When I first read about the Safe and Sound Protocol two years ago, I was extremely sceptical. How could just five days of listening to an hour of music help anyone? And yet it's reported to make a dramatic difference those with anxiety and trauma by reducing anxiety, and also helps people on the spectrum… Continue reading Five hours of music that reduce anxiety
We are collectively living through the greatest turmoil and trauma of our lives. Some of us have massive financial worries, others are trying to protect vulnerable family members. We all have to eat and we all have to try to stay healthy, while slowing down the spread of this virus to take the strain off… Continue reading Reflections on coronavirus, survival and reflexes
One of the things I’m most frequently asked about is how to reduce anxiety. With the current situation unfolding, we all need to look after ourselves and make sure we are not projecting our fears onto our children too. Here are a few simple things you can try, almost anywhere, which will activate your parasympathetic… Continue reading Reducing Coronavirus Anxiety
I keep using my own experiences as a private pilot to explain compensation to new clients - the concept of working extra hard as a result of retained primitive reflexes: I was an average child who grew up in the 1970s. I played outdoors in all weathers, possibly a lot more than the children… Continue reading Could you be compensating for baby reflexes?
The work I do is based around Dr Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory, and the concept of social engagement vs flight/fight/freeze. My work is based on the concept of "neuroception" - the fact that some children (and adults) cannot distinguish safety from perceived threat, and so their bodies live in a stressful fight/flight state ALL the… Continue reading Not safe to learn: how addressing anxiety can help your child’s learning
This week, I have heard the facepalmily avoidable story of unpleasant bullying of a nine year-old child, both at school and Cubs by the same child. His school thoughtfully brought in a visitor to talk about "differences" this week. Wonderful idea in principle. However, poorly executed in practice because it has caused a bullying situation.… Continue reading “Differences”, Primary Schools and Bullying
...why this work should not be misinterpreted as a "cure" I have just come across a Facebook advertisement asking for participants with a diagnosis of autism for clinical trials for a "treatment for autism". The advertisement has, unsurprisingly, been met with lots of "angry" reactions and angry comments from people who feel that autism is… Continue reading Removing the challenges – not the diagnosis
I started flying in 2003. I had decided to have a career change, and went to South Africa to do an intensive course over around six weeks, which was about a third of the price of flying in the UK, and with the promise of better weather, dramatic scenery and incredible wildlife (views of great… Continue reading Why pilots need to integrate primitive reflexes
Some of our children - indeed, some of us - find it extremely hard to switch off. Our brains work overtime, processing what's happened that day, worrying about what might happen... Some of us wake up at 3am and can't get back to sleep. Some of us are almost asleep when we suddenly jolt ourselves… Continue reading Sleep, anxiety, night terrors – and neuroscience
You have undoubtedly found this blog post because you have an interest in retained primitive reflexes. Welcome! Have you been thinking about doing it yourself? Either with YouTube videos, or even by purchasing an online course? Or perhaps you have been trying a do-it-yourself approach, using books, videos and online training? In which case, have… Continue reading Primitive Reflex Integration: How to do it yourself.
