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Home | For Individuals | Look Who Uses Brain Gym® | |
For Individuals
“I have made a number of changes in my life based on my participation in the Brain Gym® workshop. For starters, I always have my water bottle handy. I never used to drink water before and now I drink a glass when I first wake up, another 44 oz. a day at work, and I've substituted hot water with lemon for much (NOT ALL) of the coffee I used to consume. As a result, I seem to have a lot more energy. In fact, I joined a fitness challenge that requires me to attend "boot camp" twice a week, I cycle to work and I swim lengths three evenings a week. I feel fantastic! I use Thinking Caps (Brain Gym® movement) when I feel my energy level dropping. I find that I automatically do Brain Buttons(Brain Gym® movement) when I am thinking about something. It really is fascinating to me how much of a habit these things have become for me. In addition, when time permits (and I know that sounds terrible) I do PACE (a sequence of Brain Gym® movements) in the mornings and before I go into what I know will be a tense or anxiety-ridden situation. I have noticed a significant decrease in my stress level and a definite improvement in my attitude when I use Brain Gym®. I am a naturally positive person to begin with, but I find that Brain Gym® has still made a significant impact. I enjoyed the interactivity of the workshop. I liked that we got to practice each of the Brain Gym® movements. The Instructor, Jill Hewlett is Dynamic, Engaging, Perceptive.” Shannon Petracco, Teacher
I do PACE in the morning; I also do PACE with my class every morning. Brain Gym® has helped me manage my own stress and given me an alternative outlet for stress and regrouping. What I liked best about the workshop was the versatility of Brain Gym®. I use it myself, with my grade 2 class, and with family and friends. I will also be able to adapt the strategies next year when I work with developmentally delayed students. Jill Hewlett, the facilitator is very calm, relaxed and grounded in her approach. In my grade 2 classroom, we do PACE every morning. We also take Brain Gym® breaks through out the day. My students also do Brain Gym® activities as needed, e.g. Thinking Caps to tune out background noise and improve listening. I also use the Lazy 8 movement on some students who exhibit ADHD activity and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and it totally calms them. On some of my very active students and it seems to calm them during large group learning times. The behaviour of my students with high activity has decreased. Most of my students willingly take part and they also do some of the activities on their own, self initiated. In the classroom using Brain Gym® we have experienced a decrease of behaviour and there is more focus on tasks. Students now ask to take part in the activities. Paula Dineen, Grade 2 Teacher
Brain Gym® has reduced our families stress and supports a positive attitude. As a family, we are calmer, able to be more understanding, able to get more things done and are generally happier. I use Brain Gym® daily for myself in the mornings and evenings, as well as with my children. We have been using PACE (4 step movement process) successfully as a tool to help balance our lives. I loved the whole workshop, especially the opportunities to work with different people on many of the Brain Gym® techniques, like the balance process (a 5 step process that supports forwarding of goals and intentions). I know it works! I notice a difference in our families’ interactions and ability to complete things when we use PACE. Crystal McHarg
I really enjoyed the Brain Gym® 101 course, the fact that you learn so much but don’t' feel overwhelmed. The Instructor, Jill Hewlett, is warm, open, inviting, knowledgeable, humorous, inspiring, encouraging, amazing, incredible, fantastic, ....... Jillicious! I really like the amount of peer to peer interaction during the training. Professionally, I am doing my Masters in Health Care Professionals Teachers Education and I have a lot of presentations to give. I always do PACE (a series of Brain Gym® movements) as well as other Brain Gym® movements with my audience and explain the “why”. My classmates are all experienced health care professionals; many are internationally trained physicians from all over the world. At first I think they thought I was a bit nuts, but now that they have experienced the benefits of Brain Gym® for themselves, they seem to "get it". In my Master's program, I see in people's faces and bodies how different they are after we do Brain Gym® as a group. If we are doing a full day of class presentations, I am finding myself (uncharacteristically of me) asking to present first so that I can incorporate some Brain Gym® in my own presentation. This helps reduce everyone's stress, including my own and gets people prepared for listening and for doing their own presentations. I have been told when I engage the group with Brain Gym® movements, it sets the tone for the day. It helps to reduce my own anxiety as well as it get’s everyone laughing a bit and breathing more calmly and deeply. The feedback that I get on