I've Moved!!

My blog has a NEW HOME!

Please head on over to beingmeamyb.com to see the new site- it's beautiful!

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See you soon!

-Amy

"I'm Tired!"

"I'm soooo tired!". We hear this all the time at Brain Fit. Clients come for a session and they are just so darn tired. It happened with my own son (I remember) when he was also going through the program.

In the post "There's Not Much Left", I talked about the stress response- the fight/flight/freeze response and how it can take a toll on people- kids through adults. When the brain is in a constant state of stress, the brain power needed is tremendous. When the brain/body are in "survival" mode, it's hard to access thoughts, or have energy to do much.

But what about the primitive reflexes? How do they play a part? Well when the primitive reflexes (those early motor patterns that we all have as babies) are not integrated, the body has to work harder to fight against the reflex action.

Take the ATNR reflex for example. The ATNR (Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex) is the reflex that serves purposes for a baby such as:

• Developing muscle tone
• Ensuring a free passage of air when the baby is lying on their stomach
• Serving as an introduction to laterality- training one side of the body at a time
• Serving as the first eye/hand coordination experience- setting up the visual system for near point focus.

In a school aged child with a retained (still present) ATNR, problems can arise and the brain/body needs to work harder to fight the reflex. You see- functionally, the reflex causes one arm and leg on one side of the body to extend (and the other to flex) when there is a turn of the head. It's also known sometimes referred to as the "fencer's" reflex because it looks like the same pose. Here's a picture to help you visualize.

Think about this same active reflex in a school aged child though. 

The child is sitting at her desk working on a writing activity that the teacher assigned. Across the room, another student starts to sharpen their pencil using the electric pencil sharpener. The child that's writing turns their head in reaction to the sound, and guess what happens? The arm on that same side of the body wants to extend! 

Remember- the ATNR is activated by a turn of the head. Head turns to one side, that same arm extends and the other flexes.

So now, that child that was writing, either (literally) has their arm extend- reflexively and without meaning to- or, if nothing else, the body has built up compensations to "fight" the reflex activity. Compensations such as tension in the neck and shoulder to keep the arm from extending. Or, maybe an awkward pencil grip that makes it easier to keep the arm from extending. Or- maybe holding the pencil itself so hard that they end up with an indent in their finger!

Stop and think about that for a second. Think about all the extra energy that her body is using just to fight that automatic movement pattern! 

We at Brain Fit sometimes refer to the reflexes as being like a puppeteer. The body moves involuntarily when the appropriate activation is present. In this case, the turning of the head. There's no conscious thought tied to the movement. It's directed by the brain stem (AKA- the Baby Brain) and happens automatically. And that child is fighting that ATNR reflex all...day...long. Not to mention any other active reflexes that they may have!

Back to the phrase "I'm soooo tired!" Well, of course they are. Their body is expending so much needless energy fighting the action of those pesky reflexes! Fighting with little movements, big movements, compensations, brain power (or all of the above!) and their poor brains and bodies just can't keep up.

When we work to integrate the reflexes, it's been our experience that the tiredness lessens. The brain and body don't need to work so hard and the energy is freed up for other things. 

I know I say this a lot in this blog, but I find this work fascinating and amazing. When you look at things in a different way, you see things you just didn't even know were there. You are able to see to the root of the problem, and that's where the changes need to be made. 

Tiredness is a real thing when you have unintegrated reflexes. Let me know if it changes once your child comes through the program.

I bet it will.

Hold Space

One of the guiding principles at Brain Fit Academy is to "notice without worry or judgment". In the post titled "Notice" I talked about why noticing is an integral part of what we do and different ways that we help kids to "notice".

Today's post is about "holding space", and the reason why I mentioned noticing is that since we notice without worry or judgement, we also "hold space" in the same way. 

