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You Are Not Alone
Home Archive by Category "You Are Not Alone"

Category: You Are Not Alone

This category highlights personal stories, reflections, and shared experiences from survivors, caregivers, and those impacted by trauma. Focusing on connection, understanding, and the power of shared journeys, it offers guidance, encouragement, and the reminder that no one has to navigate recovery or grief in isolation.
Families For Safe Streets
Grief and LossPost-Trauma LifeResource ConversationsYou Are Not Alone
October 6, 2026

Finding Support and Community After a Motor Vehicle Incident

A Conversation with Families for Safe Streets

After a motor vehicle incident, it can be difficult to know where to turn.
You may be dealing with physical injuries, grief, trauma, changes to your everyday life, complicated systems, or simply the feeling that no one around you really understands what you have been through.
And sometimes, you are not just trying to recover. You also want to make sure what happened to you does not happen to someone else.
That is where community can make an enormous difference.
In this Resource Conversation, Sandal Blue Foundation spoke with Aly Geller from Families for Safe Streets about the support available to people who have survived a crash, lost a loved one, or are caring for someone affected by a crash.

You Are Not Alone

Families for Safe Streets is a growing national organization with approximately 2,000 members and chapters across the country. The organization supports people whose lives have been affected by motor vehicle incidents while also working toward preventing future deaths and injuries.
Aly coordinates support services for the national organization. Her role includes helping new community members find the support, resources, and opportunities that fit where they are right now.
That last part is important.
There is no single “right” place to be after a traumatic event.
Maybe you are ready to connect with someone who understands. Maybe you need practical information about navigating what comes next. Maybe you want to talk with other survivors or people who have experienced a loss. Or maybe you are ready to use your experience to advocate for safer roads.
Families for Safe Streets has resources for all of those places.
As Aly shared, their team is ready to ask, “Where are you today?” and then help you find what you need right now.

The Power of Being Seen and Heard

One of the most meaningful parts of support after a motor vehicle incident can be talking with someone who truly understands.
There is something powerful about having a witness to your grief, physical pain, fear, frustration, or changing identity.
It can sound deceptively simple: being seen and heard.
But connecting with someone who has been through something similar can help reduce the isolation that often follows a traumatic experience.
Families for Safe Streets offers a peer mentor program that connects community members with trained mentors who have their own experience with crash loss or injury. Mentors receive training in how to have supportive conversations, and whenever possible, people can be connected with someone whose experience is similar to their own.
Sometimes it also helps to meet someone who is a little farther down the road.
When you are in the middle of something incredibly difficult, seeing someone who has found a way forward can offer something important: a glimpse of possibility.
There can be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Support Does Not Have to Be One-on-One

Not everyone wants individual support, and sometimes it helps to be part of a larger community.
Families for Safe Streets offers virtual support gatherings where people affected by crashes can come together, connect, and participate in facilitated conversations.
The organization also hosts special events, including book clubs and guest speakers, giving members opportunities to learn, connect, and build relationships with others who understand.
There is also a National Story Map, an online space created to honor and memorialize people who have been killed in crashes.
The Story Map gives families and survivors a place to be seen and heard. It also allows decision-makers and the broader community to see the human beings behind crash statistics.
Because these are not just numbers.
They are people.
They are parents, children, spouses, siblings, friends, coworkers, and neighbors whose lives have been changed.

Practical Resources for the Road Ahead

Support after a motor vehicle incident is not only emotional.
Sometimes you need to know what to do next.
Families for Safe Streets has a Post-Crash Resource Guide designed to help people navigate some of the systems and situations that can come after a crash, including interacting with law enforcement, navigating the legal system, and responding if the media reaches out.
They also have a member-generated Resource Guide with resources related to grief, trauma, and other needs that can arise after a crash.
These resources are designed to be something you can return to when you are ready.
You do not have to figure everything out at once.

Turning Experience Into Change

For many people affected by crashes, there eventually comes a point when they want to do something to prevent others from experiencing what they have experienced.
Families for Safe Streets creates opportunities for people to do exactly that.
The organization focuses on upstream solutions: evidence-based approaches that address the conditions that contribute to crashes before someone is injured or killed.
Their advocacy work includes safer roads, safer speeds, and safer vehicles.
One current campaign is Stop Super Speeders, which advocates for legislation requiring intelligent speed assistance devices for repeat speeding offenders. The campaign has passed in nine states or jurisdictions and continues to grow.
Families for Safe Streets also has an Ambassador program that provides training for people who want to become involved in advocacy and learn how to help advance this type of legislation in their own state.
You can explore the Stop Super Speeders campaign, see where legislation has passed or is pending, and learn how to get involved.

Why Stories Matter

Story sharing is at the heart of much of Families for Safe Streets’ advocacy work.
Research shows that stories can make information more memorable and can influence decision-makers. But Aly also recognizes something equally important:
Sharing your story can be empowering, and it can also be incredibly difficult.
That is why Families for Safe Streets does not simply ask people to tell their stories and send them on their way.
They work to create a foundation of support around the process.
Aly provides one-on-one guidance from the time someone joins the organization and throughout their involvement. The organization also provides training and support to help people understand how to share their experiences in ways that feel appropriate for them.
You get to decide what you share, when you share it, and how you participate.

