Mind Your Brain Lehigh Valley

Mind Your Brain Lehigh Valley is a free conference for individuals with brain injury, their families, caregivers, and health-care professionals to connect to resources and information that can help on the journey to recovery and practice.

Hosted by Good Shepherd Rehabilitation in partnership with Mind Your Brain Foundation, this dynamic program focuses on sharing research, insights and therapies designed to address the personal and medical issues of individuals affected by brain injury, whether personally or professionally.

Registration is required.

Vendors and sponsors are welcome, too. Click the links for details.

Mind Your Brain Lehigh Valley 2024

Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024
9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
DeSales University
University Center
2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley, PA 18034

Special Accommodations/Questions

Contact Stephanie Kolakowsky-Hayner at [email protected] or 610.776.3307.

Registration

To register for the free Mind Your Brain Lehigh Valley conference, fill out this form.

Mind Your Brain Agenda

Schedule Outline

2024 Mind Your Brain Speakers

Brian Harris

Presentation: The Cutting Edge Neuroscience of Music: Clinical Applications in Neurorehabilitation

Brian Harris is the Co-Founder and CEO of MedRhythms; a digital therapeutics company focused on the intersection music, neuroscience and technology.  Brian is a board-certified music therapist and one of 350 Neurologic Music Therapist Fellows in the world.  Brian’s clinical work is focused at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston, USA where he created and implemented their first inpatient full time Neurologic Music Therapy program, specializing in Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, and Neurologic Disease and built this program to be the most comprehensive NMT program in the country.  Brian is also the Co-Founder of the Arts & Neuroscience group at the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine.  He has been an invited speaker at venues throughout the world including: the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Harvard Medical School, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, Stanford University, Berklee College of Music, The Neurology Foundation of India, and Google.  Brian is an author on multiple publications related to music and rehabilitation and is listed as an inventor on several patents related to MedRhythms digital therapeutic platform.  His work has also been featured in Forbes, CNBC, Rolling Stone, The Huffington Post, TechCrunch, Pitchfork, Mashable, The Boston Herald, XConomy, MedTech Boston and on Chronicle Boston.  Brian has been named to MedTech Boston’s 40 Under 40 Healthcare Innovators and Top 100 Innovation CEOs by World Biz Magazine.

This presentation will highlight the cutting edge neuroscience of music and specifically how this research can be applied to treat patients living with Neurologic Injury and Disease.  The presentation will include lecture, video examples, and interactive demonstrate to highlight how music can be used to improve movement, language, and cognitive goals, as well as highlighting how recent advancements in technology can aid in music’s clinical application.

Objectives:

1. Identify evidence of how music globally activates the brain and impacts neuroplasticity.
2. Define auditory motor entrainment and its role in motor rehabilitation.
3. Describe one advancement in technology related to the clinical application of music and neuroscience.+

Jennifer M. Doane, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN, ATC

Presentation: Nutrition Interventions Within the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury

Jennifer M. Doane is a registered/licensed dietitian, as well as a certified/licensed athletic trainer, who is the president and principle-partner of Advantage Nutrition & Wellness, LLC in Allentown, PA.  She also has successfully maintained her board certification as a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics for more than 15 years. 

Advantage Nutrition & Wellness specializes in evidence-based nutrition counseling for a full spectrum of nutrition concerns within pediatric, adolescent and adult populations in and around the Lehigh Valley area.

With her dual credentials, one topic area that crosses both fields – nutrition and injury – is Traumatic Brain Injury. 

When thinking about Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), one may not even consider nutrition-related interventions.  Nutrition interventions are not commonly used as a standard of care in recovery from a TBI.  However, nutrition interventions have the potential to be a low-cost, high-volume strategy that compliments the existing standard of care in TBI recovery and rehabilitation. 

In light of that statement, this talk will highlight various nutrition recommendations which can be employed by individuals after a TBI.  There is a growing body of new research emerging rapidly on nutrition and TBI.  This session will highlight areas of nutrition interventions with practical strategies to aid the multifaceted treatment after a TBI.

Objectives:

1. Identify the topics of nutrition related to TBI which can assist wellness and recovery after one sustains a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
2. Determine the appropriate transition of macronutrient, micronutrient and overall calorie intakes for an individual recovering from a TBI.
3. Utilize evidence-based methods for implementing supplementation which may facilitate recovery after a TBI.
4. Identify those aspects of nutrition which should be avoided by an individual after they have sustained a TBI.
5. Describe the gut-brain microbiota connection and its potential impacts related to recovery from a TBI.

