Webinar: Invisible Injuries: Rethinking Concussion and Brain Injury Across the Lifespan

Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Time: 6:30pm-8:30pm EST

Dr. Kelli A. Uitenham

Register Today!

NJSHA Member – $40
NJSHA Student Member – $5
Non –Member – $60
Student Non-Member – $30

Presenter: Kelli A. Uitenham, CScD, CCC-SLP, CBIS

Presenter Bio:
Dr. Kelli A. Uitenham is an award-winning, nationally certified medical Speech-Language Pathologist and Certified Brain Injury Specialist with over a decade of experience in adult and geriatric care. She is the author of The 25,000 Mark: It’s Not Just a Concussion, a powerful work that brings awareness to the long-term impact of brain injury beyond sports.

She serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Northeastern University, where she combines her clinical expertise and passion for education to train the next generation of speech-language pathologists.

Beyond academia, Dr. Kelli is the owner of Serenity Speech Therapy, a private telepractice licensed in nine states, and the founder of the Brain Talk Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness of neurological and neurodegenerative conditions, especially concussion, TBI, and CTE in at risk populations. She also hosts the podcast Kandid Konversations with Dr. Kelli, where she amplifies powerful stories and fosters candid discussions around brain health, recovery, and resilience.

Known for blending clinical excellence with dynamic public speaking, Dr. Kelli uses her voice to champion brain health, functional recovery, and equitable access to care.

Course Description:
Concussion and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) are often viewed through the lens of sports, yet most brain injuries occur outside of athletic settings. Falls, motor vehicle accidents, interpersonal violence, and everyday incidents contribute to a large number of injuries that frequently go unrecognized or are misattributed to other conditions. When symptoms are subtle, delayed, or overlap with anxiety, depression, ADHD, or migraine, individuals are often told they are “fine,” despite ongoing cognitive, physical, and emotional challenges.

This session will challenge traditional perceptions of concussion and expand participants’ understanding of brain injury across diverse populations. Using a case-based approach, attendees will explore real-world scenarios involving both athlete and non-athlete presentations, highlighting common patterns of missed or delayed diagnosis and the impact of invisible injury on daily functioning, academic performance, and quality of life.

Participants will review the range of concussion symptoms, including delayed and evolving presentations, and examine the clinical complexities of differential diagnosis. The session will also provide an overview of current understanding of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), with emphasis on evidence-based discussion and clinical relevance.

Practical strategies for screening, referral, patient education, and advocacy will be provided to support clinicians in improving recognition and care. This session emphasizes a broader, more inclusive approach to brain injury, because it’s not just sports.

Learner Outcomes:
After completing this course, participants will be able to: 

1. Differentiate between common mechanisms of concussion and mild traumatic brain injury across diverse populations, including but not limited to athletes, older adults, and individuals involved in motor vehicle accidents.
2. Identify subtle and delayed symptom presentations of concussion that may contribute to underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis in clinical settings.
3. Analyze case-based scenarios to determine appropriate clinical considerations, referrals, and interdisciplinary management strategies for individuals with suspected brain injury.

Time-Ordered Agenda (120 minutes)  

(5 minutes) | Welcome + Framing the Conversation
(15 minutes) | Understanding Brain Injury Beyond the Stereotype
(15 minutes) | Symptom Recognition and Delayed Presentation
(20 minutes) | Case Study #1: Missed or Delayed Diagnosis
(15 minutes) | Symptom Overlap and Diagnostic Challenges
(15 minutes) | Case Study #2: Athlete Perspective
(10 minutes) | Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Overview
(10 minutes) | Case Study #3: Persistent Symptoms and Recovery
(10 minutes) | Clinical Application and Next Steps
(5 minutes) | Key Takeaways/Questions and Discussion

Level of Education:  Introductory

Disclosures:

Financial: Kelli A. Uitenham, CScD, CCC-SLP, CBIS is receiving an honorarium from NJSHA for presenting this webinar. Kelli is Assistant Clinical Professor at Northeastern University; Owner of Serenity Speech Therapy, PLLC; Founder of Brain Talk Foundation; Power of Patients Ambassador; Cognishine Ambassador.
Non-Financial:  Kelli A. Uitenham, CScD, CCC-SLP, CBIS is a Member of ASHA and a Member of NBASLH.

Professional Conduct and Discrimination Policy: All participants are expected to conduct themselves in professional manor. Please review NJSHA’s Professional Conduct and Discrimination Policy.

Complaint Policy: Questions and concerns should be emailed to the Association Office, [email protected]. Complaints arising during or after an event, can be filed using the post event evaluation form or by contacting the Association office.

Accessibility Policy:  The Association is committed to providing an outstanding experience for all participants at its events. We strive for full access to the activities of these events and accommodations relating to mobility, hearing, vision or other areas may be provided. We ask that requests for reasonable accommodations at the event be made as early as possible, and well in advance of the event, so we may explore options to best meet the individual’s need or provide a resource/suggestion to help meet the individuals’ requirement.

Potential Barriers: Although we strive to make this event as accessible as possible to all members, some barriers may remain due to financial, logistical, facility, vendor or volunteer/staffing limitations.

If the association is unable to provide an accommodation due to one or more of the reasons stated above and the individual feels attendance is no longer an option, the Association will provide a full refund of the event registration fee.

Satisfactory Completion Requirements: Certificates of completion will be awarded after active attendance at the entire presentation, submission of a completed evaluation and submission of a completed assessment of learning. A link to the online assessment and evaluation will be provided.