a close up of forget-me-not flowers in the sun

Myth vs. Fact: About Empowerment

As we reach the end of Brain Injury Awareness Month 2022, we know one thing for sure that won’t end: empowerment.  All month long, we’ve explored how to empower our brains, individually and collectively, through learning about self-care and wellness practices, educational opportunities, and connecting with each other.  There’s more. As a community, we’ve debunked (more…)

A post it note on a wooden table that reads self care action plan

A Self-Care Update

I just got home from seeing my primary doctor. It was just a routine exam that would let me know how well my self-care program has—or hasn’t– been working out. Turned out the hardest part, as usual, was sitting waiting for my turn. But my overall exam results were good. Here is the outcome:  Heart: (more…)

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Meet Heather Wiech-Barnes

Brain Energy Support Team (BEST) Board Director, Heather Wiech-Barnes believes in the value of personal and community empowerment. It is at the heart of everything she does, personally and professionally. She has always worked to protect and empower vulnerable populations. As a board director at BEST, Heather provides an ActuallyAutistic perspective to the BEST Team (more…)

A simple drawing of a side profile of a human head with photographs of alarm clocks housed inside

More on Sleep: Daylight Savings Time Edition

I just ran across some new information about sleep. Actually it’s more about how Daylight Savings Time (DST) can affect sleep. I’m not going to get into the history of DST or its purpose. Everybody knows what it is—those two really annoying days each year where we set the clocks ahead or back by an (more…)

BEST Virtual Programs Offer Transformation and Sustainability

The upcoming 15th annual Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education Conference focuses on the use of immersive virtual environments for educational purposes including virtual and augmented reality.    The Brain Energy Support Team’s (BEST’s) own Gloria Kraegel/Namaara MacMoragh will be sharing BEST’s story on transforming in person programs and services to virtual platforms as the (more…)

A simple modern drawing of a group of people

Interpersonal Communication 101

Everybody thinks they can communicate since they know the language, but that’s not necessarily the case. Communication is more than just talking; it’s also about being understood and understanding another person. Good communication skills are important for every human on the planet, but it’s crucial for both sides in a caregiving/receiving situation. I believe one (more…)