Brain Gym® and Writing

A number of years ago I was teaching a Brain Gym® course to a group of very interested elementary school teachers, on their own campus. We had just completed a lesson on Dennison Laterality Repatterning (DLR), one of the key “balance” processes taught in the Brain Gym work. The group had watched me demonstrate the process with one of the course participants, they'd partnered with each other to practice facilitating this process themselves, and we’d discussed their experiences. I answered questions throughout.

Then came a request: “We’d really like to see what it looks like when you facilitate DLR with a child.”

As it turned out, the son of one of the course participants was just down the hallway, participating in a weekend arts and crafts day, and she “volunteered” him to be my student subject. I asked her if he had any specific issues to address, and she said that writing was his biggest challenge at school and at home. He found it so difficult to put ideas down on paper that he would often cry through all of his writing homework, which took simply ages to accomplish. 

I’d never met this child – and, as a presenter, I must say that this kind of demonstration is always a risk! – but I invited her to bring her child, whose name was Asher, to our classroom, trusting in the Brain Gym balance process to support him in making whatever kind of change was best for him.

What follows is the sharing the mother wrote shortly thereafter, accompanied by two samples of Asher’s handwriting, done about four weeks apart.

January 15, 2010

My son Asher is a second grader who had been demonstrating anxiety and stress during handwriting since kindergarten. During handwriting times he complained of stomachaches, headaches, and would often break down in tears even before the pencil touched the paper. During kindergarten and first grade he often wound up in the nurse’s office during handwriting. His teacher finally caught on to the coincidence and brought it to my attention.   

Second grade requirements have included monthly book reports. Asher could read a chapter book from start to finish in a day or two. However, when he sat down to write about what he read it seemed like he could not put what was in his head down on the paper. Book reports took up to 3 hours to complete and always involved a meltdown or two.

During a Brian Gym 101 class that I was attending, Asher was given the opportunity to receive a balance, as a demonstration of facilitating Dennison Laterality Repatterning (DLR) with a child. Coming up with one sentence for the pre check handwriting took several minutes. He could not organize one thought to put down on paper. Kathy Brown, the licensed professional leading our class, had to support him in getting the words out. The handwriting itself was fairly sloppy. The letters were not uniform in size and the spacing was not even. Asher was teary the entire time and his face was tense and unsmiling. Following the DLR, Asher appeared relaxed and was even smiling. Kathy had him sit down and write another sentence. This time he sat for only a second or two, smiled the biggest smile, and then wrote a sentence with fluidity and ease.  Kathy asked him how that felt, to which he replied with a huge smile and big thumbs up.

Later that night we were driving in the car and I was explaining the repatterning process to my husband. I told about how Asher learned to write under stress and that is why handwriting has been so difficult for him. From the back of the car I heard Asher say, “Yeah, dad, because when I learned to write in kindergarten, there was a lot of pressure.” I have to say, I welled up with tears of joy and sadness. Joy because the “pressure” he had to endure so long had been lifted, but sadness too because he suffered though it in the first place.

It has been 2 weeks since his DLR. He now has writing topics every day in class. Upon picking him up from school this week, Asher told me about a topic they had to write about. He said, “Mom, we only had to write 5 sentences, but I wrote 9, because bigger is better.” I can’t express my feeling at that moment. This child who could barely get one sentence down on paper without bursting into tears because it was “too hard,” had written 4 more sentences than what was required. I can’t wait for his next book report!

Sincerely,

Danielle Hansen

Asher’s mom and future Licensed Brain Gym® Consultant

Here is a sample of Asher's writing from shortly before his Brain Gym session. It took 45 minutes with much coaching.

Here is a sample of Asher's writing one month after his Brain Gym session. It took 25 minutes and much less help. 

In communicating recently with Asher's mother, I asked how he was doing these days - actually six years later. She replied, "Asher continues to do well and writing is now one of his best subjects in school. His essays and book reports are quite accomplished and he no longer has anxiety related to his writing assignments." How wonderful to hear! 

