The NeuroNerds: A Brain Injury Recovery & Pop Culture Show

EPISODE 226 Brain, Body & Soul Fest: Brain Injury Awareness, Music, and the Metaverse Episode Notes In this episode 226 of The NeuroNerds podcast, join host Joe and executive director of The Aneurysm and AVM Foundation, Dina Chon, as they announce the upcoming...

EPISODE 225Stroke Awareness Series - Survivor Stories with Betty HowardEpisode NotesWrapping up our empowering 2023 Stroke Awareness Month Series! In episode 225, host Joe Borges chats with the incredible Betty Howard, a stroke survivor who thrives on her recovery...

EPISODE 224Stroke Awareness Series - Survivor Stories with Octavia BurrellEpisode NotesIn this episode 224 of The NeuroNerds, our host Joe is chatting with Octavia Burrell in our Stroke Awareness Month Series. Octavia shares her personal journey and sheds light on...

Listen to the story of Rianne Langenacker, stroke survivor and mother, on this special Stroke Awareness Month & Mother’s Day episode of The NeuroNerds podcast.

EPISODE 222Stroke Awareness Series - Survivor Stories with Kimberly PolancoEpisode NotesDid you know that a stroke can happen to anyone? That's why The NeuroNerds Podcast is dedicated to raising stroke awareness, especially during Stroke Awareness Month. Join our...

In episode 221 of The NeuroNerds podcast, special guests Kayla Robertson & Michael Terrell join host Joe Borges to chat about physical recovery post-brain injury. Kayla and Michael are co-owners of Sci Fit – a non-traditional outpatient therapy program that focuses on recovery rather than adaptation and specializes in treating individuals with brain injury. Together, they discuss the post-brain injury recovery process and the crucial role played by activity-based therapy.

In this episode of The NeuroNerds podcast, Joe Borges and Théa James discuss the challenges of brain injury recovery, focusing on setbacks, flares, and adjusting expectations. The conversation revolves around their series called Brain Injury Recovery Roulette, where they roll a 20-sided die to determine the topic of discussion.

Joe and Théa share their experiences and insights, emphasizing the importance of self-compassion and seeking support when dealing with unexpected setbacks. They also explore the concept of flares, explaining what they are and how to manage them effectively. Finally, they discuss the process of adjusting expectations throughout the recovery journey and the significance of celebrating small victories along the way.

We’re back! It’s been a couple of months since our last episode and that’s because we’ve been busy building and working on some amazing projects for the brain injury survivor and brain condition community. In this episode our host, Joe, and his partner and our producer, Felice, update us on all the plans for The NeuroNerds and YouSoRock community in 2023. We have some amazing guests lined up, new programs, community activities and collaborations with nonprofits including TAAF, and companies including Motus Nova and more! What kind of events and episodes do you want to see from The NeuroNerds this year? Tweet us at @TheNeuroNerds on Twitter and let us know!

In this episode, Joe is chatting with Chris LeCastillo, program manager for surgical support at Stanford School of Medicine where he leads a team of radiologic technologists. Understanding your brain scans after brain injury or if your finding out you have a brain condition can be scary and confusing. This process can cause even more anxiety when you’re already nervous about the results. So we’re really glad Chris could share his insights and tips on what questions to ask and how to better communicate with radiologists and doctors when it comes to understanding brain scans of all kinds. Have you ever had a brain scan? Let us know your experience by tweeting @theneuronerds on Twitter!

Joe is chatting with traumatic brain injury survivor, Kendra McGregor. Going into this episode, Joe thought it was going to be pretty nerdy since Kendra is a cosplayer, but this ended up being a super informational episode all about how Kendra manages narcolepsy and shares facts and tips all about the condition.

They also chat about their shared passion for befriending and connecting with nerdy strangers online. And Kendra shares a touching story of how she made a dying woman’s last wish come true to see an unreleased episode of Game of Thrones.

Do you or someone you know suffer from narcolepsy? Share your tips and experiences with us by tweeting @theneuronerds!

Dr. Nick Housley from Motus Nova is BACK! Joe is chatting with one of his favorite doctors for another fun and informative episode with our partners at Motus Nova.

Joe and Dr. Nick talk about the importance of patients and doctors working together through recovery and how communication is key for doctors to better meet patients’ needs. Oftentimes, doctors get caught up in the science and lose track of the human side which is something that any patient especially brain injury survivors really need. So Joe and Dr. Nick explore how to create better communication between patients and doctors.

Plus, with Joe launching his new Rock Your Recovery mindset program focused on meaningful goal-setting, they talk about how goal-setting plays a big role in rehab and recovery.

What are some purpose-driven, meaningful goals you have set for yourself lately? Tweet @theneuronerds to share with us!

