DCoE Blog

• Top 10 DCoE Blogs of 2015

  Posted by Myron J. Goodman, DCoE Public Affairs on December 29, 2015

  Themes often define a year. In 2015, that was definitely the case: our audience clicked and commented most often when we shared tips, resources and practices related to mindfulness. Other topics our readers found of particular interest were moral injury, resources for military kids and caring for traumatic brain injury (TBI). Listed below in order of popularity are the top 10 blog posts of 2015 on the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) website.

  Categories: Traumatic Brain Injury, Mindfulness, PTSD, DCoE, Resources, Psychological Health, Military Children   |   Comments (0)

• What You Need to Know about Mindfulness Meditation

  Posted by Carol Roos, DCoE Public Affairs on December 23, 2015

  Mindfulness meditation swiftly gained popularity as a self-care strategy for improving psychological health symptoms and overall resilience. Clinical evidence shows that this strategy works. DCoE wrote a series of mindfulness blogs to help you understand what mindfulness meditation is, how it can help, what studies and data support it, and how individuals can integrate it into their daily lives. Below is a quick rundown on the entire series, including what you need to know about mindfulness meditation and how to get started.

  What is mindfulness meditation?
  Mindfulness meditation comes from a Buddhist tradition. It increases awareness of the present by focusing on your breathing, body and thoughts. With continual practice, this technique trains the brain to stay in the present moment and can help you accept things for what they are, without judgment.

  Categories: Traumatic Brain Injury, Mindfulness, Research, Resilience, PTSD, Families, Providers, Resources, Depression, Psychological Health   |   Comments (1)

• Clinician’s Corner: Expert Highlights Cognitive Rehabilitation after Traumatic Brain Injury

  Posted by Nina Corin, DCoE Public Affairs on December 21, 2015

  Providers should rely on the evidence base for cognitive rehabilitation of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) rather than solely on “clinical intuition,” an expert told attendees at the 2015 Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) Summit.

  “Please use the available materials” to guide cognitive rehabilitation for mild TBI, commonly known as concussion, Linda Picon, the Department of Veterans Affairs liaison for TBI at DCoE, urged providers. There is still much to learn about the most effective treatments for this patient population, but using the wealth of provider tools available means that care can be standardized to help advance the science and optimize patient outcomes, she said.

  Although existing practice standards are primarily based on studies of patients with moderate to severe TBI rather than concussion, Picon said the Defense and Veterans Affairs Departments have a number of concussion resources to guide the assessment and treatment of problems with attention, memory, executive function, social competence and other common cognitive complaints. These include:

  Categories: Traumatic Brain Injury, DCoE Products, DCoE, Treatment, DVBIC   |   Comments (0)

• 2015 Greatest Hits for Providers: Top Articles, Videos

  Posted by Carol Roos, DCoE Public Affairs on December 17, 2015

  Busy lives and information overload can make it challenging to read all of the interesting articles that you see in a given day. Or, you may not have the time to join a webinar on a topic that interests you. No worries, we’ve got you covered!

  We’ve compiled a cheat sheet of the most popular articles and webinar videos specifically for providers in 2015. Enjoy them while waiting for a flight or during your vacation downtime.

  Categories: Traumatic Brain Injury, webinar, DCoE Products, DCoE, Providers, Psychological Health   |   Comments (0)

• Your Electronics May be Ruining Your Sleep

  Posted by Myron J. Goodman, DCoE Public Affairs on December 16, 2015

  Do you spend countless hours at night playing video games, watching TV and trolling on social media? Are you having trouble falling asleep? Using electronic devices more often for longer periods of time has a negative impact on sleep, according to a recent study presented at a webinar hosted by the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Dec. 3.

  Sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, body temperature and other important bodily functions are controlled by a person’s circadian rhythm over a 24-hour period of time. Light exposure can disrupt sleep and affect the circadian rhythm, which is why research is looking at the how the increased use of electronics may be impacting our sleep. TV, computers, tablets and cell phones all produce what is referred to as blue light waves in dark rooms during night hours.

  Categories: DCoE Webinar Rewind, Technology, Research, Sleep, DCoE, Treatment, Psychological Health   |   Comments (0)

• Eat, Sleep and be Merry: These Free Gifts Bring Comfort, Joy

  Posted by Beth Schwinn, DCoE Public Affairs on December 2, 2015

  We hear the best things in life are free. A good night’s sleep, quality time with family, hugs, moments of peace – all free.

  Find joy in simplicity this holiday season and consider the gifts below for yourself or for a friend or loved one. They’re free, can be ordered and delivered instantly, and because of government laws, they respect the user’s privacy.

  Categories: DCoE Products, DCoE, Psychological Health, Military Children   |   Comments (0)