Why You Should Attend A Brain Injury
Support Group
Living with a brain injury can be lonely. It helps to know you are not alone – whether you are an individual who’s affected by a brain injury, a family member, and/or a caregiver. Many people who go to a support group express relief in finally finding others who “get it.”
Benefits of Attending for Individuals affected by a brain injury:
• Be accepted for who you are now – not for who you were before
• Learn information that is relevant and understandable
• Express your feelings in a place where they will be supported, accepted, and understood
• Provide others an opportunity to be understood
• Practice social skills with people who will be OK with “slip-ups”
Benefits of Attending for family members and loved ones:
• Find a forum for problem-solving
• Get a better handle on managing cognitive & behavioral changes
• Discuss and learn about individual and family adjustment issues
There are support groups throughout Florida. Support group leadership varies – some are run by individuals who’ve been affected by brain injury or have a family member with a brain injury. Some support groups are led by healthcare professionals working in the brain injury field. Although groups may receive technical assistance from BIF, they are independent and do not necessarily reflect the views or official positions of BIF.
If you are interested in starting a support group in your area, please reach out to Carrie Rayburn at CRayburn@BrainInjuryFL.org to receive the Brain Injury Florida Support Group Guide.
Support Group Directory
Note that some listings have extensive contact information, while others have only a phone number; we have endeavored to make this information as current and complete as possible, but sometimes groups change or disband without warning. Please call or e-mail the groups you are interested in to receive the most up-to-date information.
Daytona Beach
HALIFAX HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER
Join us the fourth Thursday of each month at 3:00 pm for a support group.
Contacts: Gail Sunderland at (917) 363-5880
Website: https://www.halifaxhealth.org/articles/help-stroke-survivors
Meeting place
Halifax Health Medical Center
France Tower Meeting Rooms
303 N. Clyde Morris Blvd.
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Delray
PINECREST BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT
This group meets the second Wednesday of the month from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
Contact: Mary Kaye (561) 495-3048 Mary.Kaye@tenethealth.com
Website: https://www.delraymedicalctr.com/for-patients/i-am-a-scheduled-or-current-patient/helpful-support-groups
Meeting place:
Delray Medical Center
Pinecrest General Gym
5360 Linton Blvd.
Delray, FL 33484
Fort Walton Beach
OKALOOSA-WALTON BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT
This group meets 1st and 3rd Wednesday from 9:30 to 1130am
Contact: Madison at 850-904-4242
Meeting place:
Bayer Behavioral Health
203 Hollywood Blvd
NE Ft. Walton, FL 32548
Hollywood
MEMORIAL REGIONAL BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT
This group meets on the third Wednesday of every month from 12:30 to 2:30 pm.
Contact: Victoria Sandaval at 954-518-5542
Meeting place:
Memorial Regional Hospital
3501 Johnson Street
Hollywood, FL 33021
Hope Brain Injury Support
This group meets every third Saturday of the month from 10:15 to noon.
Contact: Jane Elkins at 904-0771-6658
Meeting place:
Brooks Outpatient Rehab Center
3901 University Blvd. South
Jacksonville, FL 32216
Brooks Rehab Support Group
General group for people with disabilities, not specific to brain injury
first Thursday 5:30-7:00pm
Meeting Place:
Brooks Rehab Hospital-University Campus
3599 University Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32216
1st Floor Assembly rooms 1& 2
904-345-7314 or brooks.supportgroup@brooksrehab.org
Healthsouth Brain Injury Support
This group meets on the last Thursday of the month from 6 to 7:30 pm.
Contacts:
James Nadell, Ph.D at 305-259-6433 or JNadell2000@yahoo.com
Rhonda Vivas at 305-259-6434
Meeting place:
HealthSouth Rehab Hospital
20601 Old Cutler Road
Miami, FL 33189
MIAMI BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT AT BAPTIST HOSPITAL OF MIAMI
Please call Sharon Wright at 786-596-6578 or Caroline Godinez at786-596-6108
New Port Richey
New Port Richey Brain Injury Support
This group meets every Saturday from noon to 2:30 pm at the Lane Glo bowling alley.
