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 anyone interested in TBI to the same meeting. 

We have tried to make the following list as complete as possible. There are a number of TBI support groups in Oregon, especially in the Portland area. 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 Oregon: http://www.biaoregon.org/.

Brain Injury Association of Oregon (BIAOR)
PO Box 549,
Molalla OR 97038

Phone: (503) 740-3155 or outside the local area at (800) 544-5243
Fax: (503) 961-8730
E-mail: info@biaoregon.org
 

Bend

 

Central Oregon Support Group

This group meets on the second Saturday of the month from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

Meeting Place:

Rehab Conference Room, Lower Level
St. Charles Medical Center
2500 NE Neff Rd.
Bend, OR 97701

Contacts:

Joyce and Dave Accornero at (541) 382-9451 or Accornero@bendbroadband.com
 

Brookings

 

Brain Injury Group (BIG)

To be announced.

Contact:

(877) 469-8844 or (541) 469-8887  
 

Cottage Grove

 

BIG II (Brain Injury Group II)

 
This group meets every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Meeting Place:

The Jefferson Park Recreation Room
325 S. Fifth Street
Cottage Grove, OR

Contact:

Anna at (541) 767-0845 
 

Corvallis

 

Stroke and Brain Injury Support Group

This group meets on the first Tuesday of the month from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Meeting Place:

Church of the Good Samaritan Lounge
333 NW 35th Street
Corvallis, OR 97330

Contact:
 
Amy Nistico at (541) 768-5157 at aeasterl@samhealth.org
 

Eugene

 

Community Rehabilitation Service of Oregon

This group meets on the third Tuesday from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Meeting Place:

Central Presbyterian Church
555 E 15th Ave. (15th & Patterson)
Eugene, OR.  97401

Contact:

Jan Johnson at (541) 342-1980 or comrehabjan@aol.com
   

BIG (Brain Injury Group)

This group meets on Tuesday from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Call for information.

Meeting Place:

Hilyard Community Center
2580 Hilyard Avenue
Eugene, OR 97401

Contact:

Curtis Brown at (541) 998-3951 or BCCBrown@aol.com
 

Hillsboro

 

Homeward Bound Support Group

This group meets on the first Monday of each month from 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Meeting Place:

Tuality Community Hospital
335 SE 8th Street
Hillsboro, OR 97123

Contact:

Carol Altman (503) 640-0818
  

Klamath Falls

 

Brain Injury Support Group

This group meets on the second Tuesday from 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Meeting Place:

SPOKES
415 Main St.
Klamath Falls, OR 97601

Contact:

Dawn Lytle at (541) 883-7547 or dawn.lytle@spokesunlimited.org
 

Lebanon

   

Brain Injury Support Group of Lebanon

This group meets on the first Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Call for more information.

Meeting Place:

Lebanon Community Hospital,
Conference Room #6
525 North Santiam Highway
Lebanon, OR 97355

Contact:

Lisa Stoffey at (541) 752-0816 or lstoffey@aol.com
 

Medford

 

Turning Point

This group meets on the third Tuesday of the month from 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Call for more information.

Meeting Place:

11 West Jackson Street
Medford, OR 97501

Contact:

Pam Ogden at (541) 776-3427 or Pamela.Ogden@sogoodwill.org
  

Southern Oregon Brainstormers Support and Social Club

This group meets on the first Tuesday of every month from 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Meeting Place:

Providence Medical Center
Birthplace Conf. Rm (Main Entrance, turn left)
1111 Crater Lake Avenue
Medford, OR 97504

Contact:

Lorita Cushman at (541) 772-6528 or LORITAMICKCUSH@aol.com  
 

Molalla

 

Brain Injury Support Group of Molalla

This group meets on the fourth Monday of the month from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Meeting Place:

Son’light Vital Foods, Inc.
123 Robbins St.
Molalla, OR 97038

Contact:

Raeleah Brensen at (503) 829-9456 or Skeeter@molalla.net
 

Newport

 

Brain Injury Support Group of Newport

This group meets on the second Saturday of the month from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Meeting Place:

4909 S Coast Hwy Suite 340
South Beach, Oregon 97366
Web site: www.progressive-options.org

Contact:

(541) 867-4335 or progop541@yahoo.com
 

Oregon City

 

Clackamas Community College Brain Injury Support Group

This group meets on the third Friday of the month (during school year) from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Meeting Place:

Clackamas Community College McLoughlin Hall
Rm. M226 (2nd floor)
Oregon City, OR

Contact:

Sonja Bolon, MA, at (503) 816-1053 or Brain4you2@gmail.com
 

Pendleton

 

Inactive at this time.

For more information contact:

Joyce McFarland-Orr at (541) 278-1194 or jmcfarland@Oregontrail.net
  

Portland

 

BIRC Alumni Support Group

This group meets the last Tuesday of every odd month.

