Whatever one’s road to healing is, however, it’s important to remember it is a long, non-linear, often difficult road. But well worth it…

Return to Work Champion:

Juan Murillo Counsels with Compassion to Get Others Working Again

Returning to work is frequently a crucial milestone in any brain injury survivor’s recovery journey, but it takes more than just effort on the survivor’s part. Employers play a key role in creating an environment and culture in which a person transitioning back into the workforce can succeed – for themselves and the company or organization.

That’s why our October Brain Health Leadership Breakfast is celebrating Return to Work Champions, people or organizations that go above and beyond when it comes to helping survivors of brain injury return to work after an accident, illness or injury.

We’re excited to introduce you to these extraordinary individuals and some of the insights they have to share when it comes to creating a healthy, vibrant, productive and inclusive workforce

Juan Murillo has helped just about anyone you can imagine navigate their trauma healing, from couples and families to young people and individuals.

He’s been working in mental health since 2012 and has been a long time supporter and resource to the Brain Injury Association of Arizona.

Murillo is very familiar with the psychological and emotional impact a catastrophic accident, injury or illness can have on a survivor of brain injury. Frequently, their condition results in job loss or difficulty re-entering the workforce.

Still, he maintains returning to work is just one part of an overall healing process, and it’s rarely one of the first steps taken.

Returning to Work as One Part of a Healing Process

“Getting back to work, that’s kind of naturally part of the therapy process,” said Murillo.

Murillo tends to get a lot of referrals to men facing career challenges, though he does see a variety of clients overall. Many of his patients face struggles like keeping their own business afloat, maintaining a job, losing a job or changing careers, or other issues.

Often, he said, the difficulties stem are “because of things that are going on with their mood, their personality traits, because of their trauma.”

Their behavior frequently stems from an inability to regulate or process powerful emotions that then can spur self-destructive behaviors.

“Anger is a big one,” Murillo said. “Anger can be really powerful in terms of affecting your ability to do your job, and you may lose a job because of anger.”

Depression is also common and just as debilitating.

“I’ve had clients that have been basically homebound for a year with depression and now they want to get back into the workforce,” Murillo said. “Where do they start?”

The answer is rarely getting a job, starting a new career, or building their own business. That does eventually happen, but first Murillo said there’s a lot of foundational work that needs to get done.

This includes helping people gain more self confidence, reigniting prior interests in hobbies or sports, and sometimes even just regaining enough physical fitness so the client can do a job they want to do.

“It’s a lot of rebuilding from the ground up,” he said.

This can be true even when a client doesn’t question their basic ability to do a job.

“After injury or job loss, one of the major things I’ll note is just the lack of self-confidence,” Murillo said. “You may have skills, and you may know that you can do a job but there’s just a part of you that either doesn’t believe you can.”

One of the best things a person can do when plagued by these thoughts is simply notice when harmful thoughts like these begin to creep in.

“So just noticing that part of you that’s almost trying to hold you back, that inner critic that’s like, ‘Who’s going to hire you? Who’s going to want you now?'” Murrillo said. “That’s just a part of you, that’s not, you don’t wanna listen to that.”

Therapy can help overcome and work through that kind of negative self-talk.

And, Murillo said it’s important for trauma survivors to remember to give themselves credit for the small wins during their overall healing process.

Often, the focus tends to be on larger goals like returning to work but the less obvious steps on a healing journey – getting out of the house, taking a walk, calling a friend for support – all count just as much.

The Need for Employer Patience and Understanding

On the employer side, it’s important to remember the human aspect of returning to work. Many well-meaning employers can get frustrated with what they see as being accommodating enough. They may be checking a litany of boxes: allowing the worker to take longer or more frequent breaks, enabling them to have brief mediation sessions, allowing the employee to listen to headphones at their desk. And yet, their employee may still exhibit behaviors, frustrating employers who are genuinely making an effort to be supportive.

Environmental accommodations, however, are only part of what a person recovering from trauma needs.

“It’s not simple,” Murillo said. “So understanding there needs to be flexibility and looking at their employee, the person, that is going to have good days, bad days, but ultimately they want to work, they want to be in that role.”

He said it’s important for employers to remember that working is just “part of their healing journey.”

“And when we threaten or put that at risk, it only makes symptoms worse,” Murillo said. “They need to have security and stability despite their ups and downs when they’re returning to work.”

Although there’s bound to be some bumps in the road, eventually things tend to smooth out over time. Murillo stressed, however, that can sometimes take a year or even several years, depending on the injury or trauma.

Finding the Right Counselor or Therapist

Healing from major trauma is often best undertaken with the support and guidance of a counselor or therapist. But it’s important to find the right one for your needs and personality.

If something isn’t working, or the therapist simply isn’t clicking with the patient, it’s perfectly all right to tell the therapist that. The therapist may even have a good recommendation for someone else who uses a different kind of therapist or method that is better suited to the client.

“We’re not going to be offended if you say, ‘You know what, I’d like to figure out a different path for me,'” said Murillo.

But even if counseling doesn’t feel like an option, Murillo said it’s important to try to at least talk about things or find a way to explore one’s feelings or behaviors.

Journaling or even just opening up to trusted friends more can help.

Whatever one’s road to healing is, however, it’s important to remember it is a long, non-linear, often difficult road. But well worth it, and a successful return to work can be one of the best milestones of the journey.

ABOUT BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION OF ARIZONA

The Brain Injury Association of Arizona (BIAAZ) is the only statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of adults and children with all types of brain injuries through prevention, advocacy, awareness and education. BIAAZ also houses the Arizona Brain Health Resource Center, a collection of educational information and neuro-specific resources for brain injury survivors, caregivers, family members and professionals.

What began in 1983 as a grassroots effort has grown into a strong statewide presence, providing valuable life-long resources and community support for individuals with all types of brain trauma at no charge.