CBIST Spotlight: Veronica T. Rowe
Categories: ACBIS Insider, Professionals
Dr. Veronica Rowe, MS(R), PhD, OTR/L, CBIST, FNAP is an Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy Department, Georgia State University. She has a research master’s degree in Experimental Psychology and a PhD in Occupational Therapy. Her career has included clinical, research, and academic work with adult neurological conditions. Dr. Rowe’s research centers on the assessment and intervention of upper extremity motor recovery after stroke.
What made you choose a career in brain injury? Why are you passionate about BI?
As an occupational therapy student, I was fascinated by the complexities of the brain and how it was affected by injury. Each client with a brain injury that I saw was so unique! My passion for working with people who have sustained a brain injury is aligned with my degree and love of occupational therapy. As an OT, I am interested in working with the “whole person” – mind, body, psyche, social aspects, and the environment which are all affected by injuries to the brain.
Based on your knowledge and experience, how are heart health and brain health connected?
Movement and activity are important for both heart health and brain health! We need physical exercise, which can best be done in activities that one enjoys, to strengthen the heart muscle which “feeds” the brain. Engaging in meaningful activities can increase our muscular and cardiovascular capabilities while also helping expand the plasticity of our brain.
How have you seen the field of brain injury change over the years?
The field of neurorehabilitation for brain injury has grown exponentially since I began working as an OT and continues to expand in exciting and helpful ways. Research over the years has gone from assuming that once the brain is damaged, there is no way to regain lost functions. Now we know that the brain is plastic and can continue to change throughout our lives! Rehabilitation for motor impairments due to brain injuries now focuses on using the affected or weaker limbs through repetition and intensity of movements with meaningful, skilled tasks that are important to the person. We have many new, and constantly developing, techniques and devices to aid the person with brain injury such as constraint induced movement therapy, task-oriented training, brain and electrical stimulation, robotics, and many other interventions that can rehabilitate or compensate for deficits.
Why is having a CBIST important to you? How is it helpful in your daily work?
Becoming a CBIST taught me new aspects of working with clients with brain injury and provided me with a means to outwardly show my commitment and experience to the field. Just using the credentials has helped me to advocate for those with brain injury by explaining to others what CBIST is and what it can do for people. Most important to my work is using my CBIST designation and knowledge to teach occupational therapy students about brain injuries, help them obtain information and skills to work with clients, and to become brain injury specialists themselves.
What recommendations would you make regarding increasing CBIS and CBIST involvement with BIAA or ACBIS (other than certification)?
I recommend all brain injury specialists to increase their involvement in advocacy for people with brain injuries through BIAA and ACBIS. Rehabilitation specialists in particular can work with these organizations to advance our knowledge about neurorehabilitation, increase our abilities to help those with brain injury, and advocate for the many and varied needs that arise from an injury to the brain.