A concussion can change much more than your memory, concentration, or energy. For many people, the most difficult part of recovery is feeling different from themselves.
You may feel anxious about your symptoms, frustrated that recovery has not happened the way you expected, or uncertain about who you are now. You may find yourself thinking:
- “I do not feel like myself anymore.”
- “I cannot trust my mind the way I used to.”
- “People do not understand what I am experiencing.”
- “I want to feel connected to myself again.”
These experiences are common after concussion. While medical care and rehabilitation focus on physical and cognitive recovery, many people also need support understanding the emotional impact of what has changed.
I am a Vancouver concussion therapist specializing in psychodynamic psychotherapy for adults experiencing emotional and psychological changes after concussion. In-person psychotherapy is available in Vancouver, Yaletown. Online psychotherapy is available for adults throughout British Columbia, including Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond, and surrounding communities.
Psychotherapy after concussion provides a space to process these changes, rebuild confidence, and reconnect with yourself.
The Emotional Impact of Concussion
A concussion affects the brain, but it can also affect how you experience yourself, your relationships, and your daily life.
Many people experience:
- Anxiety about recovery
- Changes in mood or emotional regulation
- Loss of confidence
- Feeling disconnected from themselves
- Difficulty trusting memory or concentration
- Frustration with limitations
- Changes in relationships
- Grief over changes in their life
One of the most difficult parts of concussion recovery is that these changes are often invisible. Others may not understand why you are struggling, especially if you appear physically well.
You may feel isolated, misunderstood, or frustrated that your experience is difficult to explain.
Psychotherapy provides a place where your experience can be understood in its full complexity—not only the symptoms you experience, but also the emotional meaning these changes have had in your life.
Many people notice this most in the body itself, in ways that are hard to explain to others. If that sounds familiar, it may help to read more about why the body can hurt when nothing seems medically wrong.
Common Reasons People Seek Psychotherapy After Concussion
Many people reach out for support when they notice:
- “I do not feel like myself anymore.”
- “My confidence has changed.”
- “I am struggling emotionally even though my concussion happened months ago.”
- “I feel anxious about whether I will recover.”
- “My relationships feel different since my concussion.”
- “I have recovered physically, but I still do not feel like myself.”
You do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out. A consultation is an opportunity to discuss what you are experiencing and explore what kind of support may be helpful.
If any of this sounds familiar, I would be glad to talk it through with you. You are welcome to book a free 20-minute consultation with me.
Why Do I Feel Different After a Concussion?
A common experience after concussion is a change in identity.
Your routines, abilities, independence, relationships, work, and future plans may feel uncertain. You may compare yourself to who you were before your concussion and feel frustrated that life does not feel the same.
From a psychodynamic perspective, these changes are not only about symptoms. They are also about your relationship with yourself.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy explores questions such as:
- How has concussion changed the way I see myself?
- How do I adapt while maintaining a sense of identity?
- How do I rebuild trust in myself?
- How can I move forward while accepting what has happened?
The goal is not simply to return to who you were before your concussion. It is to develop a deeper understanding of your experience and create a meaningful path forward.
This process often touches on memory itself, and how the mind sometimes fills in gaps in ways that only add to the confusion. For a closer look at this connection, see how psychoanalysis approaches a wounded mind.
How Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Helps After Concussion
Many approaches to concussion recovery focus on symptom management, rehabilitation, and returning to daily activities. These supports can be important, but emotional recovery is also a significant part of healing.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy focuses on understanding your inner experience, emotions, relationships, and patterns of coping.
After concussion, you may experience:
- Fear about your future
- Anger about what has changed
- Sadness about lost abilities
- Shame about needing support
- Anxiety about whether you will recover
Rather than trying to ignore these feelings, psychotherapy creates space to explore and understand them.
Through this process, you can develop greater self-awareness, emotional clarity, and a stronger connection with yourself.
Grief, Anxiety, and Adjustment After Concussion
Many people experience grief after concussion—not only because of symptoms, but because parts of their previous life may feel different.
You may be grieving:
- Your previous energy levels
- Your independence
- Your ability to work or study as before
- Your expectations for the future
You may also experience anxiety about recovery, uncertainty about your future, or difficulty trusting your mind and body.
These emotions can be especially challenging when others do not recognize what has changed.
Psychotherapy provides a space to process these experiences and explore how to move forward without feeling defined by your concussion.
