20: Tracing Sports Safety Policy In Washington

The Brain Injury Alliance of Washington has been involved in improving sports safety policy for kids for over a decade. In this episode, Deborah speaks with three key players who have helped BIAWA improve sports policy in the state and across the nation: the University of Washington’s Dr. Stan Herring, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s Justin Kesterson, and Richard Adler, a renowned personal injury attorney with the firm Adler Giersch. The four discuss the passage of the Lystedt Law in 2009, which was eventually adopted across the country, the Kenney Bui rule, which passed in 2020, what each policy entails and the heroic families that honored their loved ones by lending their names and sharing their stories to advocate and pass better sports safety policy in Washington and beyond.

18: Navigating The End Of The Pandemic With Brain Injury

As more people get vaccinated and governments lift COVID restrictions, there is pressure to race back to “normal” life. But given brain injury survivors’ fatigue and overstimulation it’s important to re-build in a way that meets their needs and values. In this episode of Brain Injury Today, Deborah Crawley speaks with therapist Lori Weisman about “conscious re-entry,” how to identify and prioritize your values, and becoming comfortable with saying “no” when it’s time to take care of yourself.