You Can Start Wherever You Are

If you are interested in connecting with Families for Safe Streets, you do not have to know exactly what you need before you reach out.
One of the easiest places to start is by becoming a member.
Once you join, you can be connected with a local chapter when one is available in your area. Chapters are supported by sponsor organizations and provide opportunities for community gatherings, programs, advocacy, and connection.
You can also:
And if you do not see exactly what you need, you can reach out directly. Their team can help you figure out what might be a good next step.

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

Families for Safe Streets is also a co-planner of World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims in the United States, a national event taking place in communities across the country on the third Sunday in November.
The event provides an opportunity to remember those who have been killed or injured in road traffic incidents and to call attention to the need for safer roads and transportation systems.
The World Day of Remembrance website includes resources for people who want to attend an event or organize one in their own community.

You Can Be Supported While You Make Change

One of the things that stood out in our conversation with Aly is that support and advocacy do not have to be separate.
You can be grieving and still want change.
You can be healing and still want to help others.
You can be overwhelmed and still take one small step.
And you do not have to do any of it alone.
Families for Safe Streets exists to walk alongside people affected by crashes, whether that means helping you find a peer mentor, connecting you with resources, giving you a place to share your story, or helping you find a way to turn your experience into action.
As Aly shared, you are not alone.
It may feel that way sometimes, but there is a powerful community of people who understand and are ready to hold and guide you.
Watch the full Resource Conversation to learn more about Families for Safe Streets.
By Seantae Jackson
Just Breathe Adaptive
Post-Trauma LifeResource ConversationsYou Are Not Alone
September 30, 2026

Finding Possibility Underwater

Adaptive Scuba with Just Breathe Adaptive

What if the thing you think you can’t do is something you simply haven’t had the right support to try?

For Robin Knight and the team at Just Breathe Adaptive, that’s one of the questions at the heart of their work.

Just Breathe Adaptive is a Utah-based nonprofit that helps individuals with a broad range of disabilities experience adaptive scuba diving. Their participants have disabilities ranging from physical to cognitive, and the program is designed around one simple idea:

Adapt the experience to the person, not the other way around.

What Makes Adaptive Scuba Different?

In traditional open-water scuba, divers are taught skills they need to perform independently.

Adaptive scuba takes a different approach.

At Just Breathe Adaptive, divers learn as part of a team. Every skill in the standard scuba certification process is evaluated to determine what the participant can do independently and where they may need additional support.

For example, if a diver doesn’t have the arm mobility needed to manipulate their equipment, their buddy can assist them.

The goal isn’t to eliminate the challenge. It’s to figure out what support makes participation possible.

That support might look different for every person.

And that’s okay.

Come Try It

Scuba diving might sound intimidating, especially if you’ve never been in the water before.

Just Breathe Adaptive’s answer is simple:

Come try it.

Participants can come experience adaptive scuba for free, with no expectations and no commitment.

The first experience starts in shallow water, often around four or five feet deep, with a team around the participant to help keep them safe and supported.

Because sometimes you don’t know whether something is possible for you until you actually try.

And you might discover something you never expected.

Finding Independence in the Water

One of the most meaningful things Robin sees in participants is empowerment.

On land, a person’s disability may limit their mobility or ability to participate in certain activities.

Underwater, things can be different.

With the right adaptations and support, participants can experience a sense of mobility, independence, and participation that may not be available to them on land.

They can take part in an activity alongside other people.

They can learn new skills.

They can make decisions and communicate what they need.

And they can discover that their disability doesn’t have to prevent them from experiencing something new.

For many participants, that feeling of empowerment extends beyond the water.

Building Community Along the Way

The experience isn’t just about scuba diving.

Participants go through the certification process together, creating opportunities to build relationships and community along the way.

They learn how to communicate with their team.

They practice advocating for their needs.

They talk openly about challenges and figure out what works for them.

And those relationships can continue beyond the certification process.

Just Breathe Adaptive takes participants on diving trips, including trips within the United States and internationally. Participants may travel with people they’ve trained and built friendships with, creating an opportunity to experience something new together.

The organization also recognizes that accessibility doesn’t end when you leave the water.

Their network of participants has built up a wealth of knowledge about accessible travel, adaptive equipment, and navigating different destinations. When someone has a question the team doesn’t have an immediate answer to, there’s often someone in their community who can help find it.

It’s About More Than the Dive

One of the goals that makes Just Breathe Adaptive unique is creating opportunities for participants to share these experiences with the people they care about.

The goal isn’t simply to get someone certified and send them off on their own.

It’s about creating opportunities to dive with friends and family, build relationships around a shared activity, and experience new places together.

Just Breathe Adaptive works to identify and vet locations for accessibility so participants can focus on the experience rather than having to figure out every accessibility question on their own.

For many divers, the ultimate goal is to experience the ocean.

But the team works with each individual to determine what environment makes sense for their abilities and needs.

For some, that may mean warmer water because thermoregulation is a concern. For others, there may be depth or cognitive considerations that make a controlled environment a better fit.

The question isn’t, “Can you do it exactly the way everyone else does?”

The question is:

“How can we make this possible for you?”

A Safe Place to Push Your Limits

Just Breathe Adaptive believes in pushing participants a little outside their comfort zones, while being thoughtful about safety and individual needs.

Scuba diving is already an activity that asks people to do something unfamiliar.

