A Mother-Daughter Duo: Jacqueline and Daughter Sarah Both Passionate about Helping Others with Brain and Spinal Cord Injury
Jacqueline Anderson BA, CBIS, Senior Case Manager, Cognitive Retraining Specialist (CRS), has been in the rehabilitation field, helping people with SPI/TBI/ABI for over 30
years. She has had extensive experience as a group home supervisor, case manager, residential director, and now as a Cognitive Retraining Specialist for our NeuroRestorative, Delran, and Galloway, NJ, programs. Although she has a lot of experience, her role as a CRS in the Home and Community program has given her new insight and outlook on those experiencing a life-altering transition in their lives.
“There is a wholesome personal fulfillment in having a trusting 1:1 therapeutic relationship with the people I serve. In addition, I love sharing my accumulated knowledge, resources and ideas, to support people who are experiencing a transition in their lives,” said Jacqueline.
In her role, she helps individuals work on physical, emotional, and psychological goals. Not only does she work with an individual in their home, but she often provides guidance and support for family members. Jaqueline comes up with a personalized therapy plan to improve memory, organization, independence and ultimately helps improve the family unit’s dynamic. Goals may include cooking one-handed, learning how to operate a computer, and successfully getting a driver’s permit or an educational degree.
“Encouraging hope, positivity, and trust to move forward in their lives; supporting trials and errors, new accomplishments, and improved self-esteem is my favorite part of my career,” said Jacqueline. “To me, nothing is more rewarding than an individual becoming excited about learning something new. I’ve found that as a therapist, if you fully believe in a person’s capabilities, they will often trust that and, in time, believe in their abilities.”
Her daughter Sarah Anderson is following in her footsteps, who currently works part-time at our NeuroRestorative New Jersey program as a Cognitive Retraining Specialist. She, too, is passionate about supporting those experiencing Brain and Spinal cord injuries and other neurological challenges. “I, myself, sustained a mild TBI from a car accident a few years ago, and now not only can I help my clients grow, but I can also help myself in the process,” said Sarah. “I’ve consistently been passionate about being a part of people’s journeys to living their optimal lives, and watching the creativity and dedication that my mom has in this field has inspired me to put my passion to good use by entering this profession. I couldn’t be happier doing so!”