Life After Impact Podcast
Weekly episodes on concussion recovery, functional neurology, and rebuilding your life after brain injury. Hosted by Dr. Ayla Wolf.
Episodes
15 episodes tagged "Mental Health"
When Brain Injury Changes Who You Are: Grief, Identity & Finding Purpose Again | E75
A brain injury can change far more than memory, balance, headaches, or cognition. It can change your career, your relationships, your independence—and sometimes your entire sense of who you are. In this episode of Life After Impact, I sit down with Jamie Arber, a licensed professional counselor, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, brain injury survivor, and Executive Director of the Supported Livin
A Functional Neurology Perspective on the Concept of Stored Trauma with Dr. Matthew Tolstoy (Part 2) | E70
Can attachment theory influence concussion recovery, chronic pain, dysautonomia, and the success of rehabilitation? In Part 2 of this conversation, Dr. Ayla Wolf sits down with psychologist, somatic therapist, and Chinese medicine practitioner Dr. Matthew Tolstoy to explore how unconscious nervous system patterns shape the therapeutic relationship, why The Body Keeps the Score is often misundersto
The Art of Concussion Recovery: Following The Thread - A New Audiobook by Ayla Wolf
A concussion can turn normal life into a maze overnight and the hardest part is realizing nobody can hand you a perfect map out. I share why I wrote The Art Of Concussion Recovery: Following The Thread after first writing a more science-focused guide. The clinical side helps you understand what’s happening inside the brain, but the lived experience raises different questions about identity, lang
How Early Attachment Shapes Dysautonomia And Stress Responses with Dr. Matthew Tolstoy (Part 1) | E69
Can early childhood experiences influence concussion recovery, dysautonomia, anxiety, and the autonomic nervous system? In this episode of Life After Impact, Dr. Ayla Wolf sits down with integrative therapist Dr. Matthew Tolstoy to explore the fascinating connection between attachment theory, autonomic regulation, post-concussion syndrome, and brain injury recovery. They examine how our earliest
Brain Fog, Poor Sleep & Fight-or-Flight After Concussion: Can BrainTap Help? | E67
How do you calm a brain that feels stuck in survival mode? For many people recovering from a concussion, the injury isn't just about headaches or dizziness. It's the feeling that your nervous system is constantly "on"—poor sleep, brain fog, anxiety, sensory overload, and the inability to truly relax. In this episode of Life After Impact, Dr. Ayla Wolf sits down with Dr. Patrick Porter, founder of
The Hidden Imprints of Trauma in the Body and Nervous System | E60
What if healing isn’t just physical? In this deeply thought-provoking episode, Dr. Ayla Wolf sits down with somatic practitioner and Inner Space Technique regression therapist Bre Hibbs to explore the fascinating relationship between trauma, the nervous system, body memory, and healing beyond the physical body. Together, they discuss the idea that our bodies may store not only physical trauma, but
From TBI to The River Why to Empathic AI: Cameron Scott's Epic Journey | E52
A childhood head-on collision. A life shaped by traumatic brain injury. A moment of waking up after a suicide attempt and deciding, with total clarity, to choose life. Cameron Scott joins me for a raw, grounded conversation about what concussion recovery can really look like when the symptoms are not just physical, but emotional, relational, and spiritual too. (This conversation includes reference
Ibogaine For Brain Injury Recovery with Navy Veteran Lorna Sturchio | E49
I sit down with Navy veteran and transformational trauma coach Lorna Sturchio to unpack how medically supervised ibogaine can catalyze rapid change for PTSD, addiction, and traumatic brain injury. Lorna’s story moves from combat trauma and MST to overprescription and crisis, then into carefully prepared plant medicine work that helped her taper off meds, restore sleep, and rebuild a future. Togeth
How the Love Your Brain Foundation Turns Isolation Into Community For TBI Survivors And Caregivers | E45
What if the most powerful medicine after a brain injury is feeling truly seen? We sit down with Kyla Pearce, Senior Director of Programs and Research at the Love Your Brain foundation, to explore how connection, mind‑body practices, and practical education can restore confidence, calm, and everyday momentum for people with TBI and their caregivers. Kyla shares the story behind the foundation, lau
Transformation is the Therapy: Rewriting Life After Concussion with Kevin Donahue | E39
A motorcycle crash in Ecuador set off a chain reaction Kevin Donahue couldn’t name at first: anger out of nowhere, brain fog, exhaustion, and a life that stopped making sense. When a friend connected the dots to concussion, everything changed—awareness unlocked a roadmap to real recovery. We explore how Kevin turned survival into transformation with several practical pillars: awareness, listening
Advanced TMS for Concussion and Brain Dysfunction with Dr. Glen Zielinski | E29
Dr. Glen Zielinski from Northwest Functional Neurology in Lake Oswego, OR, joins us to talk about how he’s using cutting-edge, image-guided transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) technology to treat more than just depression. With neuro-navigated TMS, he's able to target specific brain regions with millimeter precision—and he's not stopping there. Dr. Zielinski walks us through how he customizes
Neuroplasticity in Action: Dr. Brody Miller’s Journey from TBI to PhD | E27
Dr. Brody Miller, PhD, is a 2x best selling, author, researcher, speaker, and pioneer in brain health recovery. Having recovered from severe brain trauma, drug and epileptic seizures, he created a unique, and holistic approach, called the REBOUND method (TM) with his Mind Gym Starter Course. He focuses on helping high-level, heart led, athletes and leaders from all around the world overcome brain
The Forgotten 30%: Navigating Life with Persistent Post-Concussion Symptoms | E24
Chaandani Khan's story begins with a life derailed. Six years ago, a car accident left this high-achieving event planner with a concussion that transformed her world overnight. The woman who once thrived on 70-hour work weeks, constant travel, and a packed social calendar suddenly couldn't make a sandwich or find matching shoes. The cognitive fog was so thick that even basic tasks became mountains
EMDR Adaptations for Brain Injuries with Dr. Michelle Morrissey | E20
Dr. Michelle Morrissey of the Morrissey Institute explains how she has adapted EMDR therapy to safely and effectively treat patients with concussions and brain injuries. She details the eight phases of EMDR treatment and shares her approach of clearing small traumas first to create capacity for healing bigger ones. • Dr. Morrissey has 20+ years of experience as a trauma-informed mental health pro
When Life Changes in an Instant: A Father Shares His Son's Brain Injury Journey | E17
When Shane Swenson's car was struck by a drunk driver traveling 90mph in a 30mph zone one February morning in 2019, life as he knew it changed forever. His 12-year-old son Brady suffered a traumatic brain injury that would launch the family on an unexpected journey through emergency surgeries, months of rehabilitation, and a complete reimagining of their future. Shane vividly recalls the moment o