182: New Life Perspectives with Liz Larson and Bill McKenna - Episode 182182: New Life Perspectives with Liz Larson and Bill McKenna - Episode 182
UK Health Radio Podcast
Liz Larson and Bill McKenna share two detailed stories linking head injuries to brain fog, emotional turmoil and heavy marijuana use, alongside their Cogno Movement approach. The episode focuses on how reconnecting brain and body coincided with reduced dependence and a return to fuller, more active lives.
46:18•2 Nov 2026
Head Injuries, Brain Fog and Breaking Free from Cannabis Dependence
Episode Overview
- Head injuries, even those seen as minor, can dramatically alter personality, emotions and decision-making over time.
- Persistent rage, overwhelm and oppositional behaviour may be linked to disrupted brain communication after a concussion.
- Heavy, high-THC marijuana use can become the main coping tool for anxiety and sensory overload caused by brain injury.
- Working on what a person cares about most (such as sport performance) can open the door to deeper therapeutic change.
- Cogno Movement sessions aim to reconnect brain, body and emotions, which in these cases coincided with reduced cannabis use and restored daily functioning.
“The only happiness in her entire life was smoking.”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This episode of UK Health Radio’s "New Life Perspectives" with Liz Larson and Bill McKenna digs into the hidden link between head injuries, brain fog and life‑derailing behaviours, including heavy cannabis use. You’ll hear the story of Jennifer, a once joyful child whose personality flipped after a serious knock to the back of the head at age six.
As she grew up, anger, oppositional behaviour, overwhelm and a strong dependence on high‑THC marijuana took over, shrinking her life down to video games, Uber Eats and planning the next smoke. Her parents tried therapy and psychology for years, never realising that "just a concussion" might sit at the root of it all.
Liz and Bill explain how even “minor” head injuries can scramble how the brain talks to itself, leading to misreading conversations, feeling under attack and turning to substances for the only sense of relief. Using their Cogno Movement System, they first worked with what Jennifer cared about most – her gymnastics – helping her body move better through eye‑based nervous system work.
A striking side effect followed: "When we got that part of her body to release, the rage went away." Over time, her marijuana use eased from all‑day “wake and bake” to occasional evenings, then dropped entirely after key sensations in her heart and solar plexus shifted. She reported feeling peace and joy instead of deprivation, and her life quickly widened to include work she loved.
The hosts also share the journey of a vibrant woman in her seventies whose personality, mobility and confidence collapsed after snowboard‑related concussions, and how regular Cogno Movement sessions helped her return to skiing, socialising and feeling "110%" herself. If someone’s personality changed after a fall, crash or sports injury, this conversation might spark a new question: could a past knock to the head be part of your story too?
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