I love this work!

If you'd like to find out more about the Brain Gym® program and how it can support change in many different ways, I have some suggestions. 

• You could read about it. Allow me to recommend the book I authored, specifically to introduce people to Brain Gym: Educate Your Brain. Click here to learn more, or to buy your own copy. (Note: While I mention DLR in many place in this book, I do not explain the steps here; you can experience this process in a private session  or learn how to facilitate it in the BG101 course.)

• You could experience the Brain Gym balance process yourself! Schedule a private session with a consultant near you. The Brain Gym website offers information about consultants around the world. If you live in the Phoenix area or plan to visit, I'll be happy to schedule a session with you in my own office. 
• You could participate in a Brain Gym® 101 course, and learn how to facilitate this amazing process, to support yourself in making changes you'd like to see in your own life, and in supporting others as well. Dennison Laterality Repatterining (DLR) is one of the key processes taught in this course. Consultants around the world offer the BG101 course. You're welcome to take one of my upcoming BG101 courses in Phoenix: July 22-23-24, 2016 or November 11-12-13, 2016. I'll have courses posted for 2017, also. Click here for my web page on the BG101 course. To stay updated on course offerings, you can subscribe at this link. 

A new way of moving through life could just be a few moments away! 

Wishing you all the best -

Kathy
©Copyright 2016 Kathy Brown. All rights reserved.
Brain Gym® is a registered trademark of the Educational Kinesiology Foundation • Ventura, CA  •  www.braingym.org

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Understanding (and Resolving) Fear Paralysis Reflex

Background information:

Many academic and behavior issues have at their core the incomplete progression of childhood reflexes. These reflexes should each emerge in the child’s system, become fully developed and useful as a neural pattern, and then integrate as the trigger for it simply falls away. Then the use of the pattern can be a choice, rather than an inevitable reaction. Early trauma can cause the orderly progression of infant reflexes to go into a “holding pattern,” resulting in a wide variety of emotional, physical, and academic challenges. Fortunately, these reflex challenges resolve quickly and effectively when addressed through specific Brain Gym processes. For more background information, please see the links at the end of this article.

If the concept of infant reflexes is new to you, I invite you to click here to read my previous post, which is an overview of this important topic. 

What follows is an updated version of an article that originally appeared in my Notes From Center Edge newsletter. 

Balancing to Resolve Fear Paralysis Reflex

and Its Effects on Learning, Behavior, and Performance

The Fear Paralysis Reflex is the key to all other reflexes. It is the first reflex to manifest. Indeed, the Fear Paralysis reflex is intended to emerge, develop, and integrate (so the former trigger no longer elicits a reflexive response) all in utero, long before birth.

If the Fear Paralysis Reflex (FPR) does not follow the intended route of development, the child’s (or adult’s) system is left locked in a fear state that permeates all waking and sleep activity. If Fear Paralysis is still active all situations are seen through a filter of fear.

A list of behaviors that may manifest due to lack of resolution of Fear Paralysis Reflex is as follows:

• low tolerance to stress


• anxiety seemingly unrelated to reality

• hypersensitivity to touch, sound, specific frequencies of sound, changes in visual field.

• Dislike of change or surprise/poor adaptability


• Fatigue


• Elective mutism - the persistent failure to speak in specific situations where speaking is expected, despite the ability to speak otherwise

• Holding breath


• Fear of social embarrassment


• Insecure. Lack of trust in oneself.

• May become socially isolated and withdrawn.

• Overly clingy or may be unable to accept or demonstrate affection easily

• Fear of school


• Compulsive traits/OCD

• Negativism, defeatist attitude


• Won’t try new activities, especially where comparison occurs or excellence is expected

• Depression


• Temper tantrums


• Controlling or oppositional behavior, especially at home


• Immediate motor paralysis under stress - can’t think and move at the same time

• Reduced muscle tone

• Eating disorders

• Craves attention

• Aggressive behavior borne out of frustration and confusion

• Poor balance

Children or adults with FPR still “on” in their system will typically manifest a cluster of these behaviors – the more fully the reflex manifests, the more pronounced the behaviors will be, and the more severe the implications in their life.

