Traumatic brain injury affects different people in different degrees, but everyone with TBI experiences similar emotions. Dealing with TBI is challenging for both the patient and his or her family, but sharing your experiences with people who have had similar experiences can help. TBI support groups provide the opportunity to make friends and learn more about TBI.

Different TBI support groups have different focuses, so check out several, if possible, to see which one best meets your needs. Some TBI support groups emphasize learning about TBI, while others emphasize offering adaptive recreational opportunities for TBI patients. Some groups have meetings for patients and separate meetings for caregivers and family members, while others invite any one interested in TBI to the same meeting.  Some groups are only for caregivers and family members and not for TBI patients. 

We have tried to make the following list of support groups in Massachusetts as complete as possible. Stroke support groups have been included in this list, since they are for people with brain injury from a stroke. Since support groups change or disband without warning we advise you to call before traveling to the group’s meeting place for the first time. If you cannot find a group in your area, you may wish to start one. Information about starting your own TBI support group can be obtained from the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts: http://www.biama.org/help/goto.html  

Boston

Boston – Stroke Club

This group is open to everyone in the community. It meets from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month.

Meeting place:            

Spaulding Rehab Hospital
125 Nashua St., Room 8a
Boston, Massachusetts 02114

Contact:

Karen Halfon 617- 573-7143

BABIS Group – Family and Survivors

This group is for TBI survivors and their families. It meets from 10 a.m. to noon on the first Saturday of the month.

Contact:

Sally Johnson 617- 573-2539

Meeting place:

Spaulding Rehab Hospital
125 Nashua St., Room 8a
Boston, Massachusetts 02114

Website: http://www.babis.info/

Boston - Northeastern University TBI Resource Center

Information Groups for Survivors and Family Members and Groups for Veterans with TBI

For more information or to enroll in these programs, please call.

Contact:

Dr. Therese O’Neil Pirozzi, ScD, CCC-SLP 617-373-5750

Email:  t.oneil-pirozzi@neu.edu   

Braintree

Stroke/Brain Injury Support Group

This group meets the last Thursday of the month from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Meeting place:

Braintree Rehab Hospital
2nd Floor Conference Room
250 Pond St.
Braintree, Massachusetts 02184

Contact:

Patricia Kaufman-Vaughan 781-585-5434

Cape Cod, Bourne

“Brilliant Buzzards”-Caregiver and Survivor Support Group

Call for more information.         

Meeting place:

Buzzards Bay Community Center
239 Main St.
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts 02532

Contacts:

Vicki and Nathan Carr 508-759-2049   

Cape Cod, Dennis

Stroke Support Group

This group meets at 1 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month’

Meeting place:

Dennis Senior Center
#1045 Rt.134 (Setuck Rd. & Rt. 134)
Dennis, MA   02638    

Contact:

Kathy Hallman, VNA Assoc. 508-394-2230 ext. 3918

Cape Cod, E. Sandwich

Cape Cod, E. Sandwich – Mild Brain Injury Support Group

This group meets on the third Saturday of the month            from 2 to 4 p.m.  

Meeting place:

Rehabilitation Hospital of the Cape and Islands
311 Service Road
East Sandwich, MA 02537

Contact:

Jenny Stickney 508-833-4241                                 

Cape Cod, E. Sandwich – Stroke Support Group and Peer Visitation Program

This group meets on the second Wednesday of the month from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.  Please call for more information.

Meeting place:

Rehabilitation Hospital of the Cape and Islands
311 Service Road
East Sandwich, MA 02537

Contact:

Jim Graham   508-833-4043

Cape Cod, Falmouth

Cape Cod, Falmouth – Stroke Support Group, Family & Survivors

This group meets from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month, from September to May.

Meeting place:

Falmouth Hospital
Maternity Conference Room C, Main Floor
Ter Heun Drive
Falmouth, Massachusetts 02540

Contact:

Mildred Lisk   508-540-7641

Fall River

B.R.A.I.N. -Family and Survivors

This group for TBI survivors and their families meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of the month.

Meeting place:  

Fall River Town Hall, 1st Floor Cafeteria
Fall River, Massachusetts   02720                             

Contact:

Henry Oliveira or Eileen Mills 401-297-1221                               

Fitchburg

Stroke Support Group for Survivors, Family Members, Friends & Caregivers

This group for people who have suffered a brain injury from stroke meets from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month. It meets each month from March through December.

Meeting place:

Emanuel Lutheran Church
1200 John Fitch Highway
Fitchburg, MA 01420

Contact:         

Health Alliance Hospital, Burbank Campus, Speech Dept.

978-343-5005                              

Framingham

Mild Brain Injury Survivors Support Group

This group meets from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month                

Meeting place:

Metrowest Wellness Center
761 Worcester Road
Framingham, MA 01702

Contact:

Barbara Webster 508-478-7539

Direct All Correspondence To: Barbara Webster, 26 Inman St., Hopedale, MA 01747

Gardner

Family and Survivors TBI Support Group

Please call for more info.       

Meeting place:            

Gardner St. Agnes Guild
34 Pearly Lane
Gardner, MA    01440

Contact:

Pat Read   978-660-5187

Middleborough

Family and Caregiver Support Group

This group is for family and friends of TBI survivors; it is not for TBI patients. It meets from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month.    

