Hemispheres-of-the-Brain

When under stress, we tend to use only part of our brain. For example, when a person is too analytical or detail-oriented, the left brain is emphasized without the overview of the right brain. By contrast, if a person is too easily distracted, hyperactive or passive, the right brain is emphasized without the focus of the left brain.

The ideal is to use both together, bringing in the complementary parts of each to make a whole. When we use our brains this way, things go smoothly, and life is enjoyable and fun.

Brain Gym is a simple way of getting back to integration while under stress.

Writing and Eye/Hand Coordination

The left brain hemisphere controls the right side of the body, and the right brain hemisphere controls the left side of the body. Movement from the midline out to the left is originated by the right or "reflex" brain hemisphere and is in a counter-clockwise direction. Movement from the midline out to the right is originated by the left or "try" brain and is clockwise.

Counter clockwise Clockwise

Right Brain Left Brain

Neurologically speaking, the development of handwriting skills presents a different (and often more extensive) range of potential difficulties than reading. When you read, your eyes receive images and your brain interprets them since your eyes and brain are both in your head, for the most part the "neurological action" takes place above the neck. When your write, however, the images are received by your eyes and interpreted by your brain; a new signal has to travel down to your hand, and another feedback circuit goes from there back to your brain. Since more muscles and brain functions are involved, there are more opportunities for error. Keeping it all working is a bigger job for your body-mind than reading alone.

As with reading and whole body movement skills, 3-dimensional brain integration will allow the linear-logic-language tasks carried out by the left-hand try brain hemisphere to be fully integrated with the spatial-visualization tasks carried out by the right-hand reflex brain hemisphere.

It is our aim to have the brain integrated so that both types of movement are readily available and movement can flow either way across the midline. This will take the struggle out of writing so that you can enjoy writing as a form of self expression.