A PERSONAL RECKONING
A COLLECTIVE RISING
A HIDDEN EPIDEMIC
What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A brain injury occurs when something—like a fall, crash, or violent impact—disrupts how the brain normally functions.
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Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): From external force to the head or body
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Acquired Brain Injury (ABI): From internal events like stroke, tumors, or lack of oxygen
You don’t have to lose consciousness. You might not even notice symptoms for days—or years.
The Crisis at a Glance
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1 in 2 brain injuries go undiagnosed or untreated
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81% of women in domestic violence shelters report head trauma
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60%+ of incarcerated individuals have a history of brain injury
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TBI history in the homeless population was higher (79.7%) than in the general population (12%).
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86% of former football players show signs of CTE
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TBI is the “signature injury” of post-9/11 combat veterans
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TBI increases risk of addiction, depression, and suicide
These aren't just statistics
They’re missed diagnoses, misread behaviors,
and untold stories
A Mental Health Documentary
Like Never Before
Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, Fall of the Phoenix is told through the
intimate, dreamlike lens of filmmaker Lauren Lindberg.
What begins as a yearning to understand her sister’s sports-related concussions,
spirals into something far more personal: a reckoning with her own misdiagnosed
brain injuries—and an awakening to a hidden epidemic.
Lauren’s unfolding awareness becomes a portal into the minds and experiences of
survivors. Together, they reveal how traumatic brain injury (TBI) hides in plain
sight—entwined with misdiagnoses, mental health crises, gender-based violence,
incarceration, homelessness, addiction, and suicide.
Most importantly, the film celebrates human resilience—and what becomes possible
when brain injury survivors tap into creativity, community, and inner strength to
transform their pain and rise into their fullest potential.
Every 9 seconds someone in the U.S. sustains an invisible injury.
Over 50% go undiagnosed.
Fall of the Phoenix exists to change that.
