People with traumatic brain injury suffer a variety of challenges depending on the degree and extent of their injury. Dealing with TBI is challenging for both the patient and his or her family, but sharing your experiences with people who have had similar experiences can help. TBI support groups provide the opportunity to make friends and learn more about TBI.
Different TBI support groups have different focuses, so check out several, if possible, to see which one best meets your needs. Some TBI support groups emphasize learning about TBI, while others emphasize offering adaptive recreational opportunities for TBI patients. Some groups have meetings for patients and separate meetings for caregivers and family members, while others invite any one interested in TBI to the same meeting. There a few groups solely for people with mild TBI.
We have tried to make the following list of TBI support groups in Washington State as complete as possible and we have included groups for specific conditions such as strokes which cause brain injury and hydrocephalus which can be caused by brain injury. Since support groups change or disband without warning we advise you to call before traveling to the group’s meeting place for the first time. Washington State residents are fortunate because there are many TBI support groups within their home state, but if you cannot find a group in your area, you may wish to start one. The Brain Injury Association of Washington can provide information on starting your own support group: http://www.biawa.org
The TBI Support Network of Washington can also help: http://www.tbiwa.org/
Bellevue/Eastside
Bellevue/Eastside TBI Support Groups
The group meets on first and third Mondays of each month from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Co-facilitators: Linda R Khosraw and Michael Given
Meeting Place
Highland Community Center
14224 Bel-Red Road
Bellevue, Washington
Contact:
Linda R Khosraw 425-820-0204
Michael Given 425-246-4215
Bellingham
Bellingham TBI Evening Support Group
This group meets the second Wednesday of each month, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Meeting Place
St. Joseph Hospital, South Campus Rehab Center Conference Room
2901 Squalicum Parkway
Bellingham, Washington
Contact:
Gary Nelson 360-656-6195
Bellingham TBI Day Group
This group meets the first Saturday of each month from 11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Meeting Place:
Health Support Center
1210 Indian Street
Bellingham, Washington
Contact:
Victoria Wick 360-398-9110
Bremerton/Kitsap Area
TBI Support Group
This group meets the second Thursday of each month from 3:00 – 4:30 pm. Call Janice Worman for more information
Meeting Place:
Harrison Silverdale Medical Center
1780 Myhre Road (flagpole entrance)
Silverdale, Washington
TBI Support Group
This group meets the fourth Wednesday of each month from 4:30 – 6:00 pm. Call Janice Worman for more information.
Meeting Place:
Harrison Green Mountain Rehab Center
2625 Wheaton Way, Suite A
Bremerton, Washington
Contact for both groups:
Janice Worman OTR/L 360-475-6480
Clarkston–Quad Cities
TBI Support Group
This group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 9:00 am.
Tri State Memorial Hospital
1221 Highland Avenue
Clarkston, Washington
Contact:
Deby Smith 509-758-9661 E-mail: biaqcdeby@earthlink.net
Colville – Stevens County
TBI Support Group
This group meets the first Tuesday of the month from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm.
Meeting Place:
Mount Carmel Hospital
982 East Columbia
Colville, Washington
Contact:
Craig Sicilia 509-218-7982
Danny Holmes 509-680-4634
Website: http://tbisurvivorsnetwork.ning.com/events/colville-brain-injury-support
Eastern Washington/North Idaho
Veterans Brain Injury Support Group
This group meets the third Tuesday of each month from 6:30 – 8:30 pm.
Meeting Place:
Kootenai Medical Center
2003 Lincoln Way
Coeur D’Alene, ID 83814
Contact E-mail: imaginationman@msn.com
Lewis County
Lewis County TBI Support Group
This group offers a variety of activities. Meetings are as follows:
first Tuesday, 5:00 pm – game night
second Tuesday, 5:00 pm – social group
third Tuesday, 5:00 pm – study group
fourth Tuesday, 5:00 pm – social group
Meeting Place:
Providence Chehalis Hospital
500 SE
Chehalis, Washington
Contact:
Larry Carroll 360-864-4341
Ann Grabhorn 360-983-3166
Moses Lake
Telephone TBI Support
This organization offers support over the phone, but no in-person meetings. Support is available from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Contact:
Rick 509- 765-5435
Olympia
TBI Support Group
This group meets the second Tuesday of each month from 6:00 – 7:30 pm.
Meeting Place:
Providence St. Peter Hospital Campus, Emilie Gamelin Pavilion, Third Floor Classroom, 410 Providence Lane
Olympia, Washington
Contact:
Pat Gabrielse 360-493-4432
Puyallup
This group meets on the first and third Thursdays of the month from 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Meeting Place:
Good Samaritan Hospital, Mt. Rainier Room
407 14th Ave Se
Puyallup, Washington
Contact:
Sheri and Ed Van Veldhouse 253-841-9635 E-mail: sherivanv@yahoo.com
Richland
This group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00 pm.
