Brain Injury Support Services with Lindsay Prenoveau, MS, QP, CRC, CBIS and Rachel Weber, MS, CRC

Since the early 1980s, Community Partnerships has worked to create new opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Serving over 1,100 people a year, their cross-functional team includes job coaches, consultants, trainers, and of course, Certified Rehabilitation Counselors – two of whom I had the pleasure to talk to for this episode of the podcast.

Lindsay Prenoveau, Community Partnership’s Brain Injury Support Services Program Manager, and Rachel Weber, a Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapist, walked me through the ways in which their organization prioritizes individual-tailored care and case management, as well as the strategy of educating the public on the impact of Cognitive Rehabilitation.

Helpful Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:

https://www.communitypartnerships.org/

Blog: https://www.communitypartnerships.org/category/cr-corner/

Facebook and Instagram: @communitypartnershipsnc

BlueSky: @cpinc.bsky.social

Transcript

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Taylor Bauer, CRCC 0:04

Welcome to Inside Rehabilitation Counseling. I'm CRCC Director of Communication and Marketing, Taylor Bauer, and I'm very glad you're joining us again for another exploration into the art and science of rehabilitation counseling. Since the early 1980s, Community Partnerships has worked to create new opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Serving over 1,100 people a year, their cross-functional team includes job coaches, consultants, trainers, and of course, certified rehabilitation counselors, two of whom I had the pleasure to talk to you for this episode of the podcast. Lindsay Prenneveau, Community Partnerships Brain Injury Support Services Program Manager, and Rachel Weber, a Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapist, walked me through the ways in which their organization prioritizes individual tailored care and case management, as well as the strategy of educating the public on the impact of cognitive rehabilitation. Rachel and Lindsay, thank you so much for being here on the Inside Rehabilitation Counseling Podcast. I know we've been coordinating, taking some time to talk with one another for a few weeks now. And I've really been looking forward to this. So thank you both so much for your time. I'm going to kind of frame this for both of you and maybe Lindsay, if you want to start. I'm curious about when you first both learned about rehabilitation counseling as a profession or as an option you could pursue for a career. Can you walk us through the journey that led to your current career?

Lindsay Prenoveau 1:26

Sure. I think like many CRCs, I didn't really enter the field knowing that I wanted to be a certified rehab counselor. I really knew that I wanted to help people once I graduated, and that was about the end of it. After undergrad, I did enter the workforce for a couple years working with individuals with different disabilities in more of a one-on-one context. And during this time, I really had the opportunity to watch them relearn their independence, help them adjust to disability, and find their new place in the world. And at the time, I didn't realize that I had already entered the world of rehabilitation counseling. So that's kind of when it started to click that I really knew that I wanted to seek further education in the work of rehabilitation in the field of rehabilitation. So I entered into a master's program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. where my main focus was on brain injury and then also substance use. So everything kind of focused around that, researching and learning everything I could about brain injury and how to help those individuals recover for more of a community rehab lens. So during that, I did some work at a state vocational rehabilitation program. I worked with a brain injury clubhouse and those experiences only really solidified that I felt like I was meant to be in this space. So after that, I kept working with people with brain injuries to help them find meaningful work. I ended up working as a cognitive rehabilitation therapist several years later. Fast forward a few more years with community partnerships, and I am now the program manager of our brain injury support services program, where I've got the opportunity to lead a group of wonderful, wonderful individuals and support the consumers that we help in reaching their inherent potentials each and every day with the ultimate goal being employment.

Taylor Bauer, CRCC 3:11

I love that. And writing At the top of your answer, you said something about finding their place in the world. And when someone goes through something like this, that can be so vital to allowing someone to understand how this thing that they've experienced has affected them. So I really like how you said that. Rachel, how about you?

