General Overview

Lifelines: The Brain Injury Wellness and Recovery Group
meeting at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas

2nd Mondays of the month, 6:30 - 8 PM

Fogelson Building

Classroom A

We celebrate our 10th year anniversary in June 2011!!!

Lifelines functions primarily as an educational forum. We also hold group discussions every few months.

Mission Statement Lifelines: The Brain Injury Wellness and Recovery Group strives to address the various issues that arise during the rehabilitation/recovery period through support, information and education. The group serves to educate its members about brain injury, how to improve brain health and the possibility of recovering brain function. Lifelines also provides an open forum where survivors, caregivers and health care professionals may meet and share their experiences. This exchange allows the group to address quality of life issues.

Philosophy Every individual, whether brain injured or not, has suffered some type of affliction. The emphasis for healing and recovery is not to focus on what has happened but instead to focus on what a person can accomplish in the aftermath of tragedy. What is most important is how a person responds to life's challenges. We are survivors. We are not victims.


Purpose "For human beings adaptation to change cannot take place through instincts. It has to take place through something called awareness, motivation, free will and the ability to anticipate the future." Self-Healing: A Personal History, René DuBos from The Healing Brain, A Scientific Reader, Edited by Ornstein/Swencionis

Goals • To assist patients during the rehabilitation/recovery phase of brain injury by providing education about the brain, brain health and the possibility of recovering brain function. • To identify the “silent epidemic” of brain injury and offer a forum for patients and their caregivers to feel supported and find direction during this period of adjustment. • To allow for exchange of thoughts, ideas and experiences.

Calendar - 2011 meeting dates

January 10 - Are You Smarter Than You Think?

February 14 - Sherry Aikman, artist, Arts & Crafts, Making Valentines

March 14 - Brain Injury Awareness Month - How to be your own patient advocate

April 11 - Charlotte Barner, M.Ed., Imagine the Possibilities

May 9 - Jerry Morle, minister - Group discussion on Spiritual Health

June 13 - 10 year anniversary TBA

July 11 - Genie Bodenhamer-Davis and Richard Davis, founders of UNT Neurofeedback Program

August 8 - TBA

September 12 - Robert Whitaker, author of Anatomy of an Epidemic

October 10 - TBA

November 14 - TBA

December 13 - Holiday Social at Qdoba, West Village, Lemmon and McKinney Ave



For the purposes of our group, the most important thing to realize is that the mechanism by which the brain was injured (automobile accident, fall, stroke, ruptured brain aneurysm/brain surgery, congenital) is most significant during the acute phase of care - hospitalization - and post acute - first stages of rehabilitation. When it comes time to address the physical and cognitive deficits in the recovery/rehabilitation/remediation phase, there are enough similarities between the brain insults that allow survivors to meet under an umbrella group.

Our group members have experienced traumatic brain injury, mild traumatic brain injury, acquired brain injury such as ruptured brain aneurysm/brain surgery and stroke and congenital brain injury. Caregivers, other family members (adults only), friends, and health care professionals also attend the meetings.

The challenges faced by survivors depend on what type of brain injury has occurred, so we have a range in physical and cognitive abilities. We usually have an average of 15 people attending presentations.

Past speakers include Dr. Harold Crasilneck presenting the effects of hypnotherapy, Drs. Gray Atkins, Jonathan Walker, Marvin Sams and Sara Hunt Harper discussing neurofeedback (EEG Biofeedback techniques), Tracy Sellers introducing Brain Gym, Betty Erickson (daughter of Milton Erickson) giving a "reality check" with emotionally healthy ways to approach life, Dr. Fran Assaf presenting CranioSacral Therapy, The Center for Brain Health talking about rehabilitation, Dr. Steve Lomber detailing how the brain overcomes injury, Roger Stainbrook and Elijah Hawken discussing the benefits of acupuncture, Dr. John-Claude Krusz discussing neuropharmocology, Jane Shook, M.S., SLP exploring sensory integration and the Interactive Metronome and Dr. Richard Fulbright presenting two lectures - one about neuropsychological testing and the other about psychosocial outcomes following traumatic brain injury.

Note: Additional information is listed under the 2007 posts. For Fun Things to Do, click on June 2007; for Free Things to Do, click on May 2007; for Resource Information, click on May 2007; for information on different therapies/remediating brain injury, click on August 2007.

For more information and/questions about the group, please contact Kimberly at aikmank@gmail.com. Please note that meetings are for adults only - we do not have the facilities to accommodate children.

Directions to Presbyterian Hospital:
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas is located on Walnut Hill Lane, just east of U.S. 75 (Central Expressway). The meetings are in the

Fogelson Building, Ground Floor, Classroom A
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas
8200 Walnut Hill Lane
Dallas, TX 75231

Map:http://www.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=&daddr=8200+Walnut+Hill+LN+Dallas,+TX+75231&iwstate1=dir:to&oi=manybox&ct=16&cd=1&resnum=1

When turning into the campus from eastbound Walnut Hill, the best route to take may be the driveway prior to the light for the main entrance. The driveway curves away from the main entrance (direction towards North Central Expressway) and the entry to the parking lot is on the left (gated entry). The Fogelson Building has a small dome on top and is next to the Margot Perot Center.

Using the underground parking is the easiest way to reach the meeting location; if entering from the main floor, cross the foyer (past the stairs) and take the elevators to the ground floor. Haggar Hall is to the left off the elevators.