The term "hold space" is actually new for me. I hadn't even heard of the term until a few years ago. And- maybe that's because of the circles I was in? Anyway- I've always kind of wondered what the exact definition of the term is, since different people use it in different ways. When I did a google search, what I found was this: 

"“Holding space” means being physically, mentally, and emotionally present for someone. It means putting your focus on someone to support them as they feel their feelings. An important aspect of holding space is managing judgment while you are present"

Apparently, it seems the term comes from the therapy world and has become more mainstream lately. But boy, does it fit what we do at Brain Fit!

Now, as I've mentioned before- we aren't talk therapy, and in fact, we see breakthroughs all the time with very little talking. Instead, we move through emotions with goal setting and intentional movement. And as a client (child, teen or adult) moves through their emotions, what is the coach doing?

Holding space.

We are holding space for them. We are physically, mentally and emotionally present for them. We put our full focus and attention on them, and as I said before- it all happens without worry or judgement.

To me- "holding space" is about creating a safe place. Creating a relationship and environment that allow the client to feel safe enough to be vulnerable. Safe to share their struggles. Safe to share their struggles with words (if they can and/or wish to) or- to just feel the emotions inside themselves- in order to move through them.

I've talked many times about how when our emotions are swirling and we are in our "baby brain" it's pretty hard to feel comfortably safe. Our brain stem is constantly sending messages that we are in danger. And if our brain and body feels like it's in danger, are we able to access our thoughts? Most times, the answer is no. It's no because we are "reacting" instead of "responding".

If your child (or you!) were to come to a Brain Fit session with those "swirling" emotions, with that "reacting" instead of "responding" brain, what you would find is that safe space. You would find that the coach is ready and willing to "hold space" for your child. You would find that the coach is present, and focused on them. The coach is physically, mentally, and emotionally ready to be present with them, and for them.

Holding space is something we do all the time. We are here to help people and do so by creating that safe, caring, place. We open up, and "hold" space for those that need it, for when they need it. We hold space and we do it without any worry or judgment.

"Holding Space" may be a relatively new term in the mainstream. But really? It's just putting a name to what we already do.

Ready to bring your child to Brain Fit Academy? We welcome you with open arms. And of course, we have "space" ready and waiting to be "held". Ready and waiting just for you and your child.

Work

My new, seven year old client looked at me and exclaimed "That was work?" I smiled and replied "Yeah- it's not the same kind of work you have to do when you're in school or something like that, is it?"

During our sessions with clients, along with noticing and goal setting, we always "work", "rest", and "play".

The "work" that we do at Brain Fit Academy however- just like I said to my client- isn't the type of "work" kids might think of. The work is different because our "work" is all about moving our bodies. 

The movement may be in the form of developmental movements that we missed as babies. It may be rhythmic movements that help to calm the nervous system. It may be Brain Gym® movements to help get both sides of the brain working together. Or- it may be other movements that help our brain and body. As I spoke about in my post "The Body Knows- it Just Might Need a Reminder", the client already knows what "work" is needed that day. They already know so we tap into that "knowing" using muscle checking. 

When I first start working with a new client, the first session is about getting to know each other, and getting to know what a Brain Fit Session is all about. It's about getting to know what "work", "rest", and "play" look like. And, it's pretty common for me to get that puzzled look when I tell kids that this (whatever this happened to be that day) was our "work". 

I once had a mom write in a testimonial that for her daughter, the "work" never felt like "work". That comment made me smile because that's how it should be! I always feel like if I'm doing my job correctly, that kids won't be opposed to the "work" of the session because deep down, they know it's exactly what they need. And- it may even be fun!

Does that mean that the "work" is always easy for them? No- certainly not. It means that if we're working on the correct things it will be just the right amount of a challenge- for their brain, or for their body- or both!!

As for the actual physical part of deciding what work we do that day- I already told you about how we muscle check. 

In order to muscle check however, we might do it by using the laminated cards we have (with the primitive reflex movement on them). That helps us to find which movements the child needs to do. Or- for more options, we have these super handy folders. 