Meeting place:
The Neurological Resource Center
712 Swift Blvd, #1
Richland, Washington
Contact:
509-943-8455 E-mail: tnrc@kadlecmed.org
San Juan County
Telephone TBI Support
This organization offers support over the phone, but no in-person meetings. Support is available from 8:00 am – 6:00 pm.
Contact:
Andrea Simmons 360-378-9541
Seattle/Cherry Hill
TBI Support Group
This group meets the fourth Thursday of the month from 1:00pm-3:00pm.
Meeting Place:
Casey or Mother Joseph Room, inside the cafeteria,
Swedish Medical Center/Cherry Hill Campus
500 17th Ave
Seattle. Washington
TBI Support Group
This group, which is associated with the Swedish Medical Center group, meets on the second Thursday of the month from 1:00-3:00 pm.
Meeting Place
Frontier Room restaurant
2203 first Ave (near the corner of first & Blanchard)
Seattle, Washington
Contacts for both groups:
Valerie Wootton 360-387-6428
Zsche Navarre 206-818-2050Z
Website: http://cherryhillsupportgroup.blogspot.com/
Seattle/Wallingford
This group meets on the third Tuesday of each month from 4:00 – 5:30 pm.
Meeting Place:
Good Shepherd Center, Room 202
4649 Sunnyside N
Seattle, Washington
Contact:
Janet Novinger 206-547-2526
Sequim/Port Angeles
This group meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 3:00 to 4:30 pm.
Meeting Place:
VFW site
169 East Washington Street
Sequim, WA 98382
Contacts:
Stephen Stratton 360-582-9502 (please leave message)
Kurt Rittenmyer 360-683-8901
Skagit Valley
TBI Support Group
This group meets the second Tuesday of each month from 6:00 – 8:00 pm.
Meeting Place:
Skagit Valley Hospital, San Juan Room across from Cafeteria
1415 E. Kincaid
Mt. Vernon, WA
Contact:
Charles Yahnke 425-328-7424
South Snohomish County
TBI Support Group
This group meets the third Thursday of each month from 7:00 – 9:00 pm.
Meeting Place:
Stevens Hospital, West side of the cafeteria on the second floor of the main hospital building
21601 76th Avenue W
Edmonds, WA
Contact:
Jim Anderson 425-776-4599
Lou Nash 425-776-7264
Spokane
Spokane County Brain Injury Support Group
This group meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 6:30-8:30 pm
Meeting Place:
Spokane County Library
12004 East Main
Spokane Valley, Washington
Contact:
Craig Sicilia 509-218-7982
Toby Brown 509-868-5388
Family & Care Giver Brain Injury Support Group
This group meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m.
Meeting Place:
St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute
711 S Cowley Street, Room 200
Spokane, Washington
Contacts:
Michele White 509-534-9380
Craig Sicilia 509-218-7982
Spokane TBI Support Group
This group meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 7pm.
St. Luke’s Rehab Institute
711 S. Cowley, Room 200Spokane, WA 99403
Contacts:
Gloria Malmoe 509-340-0786 E-mail: justformejustice@msn.com
Ashley Richard 509-340-0786 E-mail: vjwcamis@earthlink.net
Craig Sicilia 509 218-7982
Robert Saddler 509-954-8936
TBI Self Development Workshops
The workshops meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm.
Meeting Place:
Downtown Public Library
900 West Main Spokane
Contact:
Craig Sicilia 509-218-7982
Education – Transition Brain Injury Support Group
Meets in the Spokane area. For current schedule, please call.
Contact:
Craig Sicilia 509-218-7982
Web page: http://www.biawaspokane.org/
Stanwood-Camano Island-North Snohomish County
TBI Support Group
This group meets on the third Monday of each month from 6:30 – 8:00 pm.
Meeting Place:
Stanwood Community and Senior Center
7430 276th Street NW
Stanwood, Washington
Contact:
Karen Furney 425-268-2934
Tacoma
TBI Support Group
This group meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month from7:00 – 9:00 pm.
Meeting Place
TACID Center
6315 South 19th Street
Tacoma, Washington
Contact:
Penny Condoll 253-426-5735 E-mail tbisg@comcast.net
Web site: https://home.comcast.net/~tbisg/
Headliners—TBI Recreation Group
Sponsored by Tacoma Metro Park District. Meets the third Wednesday of each month from 11:30 am – 2:00 p.m.
Meeting Place:
South Park Community Center
4851 S. Tacoma Way
Tacoma, Washington
Vancouver
Vancouver TBI Support
This group meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 2 pm. Call for more details.