Remember that parking is now free! Be sure to get your validation sticker at the start of the meeting.

Neither Lifelines nor Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas endorse or recommend any method, treatment, or a program for persons with a brain injury. The intent of the group is to provide support and make information available. Attendance in the group is not a substitute for an informed discussion between a patient and his/her health care provider. No endorsement is intended nor implied.

Lifelines: The Brain Injury Wellness and Recovery Group
meeting at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.


As the official Dallas group for the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, we support

The TAYLOR MANGHAM 1st Annual Memorial Run/Walk for Brain Aneurysm Awareness

and encourage you to do so as well.

January 22, 2011, 11:00 am @ The Parks at Town Center
1100 Bear Creek Parkway, Keller TX.

Registration will be from 9:30-10:45 am and the walk/run will start at 11:00am.

Make a Difference – Every donation matters every dollar counts. Taylor Mangham, a vivacious
young man with a smile that brightened the hearts of many, passed away January 19, 2010 of a brain aneurysm unexpectedly at the young age of 15.

Join us to celebrate the memory of Taylor and bring awareness to brain aneurysms. All proceeds benefit The Brain Aneurysm Foundation and all donations qualify as a tax deductible contribution. The Brain Aneurysm Foundation is the world’s only nonprofit organization solely dedicated to providing critical awareness, education, support and research funding to reduce the incidence of brain aneurysm ruptures.

Visit online at http://bafound.org for more information.

Event Registration Fee: All Ages: $20.00
Registration fee includes a T‐shirt if registered before January 7, 2011

Register online http://bafound.donorpages.com/taylorwalk/

Corporate Sponsor: Space provided during the event to showcase your business.
Company name printed on all material showing sponsorship including t‐shirts.

All media advertising will include sponsors.

Sponsor a drink station: Spaces provided throughout the course to showcase
your business while handing out water, oranges, bananas, or other energy
related items.

To become a Corporate or Drink Station sponsor, please call:
817‐368‐3603 or 817‐832‐2573.

Neither Lifelines: The Brain Injury Wellness and Recovery Group nor Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas support, endorse or recommend any method, treatment, or a program for persons with a brain injury. The intent of the group is to provide support and make information available. Attendance in the group is not a substitute for an informed discussion between a patient and his/her health care provider. No endorsement is intended nor implied.

Next meeting: December 13, 2010

Lifelines: The Brain Injury Wellness and Recovery Group
meeting at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.


The December meeting is scheduled for Monday, the 13th, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM.

It's time for our holiday social!

This year we'll be meeting at Qdoba in West Village, in Uptown.

Qdoba has generously offered free chips, salsa, and the most delicious queso in the Metroplex.

The address is

Qdoba Mexican Grill

3519 McKinney Avenue
Dallas, TX 75204
p: 214-443-0430

The map is on their website at: http://www.qdoba.com/Locations.aspx
Enter 75204 for the zip code.

For public transportation, bus 51 runs from Cityplace Station on the Redline.

Please call Kimberly at 214-289-0286 or email at aikmank@gmail.com to let us know if you'll be there.

Happy Holidays! See you in 2011 for our 10th year anniversary season.

Neither Lifelines: The Brain Injury Wellness and Recovery Group nor Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas support, endorse or recommend any method, treatment, or a program for persons with a brain injury. The intent of the group is to provide support and make information available. Attendance in the group is not a substitute for an informed discussion between a patient and his/her health care provider. No endorsement is intended nor implied.

Next meeting: November 8, 2010

Lifelines: The Brain Injury Wellness and Recovery Group
meeting at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.


The November meeting is scheduled for Monday, the 8th, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM.


We are thrilled to have Jane Shook, a speech and language pathologist specializing in sensory integration and processing, present "The Interactive Metronome."

This therapy modality has over ten years of extensive research from George Washington University Medical School and other universities, and is a patented, interactive training system that measures and improves a person’s rhythm and timing. Since the brain learns and builds pathways through repetition of precise activities, keeping the beat along with the Interactive Metronome “trains the brain” to plan, sequence and process information more effectively.

Anyone with challenges in the areas listed above can benefit from the Interactive Metronome, including those with stroke and brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, ADHD, cognitive and developmental disorders, as well as those interested in improving academic and sports performance.

Jane Shook heads The Center for Therapeutic Strategies.

"CTS is a first-of-its-kind consulting service that provides an overall treatment plan with referrals to other professionals and educational options. Jane also serves her clients with cutting-edge speech and language therapy modalities using a sensory integration approach. The order of addressing sensory processing issues is unique to each individual. The order you present each strategy is critical to the effectiveness of the outcome.

Each client will be walked through a process of gathering information to create an individualized approach to best serve each person according to the needs and resources of the family. CTS devises a Roadmap of the primary goals with the most effective treatment strategies to reach that goal at each stage of the treatment journey. Jane will follow her plan for the client through the various stages to obtain the highest potential possible." text from CTS website

More on The Interactive Metronome.

Please send a reply email to Kimberly Aikman (aikmank@gmail.com) or call 214 289 0286 so we know to expect you.

Directions to Presbyterian Hospital:
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas is located on Walnut Hill Lane, just east of U.S. 75 (Central Expressway). The meetings are in the

Fogelson Building, Ground Floor, Haggar Hall

Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas

8200 Walnut Hill Lane

Dallas, TX 75231

When turning into the campus from Walnut Hill, the best route of entry may be the driveway prior to the light. The Fogelson Building is to the right when facing the main hospital entrance, and is next to the Margot Perot Center. Using the underground parking is the easiest way to reach the meeting location; if entering from the main floor, cross the foyer (past the stairs) and take the elevators to the ground floor. Haggar Hall is to the left off the elevators.