Rachel Weber 3:26

Well, my journey started kind of from a young age. I was always drawn to people, their stories and experiences and challenges. And I loved connecting and communicating and learning from others. So over time, I became more and more aware of the struggles based by kind of those around me. And that awareness kind of sparked something in me. And by the end of middle school, maybe beginning of high school, I knew I wanted to pursue a helping profession. And something like counseling or psychology, I did not know yet quite what form that was going to take yet. So it started to come into focus during my senior year of college. I was a psychology major and I was the president of Psychi, which was our psychology honor society. And part of my role was to invite guest speakers to talk about different career paths in the field. And one of those speakers happened to be a rehab counselor. And from that moment on, When he started sharing his work, I was I was hooked and it just clicked. So soon after I applied to a master's program in rehab counseling, completed my degree also at Chapel Hill and stepped into the field working with individuals with brain injuries, supporting them as they reengage in life in ways that are personally meaningful to them. And I've never looked back. I love it.

Taylor Bauer, CRCC 4:48

Yeah. Thank you for sharing. I love hearing that people, you know, who from a young age, like you said, know that they want to help people. And one of the challenges that we have at CRCC is letting people know sooner than maybe later that rehab counseling is an option because a lot of people know that they can look into like psychology or mental health and things like that. And it's so great that you found your way to this profession. And we're grateful that you did. And Lindsay, you as well. So as you both kind of mentioned, you are with an organization called Community Partnerships. And Community Partnerships has a statement on its website that's very similar to the mission we have at CRCC. which reads, all people have the right to pursue their educational goals, earn a living wage, and be included in their communities. What does it mean to you to think of the outcome of your services as more than just outcomes, but the achievement of clients having access to these essential elements of life and community?

Rachel Weber 5:43

Well, I think that's one of the real beauties of our field and of the team that we have here is that No one who walks through our doors is ever seen as just an outcome or checklist. From day one, we approach our work in an integrated and holistic way. It starts with getting to know that person as a whole person through assessments and partnering with them to set meaningful goals that will help them to get back into the community and meet those quality of life needs we all have and connect with those around them. So I think from there, our team alongside each client where we meet regularly and collaboratively, it helps us to see them as not, again, an outcome or a number. It allows us to support them in our progress and the cool thing about our agency is it doesn't end there and we continue walking with our clients with them through their goals even after those goals are met so we get to kind of see people not just at the end of their goal with us but past then so we get to celebrate their successes and connect with them as they move forward in their journey and because That's how our program is designed. We're able to be a part of their journey and not just their time here, but beyond that. And I think it's that long-term connection that helps us see growth in a deeper and more meaningful way.

Lindsay Prenoveau 7:07

So I think that's really such the core of the work that we do and how I tend to view success in our program. It's not about a number. It's not about the numbers. particular outcome, but really, really an improved quality of life. So yes, it's about having stable housing. It's about checking off the progress that's being made, but it's not just about that. It's a job that brings pride. It's the ability to make independent decisions. It's the ability to connect to your community. And those outcomes are going to be things that transcend over the rest of this person's life. And I think that's a big thing that we have pride in is that we are able to help them develop those skills to be able to be more independent moving forward. So although employment is our end goal, it's not just about the job. It's never just about the job. It's really about restoring confidence, helping them rebuild that identity, and then helping them access the life that they were building before and continue that path.

Taylor Bauer, CRCC 8:02

Yeah, I think I talked to a lot of CRCs who really identify themselves as vocational counselors. And I know that is very much the cornerstone and kind of bedrock of where this profession comes from. But I always tell them, I'm like, oh, you do so much more than vocational work. You know, Like you said, Lindsay, that's kind of the end goal in a lot of cases. Some certain situations, it's not. But there are so many other elements that CRCs are equipped to assist a client with in terms of all aspects of life and community and family. And I think independence is something you both hit on very precisely. Getting to see someone through that process of maybe identifying goals and then hopefully reaching those goals or getting on the way to reach those goals and then be able to stay with them is so wonderful because I know I talk to a lot of folks who maybe once they get a job placement secured, it's kind of like, OK, unfortunately, with the way that this position works, I'm kind of on to the other cases that I have. And sometimes you lose touch with people because life gets really busy. So it's really great to hear that you're kind of integrated into the lives of those clients beyond certain stages that maybe others would be saying like, hey, you know, best of luck, reach out if you need anything else. And I think that could be really transformative to not only how integrated you are into their lives, but same for the client to feel like you are this advocate and the source of empowerment that fulfills them and supports them through even just beyond like checking off some boxes of things that they knew that they wanted to achieve. I'm curious kind of to build on this. Have any clients of community partnerships stood out to you as kind of the epitome of how vital and impactful your organization is?