Sometimes participants discover they are capable of much more than they thought.

Those opportunities for growth don’t only happen during a dive. They can happen between participants, too, as people encourage one another, share what they’ve learned, and watch each other take on challenges.

The goal isn’t to push someone beyond what is safe.

It’s to create an environment where they can safely discover what is possible.

What Does the Process Look Like?

Getting started is intentionally simple.

First, reach out to Just Breathe Adaptive through their website, email, or phone. The team will provide information and answer questions so you can decide whether the program feels like a good fit.

If you’re interested, you’ll schedule a free experience.

If you decide you’d like to continue, you’ll begin the certification process.

That includes academic learning through an online program adapted to the participant’s ability level, along with hands-on pool training.

Participants learn the same fundamental skills required for open-water scuba certification, but the team adapts individual skills as needed.

There is no need to rush through the process.

Participants spend the time they need in the pool to develop their skills, often working in one-hour sessions that allow the team to be mindful of the participant’s individual needs.

As they progress, divers may train at the Homestead Crater in Midway, Utah. The crater provides a unique year-round training environment with warm water and depths reaching approximately 65 feet, allowing divers to practice taking their skills into deeper water.

Once participants are comfortable communicating with their team and advocating for what they need, the conversation can turn toward travel.

Just Breathe Adaptive organizes diving trips and also maintains connections with other organizations that may provide additional opportunities when their own trips don’t fit someone’s schedule.

And when participants travel, they have buddies on location to help support them in the water.

You Don’t Have to Know If You Can Do It Yet

You don’t have to know whether adaptive scuba will work for you before you reach out.

You don’t have to be confident.

You don’t have to know what adaptations you’ll need.

You don’t even have to know whether you’ll like it.

Come try.

Robin’s message is simple: whatever you’re struggling with, Just Breathe Adaptive may not be the thing that helps.

But it might be.

There may be physiological benefits to being in the water, and participants may also experience benefits related to anxiety, confidence, connection, and symptoms associated with trauma.

You won’t know until you try.

And trying doesn’t mean committing.

It can simply mean asking a question, getting some information, and deciding what feels right for you.

For survivors and caregivers who are looking for a new experience, a new community, or a reminder that there may still be things worth discovering, that first step can be as simple as reaching out.

You never know what might become possible until you try.

Watch this Resource Conversation to learn more about Just Breathe Adaptive.

Learn More About Just Breathe Adaptive

Just Breathe Adaptive provides adaptive scuba experiences, training, certification, travel opportunities, and community for individuals with disabilities.Learn more and connect with the team at: justbreatheadaptive.org

By Seantae Jackson
Crash Support Network Resource Conversation (1)
Post-Trauma LifeResource ConversationsSupport and CaregivingYou Are Not Alone
September 24, 2026

You Are Not Stuck Forever: Finding Support After a Motor Vehicle Incident

After a motor vehicle incident, it can feel like the rest of the world is moving forward while you are standing still.

There are appointments to manage. Symptoms to understand. Insurance questions. Medical decisions. Financial concerns. Legal questions. And on top of all of that, you are trying to figure out who you are now and what recovery is going to look like.

For Dawne McKay, founder of the Crash Support Network and author of Talk Crash to Me: What to Expect After Surviving a Motor Vehicle Collision and How to Manage Your Recovery, that feeling lasted for years.

Dawne was rear-ended at a high rate of speed by a distracted driver. Her recovery became a long and complicated road, and 14 years later, she understands firsthand how overwhelming the process can be.

One of the things she wanted most during those early years was simple: someone who understood.

She searched for other people who had been through something similar and was surprised by how little she could find.

So she created what she needed.

Dawne started a private Facebook group for crash survivors. Within 10 minutes, a man reached out to her. Having someone who could relate to what she was experiencing made a difference.

That small group eventually grew into the Crash Support Network, a resource dedicated to helping crash survivors feel less alone and providing information throughout the many stages of recovery.

You Are Not Going to Be Stuck Forever

One of the most important messages Dawne wants survivors to hear is this:

You won’t be stuck forever.

That doesn’t mean recovery is quick or predictable.

Healing is not a straight line.

There may be times when it feels like you are making progress and other times when you feel like you have taken several steps backward. There can be so many moving pieces that it is difficult to see what the path forward even looks like.

Dawne describes recovery as requiring strength, motivation, patience, and support.

And sometimes, people around you may not realize how much you are carrying.

You may look like you are doing okay from the outside while managing pain, appointments, symptoms, financial stress, emotional challenges, or other things that no one else can see.

That doesn’t mean you aren’t working hard.

Recovery takes a tremendous amount of strength.

Over time, with the right people and teams supporting you, the path can become clearer.

Listen to Your Body and Become Your Own Advocate

So where do you start?

Dawne encourages survivors to listen to their bodies and become their own advocates.

If something doesn’t feel right, ask questions.

If you don’t feel heard, keep looking for answers.

If you aren’t comfortable with an explanation or recommendation, you can seek another opinion from a medical professional.

It can be discouraging when someone tells you that nothing is wrong because you “look fine.” But looking okay does not tell someone everything about what you are experiencing.

Dawne encourages survivors to stay curious.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions, explore resources, learn about your options, and continue to voice what you need.

