Hasn't everyone heard that question at least once?
Spouses ask each other. Parents ask children. Teachers ask students. It's getting more common as the years pass. And there are many reasons why attention is deteriorating.
I'm less concerned about why attention is eroding and more interested in what can be done about it. There is only one official diagnosis for attention problems: ADHD. That means that everyone who has poor attention gets similar treatment, beginning with questionaires and maybe a doctor visit and often ending with medication. Depending on the family, that may be the end of the story. Medication usually helps children focus and learn. It helps adults focus and be more productive. There are side effects, and people deal with them.
What if there was another option? What if it was possible to reprogram the brain to pay better attention? Actually... there is!
Meet Interactive Metronome. It's a playful, timing-based computer program that can literally repattern the brain through movements. I've had success with children who have attention and coordination issues, and helped one child with serious reading issues. It's not fast, but it is enjoyable—and it works. (And my sessions are not as expensive as the ones they profiled in the video).
Meet Tomatis Listening Training. It's listening to filtered music that engages the brain through the middle ear while doing some simple movements or a quiet seated activity. Listening Centers around the world have reported success with children and adults who go through the training. (And again, my sessions aren't as expensive as the ones profiled in the video.)
The other tool in my box is developmental movement. Often children (or adults) who struggle with attention have retained movement patterns from childhood that didn't allow the brain to mature. When we look at those patterns and explore the movements that are missing, the brain has a chance to grow and learn to function at a more mature level.
I offer one-on-one sessions that can help both children and adults gain more focus, better coordination, and greater success in school, work, and life.
See this page for more information about Building Better Focus sessions. Contact me for a consultation!
Comments