Clinical Affiliate Spotlight
We’re kicking off our new fiscal year with an update from our friends at Galaxy Brain and Therapy Center, one of LoveYourBrain’s Clinical Affiliates!
The Galaxy Brain Health and Therapy Center team!
Galaxy Brain and Therapy Center, located in Ann Arbor, MI, offers physical, occupational, and speech therapy at-home, in the clinic, and in the community for individuals who have experienced a brain injury. They approach each individual treatment plan using a whole-brain approach that integrates strategies, teamwork, real-world therapy and more.
Four individuals from Galaxy came to our LoveYourBrain Training for Health Professionals in January, 2020 and launched their Clinical Affiliate partnership with LoveYourBrain the same month. Galaxy offered their first LYB Yoga series in February, 2020 to five individuals with TBI, one with an ABI (acquired brain injury) and one caregiver. Individuals enrolled in this first series identified “better physical and mental health” “help my vestibular issues” and “participating in a yoga community with an understanding of traumatic brain injuries and specific training for including any necessary adaptations” as reasons for signing up for the program.
However, when COVID interrupted their first series, the team at Galaxy got to work on adapting and innovating! Since then, Galaxy has made several adaptations to our LYB Mindset curriculum in order to make LoveYourBrain accessible for their community.
An example of what Galaxy sends to participants ahead of time to ensure they have the resources needed to experience LYB Yoga!
The team has generated custom emails outlining the theme and practices for each week, along with recommended days of the week to complete each of the four LYB Mindset tools to help their community with planning, initiation and time management. Galaxy is also exploring the use of text-message reminders to further empower individuals to use their weekly tools.
By shifting over to offer their program to virtual delivery, Galaxy has been able to serve over 30 individuals with TBI/ABI and caregivers since October, 2020, shares Courtney Wang, OT and the Clinical Director. One participant in their virtual program shared “I loved the opening meditations; the fact that all poses were available in chair-friendly form; and the videos so I could refer to them as needed during the week.”
One of the most exciting things that Galaxy Brain and Therapy Center has done has been to create their own recorded videos of the yoga and meditation practices to be more accessible to their community, and they’re graciously sharing these resources with us.
A Galaxy team member shown in one of their six chair yoga practices available online.
Six chair-yoga practices for the LYB Mindset yoga class available on YouTube with Jennifer Weiszhaar, Physical Therapist
Guided meditation practices available on YouTube with Barbaranne Branca, Yoga Teacher
Short breakdown of yoga poses (chair and mat) from LYB series with Quynh Ton, Yoga Teacher
Want to learn more about Galaxy Brain and Therapy Center? Visit their website to learn more and click “YOGA” to explore their program!
Did you know?
LoveYourBrain Clinical Affiliates create a critical bridge from a medical setting into their local communities. Together, they’re helping LoveYourBrain change the healthcare system for TBI, creating more holistic, supportive, and ongoing opportunities for those affected.