my master's presentations from my Professors and from classmates has been overwhelmingly supportive. Everyone LOVES Brain Gym® movements. I have heard over and over again that it breaks up the monotony in presentations; it helps people listen and refreshes them. With the support of Brain Gym®, so far I have finished three Graduate studies classes and have received all A's. Personally, I do PACE before I shower daily, it definitely calms my engine. I also do Brain Gym® if I have a class or meeting and I need to pay attention and listen or be attentive and talk. I use different Brain Gym® movements for different daily activities before I begin them. I have very limited time doing a part-time masters degree, as well as holding down a full time demanding job working with kids who have special needs and building a private Occupational Therapy practice. With Brain Gym®, I am managing my stress very effectively! Ashleigh Eccles, Occupational Therapist, Part Time Graduate Studies Student
The Brain Gym® 101 course I attended was amazing! As a tutor of young children, (ages 5 to 10), I now have access to the Brain Gym® movements, which are invaluable tools. Focus, attention, reading, writing and comprehension skills are areas that the children I tutor, struggle with. Each child and tutoring session is different, certain Brain Gym® exercises help the majority of my students reduce their frustrations and regain their focus. Many of the children have a hard time breaking words down phonetically, so when they are reading they have to concentrate extra hard and that can be difficult for them, especially after a full day at school. By inserting just a few minutes of Brain Gym®, such as The Thinking Cap or Brain Buttons, my students are able to regroup and then successfully complete the task at hand. Plus, they ALL find the exercises fun! The more active ones, like The Cross Crawl, provides a break from the usual learning position of sitting and sometimes that’s all it takes for us to continue. I have gained new skills from the Brain Gym® 101 workshop professionally as a tutor and on a personal level as well. I have always wanted to meditate and have tried different methods, but could not find anything that motivated me enough to actually stick to it for more than a short period of time. PACE (a sequence of Brain Gym® movements) as well as other movements from the Brain Gym® menu have provided me with a way to accomplish what I was looking for in meditation and in such a manner that it is now integrated into my daily life. I love the versatility of it. I highly recommend the course. Jill, the facilitator set up the environment so that everyone felt comfortable in sharing. There were lots of real life examples and I was able to identify with what was said and learn from the ideas that were brainstormed as a group. Everything from the facilitator, participants, learning opportunities, and course content, made it a weekend to remember. Peggy Tighe, Tutor
“Brain Gym® is helping our family in so many different ways. We do PACE in the mornings, I tell my children, Brain Gym® exercises help you wake up. It’s common practice that I help my son get dressed, because he is so sluggish in the morning and takes too long, and usually asks for help. It takes about 20 minutes to wake him up. He is 11 years old with Autism. Very high functioning, but with many issues. Yesterday, he had climbed into bed with us, the alarm went off and I said we should do Brain Gym® to wake up. He was dozing so I said we would do it lying down. My daughter came in and the 3 of us did PACE lying down. I started doing the movements with my son by holding his hands and doing it for him but he quickly woke up and took over on his own. He suggested some alternatives to what we were doing and got right into it. When we were done, both kids jumped out of bed and ran to their rooms racing to get dressed. My son came back a few minutes later, totally dressed saying “look at me”. Today, I was up early and went upstairs to help wake my son up. He had climbed into bed with my husband who was still asleep and I entered the room just in time to hear my son say “copy me papa” and he was doing the Cross Crawl. Then my son said “this will help you wake up” and I joined in with them as my son led my husband through the PACE exercises (although not in the right order but that will come). He was so proud of himself for teaching his dad! We are doing our best to use the movements based on the need, to help the kids get through frustrating moments, redirect thoughts and give them energy. My son has demonstrated that he is capable of doing these movements on his own and my hope is that he will use them at school as a coping mechanism for different situations. Also, to have a positive and quiet activity to do that he knows helps him at home. I am putting together a little visual for him on what he can do himself, ‘when you feel like this… try this’. To read the “Brain Bites – December 2008”and find out what is happening in the body and brain during this testimonial go to http://www.brainworksglobal.com/articles/09_Brain_Bites_Dec_2008.pdf Micole Ongman, Mother, Advocate & Manager, Recreation