You know your body and your experience. Being an advocate for yourself is an important part of recovery.

Keep Everything

One of Dawne’s most practical recommendations is also one of the simplest:

Keep everything.

Discharge papers. Medical records. Prescription receipts. Emails. Business cards. Contact information for doctors, social workers, and other professionals. Anything related to your motor vehicle incident.

Her recommendation?

Put it all in a box.

It doesn’t have to be perfectly organized. Just have one place where you can keep the documents and information you may need later.

Dawne also recommends keeping an electronic folder for emails and other digital records.

And if you have legal representation, don’t assume that means you don’t need your own copies.

Having your own records can help you stay informed and advocate for yourself throughout the process.

Consider Getting Legal Advice

Dawne also encourages survivors to consider talking with a personal injury attorney.

Many personal injury attorneys offer free consultations, so having an initial conversation doesn’t necessarily mean you are committing to hiring someone.

And if making that call feels overwhelming, ask a trusted family member to help.

The sooner you explore your options, the better, because legal matters can involve deadlines.

A conversation with an attorney can also help you understand what options and resources may be available to you so you can make an informed decision about what comes next.

Dawne also encourages survivors to ask other survivors about their experiences with legal representation.

Legal and insurance processes can take time. Sometimes a very long time. Just like medical recovery, they can require patience.

Having someone help navigate those pieces can allow you to focus more of your energy on your own recovery.

And remember: you can advocate for yourself not only when it comes to your health, but also when it comes to your finances.

A Resource Created Because Dawne Needed It Herself

Dawne eventually took the information she had gathered through years of blogging and supporting survivors and turned it into a book.

Talk Crash to Me: What to Expect After Surviving a Motor Vehicle Collision and How to Manage Your Recovery was created to be the guide she wished someone had handed her after her own crash.

It brings together practical information and resources in an easy-to-read format, with the hope that survivors will feel less alone while navigating recovery.

Dawne also offers complimentary copies of the book to some survivors. You can reach her at info@crashsupportnetwork.com to ask about receiving a copy.

You are not alone.

And Dawne wants caregivers to hear that message, too.

While you’re supporting someone through recovery, you are carrying a lot yourself. You deserve support, information, and space to care for yourself, too.

Connect with Crash Support Network

The Crash Support Network provides survivor-focused resources, peer support, educational information, a confidential helpline, survivor stories, and a monthly Crash Connections group.

Visit www.crashsupportnetwork.com to explore the available resources and connect with the Crash Support Network or call the Crash Support Hotline at 905-674-1445 or toll-free at 1-866-473-0794.

Watch this Resource Conversation to learn more about Dawne and her work with Crash Support Network. 

By Seantae Jackson
Brea – Get Support Together
Post-Trauma LifeResource ConversationsSupport and CaregivingYou Are Not Alone
July 8, 2026

Finding the Right Support When You Don’t Know Where to Start

A Resource Conversation with Brea Berman-Black, Founder of Get Support Together

After a motor vehicle incident, it’s common to know that you need help—but have no idea where to begin.

Maybe you’re looking for a counselor who understands trauma. Maybe your loved one is struggling emotionally after the crash. Maybe you’re overwhelmed by the medical system, insurance, appointments, and trying to hold everything together.

When you’re in survival mode, even knowing what questions to ask can feel impossible.

In this Resource Conversation, we sat down with Brea Berman-Black, founder of Get Support Together, to talk about why finding the right support is often one of the hardest parts of recovery—and how she’s working to change that.

Why Get Support Together Was Created

Before surviving a life-threatening motor vehicle incident herself, Brea spent years advocating for one of her children who was experiencing severe mental health challenges.

Throughout that journey, she encountered countless professionals who genuinely wanted to help—hospital staff, school counselors, law enforcement officers, and healthcare providers.

The problem wasn’t a lack of compassion.

The problem was that many of those trusted professionals simply didn’t know what resources existed outside of their own area of expertise.

“They wanted to help,” Brea shared. “They just didn’t know where to send us.”

After spending years navigating a fragmented system, she realized that families needed something different: one place where they could understand the full continuum of available support.

Then, in 2024, Brea survived her own serious motor vehicle incident and spent more than a year recovering from multiple surgeries and a traumatic brain injury.

That experience reinforced what she already knew.

Whether you’re facing physical recovery, emotional healing, or caring for someone you love, finding the right support shouldn’t be another obstacle.

“You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know.”

One of the most powerful moments in our conversation came when Brea described what crisis actually feels like.

“You don’t know what you don’t know. I’ve never been here before.”

Those words resonate deeply with many motor vehicle incident survivors.

Most people have never had to navigate traumatic injuries, post-traumatic stress, brain injuries, caregiver burnout, or complicated recovery.

When everything feels overwhelming, even highly educated, capable people can freeze.

Family members freeze.

Professionals freeze.

Caregivers freeze.

The challenge isn’t intelligence.

It’s that trauma changes how we process information.

During crisis, reading pages of website text, comparing dozens of providers, or trying to understand unfamiliar treatment options can feel impossible.

What Is Get Support Together?

Get Support Together is building a free mental health access platform designed to help people find the right support based on their unique situation.

Rather than sending people down endless internet searches, the goal is to simplify the process.

Instead of wondering where to start, users will be able to search for resources that fit what they actually need.