Remember that parking is now free! Be sure to get your validation sticker at the start of the meeting.

Neither Lifelines: The Brain Injury Wellness and Recovery Group nor Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas support, endorse or recommend any method, treatment, or a program for persons with a brain injury. The intent of the group is to provide support and make information available. Attendance in the group is not a substitute for an informed discussion between a patient and his/her health care provider. No endorsement is intended nor implied.

Next meeting: October 11, 2010

Lifelines: The Brain Injury Wellness and Recovery Group
meeting at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.


The October meeting is scheduled for Monday, the 11th, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM (directions below).

We are thrilled to have Charlotte Barner, M.Ed, lead us in a group discussion - "Imagine the Possibilities."

What better way to continue to celebrate our name change from Brain Injury Support to Group to Brain Injury Wellness and Recovery group than having a conversation about possibilities?


Charlotte Barner is a doctoral candidate in Human & Organizational Learning from The George Washington University. Her master of education in Curriculum Design & Instructional Technologies is with honors from George Mason University; and her undergraduate degree in Business & Human Resources Administration is from Barry University.

Charlotte has over 20 years of experience in the area of human and organizational learning and development. Prior to joining SMU, she held senior corporate leadership positions responsible for creating and implementing development strategies and systems. Most recently, she established and lead Organizational Effectiveness for one of North America's top sales and marketing companies with clients such as AT&T, Best Buy, Disney, HP, Microsoft, and Wal-Mart, as well as the major movie and gaming producers.

Her philosophy and passion is that the journey of learning and development--from the individual to the organizational level--can be filled with positive possibilities that result in a life of well-being.


Group discussion - "Imagine the possibilities."

Together, we will explore how our perceptions about ourselves influence our ability to envision future possibilities. We will be hearing about real life stories of individuals who discovered what they thought was “impossible” was really “possible!”

A fun tool we will use is called “Visual Explorer”—a set of several hundred images, chosen for their ability to support constructive conversations in a wide variety of situations. The images are deliberately diverse and global in subject, context, and aesthetics, sampling the spectra of the human condition.


As with all meetings, you can participate as much or as little as you like. Charlotte will also share her experience caring for her father who survived a brain tumor early in life and a stroke in his later years.


Before the meeting, think about how you would answer the following two questions.

1. Think about a time in your life, any time. What did you discover that you could “do” or “be” that you first thought was impossible, but was actually possible?

2. Imagine a time in your future. What are you “doing” or “being” that you want to imagine is possible?

Preview of Visual Explorer

Please send a reply email to Kimberly Aikman (aikmank@gmail.com) or call 214 289 0286 so we know to expect you.

Directions to Presbyterian Hospital:
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas is located on Walnut Hill Lane, just east of U.S. 75 (Central Expressway). The meetings are in the

Fogelson Building, Ground Floor, Haggar Hall

Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas

8200 Walnut Hill Lane

Dallas, TX 75231

When turning into the campus from Walnut Hill, the best route of entry may be the driveway prior to the light. The Fogelson Building is to the right when facing the main hospital entrance, and is next to the Margot Perot Center. Using the underground parking is the easiest way to reach the meeting location; if entering from the main floor, cross the foyer (past the stairs) and take the elevators to the ground floor. Haggar Hall is to the left off the elevators.

Remember that parking is now free! Be sure to get your validation sticker at the start of the meeting.

Neither Lifelines: The Brain Injury Wellness and Recovery Group nor Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas support, endorse or recommend any method, treatment, or a program for persons with a brain injury. The intent of the group is to provide support and make information available. Attendance in the group is not a substitute for an informed discussion between a patient and his/her health care provider. No endorsement is intended nor implied.

DART paratransit news

Thanks to Myrna Gorchoff for sending this announcement:

DART looks to privatize paratransit bus service

12:00 AM CDT on Tuesday, September 21, 2010

By MICHAEL A. LINDENBERGER / The Dallas Morning News
mlindenberger@dallasnews.com

Dallas Area Rapid Transit could soon make the biggest changes in at least a decade to its heavily used paratransit service and hopes to save the cash-strapped agency millions of dollars annually.

The transit agency is poised to privatize the service, now used by about 10,000 physically challenged customers, and would begin using taxicabs, limousines and other local independent contractors to pick up and drop off its customers.

"This is how this is being done across the nation," said Victor Burke, executive vice president of operations for DART.

Burke said DART has been considering making changes to the service for two years. But it's the cost-savings that are adding the most urgency now – and DART has plenty of incentive to trim costs.

Its board of directors will vote Sept. 28 on a 2011 budget and a 20-year financial plan that seeks to trim some $8 billion in anticipated spending by 2030.

Against that backdrop, officials are scrutinizing the approximately $30 million a year the agency spends on the service.

Most of that money goes to a firm called Veolia, which DART pays about $20 million a year to provide 415 full-time drivers.

In addition, DART employs more than 40 supervisors and dispatchers who field calls for the rides. It also pays for the vehicles, office space, driver uniforms, drug screening and nearly every other cost associated with providing 750,000 paratransit trips last year.

