Reflexes — News + Notes

Mar 17

Mar 17 Body? What body?!

Body space sense, also known as proprioception, is something all of us have and most can take for granted. It is the gravity sense anchoring and orienting us in the body, the surrounding environment, informing the more abstract concepts of time, math and underpinning our spatial abilities. The daily impact of a challenged body space sense has implications for both the internal/personal and external/ environmental interactions of anyone who faces these issues. Struggles with body space sense can manifest in three areas: the inner body, the outer body or higher function challenges.

Nov 16

Nov 16 Podcast Interview With Survivors2Thrivers

Wendy Nelson

Reflexes

Joshua Blatman host of Survivors2Thrivers and I talk about reflexes. In our discussion we connected how reflexes can be impacted by trauma and how their responses can help or hinder you after the fact. While improving reflex integration can’t remove the stresses of every day life (hello Covid!) it can have a positive effect on how you or a loved one react to those stresses.

Sep 23

Sep 23 Spring 2020 Reflex Discussions With Dr. Oliver

Wendy Nelson

Reflexes

Back in the Spring of 2020 I had the opportunity to share a couple conversations on reflexes that I had with my good friend and mentor Dr. Janet Oliver of Plan for Learning and Living. In 3 conversations we discuss childhood development, reflex integration and sensory processing disorders. As we continue our quarantine lifestyle this Fall I thought I’d share those chats to help those of you who may be trying to homeschool in some trying conditions.

Sep 13

Sep 13 Taken at Face Value

Wendy Nelson

Reflexes

Oral and facial reflexes. Who has ever even heard of such a thing?! But I am willing to bet you’ve heard or said, “don’t put that in your mouth! These reflexes rule over the mouth, tongue, lips, jaw, cheeks, palate and face. We suck, chew, swallow, gag, clench, grind, purse, smile or cry because of them. Do you grind your teeth? Suffer from migraines? Maybe you or your child gag easily, drool or struggle with speech or eating issues. All these challenges and more can be traced back to the oral / facial reflexes. Good news is they can be improved through movement-based integration activities!

Aug 6

Aug 6 Gravity Issues Aren’t Just for Astronauts!

Wendy Nelson

Reflexes

The interplay between the reflexes and the vestibular system of the inner ear inform our sense of gravity, balance and underpin our spatial abilities. If you have ever spun around until dizzy or had a bout of vertigo you can appreciate what it would be like to live with a challenged sense of gravity. If my gravity sense is challenged my ability to do math or follow a sequence will be impacted too. Take a moment to imagine working, playing or trying to function in a constant state of disequilibrium always feeling like you just got off that spinning wheel from the playground!

Jul 21

Jul 21 To Startle or Not to Startle? Moro is the Question

Wendy Nelson

Reflexes

Envision the brain as always running on high alert waiting for the next “attack” to take place and how exhausting that must be. It is an inefficient use of our brain’s bandwidth which contributes to a constant sense of low-level unease, anxiety that fosters depression and poor self-esteem. So when the fire alarm goes off we will either be peeling you off the ceiling then spend an hour calming you down or we’ll be prodding you out the door while pointing out the emotional upheaval going on around you.