For some, this grief settles into something closer to numbness or absence rather than sadness. If that feels closer to your experience, it may help to explore why some people feel empty rather than simply sad.
Can Psychotherapy Help Months or Years After a Concussion?
Yes. Many people seek psychotherapy long after their initial concussion.
Sometimes the immediate focus after concussion is simply managing symptoms and returning to daily responsibilities. It may only later become clear how deeply the experience has affected your confidence, relationships, and sense of self.
You may still feel:
- Unlike yourself
- Less confident than before
- Stuck between your previous life and your current reality
- Unsure how to move forward
Some individuals experience persistent concussion symptoms, sometimes referred to as post-concussion syndrome, where emotional changes, fatigue, cognitive concerns, and identity challenges continue beyond the initial recovery period.
It is never too late to explore the emotional impact of concussion.
Whether your concussion happened last month or several years ago, I am here whenever you are ready to talk. Book a free 20-minute consultation with me today.
Who I Work With
Curtis works with adults experiencing emotional and psychological changes after concussion.
Psychotherapy may be helpful if you:
- Feel unlike yourself after concussion
- Experience anxiety, grief, or changes in mood
- Have lost confidence in your abilities
- Struggle with memory-related worry or cognitive fatigue
- Feel misunderstood by others
- Want support beyond symptom management
Curtis specializes in helping clients explore the emotional impact of concussion through a psychodynamic approach.
Is This the Right Kind of Support for Me?
Psychotherapy after concussion may be a good fit if you are looking for a space to understand the emotional impact of your experience, rebuild confidence, and explore how concussion has affected your sense of self.
This approach may be helpful if you:
- Feel like you have changed since your concussion
- Want to better understand your emotions and reactions
- Are struggling with anxiety, uncertainty, or grief
- Feel disconnected from yourself or others
- Want support beyond symptom management
You do not need to know exactly what you need before reaching out. A free 20-minute consultation is an opportunity to ask questions, share your experience, and decide whether this approach feels right for you.
This kind of disconnection often shows up in small, everyday ways rather than one dramatic shift. It can help to read more about the small disconnections that shape daily life.
What Happens in the First Session?
Beginning therapy can feel uncertain, especially when you are already navigating changes after concussion.
Your first session focuses on understanding your experience and creating a foundation for our work together.
We will explore:
- Your concussion history and recovery experience
- The emotional and psychological changes you have noticed
- How concussion has affected your relationships, confidence, and sense of self
- What you hope to understand or change through therapy
You do not need to have everything figured out before starting. Therapy begins by making sense of what you have been experiencing and creating space for meaningful exploration.
If you think this could be a good fit, I would love to hear from you. Book a free 20-minute consultation with me to get started.
Why Work With a Therapist Specializing in Concussion?
Finding a therapist who understands concussion can be challenging. Many therapists support anxiety, depression, and life transitions, but fewer specialize in the emotional experience of concussion recovery.
Concussion affects more than symptoms. It can influence identity, relationships, confidence, independence, and your understanding of yourself.
I specialize in psychodynamic psychotherapy for adults experiencing concussion-related changes. I trained in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy through Trinity College Dublin, with additional training in neuropsychoanalysis and object relations theory.
My approach combines understanding of the brain and mind with depth-oriented psychotherapy, helping clients process their experience and move toward meaningful change.
Book Your Free 20-Minute Concussion Consultation
You do not need to know whether psychotherapy is the right answer before reaching out.
A free 20-minute online consultation with me is an opportunity to:
- Discuss what you have been experiencing after concussion
- Ask questions about psychodynamic psychotherapy
- Learn how I approach concussion recovery
- Decide whether working together feels like the right fit
Starting with a conversation can be the first step toward understanding what has changed and reconnecting with yourself.
Book your free 20-minute online consultation with me today.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long after a concussion can psychotherapy help?
Psychotherapy can be helpful weeks, months, or years after a concussion. Many people seek support when they continue feeling unlike themselves or struggle with emotional changes after their concussion.
Can psychotherapy help with anxiety after concussion?
Yes. Psychotherapy can help you understand anxiety, uncertainty, and fears related to recovery while developing new ways of coping.
Do I need a referral for psychotherapy after concussion?
No. You can book a consultation directly. The free consultation is an opportunity to discuss your experience and determine whether this approach is appropriate.
Is online psychotherapy available?
Yes. Online psychotherapy is available for adults in Vancouver and anywhere throughout British Columbia.