Rachel Weber 9:35

Honestly, it's difficult to narrow it down, but there are two individuals who really highlight just how vital and impactful this program can be. The first is a young man who began his brain injury journey at a time when most people are just starting to build their adult lives, heading off to college, starting careers, but instead he was recovering from a very severe brain injury. He came to our program early on and we started by conducting a thorough assessment, working with him to identify meaningful goals and addressing those goals through a combination of intensive one-on-one sessions and group work. Much of our focus was on helping him manage those significant cognitive and emotional challenges that we had identified, things like impulsivity, attention, memory, and emotional regulation. Over time, he made incredible progress and was able to successfully obtain and maintain a job. Fast forward several years. He recently returned to our program following another unexpected brain injury. But here's the powerful part. The tools and strategies he learned during his first time around with us stuck with him. So he's using those again. And because of that foundation, his recovery time around this time around has been much more smooth and faster. And that kind of long-term impact is what does work for him. you know, is all about getting to see that. The second story that I'd love to share is of a woman who came to us at an opposite end in her life. She was at the height of success in a career in technology, and after a serious car accident, her life changed dramatically. She was dealing with memory issues, difficulty with attention, and executive functioning, and slowed processing speed, all of which put her job at risk. In fact, she had actually already been placed on a formal disability and was close to being let go. So her goal coming to us was very clear. She wanted to keep her job. And after completing her assessments and identifying targeted meaningful goals to support her in that goal, she met with us regularly, very, very dedicated. She would even meet with us during her lunch breaks to work on these areas of concern. And through her dedication and hard work, not only did she keep her job, and she is still there, but she eventually took on more responsibility and has continued to advance in her career field and today she's both thriving professionally and personally. She's managing her time better, her energy and resources in a way that helps her be successful and support to balance life on our own terms. And again, she and I are still in communication as well. So these stories just kind of give a glimpse about what's possible when people are given kind of right support, the right tools and the space to define their own goals. And they remind us why this work and rehab counseling matters so much.

Taylor Bauer, CRCC 12:41

Yeah, it reminds people who are in the space of why it's so vital. And then it also helps us when people hear this podcast who don't have a huge background in certified rehabilitation counselors as professionals or rehab counseling as a field to know just like how transformative it can be to work with someone like you two and those on your team. We'll move on to you a little bit now, Lindsay. Can you tell me a little bit about the program you manage, the Brain Injury Support Services Program? Just kind of maybe walk me through some of the services that you offer in this program and what makes it so impactful.

Lindsay Prenoveau 13:13

Sure. So as Rachel has mentioned with the stories that she was able to share, we offer really, really specialized and individualized support to people with brain injuries who want to return to work or work for the first time. So not everybody that we work with is coming. It has gone to work before. Some of them are just coming to us for the first time to explore the different skills that they're going to need. We really use a really holistic and interdisciplinary approach. So we integrate vocational support with cognitive rehabilitation, with case management, and also therapy and adjustment counseling to help individuals learn different strategies. And we really group this all into one big plan so that we're able to touch on all different aspects of an individual's needs and things that will help them be more successful in employment. And no two consumers are exactly the same, as we all know. Everybody has a little bit of a different goal in mind and all the services are really, really specific and tailored to that individual to make sure it's meaningful and personalized for that consumer. So we work with... individuals on cognitive rehabilitation, which I like to call physical therapy for your brain. And so there are two different goals of cognitive rehabilitation. One is restorative, so restoring access or restoring functioning to certain areas of cognition. And the other is compensatory. So that's kind of like making up for the areas that they may have lost, utilizing different types of internal or external strategies. So, we work with them, like Rachel said, mostly on a one-on-one basis now. Occasionally, we may have a group, a support group or a skills group, but usually it's in a one-on-one setting to help them develop these compensatory strategies and then help them through the career exploration process. So, once we have a good idea of what the individual is going to need to be successful in employment, we make sure that we are honing in on those skills specifically as they relate to different aspects of the person's life. So, That might mean a session working on executive functioning where you're going through a calendar planning. You're helping people develop systems to be able to track their appointments independently. And also, what does that look like for your schedule and your routine moving forward into the workforce? Our goal is to really generalize all of those cognitive rehabilitation skills and strategies into the work environment. So once we are finished with that portion of the program, which we call cognitive rehabilitation and career exploration, then we move into more of the job search, which kind of looks a little bit more like the supported employment model. And it is... interviews. It is helping people fill out job applications. It's working and continuing to strengthen those social skills. It's helping people connect and network. It's following up with employers. It's learning the job. It's the whole process of finding employment and maintaining employment. And as Rachel mentioned earlier, we also provide that long-term vocational support or long-term follow-along support once the individual has successfully exited from their funded services, which are vocational rehabilitation funded. So once they exit that, we continue to provide support throughout the remainder of the time that they are on that job.

