Second Chance to Live
Craig J. Phillips
Hello Bellringer,
My name is Craig J. Phillips and I am a traumatic brain injury survivor as well as a Master’s level Rehabilitation counselor. In 1967 I sustained an open skull fracture with right frontal lobe damage and remained in a coma for 3 weeks at the age of 10. I underwent brain and skull surgery after waking from the coma. Follow-up EEG’s, cognitive and psyche / social testing revealed that I would not be able to succeed academically beyond high school. In 1967 Neurological Rehabilitation was not available, so I was essentially on my own. I had to re-teach myself how to walk, talk, read, write and speak in complete sentences again. I have since obtained both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. For an in depth view of my process please read my post,http://secondchancetolive.wordpress.com/2007/02/18/my-journey-thus-far/
Through out my lifetime I developed strategies to overcome many obstacles and in so doing I have achieved far beyond all reasonable expectations. On February 6, 2007 at the encouragement of a friend I created Second Chance to Live. Second Chance to Live, which is located at http://secondchancetolive.wordpress.com presents topics in such a way to encourage, motivate and empower the reader to live life on life’s terms.
I believe our circumstances are not meant to keep us down, but to build us up. As a traumatic brain injury survivor, I speak from my experience, strength and hope. As a master's level rehabilitation counselor I provide information on a wide array of topics to encourage, motivate and empower the reader to live life on life's terms.
Second Chance to Live presents information to inspire and bring hope. Material from Second Chance to Live will enhance the lives of caregivers and the individuals who support the needs of those caregivers.
Please visit Second Chance to Live and consider telling your readers about my message of hope. Please also consider adding Second Chance to Live to your web site as a helpful resource. Thank you for your time and kindness.
Have a simply phenomenal day!
Craig J. Phillips MRC, BA
Second Chance to Live
Our circumstances are not meant to keep us down, but to build us up!
Second Chance to Live has been published through out Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United States of America.
Growth Point, social and therapeutic journal, Summer Edition 2007, Thrive, The Geoffrey Udall Centre, Beech Hill Reading RG7 2AT email info@thrive.org.uk
Brain Injury Association of Texas newsletter, Summer Edition 2007, Austin, Texas email info@biatx.org
In Touch, newsletter, Summer Edition 2007, Westminster, Colorado, email Elaine@ImAlreadyHome.com
The Brain Injury Handbook, Rehab UK, September 2007, 62a, Peach Street Wokingham Berkshire, RG40 1XH email ninahillier@rehabuk.org
Transformation Times, October and November issues. Transformation Times is a mini-magazine, serving men and women of the armed services and their families and is published by Operation Life Transformed. My articles are listed under, Traumatic Brain Injury and Activities of Daily Living with in the mini-magazine. You can access the mini-magazine through http://lifetransformed.org/Documents/Oct_T_times_final_(3)[1].pdf . Operation Life Transformed can be contacted through contactus@lifetransformed.org
European Brain Injury Society E.B.I.S. with in their Autumn 2007 Newsletter http://www.ebissociety.org/automn/newsletter-angl.htm in both French and English. Specifically, My Journey thus Far has been printed with in the newsletter.
Brain Injury Association of Niagara My article, Traumatic Brain Injury and Displaced Energy has been published by the, Newsletter January 2008 http://www.niagara.com/bian/
Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Neuropsychology http://www.tbi.pmr.vcu.edu/ My Journey thus Far,
TBI Today Volume 6 Issue I — winter 2008 issue News, Ideas and Resources from the Virginia TBI Model System
As of February 21 Second Chance to Live started being visited and read by the Department of Veteran's Administration from locations through out the United States.
I am available for speaking engagements, conferences and seminars. My message is to motivate, encourage and empower people with and with out disabilities to consider the possibilities. My diverse background in nursing, emergency medicine, physical education, theology, counseling and with in both the funeral and cemetery industries equip my ability to speak to a wide range of topics as they relate to living life on life’s terms. Second Chance to Live incorporates my experience, strength and hope.
As a traumatic brain injury survivor and a master’s level rehabilitation counselor who has lived with an invisible disability for over 40 years I bring a fresh and unique perspective to any audience.
I believe that our circumstances are not meant to keep us down, but they are meant to build us up. I believe our circumstances provide the learning environment that teaches you and I lessons. As we learn from those lessons we gain experience. Our experiences prepare you and I to take advantage of the opportunities that become available to us. I believe those opportunities point us in the direction of our destinies.