"I have started using PACE each morning before I go to work to get me ready to face the challenges of work. During the day I often find myself using the Positive points, Thinking caps and Gravity glider during meetings and when preparing for reports. I think the most significant way I am using Brain Gym® is in my private therapy. I get the girls to start with PACE using the eye movements before and after to indicate change in stress level and energy level for them. It is amazing to see the girls breathing change, as well as ability to listen and process the trauma work we are doing. We know that trauma impacts the ability of the brain to work efficiently and often times development is stuck where the trauma began. Using PACE and other quick activities is an eye opener for the girls and help them become grounded in their bodies and less in their flight or fight mode. I know that I am calmer and co workers and family have all commented on the change they have seen in me. I have encouraged many of them to explore brain gym and several have come to me wanting to know more. Since our last session I have been working on the goal of letting go of the guilt I feel when I can't do everything for everyone either family, friends or work. By going through PACE and the activities I associated with the goal I have seen a significant shift in many of these areas. I am still working on this and it isn't perfect yet, but it is becoming more manageable. I now have the focus to keep priorities in check and to allow the other things to get done, or not done when it doable. I feel different, calmer, more in tuned with my body, I am less stressed and I can breathe and prioritize. I am no longer trying to be perfect at the cost of myself; I am doing what is manageable. Others are noticing that something is different as well. What I loved most about this workshop was the interactive practice, amazingly strong women I met, as well as Jill Hewlett the facilitator is energetic, heartfelt, sincere, understanding, empathetic, humorous. I can't say enough about Brain Gym®. I came away thinking that it was a tool that I could use in therapy, and quickly realized the benefits to myself. It has changed me and where I am going in my work path. It has allowed me to challenge how we assist children and adults in social services with processing information. I am changed for life and see my growth going beyond what I ever imagined." Mary Anne Dickson, Therapist & Social Worker
"I have been using Brain Gym® in my workplace. It was interesting, when in a meeting I felt my body tensing up. I immediately did the hook up with some deep breathing, and I started to feel calm at ease, and able to control my emotions. My stress level is reduced momentarily, and at times my energy increases. I did Brain Gym® before a soccer game and I did not get as tired as I usually do."
"The amount of interaction between the facilitators and participants was excellent. As well as, the amount of time the facilitators spoke, instructed, and told stories. Jill (the trainer), is Inspiring, Life Changing, Intuitive, Vibrant, Refreshing, Present, and In the Moment all the time."
"Doing the exercises was my favourite part of the course. The simple Brain Gym® exercises reconnected my mind, body, and soul. It made me more aware and to take note of when I was stuck in one area, more than a balanced whole. Jill's presentation style is easy going, and her story telling style is addictive. Since then, I've noted times when things feel off kilter, and I use Brain Gym® to address it. It really helps you take notice of when you're not functioning on all cylinders!"
"I have noticed that taking time when I wake up to spend the first few minutes to do PACE, helps to energize and alert myself to prepare for my day. I feel grounded! The hands on piece of the workshop and the opportunity to practice each Brain Gym® exercise was helpful in being able to retain the information."
"I now see the benefits of stress reduction and amplified learning personally and professionally. Simple physical movements can impact my mind, body and spirit!
The other day when I came out of a very stressful situation and was expected to be all peace and light with my family. Before I arrived at my mother and fathers, I did the PACE exercises and a few more to quickly regain my balance. It worked! Jill (the trainer), is passionate and delivers the Brain Gym® material in an excellent manner."
"I have used Brain Gym® for myself to get going in the morning. It is particularly helpful on the days when I need an extra once of courage to face a particularly daunting task. PACE helps me to get myself alert and focused with a sense of calm and clarity. I use Brain Gym® when I begin working with a class of children to whom I will be imparting my Discover Music classes. It helps the kids come together and be re-energized so we can begin to create music together in an organized, respectful and joy filled manner. The exercises give me a chance to tune into the group as a whole. Brain Gym® seems to centre the active children, draw out those students who are holding back and help me to tune into the students that may need some added support and encouragement during our music session."