Taylor Bauer, CRCC 16:33

It just seems like the array of things that you can provide someone is just honestly life-changing. And I feel like sometimes we use that phrase on this podcast to talk about the work that CRCs do, but at the risk of it sounding just kind of like a term that we throw out lightly, it's not used lightly here. This is something that we hope more and more people know is out there for them if they're undergoing something like this.

Lindsay Prenoveau 16:56

Rachel, if you want to elaborate a little bit on more of the therapeutic piece to it and kind of how you work with individuals on a one-on-one basis for that adjustment piece.

Rachel Weber 17:04

For therapy, for an individual that has had such a significant life change, it really starts with giving a person space and time to talk about it, to process it, to feel whatever they need to feel about it. And from that point moving forward, we kind of hone in with that client on where they're at in terms of their adjustment, their acceptance. There are other pieces that are coming to the table, anxiety, depression. Oftentimes when you have a significant life change, it's not just one thing that you're dealing with, it's multiple. So our goals within that therapeutic time is to listen, is to provide feedback, and then to help our clients identify specific tools and strategies that they can use to manage the emotions and the stress, if you will, that comes from such a major life change. So we want to give people the chance and the space to process and to be heard as well as to make sure that they leave these doors with applicable tools that they can use in a variety of settings to be successful, to manage anxiety, to manage the depression. And not just in employment, although that is a key discussion that we have, but also at home within their relationships. And when it comes to that therapeutic setting, we do happily invite family members, spouses, those that are going to be very involved in that person's life to participate when appropriate, to help them to learn how to support our clients and for our clients to be able to talk to their family members about what they're going through and those changes. Because a brain injury doesn't just impact that one person. It impacts all of the individuals that are surrounding them and a part of their life. So we definitely try to make sure and encourage are aware that the brain injuries implications don't just impact one person's area of life. It's everywhere. So helping that client through that.

Taylor Bauer, CRCC 19:02

Lindsey had pointed out to, you know, no person experiencing a brain injury is the same as another person experiencing a brain injury. And the things that they experience as a result of that injury can be vastly, you know, different depending on what they've gone through and what their support system looks like and what level of independence they have and kind of what they're their social life and their job, as you mentioned in one of those client examples earlier, might be and the expectations for what someone is going to go out and be able to experience as the result of going through something like this is, you know, vastly different for everybody. So it's really great to hear that, you know, you two and your team and your organization are kind of equipped to take anybody who comes to you and says, you know, I've experienced this and I don't know where to go next or what to turn to and kind of what I'm supposed to do, essentially, and that you can tailor those services so specifically to their needs. It's just very inspiring to know that, you know, That can be a very isolating thing, I would imagine, going through something this traumatic and knowing that there are people out there to advocate for you and guide you through that, like both of you. That's very reassuring. As part of that process of understanding brain injury as best as you can when you're maybe not a CRC, I think education on what brain injury is can be so important. And in March, you actually launched a blog on your website that explores the use of cognitive rehabilitation in helping survivors of brain injuries. I'm curious, Lindsey, what was the idea? behind starting this space to explore some of those ideas and concepts?