It’s our favorite time of the year – Shocktober or better known as Halloween. In this episode, our host Joe and our producer Felice talk about the meta experience of watching zombie and post-apocalyptic movies now after experiencing a worldwide pandemic. They share their favorite zombie films, Marvel’s monster-verse and of course bring it back to brain injury with the idea zombies as brain injury survivors. What is your favorite zombie movie? Let’s us know by tweeting us @theneuronerds!And check out our “Zombies Are Brain Injury Survivors Too” merch at

[TheNeuroNerds.com/shop](http://theneuronerds.com/shop)

The NeuroNerds are hitting the road for this episode! We are proud to be partnering with TAAF – The AVM and Aneurysm Foundation and for their 17th Annual TAAFWalk in San Francisco, we recorded our first-ever live speedcasting episode.

Now, what is speedcasting you ask? Well, we kinda made it up, but basically, it is rapid-fire interviews, on-location. For our first speedcasting episode, our host Joe interviewed 13 AVM and aneurysm survivors, caregivers, loved ones, and medical experts on-location at TAAFWalk. It was a whirlwind day and we had so much fun connecting with the community in-person.

Here are the 13 guests interviewed on this episode in the order that they appear:

Randy Henry
Fred Nelson
Dr. Wade Smith
Michelle Lee
Hannah Fox
Emalina Sanguinetti
Laura Thomas
Leslie Wilson
Valerie Arribeno
Jayden Asay
Angel Coughlin
Lindsay Raber
Deborah Toy Benze

Where should we record our next on-location, speedcasting episode? Tweet us @theneuronerds to let us know!

We’ll be back next week with new episodes! But in the meantime check out all of the cool things we’ve been building. We have a new YouSoRock Community platform for brain injury survivors, caregivers, and loved ones to connect and support each other. We’re hosting virtual events, chats, book clubs, and support groups all in this new community and you can join us for free! Join our community here → [https://community.yousorock.coach](https://community.yousorock.coach/)

And Joe also launched his new Rock Your Recovery mindset program for brain injury survivors! It helps you find your purpose and empower you post-brain injury through meaningful goal setting. You can learn more here → [https://www.goals.yousorock.coach/rock-your-recovery](https://www.goals.yousorock.coach/rock-your-recovery)

We also have some great episodes coming up with TAAF (The Aneurysm and AVM Foundation) and Motus Nova! So stay tuned.

What are some topics you’d like us to talk about in upcoming episodes? Let us know by tagging @TheNeuroNerds on Twitter!

In this episode, Joe plays a brainy game with his guest Théa James. They call it Brain Injury Recovery Roulette. Joe asked the brain injury community on his socials for topics to choose from that he should discuss on the show and Thea and Joe then randomly selected one of the topics by rolling a virtual die on the spot to discuss in this episode. The random topic for this episode is overstimulation tips to help ease your nerves when you’re already overstimulated. Joe speaks about overstimulation from the perspective of a man from the states, who also experiences dissociation and PTSD from his stroke while Théa speaks about it from the perspective of a woman from New Zealand who suffered trauma multiple traumatic brain injuries. They also talk about Théa’s experience as a TBI survivor as well as her background as a speech and language pathology student.

Help us choose a topic for our next Brain Injury Recovery Roulette round! Tweet and tag us @TheNeuroNerds on Twitter with your topic ideas!

In this episode Joe is chatting with Rachel Paverman who didn’t just survive one stroke, but 5 strokes! She also went through 3 craniotomy’s all at the age of 25. They talk about how she maintained her mental fortitude through this tremendous ordeal as well as her new book called *To The Abyss,* which goes into the full story.

If you’re a stroke survivor, we’re here to support you. Tweet us @theneuronerds on Twitter.

Joe is speaking at the TAAF Walk on September 18, 2022. On this episode, to celebrate this amazing event supporting aneurysm and AVM survivors, Joe is speaking with TAAF’s community engagement manager, Dina Chon. They talk about how important it is to connect survivors and those who support organizations like TAAF at fundraising events like this walk to spread awareness and encourage more people to support the brain injury survivor community.

Spread the word about this event by tweeting the registration link for this event and tagging @TAAF, @TheNeuroNerds and #TAAFWalk.

It’s Joe’s 6th stroke-iversary. On August 4, 2016, he suffered a major hemorrhagic stroke that changed his life forever. In this episode, Joe processes the anniversary of his stroke with his friend Mackenzie Lea, a chronic neuro illness survivor suffering from trigeminal neuralgia. After 6 years, Joe is realizing that every year feels different post-stroke. He talks with Mackenzie about how much connecting with other survivors, helps both of them cope with their deficits emotionally and physically. They also talk about Joe’s vision moving forward and how he plans to support the brain injury survivor community even more deeply through his coaching programs and free resources including virtual support groups and events. What kind of virtual events do you want us to create for our community? We want to support YOU! So let us know what you need to support you through brain injury recovery. Let us know by tweeting @theneuronerds on Twitter.