Mary G Brownsberger, PsyD, ABPP

Presentation: Thriving While Caring for Others: Lessons and Community-Building for Those who Identify as Caregivers or Care Partners

Now partially retired, Dr. Brownsberger served as Director of Good Shepherd Psychology Group in Allentown PA from August 2015 to June 2022.  She was previously with Bancroft NeuroRehab in Central NJ, serving adults living with acquired and traumatic brain injury, as well as other chronic neurological conditions.  She completed her doctorate in clinical psychology at La Salle University, her pre-doctoral internship in rehabilitation neuropsychology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in NYC, post-doctoral fellowship in clinical neuropsychology at Bancroft NeuroRehab, and is board certified in Rehabilitation Psychology.  Her primary areas of research interest are community participation following sudden-onset disability, and the utility of mindfulness-based modalities to improve consumer outcomes as well as to improve staff resilience to burnout and compassion fatigue. She recently received the Lifetime Practice Excellence award from the American Psychological Association Division of Rehabilitation Psychology.  Dr. Brownsberger currently serves individuals living with brain injury or cancer for local and national non-profit organizations, and is on the advisory team for the LoveYourBrain Foundation.

This session will include a discussion of current research and evidence-based caregiver support approaches, as well as available local, regional and online resources.  Self-care and resilience-building strategies will be reviewed and practiced.  There will also be plenty of time for discussion of current concerns and needs among attendees, and opportunities to provide mutual support.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Describe research findings on needs of those caring for brain injury (BI) survivors.
2. Identify local, regional and online resources that support caregivers/care partners.
3. Incorporating self-care strategies into daily routines.

Allison Cole, MS OTR/L and Lyndsey McGrevy, MS OTR/L

Presentation: Home Modifications: Assistive Technology to Reduce Caregiver Burden

Allison Cole (pictured left), MS OTR/L is an Occupational Therapist who has worked at Good Shepherd since 2012.  She has worked in both our inpatient and outpatient locations, but specializes in the Outpatient Neuro department at the Hyland Center in Allentown in general neuro, neuro vision, the Bridges (adult developmental) program, and is the program lead for the outpatient assistive technology department.  She has been working within the specialty area of assistive technology since 2019 and continues to work with clinicians throughout the network to expand and grow the program to offer the service of AT across the Good Shepherd network.

Lyndsey McGrevy (pictured right) MS, OTR/L, has over 6 years of experience working within the Good Shepherd Network. She started working in geriatrics in a Skilled Nursing Facility and recently transferred to the Neurological Rehabilitation Clinic in Allentown.  She has training as a Vision Therapy Specialist for evaluation and treatments under a Neuro-optometrist.  She also holds a B.S. in Education.  Lyndsey is beginning the journey to pursue a board certification in geriatrics through the American Occupational Therapy Association.  When not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 children.

During this presentation we will review technologies that can be utilized by both patients and their caregivers/family members following a brain injury (BI).  These technologies could serve in several different functional areas as well as ensure safety to allow a person to return home following a severe injury.  In addition, we will cover various options and recommendations for home modifications or adaptive equipment that will allow a person with a BI to continue to age in place and decrease need for medical based residential living.  Resources will be provided to educate on how to initiate occupational therapy services and obtain additional information as needed.

Objectives:

1. Review available commercial technologies to assist with return to home safely for individuals with a brain injury (BI) and support caregivers.
2. Review assistive technology for individuals with a BI to increase independence in ADLs and IADLs
3. Review assistive technology or home modifications that would allow for continued successful aging within the home following a mild to severe BI

Megan Cauley RYT 250

Presentation: Yoga and Mindfulness – Research Based Tools for Integrative Healing

Megan Cauley is a LoveYourBrain Level 2 certified yoga and mindfulness teacher who offers these practices to the brain injury community through LoveYourBrain’s Mindset series, MossRehab Institute for Brain Health, and private clients.

This presentation explores the benefits of integrating yoga and mindfulness into a holistic care program for traumatic brain injury, including prolonged concussion symptoms.  This experiential presentation will include mindfulness, breath work, and accessible chair yoga.

Objectives:

1. Attendees will learn tangible mindfulness tools for brain health and well-being.
2. They will gain a basic understanding of how these practices are augmented for the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) community.
3. Attendees will also have resources to further their exploration.