"I ran a Summer Day Camp, three days per week over a two week period. Six children of various ages and abilities with the diagnosis of Autism were in attendance with their parents and together we achieved some amazing results. We provided an environment that was safe and fun. The children in playful and spontaneous ways experienced some of the Brain Gym® movements in the context of "Balance with Movement" There was plenty of opportunity in beautiful and natural settings for stimulation of their core muscles and their vestibular systems (which provides balance within the core of the body). The simple and easy to do movements were often done on Balance Boards or simply by rolling down nearby hills that had easy to manoeuvre slopes. As a result, the children seemed more fully present and their speech and language skills improved in remarkable ways. Both parents and children achieved a greater sense of calmness, focus, relaxation and sense of peace. On the last day one father indicated that if he felt any more relaxed he would be unable to drive home. This father had not taken a holiday for a number of years. I explained that learning blocks occur when the body is tense and information cannot flow freely among the brain centers and sensory systems. Brain Gym® movements stimulate this flow, freeing the innate ability to learn and function at top efficiency. When the body and mind work as one, the individual is able to perform with less stress and express themselves creatively using greater mental and physical potential."
Reported improvements in skills from the parents were:
Margaret Harris R.N., M.A.
"I have had the opportunity to use Brain Gym® in my pediatric occupational therapy practice. In my experience the kids have really enjoyed the exercises and principles used, especially the use of the balance board and hook ups. My clients report they feel more calm and relaxed; more ready to learn new tasks and to attend to the work at hand. These "games" offer the right motivation and excitement to get buy-in from the kids in order to work on both fine and gross motor skills. I have also shared these strategies with the families who have truly welcomed the change in pace to augment traditional therapy practices. I feel Brain Gym® has been a welcome addition to my Occupational Therapy tool kit in order to best serve the children and their families."
"Ryan has the diagnosed of Autism Spectrum Disorder - PDD - NOS. I have been doing Brain Gym® with Ryan for several years now. The Brain Gym® Consultant that I work with has done several Movement Balances with him. He particularly likes PACE and does it now on his own. He now seems much happier and in control of his emotions in turn behavioural issues have decreased dramatically. There are fewer "meltdowns". He is more cooperative when asked to do certain necessary tasks, such as brushing his teeth."
"Sarah is 5 years old, diagnosed with Autism and is profoundly deaf. After doing a few specific Brain Gym® Movements, Sara was more focused and able to do activities that I had not thought possible for her. Through signing of the alphabet she was able to tell me that she found the new Brain Gym® movements fun and helpful. She has become calmer and more cooperative. Her parents are very pleased, so much so that they sponsored me to take more advanced Brain Gym® courses."
"My 10 year old son was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. We have been using Brain Gym® daily for several months. I know it works. I think it could cause an educational and medical revolution."
"By the end of the three days course I noticed stress reduction and a shift in attitude. I give the instructor (Jill Hewlett) a 10. Jill is awesome, very good leadership, drawing out and modeling skills. Hard to imagine how this workshop could be improved."
"I am noticing my thoughts are much clearer and they seem to be more organized. I am not so easily distracted and when I have so many thoughts at once, it seems to be easier to single out one to concentrate on at a time. There is a better, more organized flow to thoughts. I also find that I will get these great ideas that just pop into my head, that will be the solution to something I have been thinking about or trying to work through. It's like there are doors opening inside my head to let the thoughts flow better"
"I had no goals in mind when I entered the presentation. I was pleasantly surprised. I actually was not aware of how I was feeling until I went in. Through noticing, I realized I was wound up pretty tight. Once I became aware of how tight I felt and after participating in the presentation, I found I had a very big shift with my tension for the better. I was surprised at how quickly it happened. Within minutes, I started to feel a lot better. Jill (the trainer) is a dynamic speaker, very energetic and engaging in what is happening in the learning. I was surprised how much better I felt afterwards."
"The course was an excellent learning opportunity for me. The learning that stands out for me was to feel the "shifts" when we did the Brain Gym® exercises. Jill (the trainer) is a lovely person with a fountain of information. My favourite aspect of the course was practicing the movements. It has changed my life already! I can feel the shifts, am more confident, not always feeling like I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Last evening I ate poorly and today the one day I didn't do Brain Gym® in the morning before work I felt a huge difference. I was a beast this morning. As soon as I got to work and did PACE, I felt much calmer and able to face my day."
Brain Gym® is a registered trademark of the Educational Kinesiology Foundation, Ventura, CA |
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