David and Brittany Carter met four years after David sustained a T-7 injury in a motorcycle crash in August 2010. He had been looking for someone who could see past his wheelchair for who he really was, and he found that in Brittany. On a new episode of Picking Our Brain with Shepherd Center, David and Brittany join us to discuss navigating a relat…

Nutrition is an essential part of staying healthy for us all; it also plays a vital role in during and after recovery from injury. In this episode, Jill Newsome, clinical nutrition manager at Shepherd Center, and Allison Motter, dietitian at Shepherd Center, join us to discuss what maintaining a healthy diet means during recovery.…

Family members and caregivers are an important part of the rehabilitation and treatment process. Christine Trotman's daughter Eliana first began experiencing symptoms of neuromyelitis optica in December 2020. As her daughter began treatment at Shepherd Center's Andrew C. Carlos Multiple Sclerosis Institute, Christine found herself adjusting to her …

Are you a workers' compensation case manager, claims manager or life care planner who are seeking options for their injured client? In this podcast, Gloria Fagan, RN, BSN, worker's compensation outreach manager at Shepherd Center, discusses the services provided for injured workers, the admissions process, and going back home or to work after injur…

On Veterans Day and every day, we are grateful to the brave men and women who serve our country at home and abroad. In this episode of Picking Our Brain with Shepherd Center, we’re joined by Travis Ellis, co-founder of Shepherd’s Men. Comprised of active or retired servicemen and civilian volunteers, Shepherd’s Men enthusiastically raises awareness…

The return of fall sports brings with it a return of a common sports risk—concussions. In this episode, Russell Gore, M.D., medical director of the Complex Concussion Clinic at Shepherd Center, discusses what causes a concussion, the risk factors for concussion in sports and how concussions are treated.…

September is Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month! In 2006, Ben Trockman sustained a spinal cord injury in a dirt bike accident. Today, he is the diversity and inclusion outreach specialist at Old National Bank, where he focuses on the inclusion of people with disabilities for the workforce and the community the bank serves. He is also a member of hi…

The transition back home following rehabilitation is a major step—for both the patient and their caregivers. At Shepherd Center, the Transition Support Program prevents rehospitalization, improves health and safety outcomes, and promotes patient and family autonomy once the patient is discharged from Shepherd Center. Laura O’Pry, manager for the Tr…

Electric scooters can be a convenient and fun way way to get yourself from point A to point B—but it's also important to get yourself to point B safely. The Georgia Governor's Office of Highway safety has teamed up with Shepherd Center to create Scoot Safe, the first federally funded, evidence-based electric scooter injury prevention campaign. Emma…

No one expects stroke to happen, especially in young adults. Seth Dickinson was a freshman at the University of Mississippi when he experienced a ruptured brain aneurysm and AVM rupture in March 2015. In this episode, Seth joins Picking Our Brain with Shepherd Center to speak about his experience with rehabilitation and returning to school.…

April is Occupational Therapy Month! Occupational therapists help patients in rehabilitation improve their independence with daily living activities. In this podcast, two Shepherd Center occupational therapists discuss the individualized therapy they provide on the continuum of care.Par Shepherd Center

Patient safety is everyone's job! From administrators and environmental services to food services and industrial engineers, all aspects of healthcare impact safety. Jacqueline Baron-Lee, PhD, CPHQ, PMP, Director of Quality and Outcome Management at Shepherd Center, joins the podcast to discuss the importance of patient safety.…

February is Recreation Therapy Month! Jenny DiLaura, MA, CCLS, CTRS, lead therapist for health and wellness in Shepherd Center's recreation therapy program, joins the podcast to discuss the role of recreation therapy in the rehabilitation process. She also discusses how the program has adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing both in-person …

Janera Baskerville discusses her experiences with stroke rehabilitation and SHARE Military Initiative at Shepherd Center.Par Shepherd Center

John Smith, Director of Government Relations & Advocacy explains voters' rights for those who have disabilities.Par Shepherd Center

Dr. Angela Beninga discusses telemedicine visits during COVID-19, what to expect and how to prepare for your appointment.Par Shepherd Center

Dr. Rosenthal discusses Common Myths About Multiple Sclerosis.Par Shepherd Center

