Download - Moves That Improve - Balance in · PDF fileMoves That Improve Moving the ... routine can be just as beneficial (Ratey, 2008). ... that had subjects ranging from 7 to 40 years, indicated

Moving, Learning, and Wellness 48

MovesThatImprove

MovesThatImprove

Movingthebodyimprovesmental,physical,andemotionaldomains.Seitz

(1993,ascitedinChestnut,2003)hasproposedthat“oneofthemosteffectivewaysto

relievestressandirrationalthoughtsandfeelings,isthroughso‐calledbody

therapies”(p.86).Body‐therapiessuchaschiropractics,physiotherapy,massage,and

osteopathyhavebecomemainstreaminterventionsforthephysicalbody.Andothers

suchasyoga,SomaticPsychotherapy,andCraniosacralarebecomingpopulartoolsfor

emotionalandinterpersonalchange.Infact,allbody‐therapiesandotherformsof

movement,especiallysensory‐motorandproprioceptive(movementofthejoints)

movement,affectthenervoussystem,thusreducingthestressresponse,increasing

theimmunesystem,andproducingahomeostaticeffectoncognition,emotions,and

organfunction(Schmahmann,1996,ascitedinChestnut,2003).

Movementssuchasrunning,walking,jumping,dancing,skipping,yoga,TaiChi,

andBrainGym®(whichwillbementionedinthenextsection),seemtoplayapartin

theminoradjustmentsneededtoenablethe‘stressed’bodytocontinuewiththe

learningprocess(Hannaford,2005).Dr.Coulter(1993,ascitedinHannaford,2005),

aneuroscientist,concurredwithHannafordandsuggestedthattheseminor

adjustmentsaremicro‐interventionsthatbringaboutchangebecausetheyenablethe

learnertointegratenewinformationwhenpreviouslyitwasstuckorblockeddueto

stressors.


Ratey(2008)hassuggestedthatitisimportanttoincludebothaerobicactivity

andcomplexcoordinatedmovementsintoadailyregimenaseachformofexercise

hasdifferentadvantageouseffectsonthebrain.“Whileaerobicexerciseelevates

neurotransmitters,createsnewbloodvesselsthatpipeingrowthfactors,andspawns

newcells,complexactivitiesputallthatmaterialtousebystrengtheningand

expandingnetworks.Themorecomplexthemovements,themorecomplexthe

synapticconnections”(p.55).Activitiessuchastennis,whichcombinecomplex

movementsandaerobicexercisearethebest;however,interspersingphysical

activitieswithsomethingthatrequiresmorecoordination,suchasyoga,Karate,or

golfintoaweeklyroutinecanbejustasbeneficial(Ratey,2008).

BrainGym®andEducationalKinesiology

AnotheractivitythatimprovesbrainfunctionisBrainGym®.Itisamovement‐

basedprogramforpeopleofallages,withinanareaofstudycalledEducational

Kinesiology.TheRandomHouseUnabridgedDictionary(2006)definesKinesiologyas

“thesciencedealingwiththeinterrelationshipofthephysiologicalprocessesand

anatomyofthehumanbodywithrespecttomovement”.Simplyput,Educational

Kinesiology(Edu‐K)isthestudyofbodymovementanditsimpactonlearning

(socially,emotionally,andcognitively).Thisfieldofstudydelvesintotheself‐

explorationofone’sownpotentialbyeliminatingphysical,emotional,orcognitive

‘blocks’throughmovement(Masgutova&Ahmatova,2004).Dr.PaulDennison

(2007),thecreatoroftheEducationalKinesiologyFoundation,offeredthat“Edu‐K,as


itispopularlyknow,demonstratesthat,whentheneuropathwaysformovementare

fired,theyactivateandconnectthewholebraininthesynergisticwaynecessaryfor

growthandchange”(p.1).

