About this episode

Dr. Sara Chrisman discusses the reasons behind persistent symptoms after concussions and how they can be retrained.

Most people heal from a concussion in days or weeks — so why do some suffer with persistent migraines, dizziness, PPPD and other symptoms for months or years? Concussion expert Dr. Sara Chrisman explains why lingering symptoms after concussion are often not from ongoing brain damage, but from stuck neural habit loops that your brain can reset. In this eye-opening interview, Dr. Sara Chrisman, MD, MPH (pediatrician, adolescent medicine specialist, and concussion researcher at Seattle Children's) joins The Steady Coach to discuss why concussion research supports a bio-psychosocial approach to persistent symptoms like chronic dizziness, vestibular issues, headaches, and post-concussion syndrome. She shares powerful reassurance: you have not ruined your brain forever. The brain healing phase is usually complete within weeks or a couple months, and lingering symptoms are often your brain's protective fear response that can be retrained through safety messaging, somatic tracking, pain reprocessing principles (PRT), emotional awareness and expression (EAET), and addressing underlying threat in the stress bucket. This conversation bridges concussion recovery with vestibular migraine…

People in this episode

Host: Dr Yonit Arthur

Guest: Dr. Sara Chrisman

Topics covered

• concussion recovery
• dizziness
• neuroplasticity
• bio-psychosocial approach
• chronic symptoms
• migraine

Keywords

• concussion
• dizziness
• migraine
• neuroplasticity
• chronic symptoms
• bio-psychosocial
• recovery

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Seattle Children's

More episodes of The Steady Coach

• 117. Housebound for Over a Year to Fully Recovered: Andy's Vestibular Migraine + PPPD Success Story · July 8, 2026 · 1h 19m
• 116. Christoph's PPPD Recovery: 24/7 Dizziness, Derealization, and the Turning Point That Set Him Free · June 24, 2026 · 54 min
• 115. Why You're Not Recovered (Yet): It's Your Intent, Not Your Tools with Shaan Kassam · June 17, 2026 · 1h 8m
• 114. Recovery Doesn't Have to Be Complicated: Simple & Flexible Tools with Raelan Agle · June 3, 2026 · 1h 9m
• 113. Matilda's PPPD Success Story: From Panic, Dizziness + Despair to Thriving · May 27, 2026 · 1h 7m
• 112. Your Chronic Symptoms Are Fully Reversible: Dr. Howard Schubiner, MD · May 20, 2026 · 60 min

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