North AL Brain Injury and Stroke Support MeetUp

Join us at the North AL Brain Injury & Stroke Support MeetUp!

 North AL Brain Injury & Stroke Support is a group of patients and caregivers with brain injury or stroke that meet monthly to learn about a relavant topic, share their stories and give each other support. We meet on the 2nd Tue of every month from 5:30 to 7:00 at Therapy Achievements, 802 Shoney Dr SW, Ste A, Huntsville, AL  35801.  Want to connect with other people with stroke and brain injury?  Join us!

September 2024 North AL Brain Injury & Stroke MeetUp

Living with brain injury & stroke can be stressful and it's easy to feel overwhelmed.  And feeling overwhelmed can lead to anxiety or depression.  Just like music calmed King Saul over 3000 years ago, you too can use music to help you stay centered and calm.   

Our guest speaker for this month is Abby Whitlock. Abby is a music therapist at UAB who helps people use music, rhythms and sounds to regulate mood and emotion and live with more joy.  She will share insights on how to use music to reduce your stress and accomplish what is important.

 Want to live a better life using music?  Join us for information and connect with other people who have brain injury & stroke.

August 2024 North AL Brain Injury & Stroke Support MeetUp

Do you feel overwhelmed by too many commitments?  Or resentful about how much others expect of you?  Or guilty about asking others for help?  If so, you won't want to miss our August Brain Injury & Stroke Support MeetUp!

Our guest speaker for this month is Kate Bartley. Kate is a physical therapist and Life & Health Empowerment Coach.  She helps people surrender burdens & embrace boundaries so they can focus on doing the things they love from a place of joy, energy & ease.  She will share insights on how to set and accept boundaries to reduce your stress and accomplish what is important.

Want to learn how to set better boundaries?  Join us for information and connect with other people who have brain injury & stroke.

July 2024 North AL Brain Injury & Stroke Support MeetUp

Spasticity affects between 40-80% of people with brain injury and stroke. It can range from a minor annoyance to having a significant impact on daily life and quality of life.

Our guest speaker for this month is Dr. Eric Beck.  He will share insights on how to manage spasticity to improve your pain and better control your movement.  

Want to get a grip on spasticity?  Join us for information and connect with other people who have multiple sclerosis.

June 2024 North AL Brain Injury & Support MeetUp

Join us for Game Night!  We'll have popcorn and snacks and a chance to share.   Share your favorite game or learn a new one.  Share what's going on in your life and learn what's happening with others.  Share strategies for how to deal with the curves life throws you.

Want to get connected and have some fun?  Join us for Game Night!

May 2024 North AL Brain Injury & Support MeetUp

May is Speech Therapy Awareness Month.  Speech Therapists help people with speech and language problems.  They assess and treat communication, cognition and swallowing - the components you need to express your thoughts and understand what other people are saying to you.  

Our guest speaker for this month is Joey Farris, SLP, CCC.  Joey works in outpatient rehab and will share insights on how brain injury and stroke change your ability to think and communicate.  She will explain how speech therapy can help.  

Want to communicate better?  Join us for information and connect with other people who have brain injury and stroke.

Apri 2024 North AL Brain Injury & Stroke Support MeetUp

April is Occupational Therapy Awareness Month.  Occupational Therapists help people with Activities of Daily Living - the things you need to do every day like get dressed, cook meals, shop, drive a car and go to work.. Our guest speaker for this month is Ryan Coody, OTR/L.  Ryan works in outpatient rehab and will share insights on how to tap into neuroplasticity and use assistive technology to improve independence with activities of daily living,  Want to become more independent?  Join us for information and connect with other people who have brain injury and stroke.

March 2024 North AL Brain Injury & Stroke Support MeetUp

March is Social Worker Awareness Month and most people who have experienced brain injury or stroke, at some point in their recovery, have worked with social workers.  Social workers help people assess their needs and situations, then develop plans and support networks to work toward their goals. Our guest speaker for this month is Alison Drost, LMSW.  Alison has extensive experience in the healthcare and eldercare fields and will share insights on how to build a support network.  Want to build your support network?  Join us for information and connect with other people who have brain injury and stroke.

February 2024 North AL Brain Injury & Stroke Support MeetUp

There are numerous adaptive sports groups in North Alabama and David Kyle will be sharing some of the adaptive sports opportunities that are available in the Huntsville area. David is the director of the Ability Sport Network and Assistant Professor of the Kinesiology Clinical program at at The University of Alabama in Huntsville. Come find out about what's happening and where the fun is!

January 2024 North AL Brain Injury & Stroke Support MeetUp

The January meeting is cancelled due to illness.  We will meet again Feb 13 at 5:30 at Therapy Achievements.  Stay Well!

December 2023 North AL Brain Injury & Stroke Support MeetUp

Help us celebrate and plan as we head to the end of 2023!  We will have an end-of-year party with food and games. Family and friends are welcome to attend.  Most importantly, thank you for allowing us to come together and support each other this year.  Looking forward to what 2024 has to bring!

October 2023 North AL Brain Injury & Stroke Support MeetUp

H.O.W to Survive and Thrive Brain Injury & Stroke: Changes after a Stroke or Brain Injury can be subtle and difficult for others to see or understand.  Join us to discover H.O.W honesty with yourself, openess to listen, and work can help you to Survive and Thrive when battling pain, diminished mental capacity, anger, panic attacks and depression.

September 2023 North AL Brain Injury & Stroke Support MeetUp

After a Stroke or Brain Injury, a frustrating and embarrassing thing can happen - pseudobulbar affect!  Have you experienced uncontrollable laughing or crying?  Is your laughing or crying disconnected from how you are feeling?    Join us to learn more about how this happens and what you can do about it.

August 2023 North AL Brain Injury & Stroke Support MeetUp

Stop Trying to Fix Yourself and Value Who You Are:  After a Stroke or Brain Injury, much time and energy is spent in recovery trying to regain skills that were lost.  Your focus shifts to all the things you can't do anymore, and often leaves you stuck in sadness and loss.  Are you chasing the elusive person you used to be?  In this TED Talk, Natalie Forstbauer shares how she moved from Brain Injury to Brain Upgrade by letting go of the "old Natalie" and embracing the "new Natalie".  We will discuss strategies for how you can begin to embrace and celebrate the "new you".

June 2023 North AL Brain Injury & Stroke Support MeetUp

How to Take Ownership of Your Recovery:  In our June meeting we will discuss why it's important for brain injury survivors to take ownership of their recovery process.  We will identify discuss strategies for how to do so and will explore how to be open to trying new therapies.

April 2023 North AL Brain Injury & Stroke Support MeetUp

Our topic for April will be Changing Your Brain with Neuroplasticity.  Come learn about strategies for improving function and share ideas for how to make life easier. 

March 2023 North AL Brain Injury & Stroke Support MeetUp

Our topic for March will be Unmasking Brain Injury and Stroke.  Come share your story and through creation of a mask.