Empowering Recovery: The Role of Cognitive Strategies in Rehabilitation from Traumatic Brain...

One potential consequence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is its impact on cognitive functioning, leading to challenges in an individual's capacity to concentrate, learn and remember. In certain cases, TBI may affect regions of the brain responsible for various cognitive functions. Neuropsychological testing is employed as a means of detecting if cognitive dysfunction exists, and the level of impact on the patient. Through these assessments, healthcare professionals ascertain whether there are alterations in aspects such as attention, processing speed, executive function, memory, and language skills, all of which can be influenced by TBI. “Cognitive rehabilitation is a complex collection of techniques that are designed to enhance attention, strengthen problem solving and increase recall and processing speed,” says Evelyn Galvis, an SLP at the Intrepid Spirit Center at Eglin Air Force Base - one of 13 TBI and brain health sites that constitute the Defense Intrepid Network (DIN) for TBI and Brain Health. “Structured practice allows the patient to utilize, practice and reinforce effective compensatory strategies to enhance memory function of increasing length and complexity. All interventions are aimed at enhancing overall cognitive functioning and neuroplasticity,” adds Galvis.

To address challenges in cognitive functions, NICoE provides a group class called Cognitive Strategies taught by an SLP and an occupational therapist (OT), as part of the center’s four-week Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). Started in 2020, this course is designed to promote cognitive functioning and health across various aspects of patients’ lives. Service members are taught encoding strategies such as mnemonic devices or note-taking techniques to help retain information.



“Cognitive rehabilitation is a complex collection of techniques that are designed to enhance attention, strengthen problem solving and increase recall and processing speed,” says Evelyn Galvis, an SLP at the Intrepid Spirit Center at Eglin Air Force Base - one of 13 TBI and brain health sites that constitute the Defense Intrepid Network (DIN) for TBI and Brain Health. “Structured practice allows the patient to utilize, practice and reinforce effective compensatory strategies to enhance memory function of increasing length and complexity. All interventions are aimed at enhancing overall cognitive functioning and neuroplasticity,” adds Galvis.

To address challenges in cognitive functions, NICoE provides a group class called Cognitive Strategies taught by an SLP and an occupational therapist (OT), as part of the center’s four-week Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). Started in 2020, this course is designed to promote cognitive functioning and health across various aspects of patients’ lives. Service members are taught encoding strategies such as mnemonic devices or note-taking techniques to help retain information.