FIND A SUPPORT GROUP
Brain Injury Association of Georgia (BIG)- Support Groups*
Welcome! Below is a list of support groups currently meeting virtual, in-person including Peer/Buddy Programs offered by universities. Support Group information is subject to change. Please contact the support group before you attend a meeting for the first time or if you have not attended recently. Some groups may take breaks at different times during the year. Always ask to be added to their contact list to stay informed.
Why Attend a Support Group? 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:
To join, click on the links with your smartphone, iPad/tablet, or computer. If you are using a cell phone or tablet, please download the Zoom Cloud conferencing app.
ABI and/or TBI survivors, caregivers, friends, professionals are invited to attend local or statewide
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VIRTUAL meetings
Weekly via virtual:
Bi-Weekly via Virtual:
Contact Mark Halvorsen, Seminole Spirit Director, at [email protected] for zoom link.
Monthly via virtual:
IN-PERSON meetings
Atlanta and Fulton County region
Athens Area BI Support Group
Augusta and Richmond County region
Cartersville and Bartow County
Cobb/Cherokee and surrounding counties:
Coweta and surrounding counties:
Chatham and surrounding counties:
Dekalb, Fulton and surrounding counties:
New: Gwinnett County:
Welcome! Below is a list of support groups currently meeting virtual, in-person including Peer/Buddy Programs offered by universities. Support Group information is subject to change. Please contact the support group before you attend a meeting for the first time or if you have not attended recently. Some groups may take breaks at different times during the year. Always ask to be added to their contact list to stay informed.
Why Attend a Support Group? 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
To join, click on the links with your smartphone, iPad/tablet, or computer. If you are using a cell phone or tablet, please download the Zoom Cloud conferencing app.
ABI and/or TBI survivors, caregivers, friends, professionals are invited to attend local or statewide
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VIRTUAL meetings
Weekly via virtual:
- Tuesdays - 4-5 pm: Tuesday Bus Station Committee. This is a support group meeting with survivors from all over the nation. It's a time of fun and laughter! https://zoom.us/j/3249406839
- Thursdays - 9:00 am: Georgia Southern University's "Different Strokes". Online for those who cannot attend in person and at the Armstrong campus in Savannah, GA.. Currently not meeting year round, due to the university schedule. Typically meet for 13 weeks during the Fall semester; 13 weeks during the Spring semester; and 8 weeks during the Summer semester. For more information and zoom link contact: Brittany Patnaude, Clinical Instructor at 912-344-2735 or at [email protected] - or - Tory Candea, Director of Clinical Education/Clinical Coordinator at 912-344-2788 or at [email protected]
Bi-Weekly via Virtual:
- Every Other Friday - 12 - 2:00 PM: A National Speech-Language Aphasia Improvement Group
Contact Mark Halvorsen, Seminole Spirit Director, at [email protected] for zoom link.
- Second and Fourth Sunday- 7:30- 8:45 PM: Support Group for Caregivers of Moderate and Severely injured Brain Injury Survivors.
Monthly via virtual:
- Every other Monday - NEW: Support Group for young adults in their 20's via zoom.
- Contact Holden & Trisha - [email protected] for details and zoom link. Statewide
- First Monday -7 pm: SMClark for Seniors. Contact Soukhy Clark at (904) 885-4426 or at [email protected] for more information and zoom link.
- Second Tuesday - 7 pm: Veterans, Responders, Government Service Agents (VRGSA) Brain Injury Support Group Veterans, 1st Responders or Government Service Agents only! If you have had a concussion or a brain injury
- Last Wednesday - 6:30-7:30 pm: WellStar Inpatient Rehab/ North Fulton Hospital. Online only. Stroke survivor group. Contact Virginia Cunningham at [email protected] for more information and for zoom link. North Fulton County region & statewide
- Fourth Thursday - 11:00 – 12:00 pm: Emory Rehabilitation Hospital Stroke Survivors’ Club. Any questions, please call Sherrill Rucker-Peoples at (404) 712-5512. Join Zoom Meeting click here: https://emoryhealthcare.zoom.us/j/87959007798 DeKalb/Fulton County region & statewide
- First Friday -1:30 – 2:30 pm: New Beginnings BI Support Group, Annandale Village- Gwinnett, Contact Sue Edmonds [email protected] for Virtual Invite. Note: updates for meeting dates/times will be changing; updates to follow.
