Support groups provide first hand information and a level of emotional understanding that can only come from those who have lived through the same life altering experience. They also provide a safe haven in which frustrations and feelings can be expressed and validated, and new coping strategies learned.

The purpose of a support group is to learn more about brain injury and available services by meeting with others who are facing or have faced similar challenges. The essential elements of a support group are:

• Gather information
• Share common needs and strengths
• Provide a place to meet new friends and find new connections in the community
• Provide a safe place to find courage and take risks
• Provide an opportunity to socialize
• Provide an environment where positive and negative views can be expressed without being judged

Source: Brain Injury Association of Washington, http://www.biawa.org
For more information on traumatic brain injury, please contact your doctor or refer to the TBI Toolkit, produced by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, http://www.aasa.dshs.wa.gov/Library/tbitoolkit.pdf