Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury & Post-Concussion Syndrome

Why Integrative Care Matters

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects an estimated 1.6–3.8 million Americans each year due to falls, car accidents, sports injuries, and other trauma. While 70–90% of TBIs are classified as mild (mTBI), many individuals experience long-lasting symptoms such as brain fog, cognitive fatigue, sleep disruption, mood swings, and emotional dysregulation that may persist for months or even years.

For clients in Greenville, SC, San Francisco, and the Bay Area, our approach to TBI recovery emphasizes treating the whole brain-body system. Integrative psychotherapy goes beyond standard talk therapy by addressing mitochondrial dysfunction, systemic inflammation, nervous system dysregulation, and cognitive resilience. This method is designed to accelerate recovery from post-concussion symptoms and improve long-term quality of life.

Our 6-Step Treatment Model

Comprehensive Diagnostic Interview

The process begins with a thorough clinical interview to assess your history, injury timeline, symptoms, and patterns such as the boom-and-bust cycle, a common phenomenon in TBI recovery where individuals overexert and crash repeatedly.

Cognitive Assessment Battery + 2-Month Training

We use a full neuropsychological testing battery that evaluates memory, attention, executive functioning, and information processing speed. This cognitive rehabilitation protocol also includes performance-based tasks and personalized brain training to support cognitive retraining after TBI.

Standard Therapy: Mindfulness-Based Training and CBT

Mindfulness-based therapy supports emotional regulation, attention, and stress reduction in individuals with TBI. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is used to challenge distorted thinking patterns, reduce anxiety, and improve self-awareness—an evidence-based treatment for post-concussion depression and PTSD.

Studies show that 75% of participants with TBI who practice mindfulness report improvements in cognitive performance, mood regulation, and physical health. CBT is also well-supported in treating symptoms of depression and anxiety after brain injury, improving quality of life and functionality.

Boom-and-Bust Cycle Management

One of the most overlooked challenges in brain injury recovery is the self-defeating pattern of overexertion followed by burnout. We offer practical pacing strategies, energy mapping, and structured recovery planning to eliminate this cycle and support gradual, sustainable healing.

Lifestyle, Supplement, and Dietary Support

As part of a functional medicine approach to brain injury treatment, we provide guidance on anti-inflammatory diets, sleep hygiene, targeted supplementation, and gut-brain health. Inflammation plays a significant role in TBI-related fatigue and neurodegeneration, and addressing this directly is key to whole-body recovery.

We may include food sensitivity testing and advanced genetic testing to identify inflammatory triggers and optimize nutrition for brain healing.

Advanced Neurostimulation + Photobiomodulation

Photobiomodulation, delivered via the Vielight Neuro system, uses transcranial red and near-infrared light to stimulate mitochondrial function and increase cerebral blood flow. This technology has shown promise in early TBI trials to improve gray matter volume, neuroplasticity, and energy metabolism.

In addition, we offer transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which have demonstrated benefit in reducing emotional reactivity, mental fatigue, and aggression in mild TBI populations.

Additional Healing Tools

• Home-based reading and cognitive retraining workbooks

• Genetic testing and food sensitivity screening for customized anti-inflammatory support

• Personalized supplement protocols for brain injury recovery

• Functional nutrition and lifestyle coaching

• Sleep and circadian rhythm support for post-TBI insomnia

Outcomes You Can Expect

• Reduced brain fog and mental fatigue

• Improved memory, processing speed, and attention span

• Better sleep quality and circadian regulation

• Decreased anxiety, mood swings, and irritability

• Greater emotional resilience and psychological flexibility

• Stabilization of the boom-and-bust cycle of recovery

• Increased energy and day-to-day functioning

Evidence-Based Efficacy

Photobiomodulation has been shown to improve cerebral perfusion, gray matter volume, and sleep patterns in individuals with chronic TBI. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has demonstrated reductions in fatigue, emotional lability, and aggression in controlled trials. Mindfulness-based interventions and CBT continue to be the gold standard in treating cognitive-emotional symptoms following brain trauma.

These results are especially promising for individuals recovering from concussion, post-concussion syndrome, or mild traumatic brain injury in communities like Greenville, SC, San Francisco, and the Bay Area—where access to integrative neuroscience approaches is expanding.

Why Choose This Integrative Pathway?

• Holistic: Combines neuropsychology, psychotherapy, functional medicine, and lifestyle optimization

• Personalized: Tailored cognitive protocols, mitochondrial support, and dietary strategies

• Sustainable: Prevents relapse through pacing plans, nervous system regulation, and daily home practices

• Science-backed: Grounded in peer-reviewed neuroscience and clinical outcome data
  Behbehani, F., Sheikholeslami, K., & Asgari, A. (2022). Mindfulness-based interventions for traumatic brain injury: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 948170. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.948170

Bogdanova, Y., Yee, M. K., Ho, V. T., & Cicerone, K. D. (2016). Cognitive rehabilitation for mild traumatic brain injury: A systematic review for the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 31(4), 279–295. https://doi.org/10.1097/HTR.0000000000000173

Chao, L. L., & Raymond, D. (2018). Longitudinal effects of photobiomodulation on cerebral blood flow and gray matter volume in TBI: A pilot study. NeuroImage: Clinical, 19, 443–454. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2018.05.007

Clark, V. P., Coffman, B. A., Mayer, A. R., Weisend, M. P., Lane, T. D. R., Calhoun, V. D., ... & Wassermann, E. M. (2021). Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for improving fatigue, aggression, and mental health in mild TBI. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 15, 820773. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2021.820773

Flint Rehab. (2023). How mindfulness can support brain injury recovery. https://www.flintrehab.com/mindfulness-after-brain-injury/

Headway UK. (2021). Drained by fatigue? 8 ways to cope after brain injury. https://www.headway.org.uk/about-brain-injury/individuals/brain-injury-and-me/drained-by-fatigue-try-these-8-ways-to-cope-after-brain-injury/

Laatsch, L., Pavel, D., Jobe, T. H., Lin, Q., & Jobe, T. (2007). Improvement in cognitive function and QEEG changes after photobiomodulation in TBI patients. Journal of Neurotherapy, 11(4), 41–49. https://doi.org/10.1300/J184v11n04_04

Vielight Inc. (2023). Traumatic brain injury recovery with photobiomodulation: Cellular mechanisms, clinical evidence, and future potential. https://www.vielight.com/blog/traumatic-brain-injury-recovery-with-photobiomodulation-cellular-mechanisms-clinical-evidence-and-future-potential/

Zhou, X., Cao, B., & Wang, J. (2020). Effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression after TBI: A meta-analysis. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 101(6), 1029–1037. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2019.12.014

Ready to Begin?

Contact us to schedule your initial diagnostic interview and take the first step toward reclaiming cognitive clarity, emotional stability, and life balance.