As a parent to a teen, I found myself asking the question, "Why are neuro-divergent kids often left behind?" I ask this from my personal experience. My son has always been labeled "quiet," "kind," "introvert," and at one point the only fault the school could find was his book choice: (Goosebumps, in case you're wondering).   

Never, admitting, they were the ones failing him. It had to be that he was quiet, kept to himself, and chose to pick up a book while the rest of the class was being rambunctious, instead of joining in. Fast forward 4 years, and his struggles grew. They could no longer be hidden with a simple book. His senses were overloading, causing him to shut down completely and want to sleep to escape his confusion. When I started searching for any type of resource, it seemed that he “aged” out. I can’t confirm 100 percent that everyone out there said no, but the options sure felt limited. As parents, I knew that we needed help today. This is how our journey with Brain Balance began.   

Walking through the cheerful halls of BB Fort Worth, I remembered our first time sitting in Michelle’s office. No expectations, really going blindly, having no clue what lay ahead for my son or the journey that was waiting for us. Since that first visit, he's found more success in school and friendships and, overall, more comfort with his body.   His journey continues with a bit more ease thanks to the hard work he’s put in with that group of gals. We owe them all thanks for walking that part of the road with him.  

"We thought they'd outgrown it"-something that Michelle has become accustomed to hearing as director of the Fort Worth campus of Brain Balance.  Many teens who come into BB Fort Worth have a lot in common. Depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, the feeling that they are not like the other teens at school. She reinforced for me that teens are far more self-aware of their peers, and that peer pressure is, in fact, very real. It can be a positive driving force, or sadly, a negative one. Teens may seek approval in negative ways, believing it is the only way they will fit in.   

Brain Balance differs from other therapies by taking a holistic approach to sensory overload.  Often confused with a diagnostic center, they don’t offer traditional therapies, diagnoses, or medications.  Instead, they are focused on finding the root cause of your sensory issues.  They don't focus on one part of the body, but on your body as a whole.  They believe that movement equals stimulation, nutrition is profound, and dedication is key.  Offering hope beyond traditional therapies and medications.    

BB works with kids of all ages; their core clientele ages from 4-18. However, they also offer programs for adults: aged 18 and up.   The program for ages 18+ mainly focuses on generations that have been passed over, back to the controversial days of diagnosing autism/spectrum.  Their oldest client at the Fort Worth location is 72 years young.  While the body and mind may be older, there is still work to do to improve quality of life.  This proves Michelle's theory: "Everyone has the potential; you just have to unlock it."   The average time you spend at BB depends on your initial assessment, with the average being 6-9 months of 2 to 3 days weekly in one-hour sessions.   

For some, Brain Balance may seem far too out of the box, from core exercises, blue glasses, and movements that help “untangle” your senses.   You never know where your “leap of faith” may come in and answer questions you thought no one had answers to. Brain Balance is a leap we are thankful our family chose, helping our out-of-the-box thinker find his way again.