Dr.DennisondevelopedEdu‐KandBrainGym®throughhisresearchand

experimentationworkingwithchildrenandadultsinhisRemedialReadingClinics

overaperiodof19yearsinCalifornia.Duringthistime,Dr.Dennisonwasableto

investigatespecificmovementsthatpositivelyimpactlearninginavarietyof

academicskills(BrainGym®International,2003).Aswell,Edu‐Kwasbasedona

synthesisofresearchfromremarkablescientistsandresearchersofhumanand

intellectualdevelopmentsuchasJeanPiaget,CarlRogers,HowardGardner,Thomas

Armstrong,and

others(Masgutova&

Ahmatova,2004).

TheBrainGym®

movementswere

derivedfromawide

rangeofdisciplines

including

developmental

optometrists,

TraditionalChinese

Medicine,andtheprinciplesofacupuncturerelatedtothecentralnervoussystem,

Figure6.Theprimarymovementarchetypes.

Note.Fromwww.masgutova.institute.com;www.masgutovamethod.combyS.Masgutova.


athleticwarm‐upexercises,moderndance,andposturalbalancing(BrainGym®

International,2003).

BrainGym®isalearning‐readinessprogramthatdevelopsthe‘physicalskills’

neededtosucceedinschool.Theseexercisestargettheprimarymovement

archetypes(seeFigure6)thatbabiesandtoddlersutilizeastheyexploretheworld

withtheirbodies.Forexample,atoddlerneedstosidestepbeforeheorshecanwalk

inaforwarddirection.Thismeansthatthetoddlermustbeabletomove

homolaterally(sameside)aswellascross‐laterally(crossingthemidlineofthebody).

Thesemovementsincorporatedevelopmentalmilestonesandwillestablishreflex

patternsthatchildrennormallycompleteontheirown.The‘BuildingBlocksof

Learning’(seeFigure7)adaptedfromBarbara

Pheloung’swebsite,MovetoLearn(2006),has

suggestedthatitisimportanttoaddressthe

neurologicaldevelopmentalbuildingblocks

suchasbalance,midline,touch,speech,

hearing,vision,andmemory.Eachbuilding

blockisnecessaryinorderforlearningtobe

successful.TheBrainGym®exercisestarget

these‘physicalskills’thatarenecessaryand

later“becomethebasisforcomplexmovement

(patterns)…specificallyneededforreading,

Figure7.Thebuildingblocksoflearning.

Note.Adaptedfromwww.movetolearn.com.aubyB.Pheloung,2006.


writing,calculating,andotherskills”(Masgutova&Ahmatova,2004,p.17)suchas

memory,attention,andconcentration.

Variousstressors,asmentionedpreviously,canintroduceobstructionsthat

hinderthelearningprocess.Theseblockscanbeemotionaldifficulties,physical

ailmentssuchascoldsandsinusproblemsthatprogresstoconstantearinfections,

andenvironmentalfactorssuchaspoornutrition–stressorsthatimpactlearning

achievement.Thestressedlearnerhasdifficultyintegratingandassimilatingnew

information,neededtobelearned,remembered,andappliedappropriately

(Hannaford,2005).

BrainGym®Research

Therehasbeenlimitedresearchorarticleswrittenaboutthepositiveeffectsof

BrainGym®inacademicpublications;however,therearemanypartsoftheworld

whereBrainGym®hasbeenacceptedandanumberofexperimentalstudies

published.IntheUSAwhereEducationalKinesiologywasfirstpioneered,Brain

Gym®waschosenbythe“NationalLearningFoundationasa‘SuccessfulLearning

Innovation’eachyearsince1990”(Hibbert&Moore,2005,p.251).Thereisalso

researchfromAustralia(Hannaford,1990,2005),Russia(Masgutova,1995,1996,

2001;Kusnetsova&Kudryavtseva,2002),Germany(Donczik,1994,Drabben‐

Theimannetal.,2002),Bangladesh(Winkelman,2001a)andIndonesia(Winkelmann,

2001b).Allthesepublishedstudieshaveconcurredandhavediscussedthepositive


outcomesofBrainGym®;someofthesestudieswillbediscussedinmoredetailinthe

followingsection.