That includes:

  • Support groups
  • Therapists and counselors
  • Intensive outpatient programs
  • Crisis resources
  • Community organizations
  • Holistic and wellness services
  • Nature programs
  • Sensory-friendly events
  • Recovery-focused organizations
  • And much more

The platform recognizes that healing isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Sometimes someone needs a support group.

Sometimes they need a therapist.

Sometimes they need immediate crisis intervention.

Sometimes they simply need to know they’re not alone.

Meeting Survivors Where They Are

One thing that makes Get Support Together unique is that it recognizes people don’t search the way professionals think.

People search using the words they’re actually thinking during crisis.

The platform is being built around those real-life experiences.

Eventually, users will be able to search by things like:

  • ZIP code
  • Insurance accepted
  • Free services
  • Treatment approach
  • Faith or religion
  • Pronouns
  • Languages spoken
  • Provider specialties
  • Life circumstances
  • Mental health conditions
  • Treatment modalities

Rather than forcing people to figure out the “correct” clinical language, Get Support Together aims to meet people exactly where they are.

More Than Just a Search Engine

Brea explained that many excellent resources already exist online.

The problem is that when you’re overwhelmed, it’s difficult to process all of that information.

Instead of requiring people to decode complicated websites, Get Support Together provides what she calls the “Cliff Notes.”

The goal isn’t simply to list resources.

It’s to help people quickly understand:

  • What does this provider actually do?
  • Is this treatment right for me?
  • What should I expect?
  • Who is this designed to help?

For someone recovering from a motor vehicle incident—or caring for someone who is—having that clarity can make all the difference.

Finding Someone You Connect With

Healing is deeply personal.

Sometimes the right provider isn’t simply the closest one.

It’s someone whose approach feels safe.

Someone you connect with.

Get Support Together allows providers and organizations to share much more than basic contact information.

Many will be able to include:

  • Introduction videos
  • Photos of their office or treatment space
  • Their treatment philosophy
  • Why they entered this work
  • Areas of specialty
  • Modalities they offer
  • Personal values that influence their care

For example, someone interested in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)—a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate specific areas of the brain and is often used for conditions like depression—will be able to search specifically for providers offering that service.

Others may prefer outdoor therapy, faith-based counseling, peer support groups, or holistic approaches.

The goal is simple:

Find the support that feels right for you.

Building the Continuum of Care

Rather than organizing information only by provider type, Get Support Together is also building “journeys” around specific life experiences and mental health conditions.

For example, someone experiencing a first episode of psychosis could see the full continuum of care—from early intervention and education to treatment programs, support groups, and ongoing recovery resources.

Over time, these pathways will continue expanding to include additional conditions and life circumstances, helping people better understand their options without having to piece everything together themselves.

A National Vision

While the current rollout is focused primarily on Texas, the vision is much bigger.

Get Support Together is building national partnerships and developing what Brea believes will become the country’s only comprehensive national crisis resource directory—a single place where people can quickly find crisis hotlines and urgent support resources.

Because when someone needs help, they shouldn’t have to spend hours searching for it.

A Message for Survivors

One message from Brea stood out above everything else.

We need you here.

There are people who want to help.

There are resources available.

There is hope.

Whether you’re recovering physically, emotionally, or both, you deserve support that fits your needs.

And you deserve to find it without having to navigate the journey alone.

Learn More

Get Support Together is currently in its launch phase, with new providers, organizations, and resources being added regularly. The platform is expected to become fully searchable as it continues expanding throughout 2026.

Searching the website is completely free, and visitors are encouraged to provide feedback so the platform can continue evolving to better meet the needs of survivors, caregivers, and families.

Learn more at GetSupportTogether.org.

Watch the Full Resource Conversation

To hear Brea’s story and learn more about Get Support Together, watch the full Resource Conversation here and on the Sandal Blue Foundation YouTube channel.

By Seantae Jackson
Charity Drive
You Are Not Alone
June 25, 2026

Helping Survivors Starts With a Community That Cares

Recovery doesn’t happen in isolation.

For survivors of motor vehicle incidents and their families, healing often begins with something much simpler than medical treatment—it begins with knowing someone cares.

Throughout the month of June, Cadence Chiropractic generously dedicated 100% of the proceeds from patient visits to support the work of Sandal Blue Foundation. Every appointment became an opportunity to provide practical resources and encouragement to survivors navigating some of life’s most difficult moments.

At the end of the month, Dr. Marc, staff members and Sandal Blue Foundation) gathered to transform those donations into something tangible: care kits that will soon be placed into the hands of survivors and families who need them most.

Thoughtfully Designed for Different Stages of Recovery

Thanks to the generosity of Cadence Chiropractic and their patients, we assembled:

  • 3 Hospital Care Kits
  • 11 Recovery Kits

Each hospital care kit was carefully packed with items that can make an unexpected hospital stay just a little more manageable, including a blanket, men’s or women’s hygiene kit, notebook, pen, charging accessories, and a reusable bag. While these items may seem simple, they provide comfort and convenience during an incredibly overwhelming time for both survivors and their families.

The recovery kits were designed with a different purpose in mind.

Many survivors experience moments of anxiety, overwhelm, or emotional distress long after leaving the hospital. Each recovery kit includes a grounding guide along with sensory tools that encourage survivors to reconnect with the present moment using each of their five senses.

