A Brain Balance instructor provides assistance to a client of the program.[/caption]
Although some children enter Brain Balance as clients without a specific diagnosis, they often exhibit characteristics of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, dyslexia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or other disorders, owner Anna Bauereis said.
Staffers at the West Lake Hills center help children experiencing social, emotional, and academic issues, she said.
A mother of five, Bauereis said she first encountered Brain Balance when her youngest son, who was unable to read at age 9, began the program. She was quickly struck not only by the progress her son was making, but also by what she witnessed in other children, she said.
“As I sat on this couch, I saw kids [who were] so hyper[active] come through this door,” she said. “By the time they were finished with this program, they were asking introspective questions; they were calm; they were happy.”
Believing in the Brain Balance approach, Bauereis bought the Westlake franchise five years ago.
Each of the 80 Brain Balance centers throughout the U.S. follows protocols developed by Brain Balance founder Dr. Robert Melillo. According to Melillo, an imbalance between the two hemispheres of the brain results in a functional disconnect, which can manifest itself as motor, sensory, visual-spatial, immune and cognitive weaknesses.
“A kid who is left-brained weak, they get algebraic concepts—[the] big picture—they get that,” Bauereis said. “But they can’t memorize their multiplication facts. It takes them 45 minutes to do eight homework problems.”
Brain Balance clients are led through a series of physical and cognitive exercises designed to stimulate the weaker side of the brain, she said. The Brain Balance approach also incorporates a crucial nutritional element, which includes vitamin supplementation and an elimination diet, she said.
“While you’re here, we ask that you be gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free,” Bauereis said. “We need to rebuild the gut lining for these children so they can process and digest food properly.”
As a child progresses through new developmental stages, parents are asked to modify their own behavior to support that growth, she said.
“While the child is maturing, we need to help the parents change—to walk alongside the child’s growth,” Bauereis said. “Parents have to break their habits.”
A child who has never been asked to do chores, for example, may now be capable of taking out the trash without spilling its contents on the floor, and parents need to raise their expectations accordingly, she said.
The Brain Balance approach requires a commitment from the whole family, Bauereis said.
“It works,” she said. “We take these kids who are struggling, and we are empowering them to be the best they can be.”
Brain Balance approach
Brain Balance founder Dr. Robert Melillo believes an imbalance can exist between the two hemispheres of the brain resulting in motor, sensory and other weaknesses. Program clients undergo physical and cognitive exercises to stimulate the weaker side of their brain.
A client first
Staffers at Brain Balance help children who have social, emotional and academic issues, said Anna Bauereis, who owns the Westlake franchise. She purchased the franchise after witnessing successful results for her son and other children enrolled in the center.
Brain Balance: the basics
- First step: call or visit the center and make an appointment for an assessment
- Initial commitment: Three hours per week for 12 weeks minimum
- Typical treatment length: 24 weeks
- Typical length of time to see improvements: four weeks
