Taryn Barlow, Cognitive Health Coach™, talks about her road to The Well Brain (audio)

FM #1526 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1526 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Taryn Barlow, Cognitive Health Coach™ working at The Well Brain. We had our conversation virtually via the Zoom platform on Wednesday, September 24, 2025. 

Discussion items: 

• 

  Taryn Barlow, Cognitive Health Coach™

  Taryn’s background and road to the “well brain”

• Development of the “Cognitive Health Coach™”

• Process of delivering via H.O.P.E.

The conversation runs about 40 minutes. Let’s listen in 

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1526-taryn-barlow-the-well-brain-09-24-25/

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Taryn Barlow -> Cognitive Health Coach™ | The Wellbrain

Phone -> 774-498-9234

emailAddress -> thewellbrainslp@gmail.com 

Website ->  https://thewellbrainslp.com/

LinkedIn profile -> https://www.linkedin.com/in/taryn-barlow-994917208/ 

Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/taryn_thewellbrain/ 

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

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Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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Future topic, with expansion on use of the puzzle pieces, getting Ian Kabat together, he designed the logo with that puzzle in mind, introduced it in 2014 so it has been some years and has aged well

Comedy night fundraiser for Brain Injury Assoc in Worcester on Saturday, June 28 at 8 PM

Comedy night fundraiser for Brain Injury Assoc

via Ali Rheaume:

Comedy Night fundraiser for Brain Injury, at an accessible location - hosted by my friend George Farrington ... and one of my paintings will be in the silent auction up for grabs!

Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19MuyvKovK/

"A Mile for the Mind" fund raiser to benefit Brain Injury Association Saturday, March 22 at the Sculpture Park

via Hunter Schulz, Miss Blackstone Valley 2024

I met Hunter at Ali's "Look UP" gallery show

Hi! 

I'm hosting my fundraiser "A Mile for the Mind" benefiting the Brain Injury Association of America on Saturday March 22nd, 12-2 PM at the Franklin Sculpture Park (911 Panther Way Franklin, MA  02038 United States)! 

There will be raffles, snacks, prizes, and more 😊 

You can make a donation online ->   https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=biausa&id=321

"Look Up" Gallery by: Ali Rheaume at the Franklin Public Library Mar 1 - Mar 29

March 1st-29th @ the Franklin Public Library

For brain injury awareness month, this gallery containing acrylic paintings

of clouds embodies my personal journey after brain injury that God has

brought me though, amidst different circumstances and emotions. 

During the opening event, I will be sharing my story about how I went

from being an elementary PE teacher to an award-winning artist! 

Come view the art, hear about the process, and enjoy a meet-and-greet!!

 

March 1st-29th @ the Franklin Public Library

*Opening Event: March 7th, 3:45-4:45pm*

*Opening Event: March 7th, 3:45-4:45pm*

Representative Roy Calls for Primary Seat Belt Law at the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts Advocacy Day

On February 4th, 2025, the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts (BIA-MA) hosted their annual Brain Injury Annual Advocacy Day at the Massachusetts State House. They were advocating for bills requiring commercial health insurers to cover cognitive rehabilitation services for survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI), continued funding for the Statewide Head Injury Program, and State Representative Jeffrey N. Roy’s primary seat belt bill. 

Rep. Roy attended the Annual Advocacy Day to show his support and addressed the crowd about HD.1180 An Act establishing a primary seat belt law. As he noted in his remarks, “Seatbelts offer the best defense from injury or death in car crashes. Seat belts promote safety, save lives, and save money.”

Rep Jeff Roy addressed the crowd

In fact, statistics demonstrate that we could save 45 lives, prevent 500 injuries, and save $525 million over 5 years with a primary seat belt law in effect. According to a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine, the single greatest opportunity to improve health and reduce premature deaths lies in personal behavior and seat belt use is yet another form of impaired driving that must be addressed. Massachusetts ranks 46th in the nation in seat belt use, lagging the national rate by nearly 10 percent, reinforcing the need for this legislation.

Held at the state house every year, the BIA-MA event provides information on legislative ambitions to constituents, survivors, and elected officials. The push for advocacy does not stop with their policy agenda, as the event is also provides a platform for survivors of traumatic brain injuries to share their personal story on the significant impact of TBI. 

(L-R) Ali Rheaume, Rep Jeff Roy

During the event, Franklin’s Ali Rheaume, a traumatic brain injury survivor., shared her own experiences, stating, “Brain injuries are ‘invisible", meaning you cannot see what the impact is simply by looking at someone. I may look good, but you have no idea that I actually feel confused, foggy, or even in pain. 

“You may get up, get dressed, eat breakfast, drive to work, navigate work all day, and not have to think twice about any of those actions or decisions. For someone who sustained brain injury, every task is a big deal. Choosing your clothes, remembering a schedule, and problem-solving along with sudden issues that arise such as traffic, can all be extremely difficult. It takes cognition, which is affected by brain injury, and that is why we are strongly advocating for new laws, such as Rep Roy’s bill.”

The BIA-MA also presented attendees with an “Unmasking Brain Injury” exhibit. This offered compelling visual insight into TBI survivors’ everyday experiences through their artistic works. Through the speeches of Massachusetts Legislators, BIA-MA, MassAbility, and other survivors, the annual Brain Advocacy Day hopes to ensure stories like Rheaume’s are heard throughout the state. 

For more information on the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts, please visit https://biama.org/.