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The HANDLE® Institute Newsletter |
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Summer 2002 |
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Page 3 |
Hatching The Churkendoose Anthology
(Continued from page 1)
dut that is destructive, and spirits that are under attack.
Their innocent behaviors, however, do tell us what is wrong, if we only take the time to see what they are saying. From self-isolation to unusual pencil grasp, from poor eye contact to weak math skills, each of these is a window into weak and irregular systems. And each window has a place on the frame of the house that is the neurodevelopmental profile of a life developing out of kilter. And the mere fact that these brave children continue to try to meet the demands of each new day is a sign of their
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desire to achieve, to have us be satisfied with their achievements, to be proud of themselves." |
The HANDLE
Institute knows the answer lies in strengthening compromised neurological systems, thus reducing or eliminating the problem altogether. If you care about children, then you'll appreciate
The Churkendoose Anthology."
The Churkendoose Anthology will be available in July 2002.
An excerpt from
The Churkendoose
Anthology:
"As I reflect on Judith Bluestone and the HANDLE approach, I am reminded of Dr. Oliver Sacks and Awakenings. The parallels are exquisite: the in-depth observation, the focus on behavior rather than diagnosis, the creative approaches to understanding and intervention."
--Melvin E. Allerhand, Ph.D.
Did you know?
Effects of abuse on the brain
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The HANDLE Institute recognizes that good communication between the two sides of the brain, interhemispheric integration, is needed for optimal mental health and ease of learning. Strong connections through the corpus callosum allow an individual to shift facilely between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. As an example, adequate language development requires coordinating visual symbols from the right hemisphere with auditory speech sounds from the left hemisphere. |
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A paper by Dr. Martin Teicher, director of McLean's developmental biopsychiatry research program, offers evidence that child abuse, both verbal and physical, can adversely effect the health of the corpus callosum. A study employing MRI scans from 148 children shows that the corpus callosum was, on average, smaller in the abused children. Among the conditions that can result from trauma to the corpus callosum are anxiety, depression and bi-polarity, disorders generally viewed as psychological in nature. |
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HANDLE programs employ a variety of exercises designed to strengthen interhemispheric integration and influence positive outcomes for struggling individuals. Sample therapeutic activities can be found at www.handle.org. Dr. Teicher's paper appears in the journal
Cerebrum. |
