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Finding Purpose After Trauma

David Grant blog, loss, grief, brain injury, parents, growth, time

As it turns out that pivotal day — when I was hit by a car on my bicycle and sustained a brain injury — opened the door to the purpose-driven life that I now live.

Redefining Brain Injury Recovery

David Grant and his wife smiling at the camera

For a long time after my brain injury, I was focused on the conventional definition of recovery. I wanted to get back to the place where I started. I wanted to be me again. But the passage of time, and lots of fighting my fate, have proven to me that there is no going back. I will never “get over” my brain injury. Like my shadow that follows me on a sunny day, I am forever bound to my brain injury. And today, I am okay with that.

"Community as Intervention" Treats Veterans with Brain Injuries (TBI) and PTSD at Bastion

Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and Brain Injury Specialist Allison Tebbe discusses how "Community as Intervention" works to help and heal veterans living with brain injuries and post-traumatic stress (PTSD).

Allison Tebbe, CRC, CBIS, on the Evolution of Bastion's Headway and Community Integration Programs

Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and Brain Injury Specialist Allison Tebbe discusses the origins and evolution of Bastion's programs like Headway. She describes the benefits and success of "Community as Intervention."

Surviving Suicide

David Grant and his wife smiling while on a boat.

"I’ve seen both sides of the suicide coin, both as a surviving family member as well as an actual survivor. I have a deep empathy for those who think life would be better off without them, but I know that they are wrong. When you feel that way, you have no perspective; you are unable to understand that there are people who love you unconditionally and who would be shattered had you succeeded."

Navigating the Long Road: My Ongoing Recovery Through Brain Injury and PTSD

David Grant blog, recovery, medication, PTSD

The day after I was hit on my bike, a local neurologist literally high-fived me, telling me that I had no discernible neurological issues and sending me on my way. But it became painfully clear almost from the beginning that something was not right.

Taking a Victory Lap After Brain Injury

David Grant blog, Brain Injury Hope Network, loss, grief, brain injury, growth, time, non-profit,

Looking back over the years, I never expected to live a life defined largely by being a brain injury survivor. Early on, I was completely unable to see that there might be a silver lining to all that has come to pass ...

Navigating Life with Brain Injury and PTSD

David Grant blog, PTSD, treatment, frustration, lifelong issues

When I started treatment again for my PTSD, I said that I'd give it 90 days. No sudden or irrational decisions, just a three-month treatment test drive. Ninety days have come and gone, but here I am, still not seeing any relief. What do I do?

The Weight of Loss After Brain Injury

Time seems to pass faster every year. It feels like just yesterday that I first presented at a brain injury conference. It was 2013, and I was asked to offer the keynote address at the Brain Injury Association of Maine’s annual conference. No one was more surprised than me to receive the invitation.

Navigating Life as a Long-Term Brain Injury Survivor

If, within your own personal or professional circles, you know someone with a brain injury or PTSD who has been living the survivor life for years, please know that time does not equate to freedom from challenges. Reach out to those you know and ask how they are really doing. You might just be surprised by what you hear — and how much your asking means.

Predatory Practices Against Vulnerable Populations

A shadowy person in a hoodie sitting at a table with a handful of cash

Predatory practices are common around military bases. Young servicemembers and those in transition — either moving from base to base or preparing to separate or retire from active service — are easy targets. As soon as you pass the gates off base, you see “Pay Day Loans!” and “Buy Now! Pay Later!” Like servicemembers, veterans are also targets.

Nightmares and PTSD: A Military Spouse Relives Deployment Stress

Stacey, holding a large "Welcome Home" sign, hugs Russ, in uniform, at the airport

Last night, for the first time in a very long time, I had what I would call a deployment nightmare. I awoke to a cold sweat and heart palpitations.

Mindfulness Revisited

David and his wife smiling in front of a palm tree

Mindfulness has taught me that true and lasting peace only comes in the moment. Right here, right now. In the moment, my past carries no weight, and the future does not exist. Life is truly a succession of moments.

From Patient to Provider: One Sailor's Brain Health Journey

Navy Ensign Timothy Bleigh in a wheelchair looking out a hospital window with his son

U.S. Navy Ensign Timothy Bleigh clearly recalls when the bomb went off. The Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) tactical vehicle flipped several times through the air before it landed partly on its roof. Bleigh shares his story and reflects on how his difficult recovery, which included a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), influenced how he approaches patient care.

Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries and Risk for Affective and Behavioral Disorders

Children who sustain an mTBI are at increased risk for developing new affective or behavioral disorders over four-years post-injury.

“No” Is Not a Bad Word! The Art of Using Boundaries as Self-Care

The Power of No, No is self-care, No is a complete sentence, No is empowering, No is not a bad word

Creating boundaries can feel awkward or wrong when you first start setting them. You might even get pushback if you haven’t done it before. But don’t stop.

Psychotherapy is as effective in treating PTSD following exposure to multiple traumatic events than to a single event

A mixed-race person sitting in a chair talking to another person in front of a brick wall

Psychotherapy is as effective treatment for PTSD patients after multiple traumatic events.

Surviving the Holidays with Grace and Sanity: A Look Back

David and his wife smiling in front of a Christmas tree wearing holiday sweaters

I recently heard the holiday trifecta of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's called the Bermuda Triangle of exhaustion. No one knows this better than brain injury survivors!

Reclaiming Hope: Healing from PTSD and Depression with Adam Watson, United States Air Force Veteran

USAF Staff Sergeant Adam Watson joined the military just before 9/11 to find a sense of direction as a young adult. He was trained as a linguist and worked in intelligence. He found purpose and fulfillment in his mission to target terrorists but at a high cost. His time in service took a toll on him and, eventually, his family.

Hear how Home Base, a part of the Wounded Warrior Project's Warrior Care Network, helped Adam treat his depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) and other complementary therapies in their Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). For information about treatments for PTSD please visit The Treatment Hub: https://www.brainline.org/treatment/ Don’t forget to like and subscribe! Information about Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE): https://www.brainline.org/treatment/pe Home Base in Boston, MA, USA: https://homebase.org/ Wounded Warrior Project's Warrior Care Network: https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/programs/warrior-care-network Website: https://www.BrainLine.org Donate: https://tinyurl.com/BrainLineDonation Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brainline Twitter: https://twitter.com/brainline LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brainline.org/