Episode Details

Most people heal from a concussion in days or weeks — so why do some suffer with persistent migraines, dizziness, PPPD and other symptoms for months or years? Concussion expert Dr. Sara Chrisman explains why lingering symptoms after concussion are often not from ongoing brain damage, but from stuck neural habit loops that your brain can reset. In this eye-opening interview, Dr. Sara Chrisman, MD, MPH (pediatrician, adolescent medicine specialist, and concussion researcher at Seattle Children's) joins The Steady Coach to discuss why concussion research supports a bio-psychosocial approach to persistent symptoms like chronic dizziness, vestibular issues, headaches, and post-concussion syndrome. She shares powerful reassurance: you have not ruined your brain forever. The brain healing phase is usually complete within weeks or a couple months, and lingering symptoms are often your brain's protective fear response that can be retrained through safety messaging, somatic tracking, pain reprocessing principles (PRT), emotional awareness and expression (EAET), and addressing underlying threat in the stress bucket. This conversation bridges concussion recovery with vestibular migraine, PPPD, and other neuroplastic chronic dizziness — showing that the same mind-body tools apply whether symptoms started with a head injury or another trigger. Key takeaways from Dr. Chrisman: • Why most people fully recover from concussion quickly, and what keeps symptoms going • The role of anxiety, prior stress, trauma, and fear-avoidance in prolonging dizziness and pain • How to break the neural habit loop with somatic tracking and safety reappraisal • When vestibular therapy helps vs. when it reinforces fear • Practical ways to have a conversation with your body instead of just "listening" to symptoms • Why you can recover even years later — neuroplasticity works at any age • The importance of sleep, enjoyable movement, social connection, and reducing overall stress Resources: -Crisp Study: https://crispstudy.org -Empower Lab - Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development: https://www.seattlechildrens.org/rese... -Free course: https://thesteadycoach.com/free-course -Brain exercises: • Brain Exercises Subscribe and hit the notificat