Contact: Joan Tavarese at 727-534-3301 or art10710@yahoo.com
Meeting place:
Lane Glo North Lanes (bowling alley)
6935 Ridge Road
New Port Richey, FL 3465
Panama City
SECOND CHANCE
This group meets the first Tuesday of every month from 6 to 9 pm.
Contact: Cheryl Morden at 850-769-7779 or secondchancefl@hotmail.com
Meeting place:
Second Chance
222 East Beach Dr.
Panama City, FL 32401
Pensacola
PENSACOLA BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT
This group meets on the FIRST Tuesday of every month from 4 to 5 pm in the Rehab Gym.
Contacts:
Carrie Rayburn, CTRS, CBIS at (850) 494-6195
Meeting place:
HCA Florida Healthcare Rehabilitation Center
Rehab Gym
8383 North Davis Highway
Pensacola, FL 32514
Orlando
BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT (O-BIS)
This group meets on the third Wednesday and fourth Wednesday (game night) of the month from 6:30 to 8 pm. It was founded in 1988 and it puts the focus on recreational activities for people with brain injuries, as well as on recovery from brain injury.
Contact:
Meeting place:
Mayor William Beardall Senior Center
800 S. Delaney Ave.
Orlando, FL 32801
https://www.facebook.com/TBISupportGroup
Sarasota
BIG Brain Injury Group
This group meets on the second Monday of every month from 1 to 3 pm and it emphasizes learning to do things independently.
Contact: Mary Morris at 941-351-9545 ex 105 or Mary@scil4u.org
Meeting place:
Sun Coast Independent Living
2989 Fruitville Road, Suite 101
Sarasota, FL 34237
St. Petersburg
PINELLAS COUNTY BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT
This group meets twice a month on the second and fourth Thursdays from 6 to 7 pm.
Contacts:
Steven Frank, Ph.D. at 727-322-6123
Anita Lenas, LCSW at 727-322-6123
Meeting place:
Bayfront Medical Center
Sheen Conference Center
701 6th Street South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Tallahassee
BIG BEND BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT
This group meets on the second Monday of the month from 7:30 to 9:00 pm.
Contact:
Teddy McQuat, RN at 850-421-3890 or 850-431-1155
Meeting place:
Tallahassee Memorial Hospital
Ground Room Conference A
1300 Miccosukee Road
Tallahassee, FL 3230
Tampa
TAMPA BAY BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUP
Contact: Various Facilitators
Email: info.braininjurygroup@gmail.com
Mailing Address:
601 Main Street Dunedin, FL 34698
TAMPA BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUP
Contact Dr. Angela Acree
Email: acree@tgh.org
Mailing Address:
6 Tampa General Circle Tampa, FL 33606
The Villages
NORTH LAKE BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT
This group meets on the second Thursday of the month from 2 to 4 pm.
Contact: Florence Korpi at 352-553-2370 or FlorenceKorpi@hotmail.com
Meeting place:
North Lake Presbyterian Church
Harbor Bldg.
975 Rolling Acres Road
The Villages, FL 32159
West Palm Beach
BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT
This group’s meetings take place at a Goodwill center every fourth Tuesday of the month (except December) from 6 to 7:30 pm.
Contact: Ellise Johansen at 561-848-7200 or Johansen@gulfstreamgoodwill.com
Marsha Martino at 561-848-7200 or Martino@gulfstreamgoodwill.com
Meeting place:
Gulfstream Goodwill
1715 Tiffany Drive East
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
Winter Haven
WINTER HAVEN BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT
This group meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month from 7 to 8:30 pm. It offers the Esteem Program.
Contact: Linda Rumrell at 863-292-4061 or linda.rumrell@mfms.com
Meeting place:
Winter Haven Outpatient Hospital
3425 Lake Alfred Road
Winter Haven, FL 33881
Winter Park
AdventHealth Winter Park
This group meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.
Contact: inpatientrehabcflsupportgroups@.com
Meeting place:
AdventHealth Winter Park
Nicholson Pavilion
200 North Lakemont Avenue
Winter Park, FL 32792
Virtual option is available