Although millions of people are affected each year by brain injuries, what it is like to live with these injuries is often misunderstood. Laura Lorenz delves into the experience of acquired brain injury (ABI) survivors to reveal how they make sense of their changed circumstances—and how social policies and medical expectations can enhance, or detract from, their quality of life.

As she traces individual journeys on the road from diagnosis through rehabilitation, Lorenz evokes the reality of living with ABI. She also tackles the systemic problems undercutting the quality of current medical and social support. Moving beyond ABI, her work encourages a fresh approach to the patient-provider relationship for people with a wide range of disabilities.

Laura S. Lorenz, PhD, is a researcher and educator with international experience communicating health research results and policy impacts for global audiences. She holds a joint appointment at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University: as senior research associate in the Institute for Behavioral Health and program manager for Executive Education, a continuing education program that provides leadership training in health policy and management for rising clinical leaders—surgeons, physicians, and nurses.

Visit  www.lslorenz.com to view the author's personal website.