Ken Collins

Ken Collins has lived with his brain injury for over 46 years and has worked with people with brain injuries to live independently since 1983.  Ken is an advocate of developing home and community-based services for people with brain injuries.  In 1986-88 he was a VISTA Volunteer and helped develop the first independent living program for people with brain injuries in the U.S.   Ken has participated in indigenous healing practices in the treatment of brain injury (Sweat Lodge and Hogan Ceremonies) and promotes the use of mindfulness-based stress reduction, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) tapping, Tai Chi, Yoga for successful integration with western medicine to control anger and other consequences stress and anxiety triggers within the limbic system fight or flight response.  Ken has conducted national webinars on using mindfulness-based therapies, meditation, exercise and nutrition to assist in the brain injury recovery process.  Ken also organized Elders First! to develop elder day services (adult day care) for frail Navajo elders at senior centers on the Navajo Nation.  Most recently, Ken was reappointed to the New Mexico State-wide Independent Living Council (SILC) and is currently Executive Director at the Hozho Center for Personal Enhancement in Gallup, New Mexico.