Inside each kit are intentionally selected items including:

  • A rubbing stone for touch
  • Lotion for smell
  • A clicking fidget toy for sound
  • Mentos for taste
  • A motion bubbler for sight

Each item is paired with simple instructions that help survivors practice grounding techniques they can return to whenever they need them.

Community Partnerships Create Real Impact

One of the things we love most about partnerships like this is seeing how a community can come together to support people they’ve never met.

Every patient who chose Cadence Chiropractic in June became part of something bigger. Together, they helped provide comfort during hospital stays, practical resources for recovery, and reminders that survivors don’t have to navigate healing alone.

To Dr. Marc, the entire team at Cadence Chiropractic, and every patient who made this fundraiser possible—thank you!

Your generosity will continue reaching survivors long after the month of June has ended.

Because when a community chooses to care, healing reaches further.

By Seantae Jackson
Trauma Survivors Network
Post-Trauma LifeResource ConversationsSupport and CaregivingYou Are Not Alone
June 10, 2026

Finding Support After Traumatic Injury

You Don’t Have to Recover Alone

One of the biggest misconceptions about traumatic injury is that once someone leaves the hospital, they are “back to normal.”

For many survivors and their loved ones, discharge is not the end of the journey—it’s the beginning.

The physical healing process often comes with appointments, rehabilitation plans, and follow-up care. But the emotional and mental recovery that follows an injury can be much harder to navigate. Survivors may feel isolated, overwhelmed, anxious, frustrated, or unsure how to adapt to a life that suddenly looks different than it did before.

Family members and caregivers often face their own challenges as they support someone they love while processing their own trauma and stress.

The good news is that no one has to walk that journey alone.

The Importance of Connection After Trauma

The American Trauma Society (ATS) works to improve trauma care at every level—from first responders and healthcare professionals to survivors and families. One of the ways they do this is through the Trauma Survivors Network (TSN), a program designed to provide support, community, education, and connection for people impacted by serious physical injuries.

Traumatic injuries can leave people feeling like no one truly understands what they are experiencing. While friends and family may want to help, they may not know what to say or how to provide support.

Connecting with others who have experienced similar challenges can make a significant difference.

Sometimes the most powerful thing a survivor can hear is:

“I’ve been where you are, and there is life after this.”

Seeing someone who has adapted, rebuilt, and found a new path forward can offer hope during a difficult season.

Adapting to a New Reality

Recovery often involves more than healing physically. It may require adapting to changes in mobility, routines, relationships, work, hobbies, or expectations.

Many survivors describe this process as learning how to navigate a “new normal.”

That adaptation can feel overwhelming when you’re trying to figure it out on your own. Connecting with other survivors and caregivers allows people to learn from those who have already faced similar challenges and discovered ways to move forward.

The goal is not to return to who you were before the injury.

The goal is to learn how to live well within your current reality.

The Power of Peer Support

One of the foundations of trauma recovery support is peer connection.

Many trauma centers throughout the Trauma Survivors Network offer peer visitation programs where trained volunteers—often survivors themselves or caregivers who have walked a similar path—visit patients during their hospital stay.

These visits provide more than information.

They provide hope.

When someone sees a survivor who has faced a similar injury and is now living a meaningful life, it can create a powerful mindset shift. It reminds them that recovery is possible and that their story is still being written.

Support Groups for Survivors and Families

Support groups offer another opportunity to connect with people who understand.

The Trauma Survivors Network hosts several virtual support groups each month and also maintains a directory of local support groups throughout its network. Groups are available for a variety of populations, including:

  • Adult survivors
  • Caregivers and family members
  • Teens and young adults
  • Pediatric injury families

Every support group is a little different, but they all share a common purpose: creating a safe space where people can listen, share, ask questions, and learn from one another.

Participation is flexible. Some people feel ready to share their experiences. Others may prefer to simply listen and learn.

Both are welcome.

The important thing is knowing that support is available when you’re ready.

Finding Resources in Your Community

The Trauma Survivors Network includes more than 300 trauma centers across the United States, Canada, and Australia and provides resources to individuals seeking support from anywhere in the world.

One of the most valuable features available through the network is the ability to search for support close to home.

Visitors can use the TSN website’s map or search function to find participating trauma centers, support groups, educational programs, and local resources available in their area.

Joining a local TSN center can help survivors and families stay informed about support opportunities, educational events, and recovery resources available within their own community.

Resources Beyond Support Groups

In addition to support groups and peer mentoring, the Trauma Survivors Network offers a variety of educational resources designed to help survivors and caregivers navigate recovery.

Resources include:

  • Survivor stories and recovery journeys
  • Educational guides and resource directories
  • The TSN Notebook, a collection of tools and information for recovery
  • Community-led resources developed by survivors for survivors

The network also maintains active social media communities that provide ongoing encouragement, education, and opportunities for engagement.

Programs include:

  • Toolkit Tuesdays, featuring questions and solutions shared by the community
  • Family Fridays, focused on caregiver support and resources
  • Monthly Injury Insights, where survivors answer anonymously submitted questions about recovery

These initiatives help create ongoing opportunities for connection and learning long after someone leaves the hospital.

Recognizing Trauma Survivors

Each May, communities across the country observe National Trauma Awareness Month.

