Resilience and Adjustment Intervention (RAI) Kit (RAI Kit)

Brain Injury clinicians have a limited number of tools to assist survivors in finding a meaningful life after injury. Rehabilitation work is too often focused on skills that have been lost, leaving many survivors feeling as if they will never be a "whole person."

The NRC for TBI is offering the first comprehensive kit to help professionals focus rehabilitation efforts on skill-building while developing an optimistic outlook during recovery. The materials in the Resilience and Adjustment can be readily utilized or adapted for your clinical practice. Based on resilience theory and research, the kit provides a structured approach, enabling survivors to:

• Understand the physical and emotional effects of brain injury
• Adopt an active engagement in recovery
• Set reasonable and achievable goals
• Learn strategies for solving problems effectively after injury
• More effectively manage stress, anger, and other intense emotions
• Use new communication tools to rebuild relationships
• Assume and maintain a positive, hopeful outlook

The Resilience and Adjustment Intervention Kit contains the following materials:

• Intervention manual including: treatment rationale and development, step-by-step intervention implementation instructions, information on injury-related treatment accommodations, worksheets and self-assessments promoting resilience, and tools to measure efficacy in-session and in real-time.
• Two copies of the NRC book, Getting Better and Better After Brain Injury: The Survivor’s Guide for Living Smarter and Happier, 2nd Ed. (see Catalog p. 3). 
• Help You Need (HYN) Guides (10 copies each, see Help You Need Guides for Survivors section on the left) – Supplemental tri-fold handouts for survivors allow clinicians to cover a majority of the topics survivors struggle with after injury. HYN Guides directly related to RAI topics are listed below in bold. Additional HYN guides listed are included in order to help clinicians address a wider breadth of topics with survivors:
  • Effective Stress Management
  • Effective Anger Management
  • Building Relationships and Overcoming Loneliness
  • Fundamentals for Living Better After Brain Injury
  • Coping Effectively with Loss and Change
  • Alcohol and Drug Use After Brain Injury
  • What to Tell People About Your Injury
• Worksheets & Handouts to facilitate in-session discussion and reflection

Important note: The RAI is designed specifically for use by clinicians and other professionals who are licensed or otherwise qualified and trained in providing psychotherapy. For more information about the Resilience and Adjustment Intervention, go to tbi.vcu.edu/interventions/RAI.