It is a beautiful October morning in Rockland County, NY. We are greeted by exquisite colors of the autumn leaves. During the summer, there was only lush green and we could hardly differentiate different shapes, heights, and sizes of the trees. Now each tree is making its own individual statement, and even the busiest among us couldn’t miss the display.
So it is with our children.
Deep down inside we know they are all individuals; we know they are different from us. Why are so many teachers, parents, and therapists unable to notice the unique gifts these kids bring into our world? We invent names for the slightest deviation from the norm; we pay attention to the deviations and try hard to fix them. Meanwhile, we miss the subtle clues that, if noticed, would reveal the pain, the struggle, and the call for a different world many of these kids feel inside.
We need to become more aware of the effect labels have on us and on our children. We must learn to leave labels behind in order to meet each other anew in the present moment.
Parents, teachers, and children at Shining Mountain Children’s Center know we will explore alternative, unfamiliar topics, tools, and therapies. The only prerequisites to our work together are an open heart, the ability to pay attention, and time.
When a child experiences a learning or behavioral challenge, we need to look deeply at the circumstances that preceded the child’s birth, including the mother’s pregnancy and labor, as well as the home, daycare, and extended family settings. All these can have a profound effect on how the child behaves at school, home, or daycare.
At the Center, both parent and child are present at the session, allowing each to release conscious or unconscious traumas and to gain new understanding of each other. The sessions also help parents and caregivers find a different approach to caring for the child at home and the ability to advocate for that child outside of home.
I use some of the oldest and most powerful therapeutic agents and techniques known, including color, light (Colorpuncture) treatments, and essential oils, as well as sound, movement, detoxification, and non-insertive acupuncture. Most children show strong affinity to certain blends of oils and love to smell them and apply them on their bodies. I also introduce Brain Gym®, a movement-based program that enhances communication between gestalt (right) and analytic (left) parts of the brain, which helps the children realize their highest potential.
The following are two fairly typical cases:
Case 1: An 11-year-old girl had uncontrollable tantrums at home, followed by periods of lassitude and disinterest at school. Her father was unable to deal with the girl’s tantrums rationally and often resorted to mental (shouting) and physical (spanking) abuse. During the initial interview, the mother talked about hardships during her pregnancy and that she considered aborting between second and third month.
My initial examination revealed diaphragmatic constriction, which is caused by the Fight or Flight response, and very sensitive points indicating prenatal trauma to the baby in the womb during the third month of pregnancy. During the color-light treatment, the girl experienced sharp, hot pain around the same points. That treatment was stopped, and we used the endocrine color-light treatment to calm the nervous system. The girl was taught simple Brain Gym® movement to access both brain hemispheres, with additional movements to calm her down when she felt agitated. She showed great affinity for essential oil blends and was asked to use Peace and Calming on her ears and wrists, Release on her liver, and Sara on her back.
During the first few days after the initial treatment, the girl experienced a series of scary dreams in which she was trying to escape and was barely getting away. There were only two tantrums the first week, and her mother noted that they were less severe. After five weekly treatments, the whole prenatal color-light treatment was performed without pain. The scary dreams and tantrums were things of the past, and the girl showed more energy and began playing the piano.
Case 2: A 9-year-old boy, classified with learning disabilities, was managing well in school with an aid, but 11 months after September 11th, in which the father of his best friend died, he showed regressed behavior, very poor school performance, and disturbed sleep. Prior to September 11th, he was very athletic, but now he was afraid to go to any games close to New York City or in a town with skyscrapers.
During the first visit, the boy sat curled up in my big chair with a tee shirt over his knees and made strange guttural noises. Every few minutes, he told me that he was stupid and he liked it that way.
My initial examination revealed a cold abdomen with tightness around the navel, which is caused by the Fear and Exhaustion pattern. Weekly one-hour sessions consisted of Brain Gym® movements to improve the relationship between the back and front of his body, which helped get him out of his stuck state and his passive behavior. He was asked to do these movements before school and before homework and to apply Trauma Life and Valor oils in the morning and Harmony and Hope oils in the evening. He was asked to take ten-minute walks in nature every day, taking deep, slow breaths, and to pick one tree to observe and touch. At night, after application of the essential oils, he was to sleep with a warm bottle on his abdomen. After six weeks, all the initial symptoms were gone, and the family continued with the program. Over the next five months, I used color-light, color baths, sound, nutrition, and additional Brain Gym® balances, which helped the boy overcome many of his learning and self-esteem issues.
*Mariola Strahlberg Kind will be leading a workshop Jan 19-21, 2007.
Back to Center Post Contents | Home