During this month, the Trauma Survivors Network also celebrates National Trauma Survivors Day on the third Wednesday of May.

Events held throughout the country honor survivors, caregivers, first responders, healthcare teams, therapists, home health professionals, and everyone involved in the recovery journey.

These celebrations help raise awareness about the realities of life after injury while recognizing the resilience of those who continue moving forward.

If You’re Struggling, You’re Not Alone

Sometimes people don’t immediately recognize that they need support.

Instead, they may notice they are more emotional than usual. More anxious. More withdrawn. More frustrated. Less interested in things they once enjoyed.

These changes can be signs that the emotional impact of an injury is still unfolding.

Recovery is not only physical.

It’s emotional, mental, social, and relational as well.

Whether you’re a survivor, caregiver, family member, or friend, support is available.

You don’t need to have all the answers before reaching out.

You don’t even need to share your story if you’re not ready.

You can simply listen, explore resources, and connect when the time feels right.

Because no one should have to navigate recovery alone.

Watch the Full Resource Conversation

Want to learn more about the resources, support programs, and survivor connections available through the Trauma Survivors Network?

Watch our full conversation with Abby Beerman, National Trauma Survivors Network Coordinator, as we discuss life after traumatic injury, the importance of peer support, resources for survivors and caregivers, and how to find help in your community.

Whether you’re a survivor, caregiver, family member, or healthcare professional, this conversation offers valuable insight into the recovery journey and the reminder that no one has to navigate it alone.

Learn More

To explore resources, find support groups, locate a Trauma Survivors Network center near you, or learn more about available programs, visit:

www.TraumaSurvivorsNetwork.org

The website offers a searchable directory of trauma centers, educational resources, survivor tools, and opportunities to connect with others who understand the journey of recovery after injury.

By Seantae Jackson
Resource Conversation YouTube Thumbnails
Post-Trauma LifeResource ConversationsSupport and CaregivingYou Are Not Alone
May 15, 2026

Personalized Recovery Support After Trauma

Resource Conversation with Matt Kalina from TandemStride

Recovery doesn’t end at discharge.

For many survivors and caregivers, that moment—leaving the hospital—is where a new kind of uncertainty begins. There’s often relief, but also hesitation, fear, and a very real question: what happens now?

This resource conversation with Matt Kalina from TandemStride focuses on that exact transition point, and how personalized, trauma-informed support can help people feel less alone in it.

These conversations are designed to give motor vehicle incident survivors and their caregivers practical tools, guidance, and support as they move through recovery—especially in the spaces where systems often fall short.

A Personal Beginning to the Work

Matt’s connection to this work is deeply personal.

His brother was involved in a pedestrian train accident 14 years ago and became a bilateral amputee at age 23. That experience shaped Matt’s understanding of what recovery can feel like when there is no roadmap—when you are trying to rebuild your life while also trying to understand what that life will even look like.

Later, after a decade of building healthcare technology, Matt kept seeing the same gap repeat itself: even with advances in medicine and systems, trauma survivors were still often left feeling alone after discharge, without clear guidance or connection.

TandemStride was built from that gap.

The Space After the Hospital

One of the most consistent challenges in trauma recovery is the transition from acute care to home.

Hospital discharge is often treated as an endpoint, but for survivors and caregivers, it can feel like the beginning of the hardest part. There is often hesitation, resistance, and uncertainty about what recovery actually looks like day to day.

TandemStride was designed to support that exact transition—helping people move from structured hospital care back into everyday life with more guidance, connection, and support.

The platform is used primarily by survivors with physical traumatic injuries such as spinal cord injuries, amputations, polytrauma, major fractures, burns, gunshot wounds, and violent crimes. Most users join within 7–14 days of discharge, though support is available at any point in recovery.

A Different Kind of Recovery Support

At the core of TandemStride is a simple idea: recovery shouldn’t be something you navigate alone.

The platform uses insights from thousands of trauma survivor journeys to better understand when challenges typically arise—such as mental health changes, substance use risk, or other barriers that can show up later in recovery.

Instead of waiting for those challenges to become crises, TandemStride works to identify patterns early and offer support proactively.

That includes:

  • Connecting survivors with peer mentors (often matched by injury type or age at injury)
  • Helping users find local resources through guided navigation
  • Offering caregiver and survivor-facing tools inside a single platform
  • Supporting both passive and active engagement, depending on what feels manageable

Get the App

TandemStride is available on the App Store and Google Play.

It is free to download and use, with some features varying depending on regional partnerships or programs (such as certain state-based initiatives).

Meeting People Where They Are

When users first open the TandemStride app, they are met with a simple question: What is your biggest challenge right now?

From there, the experience is personalized. The app guides users toward resources based on what they need most in that moment, rather than forcing them through a one-size-fits-all system.

This “choose your own adventure” approach allows survivors to engage in a way that feels right for them—whether that’s actively exploring resources or simply having support available in the background.

Community, Connection, and Not Feeling Alone

A major focus of TandemStride is building connections between survivors who understand what each other is going through.

On May 20th, 2026 – the platform is launching a new Communities feature designed specifically for trauma survivors.

Inside these communities, users can:

  • Check in daily or share updates and milestones
  • Connect with others going through similar experiences
  • Engage through likes, comments, or quiet observation
  • Use AI-supported tools to find local resources
  • Complete optional mental health screeners with guidance

Importantly, users can choose how they engage—there is no pressure to share more than they want to.

