The feeling of being mentally exhausted by making choices is called decision fatigue, and it’s completely normal. You’re not lazy. You’re not unmotivated. You’re a human with a healing brain – and that takes a LOT of energy.

Dopamine is a brain chemical that helps us feel good. It’s part of our reward system – it helps us feel pleasure, motivation, and satisfaction. After a brain injury, dopamine levels can drop or become unbalanced. This can make it harder to feel motivated or happy, even when we desperately want to. A dopamine menu is a personal list of small, enjoyable activities that can spark those feel-good brain chemicals. When you’re having a tough day or feeling stuck, this menu gives you ideas to choose from – just like a restaurant menu, but for your brain! If you’ve felt low energy, less motivation, find it difficult to feel joy, or just don’t feel like yourself – it could be linked to dopamine changes in your brain. This isn’t your fault. It’s part of how the brain heals. But the good news is there are small things you can do to help gently boost dopamine and feel more like you again.

This micro-webinar covers brain injury statistics in Iowa and the US, the types of brain injury with examples of causes, the most common symptoms after brain injury, and the Brain Injury Alliance of Iowa’s (BIAIA) Neuro Resource Facilitation (NRF) service, including what it is, how it can benefit survivors, caregivers, and professionals serving individuals with brain injury, as well as the ways of accessing this valuable service.

To make a referral, you can:

1. Call us at 855-444-6443
2. Email us at info@biaia.org
3. Submit an online referral form, or
4. Message us through the chat feature on our website at www.biaia.org

We welcome self-referrals and do not require medical documentation or a referral from a professional to access our services.

“Managed Care 101: A Brief Introduction” provides an overview of Iowa Medicaid, including Iowa Health Link, the goal of which is to create a single system of care which delivers efficient, coordinated, and high-quality health care that promotes member choice and accountability in health care coordination. This micro-webinar briefly covers who is included in this program, and the services that are included and excluded.

• Welcome to Iowa Medicaid
• Iowa Health Link
• Health Link Services
• Iowa Medicaid Dashboard
• Wellpoint
• Iowa Total Care
• Molina
• Iowa Health Link Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Strategic Plan
• Hawki – Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa

This micro-webinar covers the benefits of a support group. The Brain Injury Alliance of Iowa offers both in-person and virtual support groups. These support groups offer a safe space to learn and support others traveling a similar journey. Experience the feeling of never feeling alone again by exploring our support group listing on our website: https://biai.memberclicks.net/support-groups

This micro-webinar covers the difference between “Either/Or” and “Both/And” Thinking, as well the benefits of and tips for adopting this new and empowering mindset.

This micro-webinar reviews the definition of brain injury, common functional impacts, and tips for strategy development. You can view a printable version of this information and other accommodation tip sheets on our website: https://biaia.org/accommodations-tip-sheets/