A.H.E.A.D. Group

WHAT IS A.H.E.A.D.?

The A.H.E.A.D. group empowers people living with brain injury to better understand their symptoms and learn new strategies for daily life. The message for participants is simple: with the right tools and support, life can get better.

This group curriculum was developed based on best practices for group facilitation for individuals living with brain injury. The topics were selected to address the hallmark symptoms of brain injury. The focus of this group is to help participants understand brain injury and build skills for managing their symptoms so they can be more successful moving forward. The curriculum is designed in such a way that practitioners of any background can facilitate the group sessions. It can be used in many settings, including mental health programs, schools, peer groups, housing programs, and more.

WHO IS THE GROUP FOR?

The A.H.E.A.D. group is designed for anyone with a history of brain injury – whether diagnosed or identified through screening. Participants may face challenges like memory problems, slower thinking, or trouble managing emotions. This group provides support and practical tools to manage these symptoms.

The group is open, meaning people can join or leave as needed. While attending all 7 sessions is helpful, it’s not required. People can also repeat the group.

FOR FACILITATORS

You don’t need to be a clinician to run A.H.E.A.D. The curriculum was built so that practitioners from many backgrounds can lead it. Facilitators receive a full facilitators guide, video training, and easy-to-follow materials.

Each session includes:

• An introduction
• Core content
• A hands-on activity
• Handouts and optional homework
• Time for reflection

Each part of the facilitators’ guide uses clear action symbols (e.g., TALK, WRITE, DISCUSS) so facilitators know what to do. Icebreaker activities at the start of each session are encouraged to build connections. For a list of icebreaker ideas, search online or visit: Group Therapy Activities, 20 Best Icebreakers for Group Therapy.

Facilitator Guidelines:

• • Ideal group size: 4 – 12 participants
  • Session length: 1.5 hours each
  • Try to hold sessions at the same time and place each week for consistency

• Schedule all 7 sessions in advance if possible
• Encourage participants to bring a binder or folder for group materials
• Ask each participant to identify a support person to help them between sessions

Materials:

Located at the top of this page under Modules, there are links to each weekly session. There you will find all the information needed including a video overview for facilitators. You can also download full copies of the entire A.H.E.A.D. curriculum using the links below.

Download Complete Facilitators’ Guide (PDF)

Download Complete Handouts and Homework (PDF)

HOW TO GET STARTED

Consider how you will recruit participants to the group. This group is designed specifically for individuals with brain injury. Some participants may already have a diagnosis of brain injury. Others may not. MINDSOURCE recommends participants be screened using the Online Brain injury Screening and Support System (OBISSS). The OBISSS will screen for a potential lifetime history of traumatic and non-traumatic brain injury, identify current symptoms, and provide tips and strategies to build the skills and habits to assist in finding symptom relief. Other screening tools include:

• Ohio State University Traumatic Brain Injury Identification (OSU-TBI-ID)
• HELPS TBI Screening Tool
• Brain Check Survey

If a neuropsychological screen or evaluation has been conducted, it is recommended that the participant meet with the group facilitator prior to attending their first session. This meeting allows for a review of screening results and the identification of areas for goal setting. Facilitators should consider providing any other additional materials that may help participants retain information. Group leaders should be aware of their group’s cognitive limitations and collaborate with participants to maximize the curriculum’s benefits.

RECOMMENDED TRAINING FOR FACILITATORS

Before leading A.H.E.A.D., MINDSOURCE strongly encourages facilitators to complete the Brain Injury Essentials Training. This training, broken into three parts, will assist facilitators in developing a strong foundation prior to facilitating the AHEAD curriculum. You can also explore these video resources:

• Brain Injury 101: What is a Brain Injury – Created by the Brain Injury Association of Colorado
• Brain Injury 102: Strategies & Accommodations – Created by the Brain Injury Association of Colorado
• Brain Injury Basics – Series of videos about Traumatic Brain Injury

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

Participants with brain injury may have concurrent mental health diagnoses (e.g., PTSD, substance use disorders, mood disorders). This curriculum is not designed to address or manage clinically significant symptoms that may be triggered by module discussions. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that external mental health resources specific to those co-occurring conditions be proactively identified and made available for group members that may need them.

BACKGROUND AND DEVELOPMENT

The A.H.E.A.D. curriculum was developed in partnership with MINDSOURCE Brain Injury Network and Dr. Bradley McMillan PhD from the Denver County Jail, Rachel Tiel, and with support from graduate students at the University of Denver, Tyler Camaione and Moses Gur.

The A.H.E.A.D. curriculum is an open-source psycho-educational curriculum. If you are using the A.H.E.A.D. curriculum, please maintain the MINDSOURCE copyright and logo on original materials. If you are adapting the A.H.E.A.D. curriculum, provide citations that state “adapted with permission from the MINDSOURCE Brain Injury Network” and let us know how your adaptations are working, we’re always curious to learn alongside you.