Dr. Michael Yochelson and Dr. Jesse Couk discuss Coronavirus, how it spreads, symptoms and preventative measures you should take.Par Shepherd Center

As we enter the new year, many of us are crafting resolutions to focus on our health and fitness in 2020. Shepherd Center embraces a total approach to fitness and wellness that emphasizes physical and mental well-being with facilities that accommodate land-based and aquatic classes, personalized programs, private lessons and personal training. In t…

In today's podcast, Pete Anziano, Shepherd Center Peer Support Manager discusses wheelchair accessibility in public spaces, and proper etiquette around wheelchair users.Par Shepherd Center

Chronic pain is in an extremely complex and poorly understood medical problem that can have profound effects on one’s physical and mental wellbeing. Uncontrolled pain impacts all aspects of daily activities. But how do you when it's time to see a pain specialist? Dr. James Liadis, physiatrist in the Dean Stroud Spine and Pain Institute at Shepherd …

Diving is the fourth leading cause of spinal cord injury for men, and the fifth for women, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center. A single dive can result in a life-altering injury. Diving injuries take place in swimming pools, lakes, rivers, creeks, swimming holes and any water environment. In this podcast, Emma Harringto…

Each year more than 100 adolescents, ages 12 to 21, come to Shepherd Center from all over the country. They or their families choose Shepherd for its specialized treatment teams, age-appropriate therapy and expertise in treating teens and young adults with spinal cord injuries. The adolescent rehabilitation program follows Shepherd Center's philoso…

Ian Flannery discusses the MS Wellness program at Shepherd Center. He explains the different approaches of care, and how the program empowers patients to stay active and decrease the effects of deconditioning that can result from MS.Par Shepherd Center

Cecilia Rider the Associate Manager of the Recreation Therapist Department at Shepherd Center shares why recreation is imperative for someone with a disability, the many benefits associated with recreational activity, and how to find workshops and events in your community.Par Shepherd Center

Shepherd Center's Assistive Technology Center works with technologies like smart phones, tablets and voice-activated devices to provide assistance and support to people living with disabilities. Shepherd Center occupational therapists evaluate each user's lifestyle requirements and functional abilities, then provide custom modifications to hardware…

Animal assisted therapy can play an important part in the rehabilitation process for patients with spinal cord injury or acquired brain injury. Shepherd Center "employs" multiple therapy dogs who bring joy to patients and also help with therapeutic exercises. In addition, they assist with tasks such as opening doors and switching lights on and off.…

At Shepherd Spine and Pain Institute, doctors offer a variety of treatments and comprehensive care for chronic back pain, one of the most common types of pain that people experience. In today’s podcast, Dr. Erik Shaw, an interventional pain management specialist at Shepherd Spine and Pain Institute, addresses the causes of back pain and how to know…

The CRU was designed for patients who are admitted with conditions that occurred post-injury or disease and offers treatment to stabilize these conditions and help secure better health. Wes Chay, MD, discusses The Comprehensive Rehabilitation Unit at Shepherd Center, and how it provides additional levels of care to help secure better future health.…

Progressive forms of MS are characterized by a sustained build-up of symptoms with an insidious increase in disability. With Primary Progressive MS (PPMS) in particular, disability accumulates twice as fast as in those with Relapsing MS (RMS). This means that people with PPMS experience more problems with walking, more difficulty remaining in the w…

Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries caused by a sudden jolt or blow to the head and typically resolve within a week or two. In typical concussions, headaches and other symptoms subside, and patients feel as capable as they did before their injury. Russell Gore, MD, director of Shepherd Center’s Complex Concussion Clinic, will discuss spor…

In today’s podcast Rebecca Washburn, MS, discusses the importance of fitness after injury and the ways Shepherd Center’s facilities and programs promote healthy living for people with disabilities.Par Shepherd Center

Patients with catastrophic injury face a higher severity of illness requiring complex medical management. As medical complexity evolves in the course of rehabilitation, Shepherd Center assures access to specialized medical needs. A team of experts including physiatrists, internal medicine/pulmonology intensivists and specialized clinicians collabor…

Shepherd Center provides assistance from vocational rehabilitation case managers after rehabilitation for a spinal cord or brain injury. They assist clients in returning to their previous jobs, pursuing new employment options or preparing them for employment in the future. Case managers make recommendations and help implement workplace accommodatio…