Meeting place:

The Neuro-Rehabilitation Center at Middleboro

23 Isaac Street 
Middleboro, MA 02346

Contact:

Tom Hall   508-947-9295

Milford

Family and TBI Survivors Support Group

This group meets from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month             

Meeting place:

Milford Hospital
Hill Building – 4th Floor Conference Room
14 Prospect St.
Milford, MA   01757                     

Contact:         

Denise Simoneau 508-422-2559

New Bedford/Dartmouth

Support/Recreation Group, Family & Survivors

This group offers support and recreational opportunities for survivors and their families. Call for more information.

Contact:

Peter Thomas 508-717-7497

North Adams

BFAIR – Berkshire Families and Individuals Resources

This group meets at 5:00 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month.               

Meeting place:

Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission Office

85 Main St.
North Adams, MA   01247-3437

Contacts:        

Theresa Biagini   413-664-9382
Suzanne Doswell 413-442-4448

North Shore

Caregiver Support (phone support)

This group offers support to caregivers by phone contact.

Contact:         

Helen Whelan 781-233-8734 (evenings & weekends)  

Northampton

Northampton Survivors and Family Support Group

This group meets from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. on the fourth Monday of the month.

Meeting place:

Forbes Library
20 West St.
Northampton, MA   01060

Contact: 

Peggy Besht   413-584-6792                                                                       

Pittsfield

Berkshire Brain Injury Support Group

This group meets at 4:00 p.m. second Tuesday of the month.                    

Meeting Place:

Center for Rehabilitation, Berkshire Medical Center
725 North Street, 5th Floor Medical Arts Building
Pittsfield, MA 01201

Contact:

Suzanne Doswell 413-443-0200

Direct All Correspondence To: Suzanne Doswell,
BIA-MA Western Region Office,
180-C Elm St, Pittsfield, MA   01201
 

Pittsfield – Meetings for Children of Parents with Brain Injury, Meetings for Women with Brain Injury, Meetings for Men with Brain Injury, Meetings for Spouses of people with Brain Injury

Please call for more information about any of these groups.

Meeting place:

BIA-MA Western Region Office
180-C Elm St, Pittsfield, MA   01201

Contact:         

Suzanne Doswell 413-443-0200

KnitWits of Providence Court, Knitting & Crocheting Group

This group which provides two recreational craft activities for TBI patients meets in the evenings. Please call for more information.

Meeting place:

Providence Court, Dining Room

379 East St.
Pittsfield, MA   01201

Contact:         

Sonali Durden 413-443-6063

Pittsfield - Stroke Support Group

This group meets from 3:00-4:00 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month.

Meeting place:
MBC Medical Arts Complex
777 North St
Pittsfield, MA 01201

Center for Rehabilitation Outpatient Gym
(5th floor Medical Arts Building)

Contact:

Irene Walcott   413-447-2230   

Plymouth

Family & Survivors Support Group

This group meets from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. on the third Monday of the month.

Meeting place:

Braintree Rehab Clinic
65 Cordage Park Circle, Suite S-105
Plymouth, MA 02360

Contact:

Liz Lauzon 508-747-4720 x 118

Southbridge

Caregiver Support Group

Please call for more information.

Contact:         

Dan or Linda Pellegrini    617-592-5081

Springfield

Family and Young Adult (17+) Survivors Support Group

This group meets from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. from the third Wednesday of the month.

Meeting place:

Mercy Hospital

Deliso Conference Center, Lower Level, Break Room
299 Carew St.
Springfield, MA   01104

Contact:

Sharon Abdala   413-748-6892

Taunton

Young Adult Survivor Support(19-26) (phone support)

Contact:         

Deanna 508-326-6248                                                          

Westborough

Stroke Support Group

This group meets from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month.

Meeting place:

Whittier Rehab Center
150 Flanders Road     
Westborough, MA 01581

Contact:         

Deb Lebeaux   508-870-2222 ext. 2165

Woburn

Woburn/Advocates – Family Support & Education 

This group for families of TBI survivors usually meets from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the first Monday of the month. Call for more information.

Meeting place:

Warren House
17 Warren Ave, Apt. 101
Woburn, MA   01801

Contacts:        

Yvonne Tylinski 508-380-0987
Janet Lingerman 781-937-3544

Woburn/NERH – Family and Survivor

This group for families and survivors meets from 10 a.m. to12 p.m. on the fourth Saturday of the month .                           

Meeting place:

New England Rehab Hospital
2 Rehabilitation Way
Woburn, MA   01801

Contact:         

Mary Fiorentino 781-935-5050 ext.1458

Worcester

Family and  Survivor TBI Support Group

This group generally meets in the evening. Please call for dates and times.

Meeting place:

Worcester Public Library
3 Salem Square
Worcester, MA   01608

Contact:

Jennifer Wood   508- 475-0032

Support Group for Family, Friends, and Caregivers of TBI Survivors 

This group meets at 6:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month.

Meeting place:

Neuro-Rehabilitation Center at Worcester
Occupational Therapy room, basement
59 Acton St.
Worcester, MA 01604

Contact:         

Jackie Mulligan 508-791-3147 ext. 103