Welcome to Get Your Head Back in the Game with Melissa Ross. This is a podcast about the amazing human spirit to overcome setbacks and stories to inspire you to Get Your Head Back in the Game! Melissa Ross is a mother, wife, former professional cyclist, a cycling coach, and serial entrepreneur. She is a 2-time traumatic brain injury warrior. After losing everything in her business and following her brain injuries, she has fought back and hopes this podcast will inspire you to do the same. Get ready to join Melissa for this wild ride!
Closing the Gap Between Rehab and Performance with Tricia Davis, DPT and Cycling Coach
Melissa interviewed Tricia Davis, DPT, and the cycling coach about closing the gap between rehab and performance. Tricia highlights her transition from the traditional insurance-based practice to her new cash-based physical therapy practice in Brevard, NC, that gets her patients back to 100% recovery, closing the missing gap that a traditional PT practice misses. She covers how the client-centric focus provides less stress, more one-on-one time with the patient, and a more personalized plan that results in better outcomes. Understanding how the body heals, why the injury happened in the first place, and knowing the client’s past issues/strengths and weaknesses are the three most essential things when tailoring treatments to the patient in their recovery. Having patients/clients set specific goals or events they want to prepare for is an excellent way to focus, stay motivated, and know exactly where they need to go in therapy. You can learn more about Tricia's services at: https://fizeeoh.com/ and https://killercoachacademy.com/
29 Jan 2024
The Impact of Empathy with Brain Tumor Survivor Shari Bookstaff
Shari Bookstaff, a marine biology professor, suffered a devastating stroke following the removal of a benign brain tumor over 17 years ago. She shares her heartfelt story of determination, positivity, and love of whales and football that helped her regain her dignity, livelihood, and spirit. Shari's recovery in the hospital inspired her to create the non-profit Impact of Empathy, where she helps promote and educate medical leadership teams, students, and professionals on expressing heightened empathy for better outcomes. Shari is the author of "When Life Throws You Lemons… Make Cranberry Juice!" You can learn more about Impact of Empathy at: https://impactofempathy.net/
16 Jan 2024
Mind & Body: Healing from Trauma with Dr. Tritia Finley, Ph.D.
In Episode 14, our guest, Dr. Tritia Finley, Ph.D., owner of Elite Performance Counseling in San Antonio, educates us on trauma. She details the importance of the mind and body connection in healing from a traumatic event. As a licensed professional counselor and adjunct professor at a local university, Tritia has over a decade of helping her clients transform anxiety stemming from traumatic experiences into energy for success. Learn more at https://elitepsatx.com/
13 Dec 2023
Melissa's Trip to the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program
In episode 13, Melissa Ross gives us an overview of her trip to the University of Pittsburg Medical Center's world-renowned Concussion Program. Melissa discusses the types of specialists and testing she received during her day-long appointment and the recommendations that were given to help her get to 100% recovery. After four weeks of following their protocol, Melissa is already seeing significant improvements in her progress! You can learn more about UPMC's Concussion Program at https://www.upmc.com/services/sports-medicine/services/concussion .
7 Oct 2023
Vision Rehabilitation for Concussions with Lauri Atencio, COVT, CPOA
In Episode 12, Melissa talks with Lauri Atencio, a Certified Vision Therapist from Snowy Range Vision Center on vision rehabilitation, types of symptoms and therapies used for traumatic brain injury, and the dynamic visual system. Impacts to the head can disrupt the vision system. Lauri explains how the brain integrates vision with all parts of the brain and not just the occipital lobe. She also discusses different visual skills such as convergence and divergence, being able to fixate, keeping things clear, your perception of where you are in space, sensory-motor feedback, light sensitivity, memory, and more!
25 Aug 2023
You are at the 5-yard line, get the touchdown! How Al Rocco Recovered from his TBI
In Episode 11 of Get Your Head Back in the Game, Al Rocco, a traumatic brain injury survivor and advocate for concussion warriors discusses his brain injury and road to recovery. Al talks about the frustrations of navigating the medical world, losing his job, and being told he would never fully heal. After finding success through vision therapy and the concussion clinic at the UPMC - University of Pittsburg Medical Center, Al Rocco recovered 110% from his TBI! Al is spreading the message of hope and that recovery is possible through the right treatment. Learn more about the UPMC concussion clinic at: https://www.upmc.com/services/sports-medicine/services/concussion
2 Aug 2023
The Vision System and Vision Rehabilitation with Dr. Sue Lowe, O.D., FCOVD, FAAO
In Episode 10, we dive into the vision system with Dr. Sue Lowe, a Developmental Rehabilitation Optometrist and a charter member of the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association for over 40 years. Dr. Lowe dives into the amazing vision system, our dominant sense, and what happens to our vision system when we have a concussion or TBI. Dr. Lowe addresses common questions about vision therapy, light sensitivity, and our perception of space. Vision goes beyond 20/20 as we learn about Fusion, Focus, Follow, and Fixate. You can learn more about vision therapy from Snowy Range Vision Center at: https://snowyrangevision.com/services/vision-therapy/ and also check out https://noravisionrehab.org/ for a list of Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation specialists near you.