- Brain Injury Support Group - Fannin County: Contact Stepp for phone support or to be notified when support group in-person meetings are allowed. Support group for persons with brain injuries, their families, and caregivers. Also open to people with all disabilities, their families, friends, and caregivers. (706) 492-5308, [email protected] or Dottie Cox at (706) 632-2142.
IN-PERSON meetings
Atlanta and Fulton County region
- Second and Fourth Monday - 6-8 pm: Brain Injury Survivors Support Group. Brain Injury Survivors offers peer-to-peer group therapy led by former ad agency owner, author and aneurysm survivor Denzil Strickland. Meetings are on the second and fourth Mondays of each month from 6 to 8 pm. We focus on providing emotional support as well as sharing tools for getting better. Caregivers are welcome. For more information call 404-938-8038. Calls are returned within 24 hours. You can also find us at braininjurysurvivors.net. Emails can be sent to i[email protected]. Fee-based individual counseling sessions are also available.
Athens Area BI Support Group
- Third Monday of the month, new time of 4:30pm at St. Mary’s Hospital 5th floor ADL room. Contact Floretta Johnson 706-353-1892 ( H) or 706-308-7753 ( C ) [email protected]
Augusta and Richmond County region
- Second Thursday - 6 pm: Augusta Brain Injury Support Group. Meet in-person at NeuroRestorative Georgia, 3648 Walton Way Ext, Augusta, GA 30909. Contact Marti Hanson for more information at [email protected]
Cartersville and Bartow County
- Monthly from 6-8 pm: Team Survivors. Cartersville, GA. Also meeting the first Tuesday at 1 pm for group lunch social. Contact Allison Mann at [email protected].
Cobb/Cherokee and surrounding counties:
- Every Friday Social: Unlimited Possibilities. Breakfast social every Friday at 10am - IHOP, 1950 Cobb Pkwy., NW, Kennesaw, GA 30152
- First Tuesday of each Month: Unlimited Possibilities. Monthly on the first Tuesday at 6:15 pm. All are invited to attend. Contact Denise Bourne at (678) 733-1540 or [email protected]
Coweta and surrounding counties:
- Last Tuesday of each Month at 2-3 pm: Encompass Health FOR OLDER STROKE SURVIVORS. For more information and directions, email [email protected] or call (678) 552-6253. Located at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Newnan, 2101 E. Newnan Crossing Blvd, Newnan, GA 30265.
Chatham and surrounding counties:
- Third Thursday of each Month at 5:30-6:30: Grey Matters Support Group. Memorial Health, 4700 Waters Avenue, Building 100, 3rd floor, Savannah, GA 31405. For registration and questions, please contact Jennifer Jolley, Speech Therapist at 912.667.6823 or [email protected]
- Every Friday 10am - 11:30 am. Speak Easy Support Group. Savannah Speech & Hearing Center, Main Conference Room, 5414 Skidaway Road Savannah, Georgia 31406. All are welcome, including family and caregivers. For information, please contact Jenna Harcher at 912.355.4601 ext 132 or J[email protected]
Dekalb, Fulton and surrounding counties:
- Second Tuesday - 6:30 pm, Emory Brain Injury Support Group: 1441 Clifton Road NE. 2nd Floor, Atlanta 30322. Parking is in the back of the Emory Rehabilitation Hospital. You may need to announce you are attending the Emory SG to get through the gate (right side of the building). Go in the back door, elevator to 2nd floor, room is directly across from the elevator. Contact Carl Griffin 404-409-9339, [email protected] or Pat Gartrell 404-401-3295.