The proposal to privatize the service could offload responsibility for replacing DART's fleet of small buses, as well.

The DART board of directors must still approve the proposal, and some members have raised concerns about the proposal to outsource the dispatching service.

Ray Noah of Richardson, who has served on the board since DART's founding in 1983, urged Burke to move carefully.

He reminded him that before DART brought the dispatching function in house more than a decade ago, taxi companies and others had routinely defrauded the agency.

"It was a major embarrassment for DART," Noah said. "And we don't want that to happen again."

Still, the momentum for the change is strong, especially given the tough financial picture confronting DART. The financial plan to be voted on next week assumes that the changes will be made, though no request for proposals by private firms will be sought until DART board members vote to explicitly approve the change, spokesman Morgan Lyons said.

That could happen as soon as later this year, he said. Veolia's contract is scheduled to expire in 2011, though it could be extended until 2012.

Savings aside, the switch would mean big changes for the riders who depend on the service, though many details remain to be worked out. Whether the fares, for instance, would change under a private model isn't yet clear. Currently paratransit trips cost $3, and personal caregivers can accompany the customer for free.

The winning firm, Burke said, will likely be located out of town and could serve as dispatcher for this kind of service in other cities. It would contract in turn with hundreds of part- and full-time drivers in North Texas, each of whom would agree to be available on-call to provide rides for DART customers.

Like a taxi company, those drivers would either bring their own disabled-accessible vehicles or agree to lease the vehicles from the new firm.

About 70 percent would work full time for the new firm, and the rest could be independent contractors who use their own taxis or limousines to pick up disabled passengers when called.

Instead of a small bus with a DART logo, the customers could be greeted by a regular taxi whose driver has only an indirect relationship with DART.

That carries risks for DART and its passengers, said Harold Oliver, an Austin-based consultant for Veolia.

"You might assume that human nature is such that a driver who is using their own vehicle will always change the tires when they are needed, replace the oil every 3,000 miles and fix the brakes as soon as they squeal. But that doesn't always happen."

DART, he said, would be among the first transit agencies in the nation to surrender so much control of its dispatching, maintenance and service delivery to a private firm.

Burke said the agency would keep some oversight, and probably will keep about 30 of its 40 or so dispatchers and supervisors to monitor service, even if it privatizes the service.

General Overview

Lifelines: The Brain Injury Support Group
meeting at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas

2nd Mondays of the month, 6:30 - 8 PM

Fogelson Building

Haggar Hall

We celebrate our 10th year anniversary in June 2011!!!

Lifelines functions primarily as an educational forum. We also hold group discussions every few months.

Mission Statement Lifelines: The Brain Injury Support Group strives to address the various issues that arise during the rehabilitation/recovery period through support, information and education. The group serves to educate its members about brain injury, how to improve brain health and the possibility of recovering brain function. Lifelines also provides an open forum where survivors, caregivers and health care professionals may meet and share their experiences. This exchange allows the group to address quality of life issues.

Philosophy Every individual, whether brain injured or not, has suffered some type of affliction. The emphasis for healing and recovery is not to focus on what has happened but instead to focus on what a person can accomplish in the aftermath of tragedy. What is most important is how a person responds to life's challenges. We are survivors. We are not victims.


Purpose "For human beings adaptation to change cannot take place through instincts. It has to take place through something called awareness, motivation, free will and the ability to anticipate the future." Self-Healing: A Personal History, René DuBos from The Healing Brain, A Scientific Reader, Edited by Ornstein/Swencionis

Goals • To assist patients during the rehabilitation/recovery phase of brain injury by providing education about the brain, brain health and the possibility of recovering brain function. • To identify the “silent epidemic” of brain injury and offer a forum for patients and their caregivers to feel supported and find direction during this period of adjustment. • To allow for exchange of thoughts, ideas and experiences.

Calendar - 2010 meeting dates

January 11 - Sara Hunt Harper, Ph.D. - Animal Therapy (meeting will include live animals)

February 8 - Miller Henry Service Group - Applying for Social Security Benefits

March 8 - Jane Shook, M.S., CCC, SLP - Sensory Integration and The Listening Program

April 12 - Kurt Johnson, Founder, American Power Yoga - Introduction to Yoga

May 10 - Karen Sacks, RN - Stroke Awareness Month - New Treatment for Stroke

June 14 - 9th year anniversary - Discussion - Where we've been and where we're going

July 12 - Lynda Gail Jones, member, health care professional - Collage as therapy

August 9 - Jerry Morle, minister - Group discussion on Spiritual Health

September 13 - Dr. Jonathan Walker - Neurofeedback for brain injury

October 11 - Discussion group, Lifelines as a Brain Injury Wellness and Recovery Group. What does it mean?

November 8 - Jane Shook, M.S., CCC, SLP - Sensory Integration and The Interactive Metronome

December 13 - Holiday Social at Qdoba, West Village, Lemmon and McKinney Ave



For the purposes of our group, the most important thing to realize is that the mechanism by which the brain was injured (automobile accident, fall, stroke, ruptured brain aneurysm/brain surgery, congenital) is most significant during the acute phase of care - hospitalization - and post acute - first stages of rehabilitation. When it comes time to address the physical and cognitive deficits in the recovery/rehabilitation/remediation phase, there are enough similarities between the brain insults that allow survivors to meet under an umbrella group.