Forexample,anexperimentalresearchstudyonthestaticbalanceof60

learningdisabledstudents,Khalsa,MorrisandSifft(1988),demonstratedthatthe

repatterned(theDennisonLateralityRepatterningwillbediscussedintheBrain

Gym®Exercisessection)groupshowedsignificantlybetterbalance,ascomparedto

themovementgroup(performingfivebasicBrainGym®movements),whichinturn

wasmoreimprovedthanthecontrolgroup.Bothmovementgroupsparticipatedin

BrainGym®movementsforfiveminutes,twotimesaday,fivedaysaweek,forsix

weeks.

Likewise,inanotherstudy,KhalsaandSifft(1991)examinedtheresponse

timesandchoiceresponsetimesin60adultsattendinguniversity.Theadultswere

dividedintothreegroupslikethepreviouslymentionedstudy:thecontrolgroup

(restedforfiveminutes),themovementgroup(performedsevenBrainGym®

exercisesforfiveminutes),andtherepatternedgroup(receivedaDennisonLaterality

RepatterningandperformedthesevenBrainGym®exercisesforfiveminutes).The

resultsofthestudyconcludedthatthegroupsimprovedby1%,3½%,and6%

respectively.ThisstudysuggestedthatafteronlyoneexposuretoBrainGym®

movements,theprocessingcapacityofthecentralnervoussystemcanbeincreased.

Thesetwostudies,thathadsubjectsrangingfrom7to40years,indicatedthatBrain

Gym®activities,especiallytheDLR(DennisonLateralityRepatterning),improved


certainperceptual‐motorskillssuchasstaticbalanceandresponsetimestoavisual

stimulusregardlessofdurationorgender.

Inaquasi‐experimentalstudy(subjectswerepickedspecificallybecausethey

hadlearningdisabilitiesinreading),Donczik(2001)foundthattheBrainGym®DLR

hadaprofoundimpactonreadingskills.Donczik’s(2001)pilotstudyin1994

involved81studentsconsideredtobedyslexic.Hedividedthestudentsintocontrol

groupsandagroupthatwasgivenaDLR.Theresultsshowedsignificant

improvementsinreadingerrorrate,readingspeed,readingcomprehension,aswellas

shorttermandlongtermmemoryofthestudentsthathadaDLR,ascomparedtothe

controlgroups.

Twopre‐experimentalstudies(containingnocontrolgroup)hadmixedresults

fromBrainGym®andtherewasnosignificantimprovementinstudents’academics,

orattitudestowardclassroomenvironment.AstudybyJensenandTempleton(1996)

focusedonagradefourclassroomwith28studentstoseeifperformanceand

attitudesaboutlearningenvironmentscouldimprovethroughtheassistanceofadaily

BrainGym®programforsevenweeks.Duringthestudy,themajorityofthestudents’

gradeseitherdeclinedorstayedthesameinallsubjectsexceptspellingandEnglish,

andtheirattitudesabouttheirclassroomenvironmentdidnotimprove.However,

onelimitationwiththisresearchisthattheteacher,whowasresponsiblefor

performingtheBrainGym®exerciseswiththestudents,wasreluctanttoperformthe

activitiesanddidnotbelieveinmovementintheclassroom.Theteacher’sbeliefsand

attitudesaboutlearningaffectedandinfluencedtheresults.


InanotherstudybyCammisa(1994,ascitedbyWitcher,2001),learning

disabledstudentsinaprivateschoolweregiveninstructionineducationalkinesiology

movementsbyanEducationalKinesiologistforayear.Students’perceptual‐motor

skillssignificantlyimproved;however,theirgainsinacademicswerenotsignificant.

Itshouldbenotedherethatthereweresomelimitationswiththeexperiment:it

lackedacontrolgroup,andthetestthatwasusedforassessingacademicskillswas

usedonstudentsthatdidnotmatchthepopulationonwhichitwasnormed.

StudieshavealsobeenpublishedintheBrainGymJournalthathavenotbeen

academicallypeer‐reviewed.Onesuchexperimentalresearch(Irving,1995)

investigated27first‐yearnursingstudents’self‐reportedanxietyandperformance

duringweeklytechnicaltests.Thisnine‐weekstudydividedthenursesintotwo

controlgroupsandonegroupthatperformedPACE(anacronymforfourBrainGym®

activities:positive,active,clear,andenergetic).Theresultsshowthatoverthenine

weeks,thenursesinthePACEgroupdecreasedtheiranxietyby69.5%andincreased

theirperformanceby18.7%ascomparedtoafive‐weekbaselineoftheirperformance

anxietyandskilllevel.

