Thursday, May 28, 2009

A family therapist talks about brain injury

I’ve always been humbled by the stories of parents whose children acquire severe brain injuries through traumatic accidents.

One day they’re parenting a pretty regular kid. The next, they’re praying for their child’s survival. Then come months of inpatient rehab and the recognition that their child has significant learning problems, a different personality from the one they knew, and sometimes physical disability.

Caron Gan, a family therapist at Bloorview Kids Rehab, is an expert in how brain injury changes families and how parents can cope, build resilience and help their child and family adapt.

Caron was interviewed in Washington by Brainline and I think these podcasts will be invaluable to parents of kids with brain injury and those who support them.

http://brainline.org/content/2009/04/brainline-talks-with-caron-gan.html

You can also read a compelling firsthand account of brain injury from a family on BLOOM:

Parenting a child through trauma: Survival tips from a family that’s been there