The challenges that survivors face generally correspond to the severity of their injury. As injury severity increases, many are substantially challenged in engaging in and maintaining meaningful relationship, functioning in competitive employment, and learning to accept and love themselves as they are. This self-acceptance piece is huge because if it doesn’t happen, it is often very difficult for the survivor to move beyond significant despair to make adaptive progress. Drs. Bell, Johnson, and myself are very much in agreement on these concerns.

Barbara Stahura, Certified Journal Facilitator, discovered the power of personal journaling years ago and now shares her knowledge in workshops that provide pathways to personal growth and self-empowerment. Her book, After Brain Injury: Telling Your Story, grew from her long-running journaling group in Tucson, AZ. She has also facilitated journaling events for the National Guard, family caregivers, writers, equine-facilitated experiential learning groups, and others. She is an award-winning author and certified instructor of Journal to the Self®. She now lives in Indiana with her husband, a survivor of a traumatic brain injury. You can learn more about Barbara at her website: http://www.barbarastahura.com. In the meantime, here is her interview.

Here is our second installment of interviews with our distinguished authors. This month we’re featuring our concussion guru, Phil Hossler. He is the certified athletic trainer at East Brunswick High School in East Brunswick, New Jersey and has authored 3 texts for high school athletic trainers, parents and athletes.

We are excited about our first installment – an “up close and personal” interview by Annie Pixley with Barbara Webster, who penned Lost and Found – A Survivor’s Guide for Reconstructing Life After a Brain Injury. Read what she has to say about her own experience as a survivor and as a facilitator for hundreds of support groups: