Equally important as the support and encouragement that survivors and family members/care-givers provide to one another is the level of deep understanding and trust that exists. Survivors who are angry and resistant to cooperating with therapists or disregard the advice of family/care-givers will surprisingly be open to consider the exact same information, coming from another survivor.
The same is true of family/care-givers who are opposed to following the advice of a professional. Another family/care-giver can provide the belief they lack, and build trust with the therapist or doctor. Family/care-givers are less apt to take offense and more willing to consider the constructive feedback and suggestions made by other family/care-givers about their care-giving than from another source.
The positive effect of the strong emotional connection between survivors and between family/care-givers is enchanced with valuable insights, tested strategies to adapt and cope with the challenges of living with brain injury and links to additional resources.
The professionals who make the extra effort to understand and acknowledge the feelings and the depth of challenge associated with brain injury gain the respect and cooperation of survivors and family members. Support groups are valuable resources for professionals to deepen their understanding. In addition, support groups are a powerful resource for professionals by providing an more trusted atmosphere for resistant clients to receive valuable information offered through other members.