Each of the folders is a different type of movement category and they are color coded to match the three parts of the brain. Each folder holds a number of small movement images that are stuck inside using velcro. So if we are going into the folders, we muscle check the stacks of colored folders- such as the "green stack", the "red stack" etc. This gets us into the correct color stack. Then, from there, we see which folder we need that's in that particular color. 

So, for example, using muscle checking, we narrow down the folder stack to red. And then within the red, we muscle check again to find that we need the red folder titled "assisted movements". Within the assisted movements folder, the child picks activities they are drawn to or- we can muscle check again. 

It's an easy method for sure- and I credit Pam Formosa (the owner director of Brain Fit) for the procedure. It's a method that works well with kids. They like being able to pull the images out of the folder for when we are working on them and then sticking them back into the folder afterwards. It gives the kids a little "hands-on" time with the choosing of movements. 

So yes- work is part of our Brain Fit Sessions, and of course it's needed. But, it's not necessarily work that needs to feel like work.

Work, rest, play. These are the important movement pieces of a Brain Fit session. 

Often times however? The "work" can feel like "rest", or even- like "play". And that's just how I like it. 

"Unexplained" Behaviors

In the post titled "Behaviors are Communication", I talked about how important behaviors are. I talked about how I didn't listen to my client's words, I listened to his behavior. All behaviors tell us something, even if we don't know what it is.

At Brain Fit, we have lots (well pretty much all) clients that come here with what many may call "unexplained" behaviors. It might be the parents that call the behaviors unexplained. Or maybe it's the teachers at a school. Or maybe it's a therapist- or even a doctor. But "unexplained" behaviors are a norm around here.

You may be wondering what type of behaviors I'm talking about. Would you like some examples? Let me list a few and see if you recognize any of these in anyone you know:

• Covering ears with loud noises
• Wrapping feet around chairs when sitting or "w" sitting
• "Deer in headlights" look when asked a question
• Awkward writing position or pencil grip
• Holding pencil so tightly the person has an indent on their finger
• Difficulty sitting in a chair or on a stool
• Difficulty with reading- keeping track of words on the page
• Extreme panic and anxiety
• Constant or prolonged "meltdowns"

What do you think? Recognize any of these in your child? Or maybe in you?? 

Like I said, at Brain Fit, we see kids with these types of behaviors all. the. time. And, this is only a short list!

Now, it's not that all of these children have come to Brain Fit and no one has ever tried to figure out where these behaviors come from- far from it. Many families come to us when they are looking for "someplace else" because they have tried other interventions, therapies, and so forth and haven't found the success or changes they were looking for.

So we have these kids come to Brain Fit. They attend a screening with a parent and we are able to tell them why their child may exhibit the behaviors they do. We can tell them why because we look at things that most people don't. We look at the way the brain and body are working together. We look at the primitive reflexes - those early motor patterns. We look, and we listen to the behaviors their body is showing us. And you know what else? Most of what we tell parents is new to them. It's new because not many people look at things the way we do at Brain Fit. 

Not many people are looking at the way the child's brain is organized. They aren't looking for the root cause of the behaviors. They aren't looking at where the behavior comes from, they are looking at how it manifests. They are looking at how to help the child based on the behavior they see, rather than looking deeper to find what's causing it in the first place.

It's not their fault- the fact that most people aren't able to "explain" the "unexplained"- they don't know what they don't know. 

But for us, we do know what to look for. We know what to look for and so it just jumps out at us. The fact that others aren't aware of this type of work is also why we are so passionate here at Brain Fit about getting the word out to everyone! It's not rocket science, and yet many just don't know about it. They just don't know what to look for or how to help.

Many, many people come to Brain Fit and tell us we just "get" their child.

Yeah- we get it. 

We get it because we know what to look for. We get it because we are able to "explain" the "unexplained". We get it because we can meet the child where they are and move them forward. We move them forward and things become easier. 

Explaining the "unexplained". Crazy cool work. Amazing changes.

