Welcome to the Brain FUNdamentals Blog!
I began this blog in May 2020 while working as the Lead Coach and Educator at Brain Fit Academy Inc. Today, I’m excited to continue sharing my insights and experiences—only now, I’m writing from the perspective of my own company, Brain FUNdamentals LLC! While the name has changed, my passion for this work remains the same!
How Long?
Sometimes I get asked the question "How long?" "How long do you think he/she will need Brain Fit?".
It Might be Different Than you Think
When families come to Brain Fit Academy, they tend to come with expectations about what changes they are hoping to see in their child. It's natural, of course. The reason why they came to Brain Fit in the first place is to help their child with their struggles. Those struggles might be anxiety or ADHD, dyslexia, learning challenges, sensory processing or a host of other things.
It’s Not Rocket Science
When parents (or teachers or therapists) first start to learn about Primitive Reflex Integration, it might seem a little daunting. It can seem like a lot of information, but let me tell you a few things:
“My Brain and Body Aren’t Friends”
"My brain and body aren't friends. They don't like to say sorry to each other". This is what my six year old client said to me as we sat outside on the step. He had been having a difficult time during our session and this young child was trying to articulate a confusing concept to a six year old- that his brain and body don't feel connected.
Behaviors are Communication
I didn't listen to him. I didn't listen to his words that is.
Safety
It doesn’t really matter who you are, young or old, kid, adult, or teen. We all want (and deserve) and sense of safety. And I’m not just talking about safety as in feeling safe from physical dangers. I’m also talking about the sense of safety that comes from feeling emotionally safe.
It Might Get Worse
I emailed my son's Brain Fit Coach in a bit of a panic. We had recently started with weekly sessions and all of a sudden he started having an exaggerated response to noise that he never had before. His teachers were telling me that he was refusing to go into the cafeteria and was covering his ears. The teachers (graciously) allowed him to each his lunch just outside the cafeteria and even allowed him to invite a friend to eat with him.
Asymmetrical Tonic…What Now??
I've been a teacher for quite awhile. 20+ years actually. I've taught pre-schoolers, I've taught 2nd graders, I've taught 4th and 5th graders. I'm also a mom to two teenage children. And in all that time of being a teacher and a mom, I had never heard of the Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR) until about two years ago. Never.
Parents are Partners
Parents know their children best. They are the ones that kids spend the most time with. Parents know the ins and outs and the ups and downs of their children. Parents are usually the first ones to know if something is "off" with their child or if they are just having a bad day.
There’s Not Much Left
I did some Brain Gym® movement activities before I sat down to write this post today. I needed to. I was (what we call at Brain Fit) "out of the loop" and I wasn't able to access my thoughts in order to write.
Trust the Process
"Trust the Process" is one of the Guiding Principles for us at Brain Fit Academy. Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the cognitive part of our job that it becomes difficult to remember that. Even the best of us coaches have it happen sometimes.
Changes
My 12 year old client was balancing on my round yoga balancing board while simultaneously holding an infinity loop marble board and rolling marbles around it rhythmically. Have you ever tried something like that? It takes a tremendous amount of balance, coordination and focus to accomplish it, and there he was- doing it like it was easy as pie.
I Want to Shout it From the Rooftops
Have you ever believed in something so much that you just wanted to tell everyone you knew about it?
The Beginning
He looked at me with one of those "deer in the headlights" looks. It was my first session with this 10 year old client and I was explaining to him about P.A.C.E. (the Brain Gym® 4 step process that we use to settle in).
Toys
I can't put groceries into the trunk of my car. When I go to the store, I have to pile all the bags into the back seat or on the floor. Sometimes, if the "Big Green Ball" is on the backseat then I don't even have half of the seat space for groceries.
Meet Them Where They Are
I climbed into the back seat of his mother's car the best I could. He had just arrived home from school and it was time for our session, but this nine-year-old boy was in complete "freeze" mode and wouldn't come out of the car.
There’s Someplace Else
I have never been a fly on a wall when one parent has referred Brain Fit to another, but I imagine the conversation might start something like this...
The Body Knows- it Just Might Need a Reminder
I blew up a balloon and gave it to him. He was already on his back on the floor, in the exact position I was going to ask him to take- before I even handed him the balloon.
Everyone is so Different
"Are the challenges similar, among the kids at Brain Fit?" a family member recently asked me.
Primal
"This felt different to me. It felt deeply engrained. Like on a primal level she felt too vulnerable lying in that chair having somebody tower over her in her mouth."