Our group members have experienced traumatic brain injury, mild traumatic brain injury, acquired brain injury such as ruptured brain aneurysm/brain surgery and stroke and congenital brain injury. Caregivers, other family members (adults only), friends, and health care professionals also attend the meetings.

The challenges faced by survivors depend on what type of brain injury has occurred, so we have a range in physical and cognitive abilities. We usually have an average of 15 people attending presentations.

Past speakers include Dr. Harold Crasilneck presenting the effects of hypnotherapy, Drs. Gray Atkins, Jonathan Walker, Marvin Sams and Sara Hunt Harper discussing neurofeedback (EEG Biofeedback techniques), Tracy Sellers introducing Brain Gym, Betty Erickson (daughter of Milton Erickson) giving a "reality check" with emotionally healthy ways to approach life, Dr. Fran Assaf presenting CranioSacral Therapy, Dr. Steve Lomber detailing how the brain overcomes injury, Roger Stainbrook and Elijah Hawken discussing the benefits of acupuncture, Dr. John-Claude Krusz discussing neuropharmocology, and Dr. Richard Fulbright presenting two lectures - one about neuropsychological testing and the other about psychosocial outcomes following traumatic brain injury.

Note: Additional information is listed under the 2007 posts. For Fun Things to Do, click on June 2007; for Free Things to Do, click on May 2007; for Resource Information, click on May 2007; for information on different therapies/remediating brain injury, click on August 2007.

For more information and/questions about the group, please contact Kimberly at aikmank@gmail.com. Please note that meetings are for adults only - we do not have the facilities to accommodate children.

Directions to Presbyterian Hospital:
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas is located on Walnut Hill Lane, just east of U.S. 75 (Central Expressway). The meetings are in the

Fogelson Building, Ground Floor, Haggar Hall
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas
8200 Walnut Hill Lane
Dallas, TX 75231

Map:http://www.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=&daddr=8200+Walnut+Hill+LN+Dallas,+TX+75231&iwstate1=dir:to&oi=manybox&ct=16&cd=1&resnum=1

When turning into the campus from eastbound Walnut Hill, the best route to take may be the driveway prior to the light for the main entrance. The driveway curves away from the main entrance (direction towards North Central Expressway) and the entry to the parking lot is on the left (gated entry). The Fogelson Building has a small dome on top and is next to the Margot Perot Center.

Using the underground parking is the easiest way to reach the meeting location; if entering from the main floor, cross the foyer (past the stairs) and take the elevators to the ground floor. Haggar Hall is to the left off the elevators.

Remember that parking is now free! Be sure to get your validation sticker at the start of the meeting.

Neither Lifelines nor Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas endorse or recommend any method, treatment, or a program for persons with a brain injury. The intent of the group is to provide support and make information available. Attendance in the group is not a substitute for an informed discussion between a patient and his/her health care provider. No endorsement is intended nor implied.

Lifelines: The Brain Injury Wellness and Recovery Group
meeting at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.





Our 10 year anniversary is approaching and to celebrate we are changing our name to better reflect the mission of our group.



Thank you to everyone who voted,

with a special thanks to Dr. Eric Smernoff, Karen Sacks, R.N., Tammy Gersch and Pat Black for providing the new name!!!

Next meeting: September 13, 2010

Lifelines: The Brain Injury Wellness and Recovery Group
meeting at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.


The September meeting is scheduled for Monday, the 13th, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM (directions below).

We are thrilled and honoured to have Dr. Jonathan Walker, neurologist and neurofeedback guru, as our speaker.

As we near our 10th year anniversary and celebrate with a name change, it is with great pleasure that I announce Dr. Jonathan Walker as the next speaker. He is, in my experience, one of the few neurologists in the Dallas area who understands brain injury and incorporates healing practises in his work. Dr. Walker is in private practice, and more information can be found here.

Here's my explanation of neurofeedback:

Imagine an orchestra. A Beethoven symphony will only be pleasing if all the instruments are playing at the same speed and rhythm. There are many instruments, located in different groupings around the stage and each instrument follows the orchestral score – notes on the page – to create a complete sound.

Effective brain function is like an orchestra. The brain has different lobes, or instruments if you will, and cannot “harmonize” unless the regions are “playing together.” There are different frequencies, or waves, within the brain. As Dr. Walker will explain, brain injury survivors usually have a lot of delta (sleep) and theta (slow) brainwaves. Neurofeedback allows one to train down delta and theta - and the brain "wakes up."

For anyone interested in a science fiction account of neurofeedback (it's based on operant conditioning), try B.F. Skinner's Walden Two.

For good information about neurofeedback, try A Symphony in the Brain by Jim Robbins.

Please send a reply email to Kimberly Aikman (aikmank@gmail.com) or call 214 289 0286 so we know to expect you.

Directions to Presbyterian Hospital:
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas is located on Walnut Hill Lane, just east of U.S. 75 (Central Expressway). The meetings are in the

Fogelson Building, Ground Floor, Haggar Hall

Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas

8200 Walnut Hill Lane

Dallas, TX 75231

When turning into the campus from Walnut Hill, the best route of entry may be the driveway prior to the light. The Fogelson Building is to the right when facing the main hospital entrance, and is next to the Margot Perot Center. Using the underground parking is the easiest way to reach the meeting location; if entering from the main floor, cross the foyer (past the stairs) and take the elevators to the ground floor. Haggar Hall is to the left off the elevators.

Remember that parking is now free! Be sure to get your validation sticker at the start of the meeting.