Meeting Place:
Disability Resources of SW Washington
2700 NE Andresen Road, Suite D5.
Vancouver, WA 98661
Contacts:
Charlie Gourde 10-4 Monday- Friday 360-694-6790 ext. 103
E-mail: charlie@darsw.com or disabilityresources@darsw.com
Walla Walla
Monthly Phone Conferences and meetings every other month in person.
Meeting Place:
St. Mary’s hospital
401 W Poplar St.
Walla Walla, Washington
Contact:
Craig Sicilia 509-218-7982
Wellpinit Tribal Brain Injury Support Group
The group meets the second Monday of each month. This group is for tribal residents only
Contact:
Craig Sicilia 509-218-7982
Jack Louie, Wellpinit Human Services, (509)458-6500
Website: www.spokanetribe.com
Wenatchee
Stroke and Brain Injury Support Group
This support group is open to any Stroke and Brain Injury Survivor and their family members or caregivers. This group meets the third Wednesday of each month, at WVMC, conference room A, from 1:30 to 3:00pm.
Meeting Place:
WVMC Wenatchee Valley Medical Center
820 N. Chelan Ave.
Wenatchee, WA 98801
Susan Howell, LICSW 509-664-4868, ext. 5983
Contact:
Kathy 253-591-5314
Whidbey Island – Coupeville
This group meets the first Monday of each month from 6:30 – 8:30 pm.
Meeting Place:
Whidbey General Hospital – Board Room
101 North Main Street
Coupeville, Washington
Contact:
Arlene/Allen House 360-678-5392 E-mail: rwriter2000@comcast.net
Whitman County
Whitman County Brain Injury Support Group
This group’s meeting times vary, please call for details.
Meeting Place:
Pullman Regional Hospital,
835 SE Bishop Blvd
Pullman, Washington
Contact:
Sha Peterson 509-747-6166
Yakima
TBI Support Group
This group meets on the third Wednesday of each month from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm. NOTE: This group does not meet in July or August
Yakima Regional Medical & Cardiac Center5th Floor Conference Room
110 S 9th Avenue
Yakima, Washington
Contact:
Teresa Shervey 509-573-3481 E-mail: teresa.shervey@hma.com
The following are groups for more specific conditions which can be caused by traumatic brain injury:
Ellenburg
Aspergers NW support group
For individuals with Traumatic Brain Injuries or similar disorders:
second Monday of every month, Noon – 1:30 p.m. Bring brown bag lunch.
fourth Thursday of every month, 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. Coffee and support.
third Wednesday of every month, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Caregiving and family support issues
Meeting Place:
Central Washington Disability Resources:
422 N. Pine Street
Ellensburg, Washington
Children’s Hydrocephalus support group
Contact:
Lori Poliski/Paul Gross 425-482-0470
Seattle
Seattle Hydrocephalus Group
This group meets the third Saturday of each month in the Casey Room from 1-3 pm. It is included here because hydrocephalus can be caused by a brain injury.
Meeting Place
Swedish Hospital’s Providence Campus The room is located in the dining room on the main floor.
17th & Jefferson
Seattle, Washington
Contacts:
Kim Andersen 206-324-4084
Diana Pozzi 206-282-6107
Cerebral Palsy Association of Pierce County
TACID Center, 6315 S. 19th St. Tacoma.
Call for information.
Contact:
Kathryn Fischer at 253-584-2261
OTR/L, SibShop
SibShop welcomes all typically developing brothers and sisters, kids and teenagers who have a sibling with a disability or chronic health condition. To register, call Colleen at 253-697-5225.
Meeting Place
Good Samaritan Hospital:
402 – 15th Ave. S.E., Ste. 100
Puyallup, WA 98372.
Contact:
Raphielle Chynoweth 253 848-6661, ext. 5245 Email: raphiellechynoweth@goodsamhealth.org
Seattle Children’s Home—help for children with various conditions, call for more information.
2142 10 Ave W.
Seattle, Washington
206-283-3300
Contact:
Karen Roe 206-782-2232
Spokane
Spokane Hydrocephalus Support Group
This group meets the first Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m.
Meeting Place
Providence Faith & Healing Center, Room 12.
101 W. 8th Ave.
Spokane, Washington
Contact:
Trish 509-235-5966.
Stroke Support Group
This group meets on the third Thursday of the month from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
St. Luke’s Rehab Institute Room 200
711 S. Cowley
Spokane, Washington
Contact:
Patsy Sites 509-838-4771.
Tacoma
Tacoma Area Stroke Support Group
This group meets on the second Thursday of the month from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Meeting Place
TACID Center
6315 So 19th Street
Tacoma, Washington
Contact:
Linda Thompson 253-472-0857
WA State Parent to Parent
Call for more information. There are many locations throughout the state.
Contact:
Susan Atkins at 425-641-7504 E-mail statep2p@earthlink.net