Anothersuchnon‐peerreviewedexperimentalresearchbyKoesterand

Sherwood(2001)divided205studentsingradesthree,fourandfiveintotwogroups:

acontrolgroupandaBrainGym®group.TheBrainGym®studentsperformedthe

movementsfifteenminutesaday,fivedaysaweekforaschoolyear.Bothofthe

groups’readingabilitieswerepost‐tested,andtheBrainGym®groupsineachgrade

levelimprovedtheirtestscoresbytwiceasmuchasthecontrolgroup.Anecdotal


commentsbyteachersandstudentsthatusedBrainGym®inthestudymentioned

howcalmtheclasseshadbecome,andstudentsreportedhowmucheasieritwasfor

themtoread(Koester,2006).

Peoplefromacrosstheworldhaveexperiencedamultitudeofbenefitsfrom

theuseofBrainGym®activities;however,therehavebeenrelativelyfew

experimentalresearchstudiesconductedinthisarea.Manyofthestudieshavebeen

conductedandpublishedindependentlyoftheBrainGymJournal(Khalsaetal.,1988;

Hannaford,1990;Khalsa&Sifft,1991;Donczik,1994;Wolfsont,2002),although,it

shouldbementionedthatresearchthusfarisoftenself‐referencingandgenerallyhas

beenexcludedfromscholarlyfields.

Manyofthestudiesconductedrecommendfurtherresearchtodeterminethe

usefulnessofBrainGym®(Khalsa&Sifft,1991;Hibbert&Moore,2005;Jensen&

Templeton,1996)andorganizationssuchasTheBrainGym®Trust(McClelland,

2007)areactivelylookingforwaysthatmorestudiesontheeffectsofBrainGym®

canbecarriedoutandpublished.HibbertandMoore(2005)havecalledformore

researchoftheusefulnessofBrainGym®asaneffectivetoolforlearning;however,

theyalso“contendthatfindingswithinexistingresearcharesignificantenoughto

warrantfurtherinvestigations”(p.252).

Overall,BrainGym®exercisesassistthemind‐bodyinmakingimprovements

inattention,concentration,reading,andacademicskills.BrainGym®exercises

decreaseanxietyaswell.Asmentionedearlier,theseexerciseshelptoeliminate

blocksinthemind‐bodysystemandpromotewhole‐brainlearning.Thesesimple


movementsstrengthenandintegratetheconnections,notonlybetweenthebrain’s

twohemispheresbutalsothefrontallobes,andhelptoactivatetheauditory,visual,

andkinestheticcentresforeaseoffunctioning(Dennison,1980,1989,allascitedin

Hannaford,1990).

Fromwhathasbeenstatedpreviously,whensomeoneisinastateofdistress,

hisorherbodygetsreadyfora‘fightorflight’response.Thebodyisin‘survival’

mode,readytodashoutthedoororpreparetofight.Nowadays,stressismoretodo

withadangerthatisonlyperceivedratherthantheactualneedtorunawayfromsay,

aSaber‐toothtiger.However,thebodycreatesastrongphysicalresponseeven

thoughtheremaynotbeanimmediatedanger.Hannaford(1990)hassuggestedthat

BrainGym®activities,whichstimulatethemotoractivityinthefrontallobes,helpto

reducethephysical,mental,andemotionalimpactsofstressby“bringingattention

awayfromthesurvivalcentres[which]mayactuallyhelptoactivate,developand

myelinatetheseareasofthebrainallowingforcontrolledattention,self‐regulating

behaviourandultimatelyformalreasoning”(p.3).