That's Brain Fit Academy. 

Being Me- Amy B.

Some of you may have wondered (somewhere along the way) why I named my blog "Being Me- Amy B.". You see, when I started this blog in May of last year, there were two Amys working at Brain Fit- hence the "Amy B.". 

But the "Being Me" part? Well, that came from the fact that at that point I was feeling more and more like I was just "being me". I was doing "my thing" at Brain Fit. I had been working with kids and families for over a year and was just "being me" with them. I had spent as much time as I could learning and attending the adult classes we offer- over and over so that I had a really good handle on how to do this work. And, in doing so- I also worked on myself- which freed me up even more to "be me". 

As I've mentioned before, I became passionate about what we do at Brain Fit- and it happened very quickly and unexpectedly. All that I learned just seemed to "click" right away and I could "do my thing". In addition, I was seeing really great results with kids- which, of course, fueled the passion all the more.

So yes, that's where the name for my blog came from. 

But today, I want to talk about why I was able to "be me"- the new me. I say "new" because before Brain Fit Academy came into my life, the "old" me was overshadowed by fear. 

Fear can be mean. Fear plays tricks and makes us pull back when the "me" in us wants to move forward. Fear can make us think that we're in danger when really we're not. Fear- can overshadow and trick and disengage us. If we were in actual danger- would we want that? Yes, of course. But we don't want that fear to be with us all the time. We don't want it to become our way of life, and we don't want it to stop us from "being us". 

When we work with our clients at Brain Fit, we help them to find "them". We help them to dissipate the fear so that it doesn't overshadow. We help them to find their voice and we remind the brain and body that it is "safe".

Fear is a response in the brain and body. It's the innate Fight/Flight/Freeze Response that is built into us to keep us safe. But, if that response is constantly getting triggered- how can we be "ourselves"? How can we be calm, and rationalize and respond to a situation?  We can't. We literally can't because at that point our brain is working at the level of the brain stem- the "Baby Brain" as we call it, and we're in survival mode. 

I was talking to the mom of one of my clients yesterday. She works in a school and we were discussing how the kids are returning to full time school- many starting next week. She was telling me how there are some kids that are definitely not looking forward to everyone coming back into the school. Why would they? Those are probably the same kids that are triggered by sensory input. Easily triggered into the "MORO" Response. 

The MORO is the primitive reflex that is activated by sensory input and unexpected changes. It's the "fight/flight" part of the "fight/flight/freeze". The sounds (think of a full cafeteria!) the visual stimulation that emulates from more children in the classroom, the bright lights that are on all. day. long., the demands of social interaction. Think of all that sensory input. Sensory input that has been lessened since the start of this school year with fewer kids in the building. Sensory input that those kids will now, all-of-a-sudden, be bombarded with. Again.

If you're not familiar with the reflexes- you may be wondering why they are important in understanding why kids (and adults!) might be more likely to be triggered into that fight/flight/freeze response. Please- read my post titled "Roots". I think it will help you understand. But basically- when the lower part of the brain isn't as "organized" as it should be, it's puts us at more risk of going into that fight/flight or freeze response- quicker, more easily and longer. Triggered perhaps, not by an actual true and present danger, but by every day occurrences and situations. 

Fight/flight. Freeze. Fear. When those three things take over- "being me" gets pushed aside. Survival mode kicks in and the true person can be hidden- overshadowed.

I know we all want what's best for our children (and ourselves). We want to be able to "be us". We want to see the true light shine through each of us. We want to push fear aside so that we can be confident and happy and have an easier life. Brain Fit Academy helps with that. 

"Being me" is what I am now- and it's what you (or your child) can be too. 

You'll see.

Rhythm

Humans are designed to have rhythm. Nature (in all its glory) is full of rhythm and patterns and beautiful chaos. So are our human bodies and brains. 

We are full of natural rhythm and patterns and beautiful chaos. Our brains build beautifully chaotic neural pathways that build our brain from the bottom up. Our brain builds with a timing and rhythm that is unique to each of us, yet from a "blueprint" engrained in our brain and body system. That blueprint has its beginnings in the primitive reflexes- especially those that are present to keep us safe and alive. And, as the primitive reflexes integrate, more voluntary movements can replace them.

And there's rhythm. 

Ah...rhythm. It plays a big role in developing the brain. Have you ever seen a baby rhythmically rocking on their hands and knees? That is the action of the brain and body stimulating the brain through movement. Stimulating the growth of nerve cells and myelination of the nerve fibers. And, in rocking, they are also working to integrate primitive reflexes. Linking up (so to speak) the brain stem with the other parts of the brain. 

Remember, that the brain stem needs to be "linked up" to the other parts of the brain. It needs the brain highways from the brain stem (what we call the Baby Brain) to the "Emotional Brain", the "Thinking Brain" and eventually, to the "Executive Brain" in order for the system to work more efficiently and easily. 

I think we (at least I do) take for granted the fact that nature is designed with patterns, rhythm and timing. If you've never heard of something called the "Fibonacci Sequence"- google it. Google "Fibonacci Sequence in nature". I think you'll be amazed at what you see because that mathematical sequence is present everywhere in nature. And, just like the Fibonacci Sequence- we see rhythm in babies and their movements. 

We also see rhythm in the movements that adults use with babies. What do most people do to soothe a crying baby? We rock them. We stand and rock, we walk around and bounce and rock, or we might use a rocking chair. I mean, rocking chairs are practically a staple in creating a nursery for a newborn! We rock the babies because it's calming and soothing for them. 

Remember how I said that at Brain Fit we talk a lot about babies? This is another time because rhythm is common with babies, but isn't used as much as children get older. 

Rhythm is a type of movement we use at Brain Fit Academy. Many of the rhythmic movements we use at Brain Fit come from a program called "Rhythmic Movement Training". And I will tell you- many of the rhythmic movements we use are among the favorites for kids. For example, one of the movements- the one we call "Milk Shakes" is one that is requested by kids- time and time again.

Why might these rhythmic movements be requested by kids? Well- it makes a lot of sense when you think about babies again. We use rhythm to calm babies, and we can use rhythm to calm older kids (and teens and adults too)! 

Humans are designed to have rhythm and when our brain and body doesn't have the kind of rhythm we need- or maybe we missed some steps somewhere along the way- we crave that rhythm again. At Brain Fit, we recognize that the body knows what it needs and sometimes what it needs is rhythm. I can't even tell you how many times I've done some of the rhythmic movements with kids and they just melt into it. Literally- they could go from talking up a storm (or moving up a storm) to calm in just a minute or less. Rhythm calms the brain. It helps build the pathways between the parts of the brain and many kids we work with need and crave it. 

Nature is beautiful. And it's chaotic, and full of rhythm. We can bring that beauty, wonderful chaos and rhythm back into the brain and body when it needs it. It's not rocket science, but it is powerful stuff. All you need are the right tools and the key to the door.

Brain Fit Academy is where you can find the key- and the tools. There is rhythm waiting to find its way back to where it should be- in the brain and body. Let's help that rhythm find the way. 

Help the rhythm find its way, and in doing so, we can bring back what nature intended- the rhythmic, beautiful chaos of the human brain and body.

Back to School

Typically, we're talking about "Back to School" in August or September, and not March/April. But- there again, what (if anything) has been typical about the last year? 

I'm located in Massachusetts- so if you're reading this and you live outside of the state, let me just fill you in. To make a long story short- in Massachusetts, schools will be bringing kids back to school- full-time, in-person school, beginning April 5th.

Now, for some kids in the state, that will be the first time they've even been in a school building since last March. There are many schools that have been utilizing full remote learning since the beginning of the pandemic.

I'm not going to get into the in's and out's of how/why schools are going back. That's not my focus, nor do we really have much say in what is happening. It is what it is and parents choose either in (full-time in-person) or out (full remote). 

