Nancy Bauser survived
a head-on collision in which she sustained a
severe brain-stem injury while she was a senior at
the University of Michigan in 1971. After
rehabilitating and recovering for only nine
months, she chose to return school and complete
her undergraduate education.
Life was not easy for
Nancy.
“After being fired
from two hospital social work positions in alcohol
treatment for reasons I never understood, I got on
Social Security Disability. Just because I
was now considered 100% disabled by the federal
government, I did not quit trying to attain
goals. I did what I could and I earned
multiple professional credentials. “
Nancy received a
Bachelor of Science degree in 1973. She went on to
obtain a master’s degree in social work, from the
University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1976. In 1984,
Nancy was admitted to the Academy of Certified
Social Workers, A.C.S.W. After working as a peer
counselor for out-patient mental health &
substance abuse clinics, Nancy developed a 24 week
format for teaching acceptance of injury,
disability or illness, in 2000.
As
a Trauma Recovery Expert, Disability Life Coach
& Head Injured Survivor, Nancy provides not
only coaching, modeling and on-going support
services to survivors of catastrophic loss and
those who care about them, but she also brings her
expertise as a professional speaker to
organizations who hire speakers. Nancy
teaches, models and coaches by example. As a
speaker, she shares her over 40 years of
experience, recovering from a severe brain stem
injury and encourages audiences to become
resilient survivors instead of victims, to invest
their time in constructive action and to plan
strategies they can use to overcome obstacles,
whatever they might be.
Her book is called Acceptance
Groups for Survivors, A Guide for Facilitators
and first editions are available from her web
site. In 2004, Nancy obtained recognition from The
American
Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress.
She is a Board Certified Expert in Traumatic
Stress, with a Board Certification in Disability
Trauma. In 2008, Nancy did two things. She became
a member of the National
Center for Crisis Management and
chose to re-publish her book so she could display
her new credentials and change the color of the
cover. In Recognition of Perseverance,
Determination and Never-Quit Spirit, Nancy was
named a 2009 Energizer Keep
Going Hall of Fame Semifinalist.
From the International Association of Business
Leaders, Nancy was presented with a 2010
Lifetime Achievement Award.
Nancy also was selected as a recipient of the
University of Michigan Council for Disability
Concerns’ 2010 Certificate of
Appreciation. Nancy combines
lessons she has learned as a nearly 40 year
survivor of a catastrophe, with her social work
education and training as a Disability Life Coach,
to provide modeling, motivation and support
coaching services to those who have experienced
trauma and those who support them.
Nancy is still
learning and growing, still working for those who
she feels need her help.
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