Thisfollowstheresearchnotedearlieronthebenefitsofaerobicexerciseand

thebrain,aswellasperformingcomplex,coordinatedseriesofmovementpatterns

thatincorporatebalance.Toreiterate,thesemovementsincreaseneurotrophins

(naturalneuralgrowthfactors)andcreatenewneurongrowth,aswellasmanymore

neuralconnections,particularlyinthefrontallobesandhippocampus(Brink,1995,as

citedinHannaford,2005)whichareresponsibleforlearningnewinformation,

memory,inhibitingstimuli,andinitiatingaction,justtonameafew(Ratey,2008).In


Edu‐Kterms,thisprocessismovingfromstressfullearning,to‘whole‐brained’or

‘dynamic’learning,wherethereiseasyaccessfromthesurvivalbrain(brainstem,

cerebellum)tothelimbicbrainandcerebralcortex,aswellasgoodcommunication

betweenthehemispheresandpre‐frontalcortex.Simplyput,goodcommunication

withinthebrainresultsineasylearningandliving.

BrainGym®Activities

ThefollowingwillgiveasamplingofBrainGym®activities.Thefourmain

exercisesarealearningreadinesssequencethatIusewheneverIworkwithagroup

ofstudentsorbeforeanyactivityIwanttobetotallyattentivefor.Itisagoodwayto

beginalearningactivitybecauseitallowsthelearnertimetoreflectonhowhisorher

bodyisfeeling,whatitmaybeneeding,andalsohelpsthelearnerbecomefocused,

calm,andattentivetothetaskathand.Thesequenceinvolvesdrinkingwaterand

performingtheBrainButtons,CrossCrawl,andHook‐ups.Theseactivitiesare

referredtoasPACE,anacronymforpositive,active,clear,andenergetic(seeFigure

8).


Figure8.PACE–ThefourmainBrainGym®learningreadinessactivities.

Note.FromBrainGym®101:BalancefordailylifebyP.E.Dennison&G.Dennison,2007,Ventura,CA:Edu‐Kinesthetics,Inc.


Water,whichisconsideredtheenergeticactivity,isincludedintheseactivities

foravarietyofreasons.Watercanrestorethebody’shydrationbetterwhenitis

sippedratherthangulped(Dennison&Dennison,2007).Watermakesup70%ofour

bodies,anditisthoughttocompriseapproximately90%ofthebrain(Hannaford,

2005).Itistheelectricalconductorinthebody,carryingtheelectricalpotentialfrom

electrolytesacrosscellmembranes.Learningdependsonthiselectricalexchange

becauseitiscriticalwhennewneuralnetworksarebeingcreated(Dennison&

Dennison,2007).

ThenextexerciseinthesequenceistheBrainButtons,whichstandsforclear.

TheBrainButtonsareperformedbyplacingonehandonthenavel,whiletheother

handispositionedjustbelowtheclavicle.Thethumbandfirsttwofingersfinda

hollowbetweentheribsoneithersideofthesternumjustbelowthecollarbone.The

handonthenavelprovidesgravitationalinformationtothebody,andasaresult,the

vestibularsystemactivatestheRASwhichalertsthebodyforlearning.Astheother

handmassagesthepointsbetweentheribs,itisthoughtthatthis,infact,stimulates

thebloodflowtothebrain,bringingwithitmorenutrientsandoxygenatedblood

(Hannaford,2005).IfindthatIbecomemorealertwhenIdomyBrainButtons,and

byaddinghorizontaleyetrackingexercises,myeyesfeelmorerelaxed.Ioftenyawn

whenIdothisexercise,whichmeanstomethatIhavehadaslightenergychangein

mybody,andoftenfeelmorerelaxed,yetatthesametimeattentive.

ThenextactiveexerciseistheCrossCrawl.TheCrossCrawlconsistsofwalking

inplacewhiletouchingtheoppositekneetotheoppositehand.Itisbestdoneslowly


toactivatethefrontallobesandvestibularsystem;however,itmaybechallengingfor

somechildrentobalanceononefootwhiletouchingtheoppositeknee(Hannaford,

2005).WhenIamworkingwithchildren,Iusuallystartoffataquickpaceandthen

seehowslowwecango.Therearemanycross‐lateralactionsthatcanbedeveloped

withsomecreativity.DennisonandDennison(2007)havesuggestedthattheCross

Crawlmovementstimulatescommunicationbetweentheleftandrightcerebral

hemispheresbecausebodymovementscrossthemidline.Walking‐gaitreflexesare

alsosupportedbythismovementasitallowsforshoulderandpelvisstabilization.

