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How does Brain Integration
Therapy work?
The concept behind Transformations Brain
Integration Therapy is that certain physical activities have
the capacity to integrate the parts of the brain and make
them work in tandem with one another. Certain
activities can stimulate parts of the brain and create
electrical pathways between those parts. Proper
repetition of those activities makes those pathways
permanent, kind of like wiring, so that the brain can use
them efficiently again and again. When the brain
has good wiring between all parts, activities like reading,
remembering, hearing, organizing, and expression become much
much easier.
Where did these ideas come
from?
The concepts of Transformations BIT began in the 1960's
with Doctors Doman and Delacato, who were trying to figure
out how to help adults with head injuries recover their
abilities. They learned that certain physical activity
helps create electrical pathways in the brain that make it
easy for people to read, speak, organize, etc. Babies go
through developmental stages as they grow that create six
basic "patterns of development." If they miss any of
these, they can have learning difficulties in later life.
Adults with head injuries sometimes have some of these
pathways broken by their injuries. By figuring out how to
rebuild the electrical pathways through exercise, adults
can regain many of their abilities. In the 1970's, Dr.
Paul Dennison took these ideas further. In 1980, he
developed Dennison Laterality Repatterning which
demonstrated the connection between physical movement and
the wiring of the Brain. Dennison's foundation offers
services under the names Brain Gym(R) and Edu-K(R).
PLEASE TAKE NOTE: The Brain
Integration Therapy process offered by Transformations BIT differs in
philosophy and modality from Dennison's. In addition, BIT
employs the AcusparkTM to increase the efficacy
of BIT techniques. As a result, Learning Hyperlinks does
not represent BIT as a form of Dennison Laterality
Patterning, nor does it have any affiliation with Dr.
Dennison's organization. Those interested in such
services should contact the Dennison organization.
What kind of success rate does
BIT have?
Obviously, some people have more success
than others, but it is fair to say that more than 90% of
TBIT clients report tangible and
lasting improvement in 6 to 10 weeks. Clients who do not
see tangible benefit in 3 weeks are asked to reconsider
whether or not they believe this therapy is for them. The
first therapy session includes an evaluation process to
determine whether TBIT has the potential to provide help.
Generally, clients should begin to see tangible
differences no later than the third or fourth session.
Clients have no obligation to complete the therapy if they
feel they are not being helped. This Web site provides
representative testimonials from clients. Success with
BIT relies on clients who are willing to participate
actively in the therapy session and do the recommended
exercises at home.
Are the results permanent?
Experience indicates that, for the most
part, results are lasting. Over seven years, fewer
than 10% of clients have felt the need to return for
additional therapy. When clients do return, it is
generally because some physical activity, like playing
football or falling, has disrupted some pathways. When
this has happened, 1-2 sessions usually restore the
connections.
What is Repatterning?
Repatterning is a specific set of physical
activities designed to activate and set electrical pathways
in the brain that will allow it to work efficiently.
Let's take a simple example. A child has dyslexia --
words and/or letters reverse themselves. Generally,
the reason for this is that the right side of the brain,
which deals with the big picture, is not communicating well
with the left side of the brain that deals with the details.
The left side can perceive and understand the individual
letters and sounds of a word, but when the left side sends
the details over to the right side to come up with the whole
word, the message gets garbled and comes back reversed.
The exercises ask clients to move arms and legs in ways that
cross the middle of the body. This gets both sides of
the brain working together. At the same time,
the client looks in a specific direction to stimulate
certain thinking centers of the brain -- the direction
chosen depends on the pathway that is to be wired.
Repetition teaches the brain to remembers these pathways and
use them when certain kinds of work are to be done.
What is Muscle Checking?
Muscle checking is a technique that is
used to see whether the physical activity is creating the
desired result. It functions as "biofeedback" for the brain,
and helps to change inefficient muscle memory patterns in
the brain. You can try this out for yourself, but you
need a partner or a friend. Say, "My name is (state
your name)." Then hold out your arm to the side and
try to keep it out straight. Have your friend push
down on your arm. It should be easy to hold your arm
out straight. Now say, "My name is (say some other
name)." Repeat the arm process. You will
see that it is much more difficult to hold your arm out
straight; it will kind wobble. The idea is that when
your body is working correctly, the electrical messages are
efficient and the receivers of those messages work well.
When your body is not working correctly, the messages are
weaker and the response is worse. Muscle checking
helps the educational consultant determine whether the
physical exercise is succeeding in getting the parts of the
brain to work together. In later sessions, muscle
checking helps the consultant learn whether the work done in
previous sessions is "sticking," or whether additional
therapy is needed.
What are the exercises at home
like?
The exercises consist of stretching and
mild calisthenics that take about 20 minutes. They are
done four times a week. It is recommended that the
exercises continue for 2-3 months after the therapy sessions
are completed. After that, the exercises can be used
on an "as needed" basis to help people prepare for tests or
situations when they want to be at their best.
Is Transformations Brain Integration Therapy
"New Age"?
We
believe that TBIT is based on scientific principles that
have value and can be demonstrated to be effective
regardless of a person's religious orientation.
That being said, you may want to know that most of our
consultants are evangelical Christians who believe
God has built people to work in a certain way and that TBIT
can help people work as God intended. However, the
therapy itself is not based on, nor does it require, any
specific religious views. There are many people who offer
services similar to TBIT who do so from a New Age
perspective, or from other religious viewpoints. Where
religious orientation is an issue for a prospective
client, the staff is willing to identify others who offer
similar services.
If I want to do this as a
business, what is the catch?
The objective of Transformations BIT is to help as many people as
possible. This organization believes that help is
delivered primarily through individual therapy. In order
to achieve this objective across the country or throughout
the world, there needs to be many people all over the
country who can help 10-20 people per week. To that end,
we provide training and support to those who want to
provide therapy to others. It charges for that
training. The materials provided in the training are
copyrighted and cannot be redistributed to others except
under the distribution agreement offered on this site.
Transformations BIT has no standing to provide any sort of
"accredited" certification or degrees. Those
who learn from the training, see a benefit for others, and
wish to go into business for themselves are free to do so.
If those individuals want to use TBIT materials, we ask that
they purchase distribution copies. If individuals want
to associate themselves with our network through this Web
Site or through use of the TBIT trademarks, such arrangements can be
made on an individual basis.
Are there situations when the
therapy doesn't work?
Certain kinds of health
problems can cause body chemistry issues that will keep
the therapy from being as effective as it could be. For
example, if a child has had many courses of antibiotics,
parents may need to do some reading and see the
appropriate health professionals to correct problems
related to yeast. Yeast issues produce toxicity in the
body that can keep the therapy from "sticking."
Consultants will supply parents with a bibliography of
reading materials, and can suggest doctors and other
health care professionals who can treat such problems.
Allergies are another issue that can have an affect on
success. This therapy is seen as a partnership among
parents, the consultant, and other professionals who will
help track down the issues. These problems can be
complex and require patience and perseverance on
everyone's part. Follow this hyperlink for more
information on these issues. |
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