Like all reflex issues, Fear Paralysis Reflex often responds quickly and easily to the Brain Gym balance process. Once identified and addressed, rapid, permanent change may be experienced.

Here are the stories of a few of my own clients with whom I have addressed Fear Paralysis Reflex. 

• A recent client, a very capable woman with a flourishing business, recently came for a balance regarding her fear of being home alone. It became evident during her session that resolving Fear Paralysis was called for. The session had excellent results, and I got a call from her a few days later and learned that she was now completely comfortable at home alone, and none of her old fear remained. A few weeks later I heard from her again. She had just come back from a ski weekend in Utah. Previously she had stuck to the easiest slopes, but this time she thought, “Why canʼt I go down these other slopes? They look like a lot more fun!”

She found herself skiing enthusiastically and joyfully, truly “throwing herself into it.” That night back at the ski lodge she realized what sheʼd done, and thought immediately of her balance for Fear Paralysis. While she had taken appropriate precautions to remain safe, there had been no feeling of fear the entire day.

• Another client brought her daughter, Jana, age thirteen, to deal with some very challenging issues. Jana was simply unable to be away from her mother. She could tolerate her mother going to work if she herself was at school, but was unable to wait at the bus stop in the morning without her mother waiting in the car until the bus got there. Her mother could go nowhere in the evenings or on weekends without Jana. 

After a series of doctors diagnosed Jana as simply ADD, her parents tried a variety of alternative treatment methods, including hypnosis. Nothing had any effect. Janaʼs balance session focused on being able to be anywhere, regardless of where her mother was. The specific process that was called for here was a balance to resolve the Fear Paralysis Reflex.

At the end of the balance Jana reported feeling “really different... and good!” And her trip to church camp the next weekend, where she waved goodbye to her mother and never gave her another thought the entire time, was a great experience.

A few weeks later she turned to her mother and said, “Mom, school is only two miles away. Canʼt I just ride my bike there every day?”

• Another client, Ron, would always jump at unexpected noises. A career police officer, heʼd always dreaded his yearly visit to the shooting range to maintain his marksman rating. Now retired, even the sound of the phone ringing next to him caused him to jump. Having had two heart bypass surgeries, he decided it was time to do something about his extreme reactions.

His balance session called for resolving Fear Paralysis Reflex. Immediately following his first session Ron reported that he no longer jumped at the sound of the phone. He said, “I find myself just turning my head and thinking, ʻOh, the phone is ringing.ʼ Before that youʼd have had to peel me off the ceiling.”[1]

Not long after, Ron and his wife were out for the evening with two other couples, and they enjoyed dancing all evening. Ron told me, “Iʼd always hated dancing — you couldnʼt make me dance in public. I always worried what people were thinking about how I danced. This time I just didnʼt care what anybody thought — and you know what? I had a great time!”

As you can see from each of these client stories, when you resolve the Fear Paralysis Reflex, you resolve a lot more than the issue that might have prompted you to come for the session in the first place. Youʼre resolving the tendency toward fear itself.

What does it take to resolve a reflex?
As I mentioned earlier, each reflex must fully emerge, develop, and then become integrated into the overall neural system. On occasion, if manifesting in a mild form, all three stages may actually be resolved in a single balance session.

More typically, especially when the reflex seems to be strongly “on,” it will take a short series of sessions for each reflex to be completely resolved.

Especially if you or your child are dealing with severe learning or performance challenges, you will want to see what other reflexes have been compromised. In my experience, if Fear Paralysis Reflex is still strongly “on,” other reflexes are, as well. And each reflex creates its own unique strain on the system, producing its own array of learning and performance challenges.

