The life-altering experience of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) may be causing you or your loved one to have sensory disturbances, issues with movement, memory problems, word finding and fluency problems, balance issues, paralysis, changes in stamina, mood, personality, and much more. You may appear fine to others but are suffering deeply in a way that others just don’t understand. The medical system offers some support but you may find it falls short of expectations and doesn’t provide the deep results you need. The HANDLE PerspectiveThe HANDLE approach recognizes two primary functions that are weakened with brain injury, vestibular (inner ear) function and interhemispheric integration (communication between the two sides of the brain). An organized, sensitive vestibular system together with strong interhemispheric integration is required to support most or all of the functions that have been compromised in the case of a TBI. Examples include listening while filtering unnecessary sounds, looking at someone wearing a patterned shirt (implying movement) talking and gesturing, maintaining the body in a balanced, upright position and attempting to take notes. HANDLE ApproachThe HANDLE program deals first with lowest level underlying functions like vestibular function and communication between the two sides of the brain, and later with higher level functions. The nervous systems respond to the repeated movement patterns of the HANDLE activities by growing new neural pathways in the brain. When the activities are done repeatedly over time this changes the structure of the brain and changes how we experience the world. Each program is customized to meet the exact needs of the individual, and is created following a detailed assessment. |
Results You Might See
| “HANDLE has really helped me become more organized. It helped me use my left hand; before I never used it at all because I have left hemiparesia. I play piano and can play in sports for the first time. I am so much more able to accomplish anything I want to do. I am so pleased I can do more with other people. I CAN RIDE A BIKE WITH MY FRIENDS I could never get my cerebral palsied side to help balance until HANDLE.” ~ “Spike” Bauer, Homer, Alaska |