What My Clients with Concussions Taught Me About Resilience

Resilience isn’t always loud. Sometimes it looks like resting when you’d rather push. Trying again when the world still feels fuzzy. Or learning to listen when your body whispers instead of shouts.

When people come to me after a concussion, they’re often carrying invisible wounds. Not just in their brain, but in their identity, their confidence, their routines, and their sense of safety in their body.

They may have tried everything: rest, scans, physio, return-to-work programs, and a parade of appointments. And yet…

• The light still hurts.

• The fog still hovers.

• The fatigue still crashes in like a wave.

• And people around them still say, “But you look fine.”

They feel lost.

Alone. 

Disconnected from who they used to be.

And then, they show up on the mat or on the screen in front of me—and something incredible happens.

They begin again.

And in that brave, quiet beginning, I’ve seen some of the strongest, most resilient humans I’ve ever met.

Resilience looks different when you’re healing from a brain injury.

Before working with concussion clients, I used to think of resilience as something bold—pushing through, never giving up, standing tall.

But I’ve learned that with brain injuries, resilience often looks softer, but no less fierce.

• It’s choosing rest over hustle.

• It’s letting go of the version of healing you thought you “should” be on.

• It’s being honest about how hard it is when you’ve been told “you’re fine” but still feel broken.

• It’s starting small—sometimes very small—and showing up again tomorrow.

Lesson #1: Small is Strong

When your brain is overwhelmed, less really is more.

I've watched clients make profound shifts from tiny movements, gentle breathwork, and simply being still.

At first, many of them resist this idea.

They say: “I’m not doing enough.”

But as they start to reconnect with their body—gently, slowly, consistently—they begin to feel again.

They realize: “Wait… my head isn’t pounding after that.”

Or: “I finally slept through the night.”

Or: “I noticed my breath for the first time in weeks.”

And with those small moments, their resilience grows.

Lesson #2: Listening Is Healing

Concussion recovery is not linear. 

Symptoms come and go.

Energy fluctuates. 

Triggers can be unpredictable.

But when clients learn how to tune into their body—instead of trying to override or outsmart it they build a kind of body-trust that’s life-changing.

I’ve seen clients go from “I don’t trust myself to drive” to “I can sense when I’m nearing my edge and know exactly what to do.”

That’s not just healing. That’s empowerment.

They stop fearing their symptoms.

They stop feeling broken.

They start navigating their own recovery from the inside out.

Lesson #3: Rest Is Not Weakness

Our culture teaches us to hustle. 

To get back to work. 

To bounce back fast. 

But the brain doesn’t heal on a schedule—and rest is not passive.

It takes real courage to pause.

To say “no” when everything around you says “go.”

To take naps. 

Unplug. 

Cancel plans. 

Do less.

One of my clients told me, “Rest used to feel like failure. Now it feels like fuel.”

That shift—that internal reframe—is one of the clearest markers of resilience I’ve seen.

Because true strength isn’t in pushing through pain. It’s in knowing when to stop, breathe, and care for yourself like your life depends on it. (Because sometimes, it does.)

My clients with concussions have shown me that resilience isn’t about being tough.

It’s about being tender and tenacious at the same time.

They’ve taught me:

• That healing doesn’t always look like progress—it sometimes looks like patience.

• That slowing down isn’t giving up—it’s getting closer to the truth.

• That even when everything feels unfamiliar, your body is still your ally.

  
  
  
  
  
  

If You’re in the Fog Right Now…

You’re not broken. You’re not failing. You’re navigating something incredibly complex—and doing it with more strength than you may realize.

If you feel like you’ve tried everything and still aren’t yourself…

If your body feels like a stranger and your brain can’t keep up…

If the world expects you to be back to “normal” but you’re not ready…

Know this: 

You’re not alone.

…And healing is still possible.

At Kinnection Yoga Therapy, I guide clients with concussions through breath, movement, and stillness to help their nervous system settle and their body reconnect safely and gently.

You don’t need to push.

You don’t need to “do it right.”

You just need to begin—exactly as you are.

If you're ready to explore a different way to heal, book a free consult call here

Because the journey back to yourself doesn’t start with pressure.

It starts with presence.