Click here to read a past (June 2013) blog posting, which illustrates the specific steps I used in a balance that included addressing Fear Paralysis Reflex with a young client.

As you approach resolving each of these reflexes, itʼs important to move slowly. It can take at least two weeks for each balance session to integrate into the mind-body system. Sessions held too close together could be counter-productive, as time needs to be allowed for the neurology to mature.

Amazing results are seen in both children and adults with a wide variety of challenges, when reflexes are addressed over time. Claire Hocking, who pioneered addressing reflex issues in this way through a special modification of the Brain Gym balance process, has had remarkable results, from those who are extremely learning-disabled, developmentally delayed or autistic. Many of the originally “hopeless” learning-disabled children that Claire has worked with over time are now excelling in college.

At a recent training for Brain Gym consultants she told of her work with a young girl diagnosed as having Aspergerʼs Syndrome (part of the autism spectrum). After a few sessions to resolve the girlʼs Fear Paralysis Reflex, the doctors actually had to re-categorize the girl as “normal, with occasional and mild Aspergerʼs behaviors.”

We all have various reflex issues, acting as the invisible puppeteers pulling us this way and that. Of the fourteen Brain Gym consultants who gathered for Claire Hockingʼs recent course almost all had Fear Paralysis “on” to one degree or another. Who knows what changes will manifest in the lives of all those people who are no longer subject to this invisible pull?

Resolving Fear Paralysis Reflex is a powerful step in creating true inner ease. It may be the step your mind-body system has been waiting for your entire lifetime. 

If you'd like to learn Claire Hocking's system for integrating infant reflexes, I'm happy to share that she's authorized me to teach it. Follow this link to my Courses Page, where you can learn about the next opportunity to participate. I also travel to teach this course in other locations. 



Recommended Reading:

• To learn more about how reflex continuum delays may manifest in children and adults, as well as interim management and coping strategies, I highly recommend the book Learning, Reflexes and Behavior: A Window Into the Child’s Mind, by Sally Goddard. 

• Chapter Eight of my own book, Educate Your Brain, is an overview of infant reflexes.

• These links will take you to articles on my blog and past articles from my newsletter, all pertaining to infant reflexes.

http://www.wholebrainliving.com/2015/12/understanding-retained-infant-reflexes.html

http://www.wholebrainliving.com/2014/04/steering-clear-for-bicycle-safety.html

http://www.wholebrainliving.com/2013/06/fear-paralysis-reflex-and-baseball.html

http://centeredge.com/ArticPDF/Resolving_Spinal_Galant_Reflex.pdf

http://centeredge.com/ArticPDF/Moro.pdf

http://centeredge.com/ArticPDF/Symmetrical_Tonic_Neck_Reflex.pdf

My very best to you all,

Kathy
1. While this "jumping at noises" is more like a Moro Reflex (startle) response, Ron's mind-body system chose Fear Paralysis Reflex to resolve. These two reflexes are strongly associated; indeed, Moro follows FPR, and the fetus's Moro movements in utero may be part of what helps to integrate the FPR itself. In Ron's balance, his learning menu for resolving Fear Paralysis Reflex included actually doing the Moro "startle" movement, which is one of the developmental activities that is on Claire's list for helping to resolve FPR. We didn't precheck to see if Moro was an issue for Ron, but my educated guess is that this one balance may (remarkably) have resolved both reflexes. 

©Copyright 2016 Kathy Brown. All rights reserved.
Original article ©Copyright 1999 Kathy Brown. All rights reserved.
Brain Gym® is a registered trademark of the Educational Kinesiology Foundation • www.braingym.org

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Understanding Retained Infant Reflexes

In my client sessions, it's always interesting to see which processes will be called on to resolve someone's issue. I have many resources to offer, from the basic 26 Brain Gym® movements, to specific protocols that address emotional balance, core muscle activation, sensory integration, the visual skills of eye teaming and tracking, whole-brain whole-body coordination, and much, much more.

