Brain Gain With Esmari

School holidays are just around the corner and I often get questions from parents about what to do with kids during the holidays and complaints about kids lying infront of the TV for the entire holiday.

So here's the answer!!!

Holiday stimulation program developed and presented by and occupational therapist with Fun activities focused on gross motor development, emotional intelligence, problem solving and sooo much more!!! Every day will include a fun pony ride and or pony based activity and crafts.

Limited spaces available. Book asap!!!
R240 per day which includes snacks
(all and any dietary preferences can be accommodated)
WhatsApp only (072 676 8439)

REACH HIGHER THAN YOU EVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE!

BRAIN GAIN CAN help you to reach your full potential by training your brain to stay focused and on top of your game.

Visit our website, find a Brain Gain branch near you and find out how we can HELP YOU!
🌐 www.braingainworld.com

WE CAN HELP YOU TO UP YOUR GAME!!

Whether you are a sportsman, musician, pilot, surgeon or salesman - our programme can train your brain to focus on the task at hand.

Visit our website, find a Brain Gain branch near you and talk to one of our Concentration Specialists.
🌐 www.braingainworld.com

Did you know that BrainGain sessions can start from as young as 4 years old.
Neurofeedback training also helps to improve self-regulation and thus contributes to improving behaviour.

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐫-𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬:

The "terrible twos" refers to a normal stage in a child's typical development in which a toddler hops between reliance on adults and a new burning desire for independence. The symptoms vary between children but is often stereotyped as frequent mood changes and temper tantrums. Parents often expect the terrible twos to occur around a child's second birthday, however, the behavior that's typical of this stage often begins around 18 months and can last until age 4

Some "why's" behind it:
Not being able to express their wants and needs can be frustrating to children, often leading to the outbursts.

Without an emotional vocabulary to rely on, a child can quickly become frustrated and feel they have no means to express their feelings other than through actions which constitutes a "tantrum"

A toddler's brain is also still far from fully developed... Especially the frontal lobe where functions such as self-regulation and impulse control are still lacking.

Behaviour characteristic of the "terrible two's" can be exhausting and difficult for parents to deal with and can quickly escalate to feelings of hopelessness or frustration, which also doesn't help the situation.

Occupational therapists can assist in evaluating whether there's other explanations behind unwanted behaviour.

Help to determine whether it's tantrums or meltdowns.

Assist with behavioural prevention plans

Assist with recommendations for sensory diets.

Provide information on strategies for managing tantrums or meltdowns.

💙💙💙

Love this! Different NOT less. 💙

Let everything you do be done in love.

About me (Esmari Henning)

I'm an occupational Therapist passionate about wholistic wellbeing and optimal living.
I crossed paths with Brain Gain Bloemfontein last year while I was researching treatment interventions and looking for answers to questions I had as a therapist (especially those where I kept thinking- there must be more that can be done to help) After meeting Charene, the Bloemfontein Fanchisee, for the first time and hearing all the stories about how Brain Gain changes lives - I knew this is something I wanted to be a part of. Beginning of 2023 I started seeing my first clients and now, coming April, I will officially open doors at a new venue (home, school and work visits are also still available)
So welcome to my Brain Gain page - where you will not only find info about the Brain Gain program and neurofeedback training but also about brain health (mental health), child development, sport - and work performance all together.
Stay tuned for upcoming videos on some interesting topics!!

When you've officially declared war on the "W-sitting" - keep in mind that crossed leg sitting isn't the only "good way of sitting"

GRADE 1 GOING AS PLANNED?

Sometimes a child just needs a little nudge in the right direction to set them on the road to success.

BRAIN GAIN CAN HELP! It is one of the best methods to improve concentration and focus and to exercise the brain.

Visit our website, find a Brain Gain branch near you and talk to one of our Concentration Specialists.
www.braingainworld.com

IS YOUR CHILD STRUGGLING IN GRADE 1?

Many people think that a child is ready to learn if they know their ABCs and 123s.

BUT, every aspect of a child's growth is important to their learning readiness. If certain areas of the body or the brain are not ready, learning becomes difficult.

WE CAN HELP! When these areas are strengthened, it prepares the brain for learning and academic success. OUR PROGRAMME DOES JUST THAT!

Visit our website, find a Brain Gain branch near you and talk to one of our Concentration Specialists.
www.braingainworld.com

Midweek motivation:
Before we get ourselves stuck in the
"I should've done better" or "I could've done better" or "I should be able to do better"
Rather focus on "I was/am ABLE to learn XYZ today and tomorrow I can try better"

Be kind to your mind, it works hard for you🌷

BAD MOODS GETTING YOU DOWN?

The fact that your child is struggling to concentrate can lead to frustration, irritability and mood swings. A Catch-22 situation - as this again, can lead to even more distractions and difficulty absorbing information.

WE CAN HELP! Brain Gain is a tried and tested method to improve concentration. It is safe, non-invasive and affordable.

Visit our website, find a Brain Gain branch near you and and book a Tesca Concentration Assessment.
www.braingainworld.com

WE ALL NEED FRIENDS!

Having friends improves well-being, attitudes to learning and academic performance. Sadly, some children find making friends a challenge.

Poor concentration could lead to others thinking that you are just not interested in them. Impulse behaviour, on the other hand, could lead to your child struggling to wait their turn - all behaviours that do not help to put them on top of the popularity list.

WE CAN HELP! Brain Gain is a safe, non-invasive and affordable method to help your child with concentration issues.

Visit our website, find a Brain Gain branch near you, and get the ball rolling.
www.braingainworld.com

TIME TO GET READY FOR SCHOOL!

Follow us for tips to make your life easier once school has started.

A HEALTHY BREAKFAST such as apples, bananas and whole grain toast, will give them the energy they need to be mentally alert all day, instead of the mid-morning crash they will get from sugary cereals.

