Traumatic brain injury survivors face a variety of different issues. While everyone with TBI has different challenges, depending on the severity of their injury, other people undergoing similar challenges can best understand the problems you are facing. TBI support groups provide the emotional support TBI patients and their families need to tackle the obstacles of living with a traumatic brain injury. Support groups are a wonderful way to make new friends and to learn about TBI.

Different TBI support groups focus on different aspects of coping with TBI. For example, some groups offer special separate meetings for the family members and caregivers of TBI patients, while other groups have one meeting for both the TBI patient and his or her family. Some groups focus on helping new TBI patients adjust to their new lifestyle, while other groups focus on offering adaptive recreational activities for people with TBI. Some support groups offer support for people with either TBI or SCI and several support groups offer help to people with any form of physical disability. It is a good idea to check out several groups before deciding which one to join; some people find it helpful to belong to more than one group.

We have tried to make the following list of TBI support groups in New Hampshire as complete as possible. Since groups change meeting places and meeting times and may disband without notice, we advise you to call ahead before visiting a group’s meeting place for the first time.

If you cannot find a TBI support group, you may want to consider starting your own.  The Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire can provide helpful information on starting your own support group at http://www.bianh.org/.
 

Claremont

 

TBI Support Group

This group meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m.

Meeting place:

Valley Regional Hospital
243 Elm St.

Contact:

Kendra Yakovleff at 558-2123 or kycmcc@myfairpoint.net
 

Concord

 

TBI Support Group

This group meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m.

Meeting place:

Granite State Independent Living
21 Chenell Drive
Concord, New Hampshire

Contact:

Jan Perkins at 568-6021

Co-Facilitator:

Pat Winski at 463-3035
 

Conway

 

TBI Support Group

This group meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m.

Meeting place:

Northern Human Services
626 Eastman Rd.
Conway, New Hampshire

Contacts:

Freddi Gale at 356-0282
Chris Dearborn at (800) 424-7153 ext. 367 
 

Coos County

 

TBI Support Group

This group’s meetings have been put on hold. Call for information.

Contact:

Kim Tardiff at 752-5389 or MTardiff@ne.rr.com   
 

Derry

 

TBI Support Group

This group meets on the second Friday of the month at 6:30 p.m.

Meeting place:

Nutfield Building
Parkland Hospital
44 Birch Street
Derry, New Hampshire

Contact:

Cathy Rudd at 458-5648 or crudd@comcast.net
 

Brain Tumor Support Group

This group meets on the second Monday at 5:30 p.m.

Meeting place:

Derry Public Library
Paul Collette Conf Room A
64 E Broadway
Derry, New Hampshire

Contact:

Urszula Mansur at 425-2822 
 

Franklin

 

TBI Support Group

This group meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m.

Meeting place:

Genesis Mountain Ridge Center
7 Baldwin Street
Franklin, New Hampshire

Contact:

Karen Burke-Troon at 783-0444 
 

Greenfield

 

Crotched Mountain Brain Injury Family Support Group

This group is for families of children, teens and young adults. Please call for dates.

Meeting place:

Children's Center
1 Verney Dr.
Greenfield, New Hampshire

Contact:

Lisa Walsh, nurse case manager, at 547-3311 ext. 2010
 

Keene

 

Monadnock Pacers TBI Support Group

This group meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m.

Meeting place:

DHMC
580 Court St.
Keene, New Hampshire

Contact:

Cindy Carney at 352-6556

Co-facilitator:

Sandy Forest at 355-9970
 

Lakes Region

 

TBI Support Group

This group meets on the third Thursday usually every other month at 7 p.m. Call for upcoming dates.

Meeting place:

Lakes Regional General Hospital
Highland St.
Laconia, New Hampshire

Contact:

Helen Robinson at 279-3926
Summer months: 744-0522
 

Lebanon

 

TBI Support Group

This group meets on the second Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

Meeting place:

Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Fuller Board Rm.
One Medical Center Drive
Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756

Contact:

Donna Crowley at 650-7305
 

Littleton

 

TBI Support Group

This group meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m.

Meeting place:

Ammonoosuc Community Health Services
25 Mt. Eustis Rd. off of Cottage St.
Littleton, New Hampshire

Contacts:

Steven Noyes at 444-2464 ext. 9123
Jackie Poulton at 616-1468 
 

Greater Manchester

 

TBI Support Group

This group meets on the second Tuesday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m.

Meeting place:

Catholic Medical Center
Rehab Medicine Unit F200
100 McGregor Street 
Manchester, New Hampshire

Contacts:

Bob Viera at (603) 663-6662
Gail Sederquest at (603) 606-7944 or (603) 626-2626 
 

Milford

 

TBI Support Group

This group meets on the third Saturday of the month at 4 p.m. No meetings in August or September.

Meeting place:

St. Joseph’s Clinic,
442 Nashua Street
Milford, New Hampshire

Contact:

Laura Horning at 673-8951 
 

Nashua 

 

TBI Support Group

This group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m.

Meeting place:

St. Joseph’s Hospital
(4th floor)
172 Kinsley St.
Nashua, New Hampshire

Contact:

Patty Motyka at 882-3000 ext. 7501
 

Peterborough

 

TBI Support Group

This group meets on the first Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.

Meeting place:

Unitarian Universalist Church
25 Main St.
Peterborough, New Hampshire

Contacts:

Tom Badgley at 547-8891 or tom.badgley@gmail.com

John Richards at 547-3311 ext. 1418 or john.richards@crotchedmountain.org
 

Rochester

 

TBI Support Group

This group meets on the second Thursday at 6 p.m.

Meeting place:

Frisbee Memorial Hospital
11 Whitehall Road
Rochester, New Hampshire 03867

Contact:

Paula Dempsey at 539-8718 or pdempsey@lakeview.ws

Co-Facilitator:

Marilyn Harvey at 603-755-3960 
 

TBI Support Group

This group meets on the first Wednesday at 5 p.m. 

Meeting place:

Salem Northeast Rehab Hospital
Administrative Conf. Room
70 Butler St.
Salem, New Hampshire 03079

Contact:

Jessica Anderson at (603) 893-2900 ext. 3218
 

Seacoast

 

TBI Support Group

This group meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.

Meeting place:

North Hampton United Church of Christ
295 Atlantic Avenue.
North Hampton, New Hampshire

Contact:

Lil Charron at 659-5769

Co-Facilitator:

Rosalie Johnson at (603) 749-1825 
 

Seacoast Aphasia Support Group

This group meets on the third Monday of each month; please call for times.

Meeting place:

Community Campus (lower level back entrance)
100 Community Campus Dr.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Contacts:

David and Rosemarie Halloran at 659-6161 or wdh66@comcast.net
 

Cross disability support groups

The Granite State Independent Living (GSIL) organization has cross disability support groups for people with any sort of disability. There are many GSIL support groups throughout the state. Website: http://www.nhspinal.org/

If you would like to join a GSIL peer group, send a contact or call (800) 826-3700 (888-396-3459 TTY), ext. 1304 and speak with Pam Locke, Peer Group Coordinator. If you would like to try a group for a meeting or two, feel free to drop by one of our scheduled meetings.
 

Peer Group Activities

GSIL peer groups are open to all people regardless of disability status. For more information, call (800) 826-3700 ext. 1304 or e-mail info@gscil.org.