On occasion, the technique a client's session calls for is one that supports resolution of an "infant reflex" that is still retained in their mind-body system. Since the topic of infant reflexes is new to so many people, I'd like to share information on what they are, how it is that a retained infant reflex (or many retained reflexes) can cause such havoc in regard to daily life activities, and what can be done to resolve them.

What follows is an updated version of an article that originally appeared in my newsletter.

Understanding Retained Infant Reflexes

and Their Effect on Learning and Behavior

Claire Hocking is a gifted educator and Brain Gym® instructor in Australia who has illuminated a vital link in the use of the Brain Gym balance process to support resolution of childhood reflexes that stand in the way of personal and academic performance. The following is a glimpse of the course she taught following the July 1999 International Brain Gym® Conference. 

What are Childhood Reflexes?
Many people who have cared for an infant are familiar with childhood reflexes, perhaps without knowing what they are: Put your finger in the infant's hand and her fingers and thumb grip tightly around it (Palmar Reflex). The infant's head turns, and the arm and leg on that side extend away from the body, and the other arm and leg bend (Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex). Startled, the infant instantly throws his hands wide, head back, eyes open, breathing in - often followed by a cry - and then slowly closes arms and legs again (Moro Reflex). 

Infants are biologically prompted to go through this series of reflexive movements. Some are for survival (Root-and-Suck Reflex - finding food), some are for upright posture and coordination (Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex - learning to differentiate the two sides of the body, as well as the beginning of eye-hand coordination; Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex - develops the capacity for muscle tone). 

Each reflex has a specific timeline for development. The infant is born with several reflexes operating; others emerge later. The whole process is sometimes referred to as the "infant reflex continuum." Doctors often gauge the development of the child by the orderly progression of these reflexes. 

Under optimal circumstances all reflexes emerge during the appropriate stage of the child's growth, develop as a firmly functioning reflex, and then integrate into the overall neural system. At this point that stimulus will no longer trigger uncontrolled, reflexive action. It is vital that this occurs.

If various reflexes fail to emerge, develop, and integrate, the infant may become locked into a developmental holding pattern that prevents natural maturation of neural systems, leading to mild to severe learning and performance challenges. 

"Stuck" Reflexes Lead to Learning Challenges
For children, challenges from retained reflexes show up clearly in the classroom, where it is hard for them to keep up with grade level expectations for academics and behavior. Children most able to cope may develop techniques for compensation, and succeed or just get by with great effort. Those least able to cope often end up in special-education classrooms or alternative schools. They may be at high risk for behavior and attitude problems, most often out of years of sheer frustration. 

Children and teens with reflex challenges grow into adults with reflex challenges. They may end up with limited career choices, or may simply have to work extremely hard for each success. In any case, the common denominator is struggle and effort against the invisible pull of these reflexes. 

What Disrupts the Reflex Continuum?
Many things can disrupt the normal progression of infant reflex development. At-risk pregnancy, fetal distress, birthing trauma or emergency procedures, and emotional or physical disruption in the mother's life (illness, car accident, death in the family) are but a few of the suspected causes. 

Practices that put the child consistently in certain positions or limit movement may actually prevent the child from having the freedom to develop and integrate their reflexes. (Overuse of car-seats and little time on the tummy are a concern here.) Infants should have abundant opportunities for free movement of arms, legs, and head, on a flat surface, on both back and tummy. They should have time and space to freely crawl, walk, and run, engaged in whole-body exploration of their world.

In addition, even if one's infant reflexes are thoroughly integrated in childhood, following a traumatic experience such as a car accident, an infant reflex (or more than one) may spring back to life, no matter what age we are.