I know there's a lot of mixed feelings about this change. Some kids and families may be looking forward to it, while others- well, let's just say that some are not really looking forward to it so much.

For me- I'm looking forward to it. As are my two kids. They are 15 and 17, and my youngest (as you many already know) has special needs and requires extra support. Remote learning days have not been easy on him- or on us as a family. And my 17 year old? Well he does best with face-to-face interaction and misses the social aspect of school. He likes his two "hybrid" in-person days now, but is looking forward to going back to full time. 

As I've talked to families and teachers over the last year, I know there are some kids that actually thrived in a remote setting. Being able to be in the comfort of their own home, perhaps having more autonomy of when they complete their work- free from social distractions. For those kids? Going back to school might be tough. Going back to (perhaps) a place that made them anxious- maybe due to the work and pace involved- or perhaps because of the social interaction needed in a school setting. For those kids- going back to in-person, full-time school might be a bit of a shock to their system.

But then- there's the other kids. The ones that are not thriving doing school at home. The ones that have had the hardest time with the isolation piece of remote learning. The ones that need the social interaction. The ones that need extra support and just aren't getting it- or enough of it. The ones that have a hard time connecting with others through a screen. And of course, the ones that just need to MOVE!! 

I hear stories from families and teachers, as well as my own kids- about the kids that were once "straight A" students- now failing. The "honors" class students that aren't turning in their work or preparing for their (virtual) presentation. The kids that are bouncing off the walls because they just can't sit in front of a screen to learn (for hours upon hours). The kindergartners who have had their first year of school put online. Those are the kids that I would think are ready to get back into school. To get back to "normal". 

I think going "back to school" will be an adjustment for everyone- in some way, shape or form. If you (or your kiddo) is one that ends up struggling with this transition- Brain Fit Academy is here and can help. 

If you are a previous client- remember that you can always contact us for a "tune up" or two (or three). And if your child hasn't been through the program but think we might be able to help with your situation, your child- or YOU- just get in touch. There's always someone on the other end of the phone or computer and we'll let you know how we can help with this big transition of-

Back.

To.

School.

The Road Ahead

Yesterday, I wrote a blog post that was difficult for me to write, but also very real and honest to where I am right now. I wrote about how I still don't fully accept my son and his diagnosis. 

There- I said it again.

It's still hard to say but not as hard as yesterday. 

Want to know why it's not as hard as yesterday? It's because today- I see the road ahead.

You can't change what you don't acknowledge, and for me- I just acknowledged a doozy. A big whopper of a doozy. And-by acknowledging it, I've opened up the door to change. 

You see, up until yesterday, I'm not sure that I realized that. I didn't realize (at a conscious level anyway) that I had the power to change that thinking. I have the power to change what I think about my son and how I proceed moving forward. How I drive on the road ahead- so to speak. 

I've realized that I don't have to be stuck where I am. I can see the road ahead and I can set a goal to change. I can work to change my thinking, my attitude, and even my unconscious beliefs about this situation. And- I can do it with Brain Fit tools! That's the cool thing. I have the tools and the support system already in place to make this change!

In fact, I've already used some of those tools since yesterday (admittedly-with a little help) but our Brain Fit tools none-the-less. Remember- this was a big whooper of an acknowledgement. It's ok to pull in some help for times like these. I gave myself permission and I give you permission too. That's why we always say that we work with kids and families.

Yes, the road ahead can be scary-it certainly is for me. But at least there is a road. I was able to get past my "Emotional Brain" and up to my "Thinking Brain" so that I can respond instead of react.

So here I am- today. The issue is on the table. The goal is set.

Now- the real work begins. 

I can't wait.

Acceptance

Acceptance is hard. The hardest.

When you have a child who struggles, or has special needs, acceptance can be even more challenging. At least for me anyway- and I can't imagine I'm the only one.