Lindsay Prenoveau 20:35

So in light of Brain Injury Awareness Month, we really wanted to bring a resource to the community that was quite tangible. So the idea came from a place of one, wanting to spread awareness about brain injury, but also wanting to provide some really, really more approachable tools that can be used in cognitive rehabilitation. As in many fields, there is a lot of technical language and lingo and rehab and brain injury and concepts get thrown around. And sometimes it can be really So we wanted to take that concept of cognitive rehabilitation to make it tangible for a wide variety of audiences. We wanted to make kind of start creating a space to make those concepts that were practical and accessible for caregivers, survivors and professionals alike. So we had a small team that had the opportunity to contribute from a bunch of different avenues. So we did have a survivor's lived experience. We had some professionals on our team. We had some family members, some contractors. content creators and then leadership overseeing the project in order to really really bring bring this concept to a wide variety of individuals while also spreading awareness of brain injury so i'm really hopeful i feel like this is kind of just the beginning of how our impact in the social media space may begin and i'm excited to see where the project continues to grow and where it's going to take us in the world of disability advocacy and education because we are not just brain injury our program is brain injury specific however community partnerships supports a wide variety of individuals with different disabilities and everybody is so different and we want to make sure that we are able to highlight some of the really, really tangible, successful tools that we're able to use so that other people can find the same success.

Taylor Bauer, CRCC 22:19

Yeah. And that's so important. I mean, like the social media and just kind of like digital outreach portion alone is so important because for a lot of folks who maybe aren't in a position where they need services right now, they might not be encountering these ideas or these concepts until maybe they or someone they know is going to eventually need to navigate these sort of issues. And then there's the idea of just translating technical and even like research language into into a way that people who are under, you know, experiencing this or, you know, caregivers, support systems can understand, OK, like, what is it that like my loved one or me as a as a client undergoing this is actually like needing right now from a professional who can who can get me from point A where I'm at now to an eventual point B or point C or point D. And I know for a lot of people, myself included, as someone who, you know, my background is marketing and communication, I've only been in this kind of space with CRCC since 2022. curve of learning all of the different things that CRCs do let alone all of the different terminologies of disability and what it means to live with a disability whether it's been acquired or it's been a lifelong experience and then all the different ways that CRCs like yourselves assess and set people up to be able to achieve you know their maximum potential is I'll be honest I'll tell on myself right now very difficult sometimes for me to follow because I'm like okay this is not a language that I speak necessarily and when I was reading the blog and catching up on the posts that you've had since March. I was learning so much so quickly because it was written in a way where I was like, OK, I get what they're talking about, and I understand why this would be important to someone navigating this journey. And I think the more that we as an entire field can talk about the work that CRCs do in a way that people who could one day benefit from these services, or maybe someone with a disability now who haven't sought out these services, put things in a way that they can understand like, okay, that's the impact that I could experience by working with a CRC or by reaching out to community partnerships for one of these services. And the more we do that, the more people understand what this work is and why it's so important. So yeah, thank you for teaching me a lot on that blog, just from reading before our conversation today, that was very helpful. And I know even when I talk to my friends who, again, maybe they're in the communication and marketing space and I'm like, they're like, what do CRCs do? And I'm trying to give them the elevator speech on behalf of all of you, you know, I'm sweating through the whole process, right? Because I can't in 30 seconds. I have a hard time, you know, encapsulating it all. And I'll start to use phrases like, well, you know, they assess the functional limitations. And my friends just throw their arms up and they're like, back up. Like, what? What does that even mean? What is a functional limitation? What is an assessment? How do you assess somebody for a job, let alone what transferable skills they might have? And these are terms that over the three years I've been here, I've had to pick up and learn. But I'm constantly talking to people, especially outside of the space, who are like, OK, these aren't necessarily terms that we So talk to me in a way that I'm going to be able to really capture quickly why this work is so important. And I feel like the blog that you're producing is absolutely doing that. So credit where credit is due for that, for sure.

