Traumatic brain injury survivors face a variety of different issues. While everyone with TBI has different challenges, depending on the severity of their injury, other people undergoing similar challenges can best understand the problems you are facing. TBI support groups provide the emotional support TBI patients and their families need to tackle the obstacles of living with a traumatic brain injury. Support groups are a wonderful way to make new friends and to learn about TBI.
Different TBI support groups focus on different aspects of coping with TBI. For example, some groups offer special separate meetings for the family members and caregivers of TBI patients, while other groups have one meeting for both the TBI patient and his or her family. Some groups focus on helping new TBI patients adjust to their new lifestyle, while other groups focus on offering adaptive recreational activities for people with TBI. Some support groups offer support for people with either TBI or SCI and several support groups offer help to people with any form of physical disability. It is a good idea to check out several groups before deciding which one to join; some people find it helpful to belong to more than one group.
We have tried to make the following list of TBI support groups in New Mexico as complete as possible. Since groups change meeting places and meeting times and may disband without notice, we advise you to call ahead before visiting a group’s meeting place for the first time.
If you cannot find a support group near you, you may consider starting one of your own. You can obtain information on starting your own support group from the Brain Injury Association of New Mexico: https://braininjurynm.org/.
Albuquerque
Albuquerque Support Group (survivors and caregivers)
This group meets at 7 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month.
Meeting place:
HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital
7000 Jefferson NE
Contact:
David Small at 858-0939
Albuquerque Survivors
This group, for survivors only, meets on the first Friday of every month at 7 p.m.
Meeting place:
Albuquerque Regional Medical Center
505 Elm St. NE
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Contact:
Cardo Gallegos at 288-1216
Albuquerque Professionals
This group meets every Thursday from noon to 1:30 p.m.
Meeting place:
Brain Injury Association of New Mexico
121 Cardenas NE (East of San Mateo, North of Central)
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Contact:
Laura Reed at 281-0665
The Clubhouse
This group meets the first and third Friday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon.
Meeting place:
Brain Injury Association of New Mexico
121 Cardenas NE (East of San Mateo, North of Central)
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Contact:
Alicia Sisneros at 292-7414
Volunteer Work Group
This group meets on the third Thursday of each month from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Meeting place:
Brain Injury Association of New Mexico
121 Cardenas NE (East of San Mateo, North of Central)
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Contact:
Ralph Frakes at 296-0173
Santa Fe Brain Injury Support Group
This group meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from
3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Meeting place:
Toney Anaya Building, Hearing Room 1
2550 Cerrillos Road
Santa Fe, New Mexico
No contact information available on this group. For more information contact the Brain Injury Association of New Mexico at 1-888-292-7415 or www.braininjurynm.org.