Hook‐upsarethepositiveexercise,crossingoneankleovertheother,andthen

crossingandclaspingthehandstogether.Thisexercisecanbedonestandingupor

sittingdown;handscanbehangingdownorinvertedonthesternum.Thetongueis

placedontheroofofthemouth.Thevestibularsystem,motorcoordinationsystem,

andbothbrainhemispheresarestimulatedbythisexercise,eliminatingthesurvival

reactionbyunifyingthebody.Thebenefitsareimprovedmemory,focus,and

supportedlearning(Hannaford,2005).ThesecondpartoftheHook‐upsisuncrossing

thehandsandfeet,gentlyplacingfingerstogether,asifthehandsaregraspingalarge

ball.AnumberofthestudentsthatIhaveworkedwithmadecommentsaboutthis

exercise.Itisoftentheveryactiveboysthatsay,‘Ilovethisone’,or‘Idothisoneall

thetime’.Personally,Ifeelverycalm,yetalert,aftertheHook‐ups,especiallyifIhave

donethewholePACEsequence.

Hannaford(2005)alsohasrecommendedtheEnergyYawnwhichexercises

specificskillsdevelopment.TheEnergyYawnisdonebyyawningandthenmassaging


thetemporal‐mandibularjoint(TMJ),whichisrightwheretheupperandlowerjaw

meetinfrontoftheear.DennisonandDennison(1995)haveexplainedthatsensory

informationfromthemouth,tongue,eyemuscles,andalloverthefacearedistributed

bythecranialnervesthataregatheredattheTMJ.Musclesfortheface,eyemuscles,

vocalization,andspeechexpressionarealsoactivatedhere.Relaxingtheentrywayfor

thesenervesimprovesskillssuchascommunication,verbalization,tracking,hearing,

andmemory.

Personally,IlovethePositivePoints,becauseitissuchaneasystressdiffusing

technique.ThePositivePointsarelocatedabouttwofingerwidthsabovethemiddle

oftheeyebrow.LightlyplacethreefingersabovetheeyebrowandthePositivePoints

arewherethereisaslightindentationontheforehead.Aneasierwaytofindthe

PositivePointsisbysimplycoveringtheforeheadlightlywithonehand.Promislow

(2005),anEnergyKinesiologist,hassuggestedusingthistechniqueasitisbeneficial

whenhurt,understress,pressure,orshock.Thesepointshavebeenusedinother

KinesiologymodalitiessuchasTouchForHealth,anddiffuseemotionalstressby

balancingtheStomach(emotional)andCentral(mental)energymeridians.Promislow

(2005)explainedthatthePositivePointscounteractthestressresponse(bloodflow

movingfromthefrontbraintobackbrainorsurvivalareas)bykeepingthepre‐

frontallobesactive,simplybytouchingthesesites.Ihaveseenastudentsowoundup

inheremotionaldistressaboutaparticulareventthatshecouldnotstoptalking

aboutitforfiveminutes.WhenIaskedhertoputherhandtoherforehead,

approximatelyfivesecondslatershesaid,“Okay,whatwasitthatyouwantedmeto


do?”andbeganquietlytogettoherwork.Thislittleanecdotesumsupthepowerof

thePositivePoints.

TheDennisonLateralityRepatterning(DLR),aspreviouslymentionedina

numberofstudiesinthispaper,alsohaspowerfuleffectsonlearningandself‐

awareness.WhilePACEandotherBrainGym®exercisesprovidea‘re‐boot’tothe

bodysystem,theDLRcanbethoughtofasa‘re‐programming’offeringlongerlasting

effects(Hibbert&Moore,2005).ThecomponentsoftheDLRareasfollows:doingthe

CrossCrawlwhilehummingandwitheyeslookinguptotheleft;doingthe

homolateralcrawl(onesided)whilecountingandwitheyeslookingdowntothe

right;joiningtheleftandrightarmsandhandstogether;doingtheCrossCrawlwhile

lookinginalldirections;doingthehomolateralcrawlwhilelookinginalldirections;

andfinishingwiththeCrossCrawl.DennisonandDennison(2007)haveexplained

thatanindividualcanhaveamoreefficientlearningstateifthebodycanmove

beyondone‐sidedmovementandone‐sidedsensoryprocessing(generallyrelyingon

thedominanthemispheretoprocessinformation).TheDLR‘re‐programs’thebody

systemformultidimensionalbrainprocessing,thuscreatingmore‘whole‐brained’

learningandwhole‐bodycoordination.

