About Sarah Brannon, Ph.D.
I help people at risk of dementia promote healthy brain aging.
After years of working in health promotion and disease prevention I am excited to offer health coaching as an option for adults in mid-life and later life who are noticing early signs of cognitive decline, including memory loss, brain fog and loss of mental clarity. While my work in public health continues to have a big impact, it is truly rewarding to see the transformation in my clients' lives after they age in health and wellness coaching to address risk factors for dementia.
Credentials
Education
-- Ph.D in Health and Behavioral Sciences, University of Colorado Denver. 2013. Dissertation: A Weighty Matter: Effects of Adiposity on Adult Neurocognitive Health.
- Colorado Clinical and Translational Science Pre-Doctoral Training Certificate:
- Bachelor of Psychology (Hons 1st Class). University of Newcastle, Australia. 2004. Thesis: Beyond Unity: Application of a Taxonomy of Inhibition and Interference Control to Cognitive Ageing. F)
Coaching credentials
-National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC))
-Lifestyle Medicine Coach
-Certified Health and Wellness Coach (Wellcoaches)
-Member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF)
Area of special interest
- Cognitive aging
- Reslience
- Chronic disease management.
- Stress management.
- Interactions between the brain, immune system and endocrine systems.
- Neurological disorders.
- Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
Experience
Prior to offering private health and wellness coaching, my experience included the following:
-Current Director of The Healthy Brain Connection, a hub for resources on healthy brain aging.
- Teaching graduate and undergraduate classes on public health at the University of Colorado Denver and Anschutz Medical Campus,
- Working with the CDC's Healthy Brain Initiative on research promoting healthy brain aging.
- Working with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to implement Chronic Disease Self-Management programs among low-income older adults,.
- Working in a primary care medical practice conducting health assessments with older adults.
Professional affiliations
- American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM).
- International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART).
-International Coaching Federation (ICF).
A little about me...
I am originally from Australia (G'day!). I moved to Colorado in 2005 when I married an American. Together with my husband and two children I keep a backyard filled with chickens, vegetables, lots of flowers and as many fruiting plants as we can fit. I love to hike, run and swim. Exploring a new place is something I truly enjoy, though seldom have the chance to indulge. Family camping is worth the hard work. Afternoon tea with friends is my kind of fun. I also have a lifelong passion for birds and bird-keeping. (parrots). I have been blessed with hope and peace through many trials in life, including my own set of chronic conditions.
Addressing risk factors for dementia
Research has now identified many modifiable risk factors for dementia, suggesting that up 40% o dementia risk is modifiable. Addressing these risk factors, and enhancing protective factors, could help you reduce your rate of cognitive decline. It could even help you prevent or delay the onset of dementia.
The pathological changes involved in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias start decades before a clinical diagnosis of dementia is possible. Dementia diagnosis is currently made when a person's cognitive function (such as memory, thinking and reasoning) decline to the extent that it interferes with a persons daily life and activities. Yet it takes years to reach that point. In the meantime, that person has probably noticed many symptoms themselves, and friends, family and coworkers have too. Unfortunately, by the time a person has a diagnosis of dementia they have already lost a lot of brain mass, and changes are irreversible. While there is now a disease-modifying drug on the market, it cannot restore lost brain mass or cell connections. Effectiveness of such drugs is very limited, and they do not cure dementia. Therefore, the time to act on risk factors is well BEFORE a diagnosis of dementia. The earlier you start the better. Changes in midlife (40-65) will have the greatest impact. But it is never too late to start!
I help people promote healthy brain aging.
Take action
Modifying your risk factors for dementia can seem daunting. However meaningful change is possible. Of course you can do this on your own - please do! I can only see a limited number of clients, and I want to see a world free of dementia! But if you need help making the changes you want to make, reach out and see if coaching is a good fit for you.
Sarah Brannon, Ph.D. - The Brain Health Coach