- Third Thursday - 6-7:30 pm: The Young and Restless in Atlanta Young (at heart) Stroke/TBI Peer Engagement Group THIS IS A HYBRID GROUP- meeting on Zoom and in-person. Contact- Dr. Shilpa Krishnan at [email protected] Dekalb/Fulton region & statewide
New: Gwinnett County:
- Last Tuesday of each month from 6:30pm- 8:00 pm. The New Normal. Stroke Survivor and Caregiver Support Group. Meeting at Generous Care Adult Day Center, 1180 McKendree Church Rd. Suites 107, Lawrenceville, GA, 30043. A support group for stroke survivors and caregivers venturing through this new normal. Our goal is to offer support, community, and resources for your diagnosis. Each meeting will offer a different topic to discuss with various guest speakers to help provide more insight!
- For information, contact Shawanda Harris Phone: (770)538-1736 Email: [email protected]
- Second Tuesday- 6-7:15 pm: SGMC Stroke & Head Injury Support Group. SGMC Smith Northview Cafeteria. Contact Joan Allah, LMSW, 229-259-4292 or [email protected] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Brain Injury Identification Card - It is recommended that brain injury survivors carry with them an ID Card that helps them share with others in time of crisis how their injury and challenges affects them. The card quickly identifies who to call for more information or help; helps 1st responders or law enforcement identify them as an individual with a brain injury. Click HERE
PEER and BUDDY SUPPORT PROGRAMS at Universities and other
Georgia State University
Synapse at GSU Peer Support Meetings
[email protected]
Our first peer support meeting will be every other Saturday from 3:00 PM-4:00 PM, starting Feb 24th, 2023 and we would like to invite you to attend our meeting. Here's the link to sign up: https://forms.gle/sMoU8S9ziucff2fP9
Synapse at Georgia State University (formerly BrainSignal at GSU). Our mission is to provide a powerful social support network for individuals with brain injury through the facilitation of peer support groups, a buddy program, and guest speaker events featuring physicians or researchers to spread awareness about brain injury.
Throughout this semester, we plan to host multiple peer support meetings to provide a safe space for individuals affected by brain injury to interact and connect with each other. During these meetings, individuals may share their journeys and learn about various topics discussed.
Synapse at GSU Peer Support Meetings
[email protected]
Our first peer support meeting will be every other Saturday from 3:00 PM-4:00 PM, starting Feb 24th, 2023 and we would like to invite you to attend our meeting. Here's the link to sign up: https://forms.gle/sMoU8S9ziucff2fP9
Synapse at Georgia State University (formerly BrainSignal at GSU). Our mission is to provide a powerful social support network for individuals with brain injury through the facilitation of peer support groups, a buddy program, and guest speaker events featuring physicians or researchers to spread awareness about brain injury.
Throughout this semester, we plan to host multiple peer support meetings to provide a safe space for individuals affected by brain injury to interact and connect with each other. During these meetings, individuals may share their journeys and learn about various topics discussed.
Emory Synapse
Emory College of Arts and Sciences
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in order to encourage participant safety, we will be holding peer buddy and support meet ups over Zoom. Please email [email protected] for the link to join or call 404-919-5753 for an update to our program.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email us at [email protected] or call at (414) 919-5753.
The mission of Synapse is to provide individuals who are living with brain injury the opportunities to connect with and learn from one another in order to improve their access to resources. Synapse also aims to provide students with opportunities to serve as community leaders while learning about the patient perspective of living with a brain injury. We hope to accomplish these goals through our three core programs. Through these staple events, we hope to foster a network of patients, students, faculty, and physicians to spread awareness of the resources and needs of those living with brain injury as well as their overall well-being.
Learn more click HERE
Three Core Programs include:
Peer Support Groups: Bringing together individuals with brain injury, allowing them to share experiences and resources with each other. During COVID we will meet virtually, contact us for more information.
