Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Whether mild (commonly called a concussion) or severe, TBI can create long-term health challenges ranging from cognitive fatigue, to memory loss to insomnia and mental health issues. This episode explores how LoveYourBrain‘s free yoga and meditation program benefits people affected by TBI and their caregivers.
Since 2015, Dr. Kyla Pearce has trained over 2,500 yoga teachers and clinicians in how to adapt yoga for traumatic brain injury (TBI). She was the primary investigator on the largest published study of yoga for TBI, which found significant improvement in quality of life, resilience, cognition, and positive affect among 705 people with TBI who participated in the LoveYourBrain program.
LoveYourBrain was founded in 2014 by brothers Kevin and Adam Pearce following Kevin’s severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) from a snowboarding accident in 2009 while training for the Olympics. Their family’s experience navigating Kevin’s recovery inspired them to create LoveYourBrain.
To date, LoveYourBrain has supported nearly 50,000 people worldwide, through research-backed programs offered at no cost to empower the TBI community with new tools, resources, and connections. We talk about:
- Common challenges after traumatic brain injury
- How hard it is to have an invisible injury
- What the research says about yoga for traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- How Dr. Pearce designed the LoveYourBrain six-week yoga program — from asana adaptations to types of meditation to group sharing
- The importance of cultivating resilience rather than a return to “normal”
- Post-traumatic growth — what it is and how we can all benefit from seeing life’s challenges through this lens
- Mindful March — how you can support people with TBI in accessing yoga
- LoveYourBrain’s online teacher training program
Get Involved with LoveYourBrain
- March is Brain Injury Awareness month! For just $33 you can sign up for LoveYourBrain’s 10-day Mindful March Meditation challenge and support their efforts to keep providing free yoga for those affected by TBI. Sign up here by March 22! In addition to meditation, you’ll be entered to win prizes and there will be a live Q&A.
- LoveYourBrain offers a number of different programs that you can learn about here.
- They have a six-week free online program for those with brain injury and caregivers, called LoveYourBrain Mindset
- They also offer free retreats in Maine, Colorado and Arizona, that you can learn about here.
- If you’d like to take part in their 20-hour training, you can find that info here.
- Don’t miss their online library of more than 150 practices and classes here.