Neither Lifelines: The Brain Injury Support Group nor Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas support, endorse or recommend any method, treatment, or a program for persons with a brain injury. The intent of the group is to provide support and make information available. Attendance in the group is not a substitute for an informed discussion between a patient and his/her health care provider. No endorsement is intended nor implied.

Next meeting: August 9, 2010

Lifelines: The Brain Injury Support Group
meeting at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.


The August meeting is scheduled for Monday, the 9th, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM (directions below).

Jerry Morle, Minister, will lead us in a discussion of Faith.

Jerry has a diverse background: a BS in Medical Technology from Michigan Technological University and research technician in the Department of Human Genetics at the University of Michigan and Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) in Ann Arbor. He held the Procurement Coordinator position with the Michigan HHMI office in 1990. After 10 years in that position, he took a sabbatical from HHMI, and worked briefly as a mortgage broker and Seafood marketer. Jerry moved to Dallas and re-joined HHMI in 2002.

Ordained a Teacher in the Church of Jesus Christ in 1987, Jerry began in earnest to study and teach the scriptures in the local congregation in Michigan. He was ordained a Minister in the Church in September of 2009 at the Fort Worth branch.

What is Faith?
What is the value of Faith?
How do we use Faith?

The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines Faith:

Main Entry: ¹faith
pronunciation: \ˈfāth\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural faiths \ˈfāths, sometimes ˈfāthz\

Etymology: Middle English feith, from Anglo-French feid, fei, from Latin fides; akin to Latin fidere to trust — more at bide

Date: 13th century

1 a : allegiance to duty or a person : loyalty b (1) : fidelity to one's promises (2) : sincerity of intentions
2 a (1) : belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2) : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion b (1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2) : complete trust
3 : something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially : a system of religious beliefs

synonyms see belief

— on faith : without question on faith>

Note that the discussion is open to everyone and is not based on a particular religion.

Please send a reply email to Kimberly Aikman (aikmank@gmail.com) or call 214 289 0286 so we know to expect you.

Directions to Presbyterian Hospital:
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas is located on Walnut Hill Lane, just east of U.S. 75 (Central Expressway). The meetings are in the

Fogelson Building, Ground Floor, Haggar Hall

Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas

8200 Walnut Hill Lane

Dallas, TX 75231

When turning into the campus from Walnut Hill, the best route of entry may be the driveway prior to the light. The Fogelson Building is to the right when facing the main hospital entrance, and is next to the Margot Perot Center. Using the underground parking is the easiest way to reach the meeting location; if entering from the main floor, cross the foyer (past the stairs) and take the elevators to the ground floor. Haggar Hall is to the left off the elevators.

Remember that parking is now free! Be sure to get your validation sticker at the start of the meeting.

Neither Lifelines: The Brain Injury Support Group nor Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas support, endorse or recommend any method, treatment, or a program for persons with a brain injury. The intent of the group is to provide support and make information available. Attendance in the group is not a substitute for an informed discussion between a patient and his/her health care provider. No endorsement is intended nor implied.

Next meeting: July 12, 2010

Lifelines: The Brain Injury Support Group
meeting at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.


The July meeting is scheduled for Monday, the 12th, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM (directions below).

Lynda Gail Jones will lead us in a session of: Collage as a form of art therapy.

Lynda Gail Jones, longtime member of Lifelines, is also a Housing Recovery Specialist in the Mental Health Field. She works with clients who are challenged by Bipolar, Schizophrenia, and Major Depressive Disorder. Some of these clients have also had brain injuries, substance abuse issues, and criminal histories that complicate their lives. Her role is to assist them in stabilizing both housing and mental health through psychosocial rehabilitation skills training.

Lynda Gail is also a brain injury survivor. Now age 63, her first brain was in September 1992 when she was rear-ended. While in the hospital, she started her adventure with collage and ceramics. The arts helped her process things during recovery.

She is an alumni of the Richland College Adult Brain Injury Survivor Program (TRI). From there she mainstreamed into college and earned by Bachelors of Science in Rehabilitation Studies with a minor in Emergency Management focusing on Special Populations. In April 2007 and again in January 2010 she re-injured her brain in car accidents; she was rear-ended by other drivers. She acknowledges the continued brain injury presents a challenge for her daily life.

Lynda Gail and her husband celebrate their 45th anniversary in August 2010. They have three children and nine grandchildren.

Thank you, Lynda Gail for sharing the collage therapy that helped you so much!!!

What is Collage?

The term collage originates from the French word coller, which means “to glue.” The collage is a form of the visual arts and is created by gathering many different pieces or chunks of things. After you’ve gathered a variety of pieces you can then assemble the pieces into one, collective piece of art. This usually achieved by placing the individual pieces and gluing them onto a canvas or piece of paper, for instance, essentially creating a unique piece of artwork.

Read more: http://www.arttherapyblog.com/art-therapy-ideas/get-creative-with-collages/#ixzz0sAU1lg2c

How is this helpful to brain injury survivors?
Collage allows expression of self and perhaps what you are not able to verbalize, you can still express through collage. It also provides eye hand coordination, spacial orientation and physical exercise for an affected limb.

Please send a reply email to Kimberly Aikman (aikmank@gmail.com) or call 214 289 0286 so we know to expect you.