20 Jun 2023
F*!k yes I am back! Kieran McPherson's Remarkable Road to Recovery
Kieran McPherson, a New Zealand-born professional off-road triathlete was in the midst of a successful 10-year professional triathlon career when in October of 2021, he had a horrific mountain biking accident, fracturing his lower spine and damaging his knee. After being airlifted from the race and told he might lose the use of his legs, he spent weeks of bed rest in an Italian hospital before returning home to his wife and children. Kieran discusses how he made every moment of his recovery count and within nine months, fought his way back to placing 3rd at the USA National Championships and 13th at the 2022 XTERRA World Championships.
11 May 2023
Lauren De Cresenzo's Powerful TBI Comeback Story of Resilience
11 Apr 2023
Getting Rid of the Shit in Your Life - A Road to Healing
Melissa Ross, host of "Get Your Head Back in the Game," talks about how to take control of your life and move forward on your healing journey through sharing what helped her through her traumatic brain injury. She talks about taking control of her routine, finding forgiveness, dealing with setbacks, celebrating small wins, and moving forward.
27 Jan 2023
Overcoming the Odds - Alison Dennis Shares Her Brain Tumor Story
Alison Dennis is the founder of Weigh My Rack and is currently in remission for a midline glioma brain tumor. Alison shares her heartfelt story from when she was first seeing warning symptoms and describes how her ER visit led to a first diagnosis of a rare, inoperable brain tumor. Alison shares her radiation and chemo treatment, the uncertainty of her future, to making a significant comeback through mountain biking. Alison is 2-years into remission and has big plans on the horizon as she is gearing up for a 3-day mountain bike stage race! Through Alison's journey, you will see the amazing power of the human spirit!
19 Jan 2023
Taking Back Control When You Lose Everything
In Episode 5, Melissa Ross discusses her experience of taking back control during her traumatic brain injury when she felt like she had lost everything. Melissa talks about simple ways you can find control during difficult times, and use those methods to gain momentum with taking back control over your life.
12 Jan 2023
Letting Go - Nadia Sullivan's Story as a Partial Hand Amputee
In Episode 4, Melissa Ross sits down with Nadia Sullivan, a chronic pain survivor, and elective partial hand amputee. Nadia was a former cycling coach and elite triathlete when the door of a limousine opened as she was riding by in the bike lane, causing severe hand trauma. After years of chronic, debilitating pain, therapies, and surgeries, Nadia's relief came from removing her middle finger to the base of the metacarpal for a middle ray amputation. She discusses the dark hole of dealing with an unempathetic medical system, to her ingenuity in creating her own prosthetic devices. Nadia went back to school to become a professional who now creates upper limb prosthetics for people all over the world. You can see Nadia's creations and learn more on her website: https://nadia9fingers.com/
5 Jan 2023
Rebecca McKee's Story: The Ironman Addiction, Cancer, and Overcoming Failures in Triathlon
In this episode of Get Your Head Back in the Game, Melissa speaks with Rebecca McKee, owner, and founder of Peak Center Alaska. Rebecca is a cycling and triathlon coach of over 20 years and an elite Ironman athlete. She recently won her age group at Ironman Arizona in November 2022. Rebecca McKee will discuss her Ironman story, her dealings with cancer, and how athletes can overcome disappointment from a race.
31 Dec 2022
The Down and Dirty of Losing Everything, Two TBI's, and Fighting Back
Melissa Ross, host of, "Get Your Head Back in the Game," talks about her background in professional bike racing, the story of losing everything in a business, to suffering from two back-to-back traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). She discusses how she started her business Gnarketing at the time of her 2nd TBI, how her personality changed from the brain injury, and what she did to get her head back in the game.
6 Dec 2022
Overcoming Depression After a Head Injury: An Interview with Lindsay Nohl
Did you know that you can get depression after a concussion? Lindsay Nohl, Life Coach shares her story of overcoming severe depression after a mountain biking accident in 2019. What wasn't initially identified as a head injury, Lindsay spent months searching for a solution that would save her life. Her power to fight her way back will inspire you to take those steps too.
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