Examples of the Effects of Retained Reflexes:
Each retained reflex controls aspects of posture, movement, perception, and behavior, all of which affect our ability to function in the world. Here are a few examples:

• "Karen" has the first reflex of all, the Fear Paralysis Reflex, still strongly "on." Her body is constantly under "red alert": hypersensitive to touch and sound, constantly complaining that people hit her, when the truth is they only brush by her as they pass in the crowded hallway or make other casual contact. She is very uncomfortable in tight clothing or in sleeping bags. People with FPR still "on" may suffer from "selective mutism," being extremely non-verbal away from home, for example; their mind-body system is so overwhelmed by stress that the vocal cords actually become temporarily paralyzed. (Fear Paralysis Reflex is supposed to be fully integrated by the time an infant is born, so many sources do not even list it.)

• "Charlie" still has the Spinal Galant reflex strongly "on." A light stroke on one side of his lower back causes muscles on that side to instantly and involuntarily contract, raising the hip. He instinctively takes odd seated postures so his low back doesn't make contact with the chair or car seat. If made to "sit back in your seat!" he can't help but wriggle. Stimulating both sides of the back at the same time can cause someone with strongly held Spinal Galant to wet himself. Tickling may have this effect; so may tight contact with bedding, causing bed-wetting. Adults diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome have a high incidence of Spinal Galant still "on." (The Spinal Galant movement is thought to facilitate the baby in wriggling through the birth canal; this reflex is never used if the baby is born through Caesarian section, or little used in case of very rapid delivery, which could be why it's present in so many children.) 

• "Frances" has elements of the Rooting and Suck Reflexes still "on." She has a hard time articulating words, and chews and bites objects, like her pencil or shirt collar, while concentrating. She has labored, noisy chewing and is over-sensitive to touch on her cheek or mouth. People with Root-and-Suck still "on" may be fearful regarding separation from known security. When instructions are being given both verbally and visually, this person will need to shut down one mode or the other to understand the instructions, giving ruse to others saying, "Look at me when I talk to you!" which often results in no information being received at all.  

• "Mara" still has the Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR) strongly "on." She has a tendency to slump when sitting, with legs extended. If made to sit up, with legs bent, she'll automatically extend her arms and read or write out at a distance from her body. She may prefer to eat standing at the dining table, and do homework standing at the kitchen counter. (Both offer the opportunity to have straight legs and bent arms, taking the pressure off this reflexive action.) She'll frequently twist her legs around the legs of her chair. Cross-legged sitting is uncomfortable; she prefers "W" sitting, with both legs folded back on either side of her body. She has great difficulty with any activity that involved rapid adjustment of near to far vision, such as copying onto paper from the board in the front of the room. (STNR is the reflex that eventually brings the infant up off his tummy into an all-fours position for crawling. Babies who do not spend time on their tummy may not resolve this reflex.)

• "Sheldon" still has the Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR) strongly "on." When his head comes forward his knees bend, and when his head moves backward his legs tend to straighten. This results in a multitude of odds physical sitting postures, propping up of his head when seated, and cries from the teacher or parent to "Sit UP!!" Of course, when he does, the effort required to overcome this reflex saps his energy, leaving little for listening and learning. People with TLR may dog-paddle happily in the pool with their head up, but when asked to put their head down to actually swim, the knees automatically come toward the chest and they founder.

Infant in position prompted by ATNR

• Claire Hocking, the course creator and instructor, described her own ATNR (Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex) situation. During the ATNR stage, when the infant's head is turned to the left, his left arm and leg will extend and the right will bend. When he turns his head to the right, the right arm and leg extend and the left will bend. (This gives the infant's mind-body system the experience that it has two separate sides that can work independently of each other.) Claire shared that for many years she always had to look straight down the road when driving - not even a slight head turn left or right - or she'd find herself veering off to the side of the road. (The ATNR response kept directing her arms to straighten or bend involuntarily - and her hands were on the steering wheel!) Following a balance to resolve this reflex, she could turn her head in any direction and still drive straight down the road. Retained ATNR can cause considerable problems with academics: it affects the ability of the eyes or hand to move back and forth across the midline of the body, vital for writing, and eyes moving across a line of print.