Lindsay Prenoveau 25:27

Well, thank you. Thank you. We'll definitely put it in the show notes so that anybody can have access to it. I know cognitive rehabilitation can be kind of a challenge. a term that not a lot of people understand unless you're in the speech language pathology world or sometimes rehab counseling. So it can be used for a wide variety of different needs. And it's just, it's about learning the tools that work for you and customizing them in a way that it's really, really meaningful. So thank you so much. I'm glad that you were able to learn it and to understand and take something really valuable from it.

Taylor Bauer, CRCC 25:55

Yeah. I don't feel like I have the power to give a CRCC seal of approval, but I can give you the Taylor seal of approval that it was very beneficial to me. Um, and you know, you didn't have the CRCC approval to, you know, this is my, this is, I host the podcast. It's fine. Um, and you know, this kind of gets to something I wanted to ask about. And that's, um, you know, like most injuries, many people who haven't experienced the brain injury, don't spend a lot of time learning about it or thinking about it until they are someone they know actually experiences a brain injury. So Rachel, I'll kind of direct this to you. What What are a few key considerations you wish everyone knew about brain injury that could help increase general awareness of how to best support and understand someone who has experienced this type of injury?

Rachel Weber 26:35

Well, I'll kind of give it a broad approach because individuals with brain injuries often face lasting, if not permanent, challenges that can affect their thinking, emotions, behaviors, and physical abilities. So it is an all-encompassing, life-changing event, and these challenges can impact nearly every area of life, from work and relationships to daily routines. But because most brain injuries are invisible, they often go unrecognized by others. And that's why brain injury is often referred to as the invisible disability. Unfortunately, that invisibility can lead to unfair and hurtful assumptions. One client shared with me that she was asked if she was drunk when she was in the community one time, when in reality, she was struggling with balance and coordination due to her brain injury. Others have told me that people speak to them very slowly or loudly, assuming they're not listening or understanding just because they may need to ask a question repeated a few times. times. And so raising awareness, I believe, starts with understanding that brain injury looks different for everyone. Back to the saying we often refer to in this field that we mentioned earlier, if you've seen one brain injury, you've seen one brain injury. No two experiences are alike, even if the diagnoses are similar. So how can we support individuals with brain injuries? I feel like a good first step is to remember that what you see does not always reflect what that person is truly going through. So approaching everyone, not just only assume I have a brain injury, but approaching everyone with respect and curiosity and a willingness to ask. not assume, I believe goes a long way. And I think this kind of understanding can make all the difference. And again, not just for people with brain injuries, but in the greater realm of just working with people.

Lindsay Prenoveau 28:38

I would just wanted to add a couple of things to that. Like Rachel said, brain injury is invisible. You've seen one brain injury, you've seen one brain injury. I think also it's important to understand that a brain injury on a Tuesday may look different than a brain injury on a Wednesday for that person. So it's not always the same. It can be inconsistent people can have good days and bad days. And when you have a brain injury, that may look like brain fog on one day, and it may look like irritability on a different day. So it may not look the same every single day. So even though you've seen that person once, it may be something that's going to be, you might see a different person in the next couple days. So I think being very patient, being very compassionate, and understanding that It may be different from day to day, and that recovery isn't always going to be linear, and every path is going to be different. So you may see some gains. They may be quick. They may be slow. I mean, things like that can happen and that's all perfectly normal in the brain injury recovery world.

