Survivor Story: Getting Unstuck with Chloe Luckett

Making Headway

What can survivorship look like? This week’s guest has done it all! Join Chloe Luckett, a TBI survivor, program coordinator and community educator for Brain Injury Nova Scotia, yoga instructor for Love Your Brain, and podcast host of Between Two Brains. She found yoga to be a tremendous help in getting her out of learned helplessness and into her new post brain injury life. Listen for inspiration on all you can do to help yourself! You can do it!

Topics covered in this episode

• Survivor Story: bike vs car
• It takes a week for long term memories to form--this is why you may not remember up to a week before your injury
• Chloe had several brain bleeds, needed surgery, and was in a coma
• She needed rehab for her speech and function
• Her time after leaving the hospital and rehab was when the hard stuff set in
• Loss of independence
• In the hospital it is easy to fall into the role of being the patient, being cared for, and not needing to make decisions for yourself. These times of dependence can have a lasting impact on our mental health, how we think and how we act . It can take a toll on your confidence leaving you unable to make decisions long after you actually can. (9:37)
• The lack of confidence gets you into a place of questioning yourself and becoming very hesitant. It made Chloe feel unlike herself
• Chloe’s discovery of yoga helped her out of this place
• Yoga
• Yoga requires one to look into themselves and make the decision to be there; it's very mindful
• Yoga encourages you to do movements that are right for you; there is always the option of taking a break.
• You are encouraged to listen to yourself and your body
• Love Your Brain Yoga
• Kevin Pearce (founder): US snowboarder who sustained a TBI, fell in love with yoga after his injury and its healing properties for the brain
• 6 week course, one class a week, virtual options available!!
• Restorative, slower, breaks down the movements into more manageable steps for people with brain injury symptoms (balance, vestibular, etc)
• What are survivors saying: “I didn’t think I would have ever been able to practice yoga before”
• Part of the program is a chat with your class after the yoga practice on a relatable topic: i.e. resilience, mindfulness
• Benefits of yoga for brain injury survivors, “Why would I want to do yoga?”
• Breathwork reduces anxiety
• Improvements in sleep
• Community: connection with others who have brain injuries
• How will Love Your Brain accommodate your brain injury symptoms?
• They are conscious of your head staying above your heart to help prevent vertigo or dizziness
• The poses focus on keeping your gaze in one spot
• Brain Injury Nova Scotia
• Yoga program similar to Love Your Brain- Brain Injury NS allows more types of brain conditions to be included. They have the capacity and ability to accommodate more levels of ability due to smaller classes
• Programming during Covid:
• Brain injury community check ins, “How are you doing. How can we help”
• Virtual programming to reach any one who wants it
• Live yoga that follows Covid restrictions
• Between Two Brains Podcast
• Focuses on any and all brain injury stories to show how many different types and experiences there are
• Gives awareness to the injury so that it is not invisible
• Attempts to reach the public as brain injuries are very common but yet have poor awareness and can be a taboo subject
• Everybody knows somebody who has had a brain injury, you are not alone!
• Advice for those going through brain injury
• Stay active! Get fresh air and a daily walk
• Eat well
• Be mindful of who and what you surround yourself with: what are you feeding your brain? Not only food, but the TV you watch, the messages you hear from others around you, etc...
• “What goes into your brain influences what comes out” (40:14)
• Fuel your body for success

Links to any resources mentioned: *If you are looking for ways to support our show, use these links to buy books or products mentioned.

• Where is the Mango Princess by Cathy Crimmons
• Love Your Brain
• Brain Injury NS
• Between Two Brains Podcast

Connect with Chloe and Brain Injury NS

• Brain Injury NS on Facebook
• Brain Injury NS on Instagram
• @chloluckett on Instagram

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