Directions to Presbyterian Hospital:
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas is located on Walnut Hill Lane, just east of U.S. 75 (Central Expressway). The meetings are in the

Fogelson Building, Ground Floor, Haggar Hall

Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas

8200 Walnut Hill Lane

Dallas, TX 75231

When turning into the campus from Walnut Hill, the best route of entry may be the driveway prior to the light. The Fogelson Building is to the right when facing the main hospital entrance, and is next to the Margot Perot Center. Using the underground parking is the easiest way to reach the meeting location; if entering from the main floor, cross the foyer (past the stairs) and take the elevators to the ground floor. Haggar Hall is to the left off the elevators.

Remember that parking is now free! Be sure to get your validation sticker at the start of the meeting.

Neither Lifelines: The Brain Injury Support Group nor Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas support, endorse or recommend any method, treatment, or a program for persons with a brain injury. The intent of the group is to provide support and make information available. Attendance in the group is not a substitute for an informed discussion between a patient and his/her health care provider. No endorsement is intended nor implied.

Next meeting: June 14, 2010

Lifelines: The Brain Injury Support Group
meeting at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.


The June meeting is scheduled for Monday, the 14th, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM (directions below).

9th year anniversary - A celebration of where we've been and where we're going.

It's hard to believe we've been meeting for nine years! Please join us for a group discussion. To help facilitate discussion, please consider the following:

• Name and age
• Where are you in terms of recovery (years out)?
• What deficits do you have?
• What type of rehabilitation have you been through?
• What are you doing now? (employment, any volunteer work)
• What difficulties do you face on a daily basis?
• What has been the most frustrating aspect of your recovery?
• What have you learned about the brain / brain injury and how did you learn it?
• What have you found to be most useful in your own recovery? (treatment, research, books or articles; please bring these with you to share with the group)
• What topics would you be interested in for future support group meetings?
• How do you feel about the world?
• What do you do for fun?

Please send a reply email to Kimberly Aikman (aikmank@gmail.com) or call 214 289 0286 so we know to expect you. Also note that we are in Haggar Hall.

Directions to Presbyterian Hospital:
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas is located on Walnut Hill Lane, just east of U.S. 75 (Central Expressway). The meetings are in the

Fogelson Building, Ground Floor, Haggar Hall

Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas

8200 Walnut Hill Lane

Dallas, TX 75231

When turning into the campus from Walnut Hill, the best route of entry may be the driveway prior to the light. The Fogelson Building is to the right when facing the main hospital entrance, and is next to the Margot Perot Center. Using the underground parking is the easiest way to reach the meeting location; if entering from the main floor, cross the foyer (past the stairs) and take the elevators to the ground floor. Haggar Hall is to the left off the elevators.

Remember that parking is now free! Be sure to get your validation sticker at the start of the meeting.

Neither Lifelines: The Brain Injury Support Group nor Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas support, endorse or recommend any method, treatment, or a program for persons with a brain injury. The intent of the group is to provide support and make information available. Attendance in the group is not a substitute for an informed discussion between a patient and his/her health care provider. No endorsement is intended nor implied.

General Overview

Lifelines: The Brain Injury Support Group
meeting at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas

2nd Mondays of the month, 6:30 - 8 PM

Fogelson Building

Haggar Hall

We celebrate our 9th year anniversary in June!!!

Lifelines functions primarily as an educational forum. We also hold group discussions every few months.

Mission Statement Lifelines: The Brain Injury Support Group strives to address the various issues that arise during the rehabilitation/recovery period through support, information and education. The group serves to educate its members about brain injury, how to improve brain health and the possibility of recovering brain function. Lifelines also provides an open forum where survivors, caregivers and health care professionals may meet and share their experiences. This exchange allows the group to address quality of life issues.

Philosophy Every individual, whether brain injured or not, has suffered some type of affliction. The emphasis for healing and recovery is not to focus on what has happened but instead to focus on what a person can accomplish in the aftermath of tragedy. What is most important is how a person responds to life's challenges. We are survivors. We are not victims.


Purpose "For human beings adaptation to change cannot take place through instincts. It has to take place through something called awareness, motivation, free will and the ability to anticipate the future." Self-Healing: A Personal History, René DuBos from The Healing Brain, A Scientific Reader, Edited by Ornstein/Swencionis

Goals • To assist patients during the rehabilitation/recovery phase of brain injury by providing education about the brain, brain health and the possibility of recovering brain function. • To identify the “silent epidemic” of brain injury and offer a forum for patients and their caregivers to feel supported and find direction during this period of adjustment. • To allow for exchange of thoughts, ideas and experiences.

Calendar - 2010 meeting dates

January 11 - Sara Hunt Harper, Ph.D. - Animal Therapy (meeting will include live animals)

February 8 - Miller Henry Service Group - Applying for Social Security Benefits

March 8 - Jane Shook, M.S., CCC, SLP - Sensory Integration and The Listening Program

April 12 - Kurt Johnson, Founder, American Power Yoga - Introduction to Yoga

May 10 - Karen Sacks, RN - Stroke Awareness Month - New Treatment for Stroke

June 14 - 9th year anniversary - Discussion - Where we've been and where we're going

July 12 - Lynda Gail Jones, member, health care professional - Collage as therapy

August 9 - Jerry Morle, minister - Group discussion on Spiritual Health

September 13 - Dr. Jonathan Walker - Neurofeedback for brain injury

October 11 - Discussion group, TBA

November 8 - Jane Shook, M.S., CCC, SLP - Sensory Integration and The Interactive Metronome

December 13 - Holiday Social at Cafe Express, Mockingbird Station



For the purposes of our group, the most important thing to realize is that the mechanism by which the brain was injured (automobile accident, fall, stroke, ruptured brain aneurysm/brain surgery, congenital) is most significant during the acute phase of care - hospitalization - and post acute - first stages of rehabilitation. When it comes time to address the physical and cognitive deficits in the recovery/rehabilitation/remediation phase, there are enough similarities between the brain insults that allow survivors to meet under an umbrella group.

