the most effective way to spark neuroplasticity and rewire the brain is by activating multiple systems at once.
• A look at a cutting-edge tablet technology out of Paris that measures how your eyes converge and diverge using light and sound cues in a natural, active environment.
• How functional near-infrared spectroscopy from South Korea images real-time blood flow changes in the frontal and temporal cortex during everyday movements.
• Why interactive testing in free space uncovers subtle visual and tracking deficits that standard, stationary medical testing completely overlooks.

CONNECT

Follow @hopesurvives

Visit ⁠hopesurvives.org ⁠⁠

Join a support group at ⁠hopesurvives.org/community⁠⁠

Reach out to us anytime: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Hosted by Cristabelle Braden: @cristabellebraden |⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cristabellebraden.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Sponsor

Thank you to The Functional Neurology Center for sponsoring this podcast - The FNC offers personalized neuro-recovery programs for anyone going through brain injury and a wide range of neurological conditions. Learn more:⁠ ⁠https://www.thefnc.com⁠⁠

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0:00 Intro

1:47 Welcome with Cristabelle

6:05 Introducing Dr. Schmoe

12:25 New Visual Tablet Tech - REMOBI

21:20 New VR Assessment Tech - NESPLORA

24:52 New Brain Imaging Tech - NIRSIT

28:20 Words of Hope

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Disclaimer

This podcast is for education and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your physician for individualized care. More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hopesurvives.org/podcast⁠

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, Alice Collier, who has experienced a brain injury to talk about the profound impact of music therapy on recovery.

We also feature a spotlight with Dr. Ryan Harvey from The Functional Neurology Center. Dr. Harvey explains the mechanics of auditory stimulation and music, breaking down how it triggers multi-sensory integration to stimulate neural pathways without overloading a recovering patient's sensory system.

🧠 In this episode:

• Understanding Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) - how specific, standardized techniques use music to manipulate brain activity, join the brain's hemispheres, and circumvent damaged networks.
• A story of resilience and finding new dreams after Alice survived a traumatic brain injury from a bike accident
• How matching auditory cues to visual and physical actions drives the brain's timing and sequencing networks.
• How music therapy can be dynamically paired with physical therapy to make repetitive, challenging, or tedious physical movements highly motivating.
• Host Cristabelle shares how music and songwriting helped her reclaim her emotions, speech and motor skills following her own brain injury.

Connect with Serenna: https://thisinnervoice.com/

CONNECT

Follow @hopesurvives

Visit ⁠hopesurvives.org ⁠⁠

Join a support group at ⁠hopesurvives.org/community⁠⁠

Reach out to us anytime: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Hosted by Cristabelle Braden: @cristabellebraden |⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cristabellebraden.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Sponsor

Thank you to The Functional Neurology Center for sponsoring this podcast - The FNC offers personalized neuro-recovery programs for anyone going through brain injury and a wide range of neurological conditions. Learn more:⁠ ⁠https://www.thefnc.com⁠⁠

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0:00 Intro

1:53 Music on Cristabelle’s Journey

6:10 Music and Multi-Sensory Integration in Brain Injury Rehabilitation with Dr. Harvey - Spotlight

9:43 Introducing Alice and Serenna

15:05 Finding New Life after Brain Injury

18:15 Understanding Music Therapy

23:05 How Music Brings Growth after Brain Injury

27:27 Creativity in Brain Injury Recovery

32:45 Playing “The Drunken Sailor”

35:28 Words of Hope

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Disclaimer

This podcast is for education and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your physician for individualized care. More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hopesurvives.org/podcast⁠