Having a positive attitude post-brain injury is key to recovery. In this episode Joe is chatting with a Cynthia Dyke, a TBI survivor with infectious positivity. They talk about the importance of wearing seatbelts to prevent brain injury in an accident and dealing with bad bedside man from doctors. They also touch on connecting with the community and the gift of a second chance to live life to the fullest after brain injury. How do you live life to the fullest and appreciate each day? Share with us on by tagging @theneuronerds on Twitter

In this episode, Joe is chatting with TBI survivor Christa Moritz. She shares her experience of sustaining a traumatic brain injury from a bicycle accident. They talk about the importance of protecting the brain from trauma by taking safety measures like wearing a helmet while riding a bike. Plus, Christa is a dancer so she loves everything about expressing herself through body movement so she shares how she is structuring her recovery goals around her love of self-expression through dance.

In this episode, Joe is chatting with Morena Fornaciari, a stroke survivor from Brazil. Morena is all about positivity and they talk about how important it is to keep an optimistic mindset throughout the ups and downs of recovery. She shares her journey of going from learning to walk again to dancing again! Her ability to utilize dance and her love of applying makeup as a means of physical and occupational therapy is a true inspiration. What are some passions you have and use to help with your brain injury recovery? Please share on our socials!

It’s that time of year for our host Joe – the period between his birthday and stroke-iversary (the anniversary of his stroke). It’s been 6 years since he suffered a hemorrhagic stroke and in this special solo episode, Joe is reflecting on what he’s learned about living, how he lives each day in gratitude and his hopes and dreams for the future. This episode is for anyone who has gone through a traumatic health crisis like a stroke. There is hope on the other side. If you’re a brain injury survivor or have someone in your life who is, please connect with us on our socials. The NeuroNerds are here to help!

This episode is all about creativity and brain injury recovery. Mimi Hayes is back on the show chatting with Joe about how having comedy as a creative outlet has helped her through her stroke recovery. As she gets ready to head to Scotland for her second appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, she reminisces about her first experience at Fringe as a brain injury survivor including falling off the stage! Joe and Mimi also chat about building opportunities to connect with other survivors through sharing their stories.

Do you have a creative outlet that helps you through brain injury recovery? Please share on our socials!

It’s Pride Month and we are celebrating LGBTQ+ brain injury survivors. In this episode, Joe is chatting with Michael Shutt, a stroke survivor, playwright, actor and gay man from Los Angeles. Michael shares what it was like growing up gay from when he realized he was gay at a young age. They talk about the lack of representation he experienced when he was younger and how that affected him. He also shares the immense support he received from the gay community after his stroke and how that has helped him through recovery.

In honor of Pride month, Joe is featuring episodes with LGBTQ+ brain injury survivors. In this first featured episode, Joe is chatting with Jamie Coyle, a stroke survivor from Rhode Island. She chats about the challenges of suffering a stroke as an adolescent while also coming out at a young age as a queer woman. We hope that by sharing these stories, we can help inspire and support other LGBTQ+ brain injury survivors. If you are an LGBTQ+ brain injury survivor, please connect with us on our socials!

Joe and Lauren are tired – after having Covid in the last couple of months on top of the other stresses of life not to mention living with brain injuries, they’re both pretty exhausted. So this episode is about the importance of sleep and rest and their correlation to mental health. They talk about the disruption of the circadian rhythm and its effect on mental health plus holistic remedies for various mental health ailments including sleep, hydration, exercise, therapy, and more. What are some ways you take care of your mental health? Please share on our socials!

In this episode Joe is chatting with TBI survivor Desirée Ford. After surviving an almost fatal car accident, Desirée shares her new lease on life and how she’s making the most of her second chance. Joe and Desirée talk about living life to the fullest and she shares her recovery journey thus far. How do you live life to the fullest? Please share with us on our socials!

We’re celebrating 200 episodes with Joe, Lauren as well as special guest and our producer, Felice! They reminisce on some of their favorite episodes and what our plans are for the future including Joe’s YouSoRock Survivor To Thriver Program and expanding our support for the community. Plus Felice nerds out on the production for our episodes and how she uses sound design along with our editor Marcellus to tell brain injury survivor guest stories. What is your favorite episode? Please let us know on our socials!

As we continue to spread stroke awareness for Stroke Awareness Month, we’re also spreading awareness about mental health as May is always Mental Health Awareness Month. In this episode, Joe is chatting with his good friend and fellow stroke survivor, Mimi Hayes. Mimi is an author and comedian so she’s the perfect guest to chat about the benefits of laughing and comedy when it comes to mental health and stroke recovery. They talk about how the use comedy as a tool to help them cope with the ups and downs of the recovery journey. What mental health tools do you use to help during brain injury recovery? Please share on our socials!

In this episode, Joe is chatting with Hannah Davidson, a stroke survivor, mother, and business owner. They talk about her experience of recovering from a stroke while balancing motherhood, supporting the brain injury survivor community, and her experience being one of Joe’s first beta clients in his Survivor To Thriver program. If you are a mother and stroke survivor or know any stroke warrior moms, tag them on our socials! We want to celebrate you!