AnotherEdu‐Ktechniqueisa‘balance’,whichincorporatesestablishingagoal

thattheindividualidentifiesandwantstoworktowards.Thisisfollowedbyapre‐

activitythatallowstimetoexperiencehowthegoalfeelsatthismomentand

establishesabaselineforgrowthattheendofthe‘balance’.Then,oneormoreBrain

Gym®activitiesareselected,dependingonthespecificsofthegoal.Finally,inthe


post‐activityphase,thepre‐activityisrepeatedandprogressandchangeisnotedand

celebrated(Dennison&Dennison,2007).Overall,BrainGym®movementshave

manybenefitsforallages,especiallyassistingthebodytoahomeostaticstatefor

learningandemotionaldevelopment.

UsingEducationalKinesiologyinCounsellingSessions

EducationalKinesiologyhasmanyimplicationsforuseinthecounselling

setting.Although,therehasbeenlimitedresearchspecifictoEducationalKinesiology,

therehavebeenmanyclinicalstudiesprovingbenefitsinotherEnergyPsychology

methods,suchastheEmotionalFreedomTechnique(EFT),andbodyoriented

psychologymodalitieslikeSomaticPsychologyandCraniosacralTherapy.In

Wolfsont’s(2002)study,asinglegoalorientedBrainGym®balancesessionwas

integratedwithPiaget’sconservationtasks.Thestudyfoundthatasaresultthere

wereincreasesintheadultparticipants’abilitiestoconceptualizethebehavioural

skills(theplan)neededforattainingtheirgoals.

Duringcounsellingsessionswithadults,Icanseetheusefulnessofsuggesting

someBrainGym®activitiesthatmayassistinspecificareas,suchastheHook‐upsor

PositivePoints,toaidindiffusingemotionallychargedevents.Aswell,personalgoals

couldbesupportedwithaBrainGym®‘balance’andDLR,iftheindividualwas

receptive.Ihavenoticedtremendousgrowthinmymentalandemotionalprocesses

sinceIbegangivingmyselfKinesiology‘balances’.


Whencounsellingchildren,PACEandBrainGym®exerciseswouldbelikely

becomearitual,aschildrengenerallylovethemovementactivitiesandareso

receptivetothesetechniques.Icanseechildrenutilizingtheseexercisesinstinctively

astoolsforself‐improvement.Hannaford(2005),inherroleasaschoolcounsellor,

usedHook‐upsforchildrenthathadbeensenttoherforfighting,orbeingdisruptive

intheclassroom.HannafordexplainedthataftertwominutesofHook‐ups,the

childrenwereabletoseetheirownperspectivesandothers’viewpointsmoreclearly.

Theywerealsoabletotalkcalmlyabouttheproblemratherthanescalatingagainto

anger.

BrainGym®‘balances’wouldalsobeeasytodowithchildreninacounselling

situationandwouldmostlikelybeutilizedwhentherewasaspecificgoalthechild

hadidentifiedandchosetoworktowards.Sincecounsellingandworkingwith

childrencanbequiteaplayfulprocess,IseethatBrainGym®isagoodfit.Moreover,

becausethe‘balance’processofBrainGym®acceptsandunconditionallyhonoursthe

individual,itfitswithmyviewofmyroleasacounsellor.Hannaford(1990)found

thatusingBrainGym®incounsellinghelpedthechildrensheworkedwithgaina

greaterperspectiveofthemselves,othersaroundthem,andtheirrespectiveworlds.