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plant often used by patients as an oil to manage the symptoms of chronic conditions. In today’s podcast, Ben Thrower, M.D., the medical director of the Multiple Sclerosis Institute at Shepherd Center, will discuss the use of CBD products in managing the symptoms of MS.…

Shepherd Center sponsors 11 sports teams that enable individuals with physical disabilities to participate in sports on a recreational or competitive level. Athletes compete in local and regional competitions, as well as at the national and international levels. Regular practice sessions offer expert instruction, as well as camaraderie and peer sup…

In partnership with the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, Shepherd Center has created AutoCoach, an app that teaches parents how to effectively and safely teach their teen to drive. AutoCoach aims to improve parental supervisory behaviors and involvement through quizzes, distraction notifications, driving logs and a ten-chapter curriculu…

Caring for a person with a neurodegenerative disease can be extremely challenging. Beyond the potential physical exhaustion caregivers may experience, they also may experience emotional and psychological changes when having to take care of someone else, and it is a potential problem that needs to be addressed. In this podcast, Deborah Backus, direc…

People with spinal cord injuries and their families often feel anxious about returning home after rehabilitation and dealing with the many challenges related to living with such injuries. Patients with SCI who receive more intensive peer mentorship have more active engagement in rehabilitation, greater self-efficacy and lower hospital readmissions.…

Today, Shepherd Center access case manager Dorea Fowler discusses treatments for people with spinal cord injury in the first 72 hours after injury. This podcast describes the way spinal cord injury affects the body, including the levels of injury and muscles that coordinate with those injuries, and how people with spinal cord injury differ from oth…

When a patient has a spinal cord injury, depending on the level of injury, breathing can become the most important issue they and their family are facing. When a patient has limited use of their diaphragm, respiratory therapists assist through ventilator management or coughing assistance. Respiratory therapists keep the patient breathing and get th…

About 700,000 strokes occur in the United States each year. To serve the healthcare needs of these patients, Shepherd Center provides a full continuum of services – from inpatient rehabilitation to outpatient care for stroke rehabilitation. The hospital’s program specializes in rehabilitation for people who may be in college, raising a family or in…

Secondary complications are a major health issue for people living with brain and spinal cord injury. Secondary conditions are negative health outcomes that occur as a direct result of a disability. The most common secondary conditions for these patients are pressure sores, respiratory complications, urinary tract infections, spasticity and neuropa…

Are you a workers' compensation case manager, claims manager or life care planner who are seeking options for their injured client? In this podcast, Heddi Silon, the director of workers compensation at Shepherd Center, discusses the admissions process for patients covered under worker’s compensation. In this segment of Shepherd Center Radio, we dis…

Brain injury affects the entire family, not just the injured person, and the support of the family system plays a significant role in recovery. In this podcast, Tana Hall, a family counselor for the Acquired Brain Injury Program at Shepherd Center, discusses the grieving process and how brain injury impacts the family system. She offers strategies …

About 700,000 strokes occur in the United States each year. A stroke can affect a person physically and emotionally, and can affect the way a person thinks (cognition) and acts (behavior). Living with and returning home following a stroke can be daunting, requiring preparation for a patient’s ongoing safety, accessibility and independence. Listen i…

Athletes have long thrived at Shepherd Center. Over the past 41 years, Shepherd Center has treated countless patient-athletes from across the country who played high school, college or professional sports. In addition to occupational and physical therapy, patients have access to the largest team of recreation therapy specialists in the nation, as w…

Shepherd Center engages in research to improve clinical outcomes and the quality of life for individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). At the hospital’s MS Rehabilitation and Wellness Research Program, researchers study the effects of rehabilitation and exercise interventions for people with MS, and studies also address vocation and quality of life…

The increasingly widespread use of opioid painkillers for chronic pain has created a public health crisis as many people are abusing these highly addictive medications. Aiming to reduce the number of opioid prescriptions doctors write, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued guidelines that recommend doctors try pain reliever…

Each year, an estimated 2.4 million people in the United States sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and another 795,000 people are diagnosed with an acquired brain injury (ABI) from non-traumatic causes, such as stroke. Brain injury can have significant, long-term effects. In fact, more than 5.3 million Americans are living with a lifelong disa…