For more information on how to make this an unforgettable school year visit our website at www.braingainworld.com, find a Brain Gain branch near you and talk to one of our Concentration Specialists.

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN - TIME TO GET READY FOR SCHOOL!

To help you get started, follow us for tips to get your child ready for smooth sailing on the first day of school.

Begin by STARTING A MORNING SCHEDULE . Wake your kids up at what will be their regular wake-up time. For older children, help them set an alarm clock so they can take responsibility for their own wake-up time.

For more information on how to make this an unforgettable school year visit our website at www.braingainworld.com.

Not just for children and teens but adults as well. Exercise doesn't even have to mean going to a gym or vigorous exhausting workouts. All forms of exercise and physical activities carry tremendous benefits for brain health and mental well-being.

Anxiety is a natural emotion that we all experience and in many cases Anxiety is blocking your breakthrough.

Many different words can describe it, for example: stress, worry, nervousness, agitation, the shakes, freaking out, uneasiness, jumpiness, butterflies, and panic. Our own experience of anxiety will depend on factors like genetics, brain chemistry (chemicals working in our brain), life events (situations we face) and personality (how we perceive and interpret things that happen to us) and the way you experience anxiety may be different from the way somebody else would.

Increasing awareness of how you experience it and understanding of your thoughts and the situations that trigger feelings of anxiety, can help you in preventing and managing anxiety.
Many conditions affecting adults and children today can be thought of as problems with self-regulation. The brain has become dysregulated and stuck in patterns that is not helpful. This is especially true for concentration problems, mood disorders like and anxiety, trauma, and sleep disorders.
Together with therapy, relaxation techniques, mindfulness training, lifestyle changes like diet and exercise and psycho-education, Neurofeedback training can be utilized as a tool for training mind-body regulation skills.

Hemoencaphalography (HEG) is the form of neurofeedback we use in Braingain. The aim of this is to exercise the brain by increasing blood flow to the frontal lobes of the brain. The HEG sensor is placed over the forehead. Behind this is the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) which plays a role in executive function.

This form of neurofeedback can potentially benefit any function in which the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) plays a role, including attention, focus and concentration, purposeful behavior (like controlling impulses), mental flexibility, emotional regulation and motivation.

BrainGain offers many benefits for improving cognitive functioning, whether it's struggling at school with concentration, impulsivity, reaction speed in sports performance or cognitive endurance at work. Neurofeedback training offers a variety of benefits as it targets the prefrontal cortex and the brain's ability to self regulate.

For more information or to book an appointment feel free to send a whatsapp:
072 676 8439

So what is neurofeedback training?

Exactly what the word says... It's neurological training/ conditioning that works with a feedback mechanism... Thus it is conditioning that takes place in the brain through the creation of new synapses... So if the brain was a muscle, those grooves and brainpathways would be muscle fibres. The more they are challenged, used and exercised, the stronger and better they get.
The feedback system works by instantly giving feedback to the person on what's happening in the brain while they engage in an activity with the help of specialized equipment and sensors placed on the forehead... So instead of a person realizing 10mins through the activity that they're maybe not focusing or they are getting anxious etc, they are alerted immediately and through learned self regulation strategies they can increase their focus or decrease their anxiety in the moment and over time with practise, the brain learns to do it by itself, automatically... Like riding a bicycle, first a lot of help and encouragement is needed and over time one can listen to music, ride a bicycle and talk to a friend because of muscle memory...

Neurofeedback is a non-invasive treatment that encourages the brain to develop healthier patterns of activity. The goal of treatment is not only to change how you think and feel, but also to change your brain on a biological level for better functioning.

Feel free to pm me with any questions

Often times when we notice something is... "off" or "atypical" or "not what it used to be/should be" we tend to want to jump to the last resort💊

But here's the thing... The "last resort" WILL work... Science is on its side, it HAS to work... But most times, the last resort comes with side effects too and SOME times, the last resort is entirely necessary. Often times, this last resort IS necessary, but won't be ENTIRELY effective without considering all the OTHER aspects at play.

Brain health/ cognitive functioning/ mental health is NOT just a case of problem = tablet.

There's A LOT of other factors at play that HAS to be considered as well... So don't get upset/alarmed/worried if your doctor doesn't just jump straight to "the last resort" to give you "the quick fix" you think you need... They too, have to do their due-diligence and only want what's best for their patients. ESPECIALLY when it comes to children under the age of 6years.

You have NOTHING to lose by being patient with the process and exploring ALL the other factors at play when addressing a concern of brain health/ cognitive functioning/ mental health.

Brain Gain is a neurofeedback program that starts with a TESCA evaluation (test of emotional stability and cognitive ability) and questionnaires to shine a better light in the holistic picture that includes insights on emotional stress, nutrition, medication etc.
The results of the above is then analyzed to compile a report whereafter an individualised protocol is created for neurofeedback brain training sessions as well as other lifestyle suggestions or skills training homeprograms.

Our Tesca Concentration Assessment is a comprehensive test that has been developed by a psychiatrist to test all the concentration variables. The test measures 6 attention abilities and screens for emotional & cognitive development issues that may hold someone back from reaching their full potential.
(ages 4 to 100)

The HEG NEUROFEEDBACK intervention modality is a non-complex, safe method of teaching the brain to focus - using the flow of healthy, oxygenated blood to the frontal lobes of the brain, while a client participates in a cognitive activity. A feedback mechanism is created which indicates - in real-time - how much attention the brain is paying to the task at hand.

As long as the client remains focused on the activity, blood flow is naturally maintained or increased. A client ultimately teaches their brain to enhance the activation of their cognitive centres in the frontal lobe, as well as to maintain it for increasingly longer periods of time.