Invisible Brain Injury

Aurora Lassaletta had to stop her work as a psychotherapist in a public mental health service in 2005 due to her TBI. She undertook a path of learning and improvement that she still follows today. At her new pace, Aurora enjoys helping other survivors learn to live with ABI through psychological support groups.

'Aurora Lassaletta writes an insightful and engaging account of the consequences of her brain injury which is truly inspiring. This book succinctly describes and demonstrates with such clarity the invisible consequences of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that so many experience but find it tricky to explain. Throughout the book she takes us on a journey through these consequences and how she comes to learn to work with them to lessen their impact on her day-to-day life. Her honesty and openness about the ongoing process of acceptance and reflections on identity within this context is so important in gaining insight into the psychological challenges faced following a TBI. This book will be of great value to those who have experienced a brain injury and their families as well as clinicians and researchers working in the field. I would encourage everyone to read this book who has experience of or interest in the impact of acquired brain injury. Thank you for sharing your experiences.' - Fiona Ashworth, DClinPsych, AFBPsS, Anglia Ruskin University, UK'Wow! This book captures the essence of the brain injury experience brilliantly. It is written in clear language that is easy to read and digest, addressing all the common challenges that people with brain injuries and their families go through in a way that few other such books have done. As both a clinical psychologist and a brain injury survivor, Aurora Lassaletta uniquely applies insightfulness and keen observation to her personal journey from "normal life" to injury and on through years of rehabilitation and personal growth. Her message of perseverance and hard work and hope is an inspiration not only for survivors and their families, but also for professionals, who will undoubtedly re-think their stereotypes of rehabilitation as mostly impairment-based and only relevant in the acute stages of injury. I can’t wait to have the book in hand to recommend to my colleagues and clients with brain injuries alike.' - Jill Winegardner, PhD, Director of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA'This book, written by a colleague, provides a moving, honest and brave account of the experience of suffering a traumatic brain injury. The narrative and commentary vividly brings to the reader the sheer determination, professional support, and resilience required to make the long journey back to living a meaningful life after suffering a traumatic brain injury. It is essential reading for all of those interested in the real story of what long-term rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury actually entails for many people.' - Rudi Coetzer, DClinPsy, School of Psychology, Bangor University, UK.

• List of contributorsAbout the authorNotePrefacePART 1: THE INVISIBLE BRAIN INJURY 1. The invisible brain injury - Aurora LassalettaIntroduction The history of the book PART 2: COGNITIVE SYMPTOMS 2. Cognitive symptoms related to attention - Aurora Lassaletta and Amor BizeNeurological fatigue: continuous energy calculations Attention difficultiesJust one intense thing a day! The saturated hard drive Brain sluggishness. Orders take time to arrive.3. Cognitive symptoms related to executive functions - Aurora Lassaletta and Amor BizeNeed for external guidance with organisationComplicated decision-makingDifficulty adapting to changes Impaired creativity 4. Cognitive symptoms related to memory - Aurora Lassaletta and Amor BizeMemory difficulty: the need for "cognitive crutches"Slow learning curveNot learning from experience, nor remembering it 5. Cognitive symptoms related to thinking - Aurora Lassaletta and Amor BizeDifficulty summarisingConcrete thinking 6. Cognitive symptoms related to lack of awareness - Aurora Lassaletta and Amor BizeLack of awareness of the real situationPART 3: BEHAVIOURAL, EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS 7. Behavioural symptoms - Aurora Lassaletta and Amor BizeImpulsivity and verbal incontinenceTendency to passivity Loss of improvisation8. Emotional symptoms - Aurora Lassaletta and Amor BizeAffective flattening and emotional inexpressiveness 9. Physical symptoms - Aurora Lassaletta and Susana PajaresBody awareness and sensitivitySleep disturbance and loss of satiety sensationLoss of balance Hypersensitivity to medications AsymmetryAuditory and optical hypersensitivity, diplopia, hyposalivation PART 4: LONG-TERM ADJUSTMENT AND CONCLUSIONS 10. Identity reconstruction - Aurora Lassaletta and Christian SalasLong term emotional adjustment following an ABIAwareness of deficits and integrating the new meInternalising compensatory tools11. Concluding remarks - Aurora LassalettaReferencesIndex