The Real Lives of TBI Wives

Ep. 44 | In this powerful episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, Erika sits down with Luke Bohnenberger, a traumatic brain injury survivor, speaker, coach, and bright light in the brain injury community, to talk about the accident that changed his life forever and the purpose he found on the other side of it. At just 18 years old, a simple decision to remove his seatbelt before getting off an exit led to a devastating rollover acciden...

Ep. 43 | In this deeply moving episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, Erika Brouillette sits down with Tina to share the heartbreaking and hope-filled story of her husband Dave’s traumatic brain injury. What began as an ordinary workday on the farm in October 2021 turned into a life-altering accident that left Dave with a severe diffuse axonal brain injury, and left Tina navigating ICU stays, long-term rehab, workers’ compensation bat...

Ep. 42 | In this episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, Erika Brouillette sits down with Jamie Arbor, Executive Director of The Supported Living Group in Connecticut, to talk about the realities of navigating longterm support for traumatic brain injury survivors and their families. Jamie shares how his organization has become the largest provider of brain injury support services in the state, offering person-centered care that include...

In this solo episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, Erika dives into the surprising science behind what researchers are calling the “hope hormone.” While lifting weights may seem like just another task in an already overwhelming life, Erika shares how muscle movement releases powerful molecules called myokines that help regulate stress, reduce inflammation, support brain function, and build emotional resilience.

Reflecting on ...

In this episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, Erika Brouillette sits down with natural health practitioner Kate McDowell of Aligned Natural Health to explore a question many caregivers silently ask themselves: “Is it perimenopause, or is it my husband?”

For women caring for husbands with traumatic brain injuries, life often means living in constant survival mode. The chronic stress, emotional load, and mental exhaustion of caregiving...

Season 3 Episode 39: In this episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, Erika sits down with Peg Clark who opens up about what it really looks like to love, grieve, and care for the same man, after a traumatic brain injury changes everything. Peg and Cliff’s story begins like a movie, high school sweethearts in a snowy Michigan December, but their “forever” took a hard turn almost 21 years ago when Cliff suffered a head injury at work and...

Season 3 | Ep. 38

In this powerful episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, Erika Brouillette sits down with Dr. Kay Reyna, a first responder wife/accountant turned researcher whose family’s life changed in an instant when her husband, a North Carolina Highway Patrol Master Trooper, was catastrophically injured on duty. What followed wasn’t just the trauma of a severe traumatic brain injury, but a long, exhausting fight to get his brain...

In this final episode of the year, Erika Brouillette opens her heart and shares the truth of what the last twelve months have looked like—messy, stretching, humbling, beautiful, and nothing short of transformative. From reaching out to an old family friend who unexpectedly became a life-changing guide, to launching the Real Lives of TBI Wives podcast in April, to watching a community rise up around her in ways she never could have ...

In Episode 36, Erika sits down with Sheila Baugh—a fiercely devoted wife and caregiver navigating life after her husband Rob’s traumatic brain injury in July 2020. From their sweet beginning on a blind date in the ’90s to the life-altering accident that changed everything, Sheila opens up about the realities of loving someone through TBI: the medical maze, the career disruptions, the emotional toll, and the moments of grace that ke...

In this transformative episode of The Real Lives of TBI Wives, host Erika Brouillette sits down with Dr. Karen Kramer—clinical expert, hypnotherapist, neurolinguistic programming practitioner, and self-described “grief alchemist”—to unpack the often misunderstood world of grief. Together, they explore the realities of ambiguous grief and disenfranchised grief, the forms of loss that TBI wives experience daily but rarely receive val...

In this inspiring episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, host Erika Brouillette sits down with Chanda Hinton, founder of the Chanda Center for Health, to discuss her extraordinary journey of resilience, advocacy, and transformation. After sustaining a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed at 9 years old, Chanda turned her personal challenges into a powerful movement for change, pioneering a new model of integrative care for peopl...

In this empowering episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, host Erika Brouillette sits down with Dorothy Andreas—a bold entrepreneur, speaker, and woman of resilience—whose story will ignite a fire in every caregiver and overwhelmed wife looking for more.

Dorothy opens up about her unstoppable rise from selling her car at 19 to buy her first business, to eventually owning nine successful companies—all while navigating unimaginable life...

In this powerful episode of The Real Lives of TBI Wives, host Erika Brouillette sits down with William Person, a former Team USA bobsled athlete, to share his courageous and deeply personal journey with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). After years of repetitive head trauma in elite sports, William found himself in a terrifying spiral—confused, depressed, and unable to function.

But hope came in the form of Hyperbaric Oxygen ...

In this episode of The Real Lives of TBI Wives, host Erika Brouillette welcomes Dr. Amber Rice Horvath, a clinical nutritionist and mother of a child with special needs, to share practical strategies for caregiver wellness. Caring for a loved one with TBI can take a tremendous physical, emotional, and mental toll, and Dr. Amber emphasizes the importance of prioritizing your own health to maintain resilience and strength.

She discus...

Trigger Warning / Disclaimer: This episode contains discussions about abuse and traumatic experiences. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling with abuse, emotional trauma, or in need of support, we encourage you to reach out to a trusted professional or helpline. In Canada, you can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, and in the U.S., the National Domestic Violence Hotl...

In this informative episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, host Erika Brouillette sits down with Jacqui Taylor Hayward, an experienced accountant, to provide practical guidance on navigating the complexities of Canadian disability benefits for families affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI). Jacqui shares her expertise in taxes, insurance, and government programs, giving listeners actionable advice to better manage financial respons...

In this inspiring episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, host Erika Brouillette sits down with Wendy Lukonen, CEO of the Daily Gratitude Movement, to explore the transformative power of gratitude in caregiving and everyday life. Wendy shares her deeply personal journey caring for her mother with pancreatic cancer and her grandmother with dementia, and how embracing a daily gratitude practice helped her navigate the emotional challenge...

In this compelling episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, Erika Brouillette sits down with Dallas Shepherd, founder of Harmonized Brain Center, to explore his family’s life-changing journey with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Dallas recounts the harrowing 2003 accident when his son was struck by a baseball, resulting in an epidural hematoma and coma, and shares the long road to recovery that inspired him to deepen his understanding of ...

In this powerful episode of The Real Lives of TBI Wives, host Erika Brouillette sits down with Jason Lalli, a resilient traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivor, to explore his extraordinary journey of healing, advocacy, and personal growth. Jason opens up about life before his multiple brain injuries, sharing the vibrant career and personal life he loved, and recounts the dramatic and often devastating changes that followed each inju...