The Amazing Brain
When I started my Physical Therapy (physiotherapy as they say in Britain!) training in Edinburgh many moons ago, I was fascinated by the brain. I loved finding out how the brain functioned. I was in awe the first time I saw a brain in our dissection class that we did every week for a year at the Edinburgh University Anatomy department.
Once I began working and treating people with neurological problems, I continued my study of the brain, and was intrigued by the idea of neuro plasticity. This was the new buzzword at the time and gave so much hope for those people affected by brain injuries. At one time, it was thought that the brain could never repair itself. In other words, the damage was thought to be permanent. This has been shown to be false. In my book, I talk about working with Mariela, who sustained a severe brain injury and was in a coma for months. I have watched how she continues to improve physically, emotionally and cognitively for over 12 years.
Last week I was in heaven in a geeky kind of way! I attended a four-day class called CST Touching the Brain taught by Tad Wanveer, who also developed this class. Over many years, Tad has studied the latest brain research in-depth, which provided him with the inspiration to create this new class. In only recent years do we have a deeper understanding of how glial cells work in the nervous system. Originally it was thought that they were the structural support for the neurons that did all the work. It turns out not to be true at all! Essentially, we were missing out on half of what the brain does!
Tad recommended that we read a book called The Other Brain by R. Douglas Fields. It is a fascinating read that explains the importance of glial cells. Tad has a special gift of being able to explain these very complex interactions in a clear way along with creating amazing images to accompany his power point slides. There were times I would shake my head at the incredible detail and sheer scale of complexity of how our body works moment to moment. It is, at times, beyond my comprehension.
Since getting back to work in my clinic, I have been practicing my newly honed knowledge and updated hands! My clients have been commenting on how it feels different. I look forward to hearing about the results people are noticing after their sessions.
As Fall officially begins, we are hosting Scarlett Lewis in Livermore. With her important message and Choose Love formula, I am excited to see how her influence inspires change in our local community. We were delighted to have a wonderful article published in our local paper here.
Wishing you a wonderful Fall!
From My Hands and Heart, Kate xx
PS I am super excited about a class that Robyn Scherr and I are teaching at Esalen for Body Workers January 12th to 14th. Here are the details!