Trauma-Informed by Design

A key part of TandemStride’s approach is making sure the platform is safe and adaptable for people in different stages of recovery.

That includes features such as:

  • Content moderation to reduce exposure to triggering material
  • Options to label posts as “high intensity,” with user-controlled viewing
  • The ability to share without receiving advice or feedback
  • Topic filtering so users can control what they see

This design acknowledges something important: recovery is not just physical. Emotional safety matters too.

Small Steps Forward

TandemStride also includes a milestones feature that visually reflects progress over time.

As users engage, their milestone image gradually fills in—starting blank and slowly becoming more complete. It’s a simple but meaningful way to reflect growth, effort, and consistency in recovery.

It also serves as a reminder that progress is often made in small, quiet steps—not just big moments.

A Platform Built by Survivors, for Survivors

At its core, TandemStride is built around lived experience.

It is not just a technology platform—it is an attempt to create something that understands what it feels like to go through a life-altering injury and try to rebuild from there.

The intention is not to replace care teams or support systems, but to extend them—especially into the space where people often feel the most alone.

Why Social Support is Important in Trauma Recovery

A Closing Note

This conversation highlights something that is often overlooked in trauma recovery: the space between hospital and home matters just as much as what happens inside the hospital.

We are grateful to Matt Kalina and the TandemStride team for the work they are doing to bring more structure, connection, and humanity into that space.

A sincere thank you to TandemStride for sponsoring this episode and supporting efforts to make recovery more accessible and less isolating for survivors and caregivers.

Watch our full resource conversation with Matt Kalina from TandemStride about navigating recovery after traumatic injury, finding support after hospital discharge, and building connection through survivor-centered care.

By Seantae Jackson
Patient Advocacy 2
You Are Not Alone
April 24, 2026

Patient Advocacy in Action

Partnering to Strengthen Voices in Research and Care

Patient advocacy is not a concept—it is a lived necessity.

It is what happens when someone in the middle of a medical crisis tries to understand complex decisions. It is what happens when families are navigating hospital systems they never expected to enter. And it is what happens when lived experience is finally brought into the spaces where health care decisions are made.

At Sandal Blue Foundation, we believe patient advocacy is strongest when it is shared, structured, and community-driven. That is why our partnership with the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy’s PATIENTS Program has been such an important part of our work.

A Shared Mission: Centering the Patient Voice

The PATIENTS Program is a nationally recognized community-academic partnership that works to ensure patients, caregivers, and communities are not just participants in research—but co-creators of it. Their work focuses on building trust, improving communication, and strengthening the way research reflects real lived experience.

At its core, their mission aligns deeply with ours:

  • People closest to the problem should help shape the solution
  • Lived experience is essential data
  • Trust is built through consistency and collaboration
  • Health equity requires intentional engagement

This is patient advocacy in action—not as a service provided, but as a system built together.

Expanding Impact: PATIENTS Going National

One of the most powerful expansions of this work is the PATIENTS Going National initiative, which extends their community-engaged research model beyond Baltimore to communities across the United States.

This initiative is designed to bring patient and community voices into research at a national scale by partnering with groups connected through shared experiences such as chronic illness, disability, mental health, aging, and more.

Rather than treating communities as passive recipients of research, this model recognizes something critical:

Communities are experts in their own lived experience.

Through PATIENTS Going National, those lived experiences are being actively integrated into how research questions are formed, how studies are designed, and how health solutions are developed.

You can learn more about the initiative here: The PATIENTS Program and their national expansion effort.

Why This Matters for Patient Advocacy

Patient advocacy is often thought of as something that happens at the bedside or in a hospital hallway.

But true advocacy also happens upstream—in research design, policy development, and system planning.

When patients are included early in the process, everything changes:

  • Research becomes more relevant to real-life needs
  • Communication becomes clearer and more respectful
  • Barriers to care are identified sooner
  • Solutions are shaped by lived experience, not assumptions

This shift is what makes partnerships like ours with the PATIENTS Program so meaningful. It moves advocacy from reaction to co-creation.

What We See in Practice

Through this collaboration, we see a consistent truth:

When people are given space to share their lived experience—and when that experience is taken seriously—systems begin to change.

We see:

  • Caregivers who finally feel heard in clinical conversations
  • Survivors whose experiences help shape research priorities
  • Communities contributing insight that improves how care is delivered
  • A growing culture of trust between institutions and the people they serve

This is what it looks like when advocacy is not an afterthought, but a foundation.

Moving Forward: Building a More Inclusive Future in Health Care

Patient advocacy is not static. It grows as systems listen more deeply and include more voices.

The PATIENTS Program’s expansion through PATIENTS Going National represents a shift toward a more inclusive model of research and health care—one where patients are not just subjects of study, but active partners in shaping the future of health.

At Sandal Blue Foundation, we are proud to stand alongside work that reflects this belief:

Health care is strongest when it is built with the people it serves—not just for them.

Closing Thought

Advocacy begins with listening.

But it becomes powerful when listening turns into action—and action turns into shared ownership of change.

This partnership reminds us that when patient voices are centered, health care becomes more human, more accurate, and more just.

And that is the direction we are committed to moving in—together.

By Seantae Jackson