What’s Next?

*Please note- this blog post was written during my time at Brain Fit Academy Inc. I have since continued this amazing work under my own company- Brain FUNdamentals LLC. I hope you enjoy!

At Brain Fit, we don't want our clients to stay forever. We want there to be a last day. But that also begs the question- what's next? Once you finish integrating the reflexes, is that it? Is that when the last day happens?

Well, it's been my experience that the answer is- "no". 

Well, "yes". 

Well, "maybe". 

You see everyone who comes to Brain Fit is so different. And since everyone is so different and everyone's treatment plan is so individualized, it's hard to answer the question of "what's next?". 

Some clients start at Brain Fit with so many primitive reflexes not integrated (not finished) that it takes awhile to work through those. They are motor patterns remember and we integrate them with movement. So there are many clients that don't need a "what's next" until they have integrated the majority of the reflexes.

On the other hand, we might have a client that starts off a little further down the line with the reflexes. Or, they are a little older (tween or teen perhaps) that can move through the reflexes that still need integrating and may be ready for the "what's next" sooner. But- again, everyone is different so take what I just said at face value. We never really know exactly when the "what's next" will come- until it's there.

So- enough with the build up because I want to get to the meat of what the "what's next" might look like. 

In my blog posts I've talked a lot about topics we teach clients. We teach them about The Baby Brain. We teach them about the Learning Loop. We teach them about the reflexes, and we teach them tools so that they are ready for that "last day" with us. 

However, as I keep saying- everyone is different. And so, we have some kids that when we teach them about these things it may not fully sink in as well as we would like it to. Or we have others that are just so deep into the Fight/Flight/Freeze response that they can't access the material the first time around.

That's where the "what's next?" starts to play a role. You see, as the person gets closer to the reflexes being integrated (or they have finished integrating them) all of that teaching can happen again. 

This time in what we sometimes refer to as a "level up". It's like they've reached the next level in the game and are ready for the next steps. Are we teaching them the exact same thing again? Possibly. Or, we start where we left off and are able to go deeper into the content.

Once the reflexes are integrated, the pathways in the brain open up and the child is able to access the "Thinking Brain" much easier. Therefore, allowing the knowledge to have a much deeper impact.

What else might we teach or do in that "what's next?" phase? Well, we work more on helping kids to help themselves. We can solidify knowledge- like the Brain Gym® movements and help kids to know when are good times to use them.

We can teach them more about "noticing" and how to use that skill to help on a day-to-day basis. We can continue to work on strengthening their proprioceptive and vestibular systems. And we can generally continue on with the work of helping the child and family. 

Helping them to be better versions of themselves. 

These "what's next", "leveled up" sessions might look and feel a little different from earlier Brain Fit sessions. But- believe you me, they can be just as powerful- if not more-so.  

As I said, we don't want clients to stay with us forever. But, we do like it when they stick around for "what's next". 

We like it because we have more to teach them, and they have more that they can learn. 

And all of it- is great.