Address:

1815 SW Marlow, Ste. 110
Portland, 97225

Contact:

Doug Peterson at (503) 292-0765 or doug@progrehab.com
 

Brainstormers I Women's Self-help Group

This group meets the second Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.

Meeting Place:

Wilcox Building
Room A (Next to Good Samaritan Hospital)
2211 NW Marshall St.
Portland 97210

Contact:

Jane Starbird, PhD, at (503) 493-1221 or drstarbird@aol.com
 

Brainstormers II Survivor Self-help Group

This group meets the third Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. - noon.

Meeting Place:

Emanuel Hospital, M.O.B.-West
2801 N Gantenbein
Northeast Portland, OR 97227

Contact:

Steve Wright at (503) 413-7707 or biaor@biaoregon.org
 

Crossroads (Brain Injury Discussion Group)

This group meets on the second and fourth Friday of the month from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Meeting Place:

Independent Living Resources
2410 SE 11th
Portland, OR  97214

Contact:

Christopher Eason at 503-232-7411 or christopher@ilr.org
 

Family Support Group

This group meets on the third Saturday of the month from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. The group is currently combined with Parents of Children with Brain Injury.

Meeting Place:

Emanuel Hospital, Rm 1035
2801 N Gantenbein
Northeast Portland, OR 97227

Contact:

Joyce Kerley at (503) 413-7707 or joycek1145@aol.com
 

Faraday Club Peer self-help group for professionals with brain injury

This group meets on the first Saturday of the month from 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. You must be pre-registered to attend.

Meeting Place:

Emanuel Hospital, Rm. 1035
2801 N Gantenbein
Northeast Portland, OR 97227

Contact:

Arvid Lonseth at (503) 680-2251 (pager) or alonseth@pacifier.com
 

HELP (Help Each Other Live Positively)

This group has two sections. The TBI Survivor self-help group meets in odd-numbered months and the TBI Family and Spouse group meets in even-numbered months. Meetings are on the fourth Saturday of the month from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Please contact at least two days in advance.

Meeting Place:

Cognitive Enhancement Center
15705 SE Powell Blvd.
Portland, OR

Contact:

Brad Loftis at (503) 547-8788 or bcmuse2002@yahoo.com
 

Thrive Support Group - A Teenage and Young Adult Brain Injury Survivor Support Group

        
This group meets on the third Saturday of the month from 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Please call for more information.

Meeting Place:

Emanuel Hospital, 1075
2801 N Gantenbein
Portland, OR 97227 

Contact:  

Kate Robinson at (503) 318-5878
 

TBI Social Club

This group meets twice a month. Location varies, call for times and location of meetings.

Contact:

Sandra Ward at (503) 735-4857 or slwsundance@qwest.net  
 

Parents of Children with Brain Injury

This group will meet once a month, and is a self-help support group. It is currently combined with the Family Support Group.

Meeting Place:

Emanuel Hospital, Rm 1035
2801 N Gantenbein
Portland, OR 97227

Contact:

Joyce Kerley at (503) 413-7707 or joycek1145@aol.com
 

Greater Persons Toastmasters Club (for People with Brain Injury)

This group meets on the second and fourth Wednesday from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Call in advance. Open to all including family members.

Meeting Place:

2154 NE Broadway #110
Portland, OR 97232

Contact:

Caleb Burns at (503) 913-4517 
 

Greater Persons Toastmasters Club (for People with Brain Injury) - Eastside

This group meets on the last Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Open to all including family members.

Meeting Place:

Faith Community Church Street:
12414 East Burnside St.
Portland, OR 97233-1044

Contact:

Caleb Burns at (503) 913-4517
 

Roseburg

 

Umpqua Valley Disabilities Network

This group meets on the second Monday from noon – 1 p.m. Call for more information.

Meeting Place:

419 NE Winchester
Roseburg, OR 97470

Contact:

Tim Rogers at (541) 672-6336 ext. 202, or timrogers@uvdn.org
 

Salem

 

Salem Brain Injury Support Group

 
This group meets on the fourth Thursday of the month from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Meeting Place:

Salem Rehabilitation Center
2561 Center Street
Salem, OR 97301

Contact:

Traci Wilson at 503-561-1974 or TRACI.WILSON@salemhospital.org
 

Salem Social Club

Temporarily inactive.

Meeting Place:

3005 Windsor Ave. NE
Salem, OR 97301

Contact:

Sharon Slaughter at (503) 581-0393 or sharonslaughter@qwest.net 
 

Salem Stroke Survivors and Caregivers Support Group

This group meets on the second Friday of the month from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Meeting Place:

Salem Rehabilitation Center
2561 Center Street
Salem, OR 97301 

Contacts:

Scott Werdebaugh at (503) 838-6868
Ruby McEliroy at (503) 390-3372