Buddy Program: We pair brain injured individuals with a buddy. These buddies can serve as mentors, friends and role models. While before we met in person, sadly due to the COVID 19 epidemic we encourage all current buddies to maintain contact virtually through an online platform. Contact us for more information.
Lectures and Events: Synapse brings in physicians, researchers, and other professionals to inform and educate those with a brain injury and the broader community.
Emory College of Arts and Sciences
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in order to encourage participant safety, we will be holding peer buddy and support meet ups over Zoom. Please email [email protected] for the link to join or call 404-919-5753 for an update to our program.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email us at [email protected] or call at (414) 919-5753.
The mission of Synapse is to provide individuals who are living with brain injury the opportunities to connect with and learn from one another in order to improve their access to resources. Synapse also aims to provide students with opportunities to serve as community leaders while learning about the patient perspective of living with a brain injury. We hope to accomplish these goals through our three core programs. Through these staple events, we hope to foster a network of patients, students, faculty, and physicians to spread awareness of the resources and needs of those living with brain injury as well as their overall well-being.
Learn more click HERE
Three Core Programs include:
Peer Support Groups: Bringing together individuals with brain injury, allowing them to share experiences and resources with each other. During COVID we will meet virtually, contact us for more information.
Buddy Program: We pair brain injured individuals with a buddy. These buddies can serve as mentors, friends and role models. While before we met in person, sadly due to the COVID 19 epidemic we encourage all current buddies to maintain contact virtually through an online platform. Contact us for more information.
Lectures and Events: Synapse brings in physicians, researchers, and other professionals to inform and educate those with a brain injury and the broader community.
BEST BUDDIES in Georgia
[email protected]
Phone: 1-800-89-BUDDY (28339)
BESTBUDDIES.ORG/GEORGIA
Director, Mission Advancement (GA) – Contact: Katie Shahzade
Best Buddies is dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living. Best Buddies serves, but is not limited to, people with Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and other undiagnosed disabilities.
[email protected]
Phone: 1-800-89-BUDDY (28339)
BESTBUDDIES.ORG/GEORGIA
Director, Mission Advancement (GA) – Contact: Katie Shahzade
Best Buddies is dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living. Best Buddies serves, but is not limited to, people with Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and other undiagnosed disabilities.
*PLEASE NOTE: Support Groups listed are for your information only and to assist you in locating a group. Support groups have been established and are run by persons with brain injury, family, professionals and/or staff from other organizations serving people with brain injury and do not necessarily reflect the views or official position of BIAG. As social media grows, so does the ability to locate groups on-line, Facebook … etc. Use caution with sharing personal information. Support Groups, which are volunteer administered, provide an opportunity for those individuals and family members affected by brain injury not only to learn more about brain injury but to be present in a safe and encouraging venue to discuss the challenges they face.
If you are interested in starting a support group and consideration for Brain Injury Association of Georgia affiliation, please send an email of interest to our Support Group Liaison Committee at [email protected]
If you are interested in starting a support group and consideration for Brain Injury Association of Georgia affiliation, please send an email of interest to our Support Group Liaison Committee at [email protected]
Roger Brathwaite
Founder of the Young and Restless in Atlanta Stroke and TBI Support Group, BIAG Board of Directors 2023 Vice-chair
We dedicate this page to our friend and group leader, Roger Brathwaite, who passed away in June of 2023. We are heartbroken to lose such a champion of disability rights.
You were loved and will be missed. Thank you for your wonderful smile and servant leadership. Your life was well lived and we honor you.
Founder of the Young and Restless in Atlanta Stroke and TBI Support Group, BIAG Board of Directors 2023 Vice-chair
We dedicate this page to our friend and group leader, Roger Brathwaite, who passed away in June of 2023. We are heartbroken to lose such a champion of disability rights.
You were loved and will be missed. Thank you for your wonderful smile and servant leadership. Your life was well lived and we honor you.
© Brain Injury Association of Georgia.
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Mailing Address:
5962 Zebulon Road PMB 220 Macon, GA 31210 Email: [email protected] Toll Free 1-800-444-6443 |