Taylor Bauer, CRCC 29:39

Yeah, that's a consideration I don't think I've thought too much about is the idea that like brain injury clients or even just people with disabilities in general, I feel like when we have a marginalized community or group of people, we tend to want to very quickly just be like, okay, they're disabled. This is how their life is. Or for more specifically for someone with a brain injury. Okay. Oh, you have a brain injury. or you experienced an injury that's affected your brain, you must have A, B, and C happening to you. And I think people can wrap their head around, okay, no, every individual's injury and what happens after is different. I really like what you said about it's not even going to be the same every day. And it's not linear. It's not always going to be month one when they're working with you, as opposed to month four. It's nothing but wins or nothing but improvements. You'd hope that there's a path toward that. But I think we so quickly always want to just be able to say, for any community who maybe we don't have that experience ourselves, we want to say, oh, they fit into this kind of bubble. And from what I'm hearing from you both is that's very much not the way that you can approach working with a brain injury client. And really probably true of CRCs working with anybody with a disability is whether it's visible or invisible, everyone has a unique subjective experience and a life that they're living that is not the same as everyone else's, just like that would be true of someone without a disability. So it's one of those things that I guess I knew was true, but wasn't put in a way where I've like really contemplated it in that kind of sense. So I appreciate you both kind of sharing your feedback on that because I feel like it's a perspective that we could definitely lean into a bit more from CRCC's perspective, just talking about disability in general and awareness and why it's important to understand that these are lived experiences that can't just be codified into like group A, B, or C, you know, and like, oh, there's three types of people with a brain injury. Like that's just not the case, nor is it fair to those people navigating this kind of change to their lived experience. So many have told us on the show that becoming a CRC felt like a calling. And Rachel, you even mentioned at the community partnerships as a CRC, what brings you joy in your day-to-day work?

Rachel Weber 31:53

There are so many things that bring me joy in my work. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. and show me that they can use their calendar systems to remember an appointment and show up on time independently because it's, not just about remembering a date. It's about independence. It's about confidence. And I can't talk about my jewelry without talking about or mentioning my team. I feel incredibly blessed and lucky to work alongside such passionate, fun, and dedicated colleagues. And even on the hard days, and let's be honest, this work can be tough, we support each other and find ways to keep things engaging and encouraging and joyful. So it makes It makes all the difference.

Taylor Bauer, CRCC 33:06

I love that. And you'll find a recording of Rachel's happy dance in the show notes. So be sure to check, just kidding. Don't, don't look for it. It's not there.

Rachel Weber 33:14

And I did it today with a client. So before this, we, I was in the, our little kitchen area doing a happy dance with the client. So yeah,

Taylor Bauer, CRCC 33:23

that's good. Especially like you mentioned with, with sometimes this work being very challenging and difficult. It's good to celebrate the moments where it's like, okay, we are here for a reason and we're making a difference. And we, we can't thank you enough for that. Lindsay, how about you? What brings you joy in the work that you do?

Lindsay Prenoveau 33:38

So I think I find joy in my work at community partnerships in both the supporting our staff, as well as seeing our consumers really, really flourish in their environment and then in their lives. I love watching the creativity of consumers and our staff in solving their problems, achieving their goals. As Rachel mentioned earlier, we have an amazing amount of flexibility, empathy, experience, and passion in our brain injury support services program. and the agency as a whole. I really find joy in being able to help them see things differently and help them approach situations differently. And I think as a CRC, you really have to have that skill. And that's something that I think do really, really well at community partnerships and in the Brain Injury Support Services Program. We're flexible, we're empathetic, we are passionate, we are creative. I mean, all of those things come together and the joy in seeing our staff help people achieve their goals. I know it brings a lot of intrinsic value to our staff. And then also the consumers, things like, of course, huge things like housing and finding a job, but it's also the little things that aren't so little. So things like, hey, I remembered my coworker's name because of that strategy that you told me. Hey, I was able to participate in a meeting because I remembered that meeting because I had it on my calendar. So things like that, that to some people may be kind of small or huge. And I get goosebumps talking about that kind of stuff because it's not small, it's huge. It's a really, really big piece of life and making sure that everybody has the opportunity to engage in their lives and engage in their career and everything with as much independence and passion as they can.

Taylor Bauer, CRCC 35:27

A big thank you to Lindsay and Rachel from Community Partnerships for joining me for this episode. You can find links to their organization's website, the new Cognitive Rehabilitation Corner blog, and all sorts of other resources, including where to find them on social media in the show notes. If you have any takeaways or insights on topics covered in this episode, email us at contactus at crccertification.com. Be sure to subscribe to this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening to us today. And you can find us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. And our website is crccertification.com. Until next time, I'm CRCC Director of Communication and Marketing Taylor Bauer. Thank you for listening to Inside Rehabilitation Counseling.