ShesuccinctlysummedupherexperienceofBrainGym®inacounsellingsettingwith

childrenandstated:“BrainGym®isoneofthemostelegantwaysIhaveofsupporting

themexperiencinghappinessintheirlivesandreachingtheirfullunlimitedpotential”

(p.4).


ExerciseanditsImplicationsinCounselling

Theimpactofdailyexerciseonchildren’sandyouths’learningandmental

healthistoosignificanttoignore.Itishopedthatresearchwillcontinuetodelveinto

howexerciseaffectsthebrain‐body,especiallystudiesthatindicatethe‘dose’of

weeklyexerciseneededtomaintainahealthybody‐mind.Perhapswhenscientists

candefinitivelyeducateusonthebenefitsandundeniableevidenceofexercise,the

educationsystemwillchangethePhysicalEducationcurriculumtooneofafitness

model,asdiscussedbyRatey(2008),whichiscurrentlytakingplaceinafewschool

districtsintheUS.Teachingchildrenabouttheimportanceofexerciseforcognitive,

physical,andemotionalhealthandwell‐beingwhentheyenterelementaryschool,

andcontinuingtoemphasizethisthroughfitnessactivitiesinP.E.allthewaythrough

tosecondaryschool,canbeviewedasapreventativehealthcaremeasuresavingboth

thegovernmentandtaxpayersmoney.

Ifeelsostronglyabouttheimportanceofexerciseanditsimpactonlearning

andwellbeingthatIhavebeguntogiveworkshopsinBritishColumbiaS.D.#62.Asa

teacherinS.D.#62,Iusealotofmovementto‘warmup’children’smindsandhelp

thembecomemoreattentiveandreadytolearn.Icanseethevalueofusingthis

approachforelementaryschoolcounsellorsaswell,utilizingmovementtoengage,

activate,andestablishasafeandfunatmosphereandclient‐counsellorrelationship.

Witholderchildrenandyouth,Iseevalueinwalkingandtalkingorplayingasport

duringthecounsellingsession.Notonlyisitawaytobondwithyouth,butalsoit


providesanoutletforstress,whichcouldbeanunderlyingreasonfortalkingtoa

counsellor.

Lookingatcounsellingfromanexerciseandstressreductionframeworkmakes

meconsciousofhowimportantitisformetoeducatechildrenandyouthonits

benefits.Teachingchildrenandyouthaboutstressandhowthebodyresponds,as

wellasthecommonsideeffectsofchronicstressonhealth,isanimportantlifeskill

foryouthtobeawareof,ifnottofullycomprehend.Socialskillsgroupsinthe

elementarygrades,orhealthandwellnessclassestaughtbyaschoolcounsellorinthe

juniorhighandhighschoolgrades,areperfectvenuesinwhichtodiscussstress,as

wellashowtobecomemorephysicallyactive.Providingpositive,socialoutletssuch

asadrop‐inbasketballorsoccergamesatlunchwouldalsobeopportunetimesfor

workingonsocialskillsdevelopmentwithchildrenandyouththatrequireassistance.

Aswell,inmyfuturecapacityasaschoolcounsellor,Iwillbetalkingtoparents

aboutconcernstheymayhavefortheirchildrenregardingtheirbehavioursand

emotionalproblems.Thiswouldbeaperfecttimetodiscusspreventativemeasures

suchasahealthybalanceddietandhavingenoughroughandtumbleplayorregular

physicalexercise.Educatingparentsaboutthestressreducing,mood‐enhancing

effectsofphysicalactivitymaynotonlybehelpfulfortheirchild,butwouldlikelybe

beneficialforthemaswell.

Regularexerciseisnotacure‐allforcognitiveandemotionaldeficitsin

childrenandyouth,butitisthenaturalwayfortheirbodiestoregulatethedaily

stressestheytakeinfromtheirhecticenvironments.Movementimprovesone’s


mood,aidsindecreasinganxietyanddepression,andcanevencalmthecravingsof

someaddictions.Thebenefitsareclear:physicalactivityisnourishmentforthebrain;

physicalactivityassistschildrenandadolescentsinthinkingclearly,withmore

attentionandmotivation.