If you follow my blog, you'll know that I've shared with you pieces of my life. Pieces of my journey- not only with Brain Fit Academy, but personally with my own son as well.

In the post "Isn't Everything Supposed to Go Right?" I talked about how Brain Fit has helped me to get past the "over-focusing" that I did for so many years. The support of the Brain Fit family has helped me take a step back and see things in a different light.

Today though- I'm talking about acceptance. 

I'm still not there. I'm being brutally honest with you. I'm not fully accepting of my child and his diagnosis.

Does that sound terrible? Maybe.

Is it my truth? Yes.

Does it make me feel guilty and ashamed? Yes, absolutely.

Now you may be wondering why I would just tell you all something like that. Why would this person throw her heart out onto her sleeve and put something like that in writing?

I'm writing it because I don't think I'm the only one. And if I'm not the only one, then it means that what I am writing right now might help someone else. 

• I understand what it feels like to want to "fix" your child- or to want someone else do it for you. 

• I understand what it feels like to want to pretend that the problems aren't there. Living in that river in Egypt- AKA- denial.

• I understand what it's like to wait and wish for it all to just "go away"-and it doesn't.

• I understand what it's like to cry a river of tears over what you hoped your child's life would be- and how it might not ever get there.

• I understand.

And so- this brings me to acceptance. 

It's hard. The hardest.

• Hard to accept that things don't always go the way we planned. 

• Hard to accept that pieces of your child were never meant to be "fixed" and that that is ok.

• Hard to accept that your life may look different than anyone ever planned.

• And this is the hardest...to accept your child exactly how they are.

Does that mean we can't want the best for them? Of course not.

Does it mean that we can't seek out help to make their life easier? No- that's still important.

Does it mean that we should be strong enough to be able to "accept"- all on our own- without help? Definitely not- we all need help now and again, and those of us who are in the place where I am- may need even more.

Brain Fit has become a major support system for me. Not only the other coaches and staff- but the families as well. When I share my journey with the families I work with, they share theirs with me. That's when we see that we're not alone- and that we don't need to do it alone. 

Yes- I'm putting my heart out on my sleeve in the post. Believe me- it wasn't easy for me to write this. But if my words here on this page help you- or you can identify with them and know that you are not alone, then I have done what I set out to do. 

One more thing- in case you didn't get the message:

• Acceptance is hard.

• You are not alone. 

• You don't need to be strong enough to do it alone.

• There are people who understand.

• Brain Fit Academy is my support system and can be yours too.

Enough said. Now please excuse me- I need my support system. It's been a bit of a rough day.

Vocabulary

I love that at Brain Fit Academy, we use simplified vocabulary when we teach our clients concepts. Be they kids, teens, or adults, we have language that helps us to explain things in a way they can understand.

I don't take credit for this simplified vocabulary. I came into Brain Fit and it was already here. Pam Formosa- the owner/director has worked for many years to develop what we now call Brain Fit and it's amazing. It really is- and I'm not just saying that because I work there. Remember- my son came through the program too!  

What is some of this simplified vocabulary I'm talking about? Well first off, let me say that just because it's simplified, doesn't mean it's not meaningful. In fact, I believe that the language we use makes it more meaningful. I mean, when you're trying to explain to a child about their brain and body, if you start throwing all sorts of fancy-dancy words at them you're going to lose them real fast. Especially for those kids that we see that are "stuck" down in the lower part of the brain- in the Fight/Flight/Freeze response. If you're stuck in fight/flight/freeze, your brain is going to have a hard time retaining any information, let alone difficult vocabulary!

So, instead of trying to explain things using all that fancy-dancy vocabulary, we simplify.

When we talk about the three parts of the brain, we use the terms "baby brain", "emotional brain", and "thinking brain" instead of "brainstem", "limbic midbrain", and "neocortex". I mean, what kid isn't going to look at you funny when you say "and now where going to talk about what happens in your neocortex. The "neo- what now?!?" I could hear my clients saying. Doesn't baby, emotional, and thinking brain make so much more sense?

