Concussion Recovery Reflection Tool

Understanding factors that may influence concussion and post-concussion recovery

Concussion recovery can be confusing, especially when symptoms linger or don’t follow a clear timeline.

This reflection tool was created to help people living with concussion or post-concussion symptoms explore how different factors may be interacting with their recovery. These include things like nervous system load, attention patterns, emotional demands, boundaries, and everyday environmental pressures.

The tool generates a short personalised report that can help you better understand your own patterns and may support conversations with clinicians such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, GPs, or ACC providers.

This is an early beta version, and feedback is helping shape how it develops.

  • This tool may be helpful if you:

    • Have recently experienced a concussion

    • Are living with post-concussion symptoms (PCS)

    • Have had multiple concussions

    • Feel your recovery has been slower or more complicated than expected

    • Want to better understand how your nervous system and environment may be influencing symptoms

    Many people also use the report as a starting point for conversations with healthcare professionals.

  • The Concussion Recovery Reflection Tool explores several areas that can influence recovery after a concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), including:

    • Nervous system baseline and stress activation

    • Sensitivity to light, noise, and busy environments

    • Emotional and relational load

    • Pressure to keep functioning despite symptoms

    • Attention style and mental fatigue patterns

    • Recovery speed after stress or effort

    • Boundary setting and energy limits

    • Environmental demands and life responsibilities

    These factors can interact with concussion symptoms in different ways for different people.

    The goal of the tool is not to diagnose or treat, but to help people understand patterns that may be affecting their recovery.

  • After completing the reflection (about 10–15 minutes), you will receive a personalised report that includes:

    • A snapshot of patterns that may be influencing your recovery

    • Brief explanations of each area assessed

    • Gentle suggestions and considerations that may support recovery

    • A summary you can share with clinicians if helpful

    The aim is to support greater understanding, not pressure or self-blame.

Start reflection