Compensation Takes Great Effort
Throughout our lives we strive to compensate for any of these reflexes that may still be "on," and this takes a tremendous amount of energy. Under stress we may simply run out of energy for these compensations and we are at a loss to cope.

As one enters the elder years of life, the energy to continue these developed compensations becomes less and less available and the reflexive responses begin to reappear, in reverse order; in this way, abilities fade and frustration emerges because of the tremendous effort required to do familiar tasks.

The good news is that there are simple ways of determining where any child or adult is in relation to any or all of these reflexes, and, through a specially adapted Brain Gym "balance" process, supporting them in completely resolving, one at a time. (In otherwise typically-abled individuals, results are often immediate and quite dramatic. Results for individuals who have more complex developmental issues may be slower.)

Resolution Through the Brain Gym Balance Process
When targeting a certain coordination, cognitive processing, or emotional goal during the Brain Gym balance process, resolving a specific reflex may come up as the key to this desired change. 

Following a balance to become more comfortable while writing, which included resolution of the Palmar (hand) Reflex, one of my recent clients, age 32, found himself immediately able, for the first time ever, to hold a pencil in the classic "pincer" grip and write without his hand aching after just a few words.

One of our post-Conference course members volunteered as the subject for a demonstration balance for resolution of the Spinal Galant Reflex. She recognized herself immediately in Claire's description of the typical Spinal Galant response, because she had never been able to stand having her lower back massaged: she would always jump uncontrollably. Comfort in this area became her goal, and Claire took her through the protocols for Spinal Galant. A pre-check showed extreme discomfort and classic side contraction when the Spinal Galant spots were stimulated. Following the balance (perhaps fifteen minutes of specific movements) the post-check showed she was completely comfortable with this same stimulation. She is an avid golfer, and quick swing of a handy golf club showed that her chronic sense of "not connecting with her backswing" had disappeared. 

It's interesting to note that this particular course participant is an extremely experienced Edu-K instructor who had been doing Brain Gym for many years. Yet this reflex had not resolved - perhaps because it had never been directly addressed through what I call "the power of focused intention," which is the key to a Brain Gym balance. 

Throughout the course Claire regaled us with self-disclosures of all the counterproductive things she'd said to children during her years as a classroom teacher, before her new awarenesses of childhood reflexes: Sit up straight! Sit back in your chair! Look at me when I talk to you! She'd shake her head ruefully and say, "If I'd only known..."

Certainly, I could see the ghosts of my many years as a classroom teacher, and all the things I would have done differently if I'd known Brain Gym and this reflex material at the time.

With knowledge comes understanding, and with that, new action. My goal is to use this new material consistently and inspire others to take Claire's course, as well. With enough demand we'll entice Claire to "come over" as the Aussies say, and teach this again soon. 

Recommended Reading:
• To learn more about how reflex continuum delays may manifest in children and adults I highly recommend Reflexes, Learning, and Behavior - A Window into the Child's Mind by Sally Goddard.
• Chapter 8, "Wired for Ability," in my book Educate Your Brain is all about retained infant reflexes, and more fully explains Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR). Click here. 
• The April 2014 posting on this blog explains Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR) and why it may be at the root of so many bike accidents, especially for young children. Click here. 
• On my main website I've posted this updated article (replacing the original from my newsletter), plus four more articles about individual reflexes: Moro Reflex, Fear Paralysis Reflex, Spinal Galant, and STNR. Click here. 

My very best to you all,
Kathy
©Copyright 2015 Kathy Brown. All rights reserved.
Original article ©Copyright 1999 Kathy Brown. All rights reserved.
Photographs ©Copyright Laird Brown Photography. All rights reserved.
Brain Gym® is a registered trademark of the Educational Kinesiology Foundation • Ventura, CA  •  www.braingym.org

Please share your thoughts! 

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