And then there's the "Learning Loop". What an awesome way to explain to kids about why meltdowns occur, and about what happens as we learn new information. We want our clients (and their families) to understand what it is we're working to teach them and using vocabulary that is easy to relate to, understand, and retain, really does make a difference.

Another example that comes to mind is the word "stuck". We use this word in multiple contexts, but it's an easy one to relate to- since we all get stuck sometimes. We might get stuck emotionally- like when we just can't get past a situation or feeling in our heads. Or maybe we get stuck physically- when our body just doesn't seem to want to do what we're asking it to do. "Stuck" is a simple word, but it can mean so much. Using the word "stuck" can help kids to explain what they are feeling- when they can't explain what they are feeling- if that makes sense.

And then- there's the times when we don't talk at all. Sometimes, the best vocabulary is none at all. Sometimes we just need to move through the "stuckness" to get to the other side- the "breakthrough" so to speak. And when I say move, I mean literally move. Movement is what our program is based on, so sometimes that's all that's needed because words can't do what the movement can.

Simplified vocabulary, but not simplified concepts. It's how we approach teaching and learning at Brain Fit Academy.

It's a beautiful thing.

Root Cause

Whack-a-mole. Remember that game? You know the one- people play it at carnivals and amusement parks. You hold that big soft hammer looking thing and try and "whack" as many moles as you can in a certain amount of time. 

Ever played it? 

Ever felt successful at it?

Maybe you were able to hit some of those pesky moles and score pretty well. But darn it- each time you hit one, another one popped up, right? Or maybe even two- or THREE!!

When you have a child that struggles, sometimes it feels like we're playing whack-a-mole. It certainly felt like that to me with my son. 

Just when you think you figure one thing out- something else pops up. 

Difficulty focusing- whack!

Executive functioning difficulties- whack!

Sleep difficulties- whack!

Anxiety- whack!

Whack! Pop. Whack! Pop. Whack! Pop. On and on and on it goes.

Sound familiar? Anyone?

If it sounds familiar- have you ever stopped to think about why? What is causing the whack-a-mole in your child's life?

At Brain Fit Academy, we recognize that whack-a-mole scenario. We hear it from parents all. the. time. And here's the thing. We recognize that whack-a-mole scenario and we go beyond it. We look deeper. We look to the root of the struggles.

We look to the brainstem. 

Just like I explained in my post "Roots", the brainstem supports us- right from the beginnings of our development. The brainstem is where those automatic, stereotyped movement patterns of the primitive reflexes are housed.

When you're playing whack-a-mole, you're only hitting the surface of what's actually going on. You're "whacking" back the symptoms of a disorganized brain. 

It's like when you have a cold. You might take cold medicine to knock back the symptoms, and you might feel better for a bit. But is the cold really gone? Chances are, it's not. The cold is still there- lurking in the background- waiting for the medicine to stop working and then- POP! There it is again. Just like it was before the medicine. Sometimes- it's even worse because you masked the symptoms of the cold so that you could go about your day and didn't rest like maybe you should have!

It's the same thing with a disorganized brain. You can "mask" the symptoms (so to speak) by providing compensations. And, those compensations may help- for a bit. But it doesn't change the fact that the reflexes are still unintegrated. It doesn't change the fact that the brain is still disorganized and that the brain/body system has to work so hard to fight that reflex activity- every. single. day. The system has to work so hard that there's not much left for anything else. 

Get to the root cause. That's what we do here at Brain Fit Academy. We work on the brain from the bottom up, to strengthen and organize the brainstem so that that whack-a-mold scenario? It doesn't happen as often. Or maybe it happens in less intensity. Or maybe- doesn't even happen at all!

Let's keep the whack-a-mold game as just that- a game. Head to the carnival or amusement park to play it. 

Here- at home, with your child? Get to the root cause. The primitive reflexes. 

Call us. We can help.