I am self-employed

You have the option to consult:

• Your attending doctor/therapist at the rehabilitation center. You can communicate areas of progress and challenges to them.
  • 💼 Helpful resource: Create a checklist to pinpoint key areas of concern and discuss desired changes.
• A job mediator
  • A VDAB mediator can assess available assistance and collaborate with GTB in the workplace. Contact the mediator to address your progress and explore potential solutions for enhancing the suitability of your work environment.
  • Please note: VDAB/GTB assistance is contingent upon receiving disability benefits. If you return to work without disability benefits, VDAB/GTB support may not be accessible.
• The advisory physician from the health insurance fund or a career guidance center. They can collaborate with you to devise strategies for sustainable work continuation.

Communication is very important when returning to work after a brain injury.

•  Living and working with a brain injury is not something you do on your own .
• The consequences of the brain injury can impact your social and your professional network .

Challenge: if you return to your previous job , your colleagues and clients usually know you from before your brain injury.

•  They may therefore notice changes in, for example, your behaviour, personality or load capacity.
• Sometimes your colleagues may expect this to improve or they may expect you to return to how you were before the brain injury.
• Not all consequences of your brain injury are visible to others.
• Maybe they only see you at your best moments.

💪Opportunity: it is important to communicate how the consequences of your brain injury affect how you function and talk about the visible and invisible consequences.

•  For example, share with your colleagues that you are easily distracted or tired.
• Knowing these specific consequences helps them to understand how they can support you or why you want to reduce your working hours.

🤝Together: it might help if you prepare such a communication in writing together with your doctor/rehabilitation team .

• 🧰Tools: you can use the ICF framework, a diagram that indicates the interactions between your health condition, functioning and contextual factors.
  • A written document helps you to structure what you want to say.
  • Consequently, you do not have to keep thinking about how to communicate this.
  • Identify what is challenging and suggest a solution where possible.
  • For example, do not say in general terms that you suffer from memory loss, but specifically ask your supervisor to communicate all your tasks by e-mail. Then, you can check the tasks as often as you wish (not forgetting anything) and you can cross out what has already been done (keeping the overview).

🚧Challenge: What factors are contributing to the risk of you leaving your job?

• Have specific symptoms worsened?
• Is it advisable to schedule a consultation with your treating doctor to address ongoing treatment?
• Is the process of returning to work proving more challenging than anticipated?
• Are you now realizing the full extent of the impact of your brain injury as you resume work?

🤝Collaboration: Your healthcare provider, whether it's your primary care physician, rehabilitation specialist, or neurologist, can assess with you the feasibility of continuing your return to work. Taking a break may be a suitable option.

• You can also reach out to the therapist at the rehabilitation center who supported your workplace integration.
• A mediator from GTB or VDAB can provide workplace assistance.
• Engage in discussions with your loved ones. They can help evaluate what is achievable and suggest potential adjustments at home. For instance, you could consider increasing cleaning assistance or incorporating moments of rest after your workday.