Expert Speaker for Brain Injury and Medical Professionals

Janet Cromer, RN, MA, ATR, LMHC speaks widely at national and regional conferences, hospitals, rehabilitation programs, universities, community events, and health fairs. Janet’s presentations address issues related to brain injury, family caregivers, dementia, cardiac arrest, progressive illness, ethics, and stress resilience.

Janet can also visit narrative medicine and medical humanities programs to discuss Professor Cromer Learns to Read.

Janet is a medical and psychiatric RN, a licensed psychotherapist specializing in psychological aspects of medical illness, and an educator for professionals, brain injury survivors, family caregivers, and students. Her experience as a family caregiver and author informs her presentations with wisdom, compassion, honesty, and humor. Janet shares the dark side of chronic illness and caregiving, as well as the resilient strength and creative resourcefulness of the person with an illness and his family.

Janet’s presentations have received high evaluation scores from physicians, nurses, speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, mental health professionals, chaplains, and students.

Clients Include

Popular topics include

  • Life Ends. And Life Begins- Janet offers a rare perspective on what it is like to survive cardiac arrest with substantial brain damage and make a new life and marriage.
  • Skills and Strategies for the Family Caregiver’s Journey- Adaptive skills from the crisis stage to ‘new normal’ across time to planning end of life care.
  • Stress Resilience and Compassion Fatigue Survival for Healthcare Professionals
  • Reflective Engagement: Forming Effective Partnerships with Family Caregivers- Understanding the family’s emotional and cognitive needs leads to better care for the patient.
  • Brain Injury as a Chronic Disease: The Impact on Survivors and Caregivers.
  • Meeting the Learning Needs of Family Caregivers
  • Restoring Intimacy and Sexuality after Brain Injury- Addressing sexuality with patient and partner is an essential part of rehab.
  • An Ethical Compass when the Prognosis is Uncertainty- Caregiver’s definition of ethical issues may overlap or be different than that of the medical team. Improve communication about the factors caregivers may consider over time.
  • Aging with Brain Injury: Understand the changing issues and needs of survivors and caregivers over time.
  • The Spiritual Journey of Caregiving- Explore the process, struggles, blessings and rewards of family caregiving.
  • In Their Own Words- Listen to and discuss narratives,  poetry, and blogs written by family caregivers of people who have brain injuries, dementia, and progressive diseases.
  • In Your Own Words- Janet can facilitate a writing workshop for your staff to share their experiences and reflections.

Praise for Janet’s Presentations

When resident physicians were paged out of Janet’s Medical Grand Rounds presentation to see a patient, they came back as soon as possible; they didn’t want to miss a word. That doesn’t happen with every speaker.

Senior physician, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

We are most appreciative for this rare opportunity to learn what happens when a patient has a cardiac arrest, survives CPR, and is left with irreversible brain damage. Janet’s unique perspective as a loving wife and medical professional make her very qualified to explain the many challenges the patient and family face going forward. Janet also emphasizes the coping strategies, strengths, and love necessary for good quality of life with catastrophic illness.

Senior Staff MD, Resurrection Medical Center, Chicago

Even as a physician, I have never had the opportunity to learn about the patients who go home with brain injuries after their lives are saved and they leave the ICU. I’ve often wondered what happens. Now I can share this story with patients and families going forward.

Staff Physician, Resurrection Medical Center, Chicago

Janet’s presentation on brain injury as a chronic disease made me aware of important new paradigms in the field that I had not heard about yet.

Occupational therapist, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Excellent presentation. So much good advice for nurses, which was so respected coming from a fellow RN and family caregiver.

Registered Nurse, VA Polytrauma Nurses Conference

I felt energized and more hopeful about my work as a nurse on the brain injury unit when Janet talked about how much Alan continued to improve for three years after his injury. We see patients during their earliest phase of recovery, and rarely hear how far they progressed.

RN, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

I plan to publish Janet’s recommendations for staff in the ICU Nurses Newsletter so we can bear them in mind as we interact with families.

ICU Nurse Manager, Resurrection Hospital, Chicago

Janet takes on complex ethical issues and conveys better ways for healthcare professionals, families, and patients to communicate when so much uncertainty is involved.

Staff MD, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

I was spellbound by Janet’s ability to illustrate key clinical concepts with descriptions of the strategies she and Alan customized at home.

Speech language pathologist, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

It is so important to learn about how brain injury affects people as they age. Janet detailed that process for Alan, and emphasized how the healthcare system needs to change in response to brain injury lasting for life. This is one of the key issues in rehab now.

Physical therapist, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

I liked Janet’s point that we can offer families hope, even when no one knows exactly how much the patient will recover, by sharing stories of how Alan’s brain continued to heal for three years after his cardiac arrest.

Registered Nurse, Resurrection Medical Center, Chicago

It is so important for hospital staff to hear the family caregiver’s perspective as we strive to continuously improve communication. Janet’s description of her “ethical compass” for making decisions on Alan’s behalf gave me valuable insights I can share with staff and families.

Ethicist, Resurrection Medical Center, Chicago

Janet’s presentation gave me valuable insights into the emotional and spiritual needs of family members in crisis.

Pastoral Care Counselor, Resurrection Medical Center, Chicago

Print Friendly

  • Connect with Janet