Our group members have experienced traumatic brain injury, mild traumatic brain injury, acquired brain injury such as ruptured brain aneurysm/brain surgery and stroke and congenital brain injury. Caregivers, other family members (adults only), friends, and health care professionals also attend the meetings.

The challenges faced by survivors depend on what type of brain injury has occurred, so we have a range in physical and cognitive abilities. We usually have an average of 15 people attending presentations.

Past speakers include Dr. Harold Crasilneck presenting the effects of hypnotherapy, Drs. Gray Atkins, Jonathan Walker, Marvin Sams and Sara Hunt Harper discussing neurofeedback (EEG Biofeedback techniques), Tracy Sellers introducing Brain Gym, Betty Erickson (daughter of Milton Erickson) giving a "reality check" with emotionally healthy ways to approach life, Dr. Fran Assaf presenting CranioSacral Therapy, Dr. Steve Lomber detailing how the brain overcomes injury, Roger Stainbrook and Elijah Hawken discussing the benefits of acupuncture, Dr. John-Claude Krusz discussing neuropharmocology, and Dr. Richard Fulbright presenting two lectures - one about neuropsychological testing and the other about psychosocial outcomes following traumatic brain injury.

Note: Additional information is listed under the 2007 posts. For Fun Things to Do, click on June 2007; for Free Things to Do, click on May 2007; for Resource Information, click on May 2007; for information on different therapies/remediating brain injury, click on August 2007.

For more information and/questions about the group, please contact Kimberly at aikmank@gmail.com. Please note that meetings are for adults only - we do not have the facilities to accommodate children.

Directions to Presbyterian Hospital:
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas is located on Walnut Hill Lane, just east of U.S. 75 (Central Expressway). The meetings are in the

Fogelson Building, Ground Floor, Haggar Hall
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas
8200 Walnut Hill Lane
Dallas, TX 75231

Map:http://www.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=&daddr=8200+Walnut+Hill+LN+Dallas,+TX+75231&iwstate1=dir:to&oi=manybox&ct=16&cd=1&resnum=1

When turning into the campus from eastbound Walnut Hill, the best route to take may be the driveway prior to the light for the main entrance. The driveway curves away from the main entrance (direction towards North Central Expressway) and the entry to the parking lot is on the left (gated entry). The Fogelson Building has a small dome on top and is next to the Margot Perot Center.

Using the underground parking is the easiest way to reach the meeting location; if entering from the main floor, cross the foyer (past the stairs) and take the elevators to the ground floor. Haggar Hall is to the left off the elevators.

Remember that parking is now free! Be sure to get your validation sticker at the start of the meeting.

Neither Lifelines nor Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas endorse or recommend any method, treatment, or a program for persons with a brain injury. The intent of the group is to provide support and make information available. Attendance in the group is not a substitute for an informed discussion between a patient and his/her health care provider. No endorsement is intended nor implied.

Next meeting: May 10, 2010

Lifelines: The Brain Injury Support Group
meeting at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.


The May meeting is scheduled for Monday, the 10th, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM (directions below).

Stroke Prevention - Latest Medical Recommendations and Emerging Treatments

Karen Sacks, RN, NP helps facilitate Lifelines, and will share her knowledge and experience with us. She has 31 years of nursing experience. She has been the Coordinator for the Stroke Program at Presbyterian of Dallas since 2002 and has Adult/Geriatric Certification. In the past, she was the nurse practitioner on the Sub Acute Unit and Skilled Nursing Unit at Presbyterian.

She has a Bachelors degree in Social Work (1974) and Nursing (1979), a Masters in Nursing (1985) and completed her post graduate nurse practitioner training in 1995.

Thank you, Karen, for everything you do for our group and for sharing your expertise with us!!!

Please send a reply email to Kimberly Aikman (aikmank@gmail.com) or call 214 289 0286 so we know to expect you. Also note that for this meeting we are in Classroom A, not Haggar Hall.

Directions to Presbyterian Hospital:
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas is located on Walnut Hill Lane, just east of U.S. 75 (Central Expressway). The meetings are in the

Fogelson Building, Ground Floor, Haggar Hall

Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas

8200 Walnut Hill Lane

Dallas, TX 75231

When turning into the campus from Walnut Hill, the best route of entry may be the driveway prior to the light. The Fogelson Building is to the right when facing the main hospital entrance, and is next to the Margot Perot Center. Using the underground parking is the easiest way to reach the meeting location; if entering from the main floor, cross the foyer (past the stairs) and take the elevators to the ground floor. Haggar Hall is to the left off the elevators.

Remember that parking is now free! Be sure to get your validation sticker at the start of the meeting.

Neither Lifelines: The Brain Injury Support Group nor Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas support, endorse or recommend any method, treatment, or a program for persons with a brain injury. The intent of the group is to provide support and make information available. Attendance in the group is not a substitute for an informed discussion between a patient and his/her health care provider. No endorsement is intended nor implied.