#109 - A New Way of Therapy, with Carol Garner-Houston, OTR:L and Co-Founder of Brain Harmony

by Jessica Hill, COTA/L & Rachel Harrington, COTA/L, AC July 15, 2020

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A New Way of Therapy, with Carol Garner-Houston, OTR:L and Co-Founder of Brain Harmony

We are always looking for new types of therapy, new treatment ideas and modalities, and today we are talking with Carol, the co-founder of Brain Harmony. Brain Harmony is a private medical care company that uses the neuroplasticity of the brain to provide the most powerful and proven therapy to help children and adults with learning and performance difficulties.

Listen in as Carol explains the benefits and we chat about a different approach to standard therapy. 

SHOW NOTES

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A New Way Of Therapy, With Carol Garner-Houston, OTR:L And Co-Founder Of Brain Harmony

For 23 years, Carol Garner-Houston has dedicated herself to occupational therapy. She proudly represents Brain Harmony alongside her sister, who manages the hospital administration side of their business partnership.

Carol has vast knowledge and experience in various domains, including inpatient care, outpatient services, home care, psychiatric rotations, and geriatric patient care. With an extensive collection of effective resources, modalities, and practices, she maximizes the benefits for her clients at Brain Harmony.

Brain Harmony’s Origin

While in the clinic, Carol came across her first neuroplastic tool. As she witnessed its remarkable impact, her determination grew to explore and discover the most effective tools continuously.

To offer individuals access to optimal outcomes and increase their chances for success, Carol founded Brain Harmony. She purposefully embraced an outcome-focused business model, ensuring the best possible results.

Carol dedicated much energy to expanding a clinic, involving significant overhead expenses. To overcome challenges, she strategically eliminated unnecessary expenditures and focused on delivering personalized therapy directly to clients in their homes.

This strategic pivot resulted in enhanced operational efficiency and an elevated client experience. We provided a more comprehensive and tailored approach by allocating additional time to personalized education and training for the families involved.

Brain Harmony’s Global Expansion

As Carol's in-home occupational service became more successful, she realized the potential of the tools she had at her disposal. After careful consideration and a desire to expand her reach, Carol incorporated various shipping methods and offered virtual parent training.

Brain Harmony quickly established itself as a prominent global enterprise catering to local and international clients. In this era of seamless connectivity through the internet, telephone, and WhatsApp, they possess an exceptional ability to stay connected and continue pursuing uninterrupted education, regardless of any circumstances that may arise.

Brain Harmony’s Top Occupational Therapy Tools

Carol is incredibly knowledgeable about a wide range of tools that can help her occupational therapy clients achieve their goals. With so many options at her fingertips, she's found that a select few lead to the best results.

Focus by Integrated Listening Systems

A clinical intervention used to improve brain function through brain and body integration via multisensory input. It combines auditory, balance, and movement to create a foundation for learning, attention, processing, and behavior.

Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)

The elegantly designed, lightweight tool combines bone conduction with gentle vibrations to effectively modulate the vagus nerve and address the autonomic nervous system. This innovative technology offers numerous benefits for individuals dealing with trauma, anxiety, sensory processing differences, and more.

Alpha-Stim

The trusted Alpha-Stim device provides a safe and effective solution for pain, anxiety, insomnia, and depression in all age groups. By gently stimulating alpha waves in the brain, it enhances communication and creates a soothing haven that revitalizes energy and vitality.

Dreampad

An innovative listening tool that uses bone conduction and calibrated sound frequencies to impact the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting rest and digestion through gentle vibrations. With this integrated system, individuals can effortlessly fall asleep by resting their heads on the pillow, setting the timer, and receiving passive yet effective input to their central nervous system while they sleep.

What Does A Brain Harmony Session Look Like?

Families who are unable to visit the clinic now have the option to access telemedicine services. This innovative approach to occupational therapy involves conducting sessions remotely, where the child appears onscreen.

The therapist is crucial in guiding and empowering parents, equipping them with the necessary coaching to perform the exercises effectively. For example, imagine your child has a ball, and you also have a ball; Carol will explain the purpose and benefits of this exercise and demonstrate how to do it on the screen.

The crucial aspect lies in educating parents and empowering them to implement these techniques in their homes. This, in turn, fosters an optimal learning environment for children, creating an ideal setting for their growth and development.

The Duration Of The Brain Harmony Program

Brain Harmony is a popular choice among families seeking the Safe and Sound Protocol, thanks to its accelerated completion timeline of five to ten days. Following the protocol, Carol arranges a follow-up call a week later to assess progress and identify additional growth opportunities for the family.

When your child progresses to the next stage of the protocol, they will enter the focus unit. In this phase, they will participate in a thorough listening program spanning one to two months.

The protocol can be customized for your child's needs and typically spans ten days, with 30 minutes dedicated daily to gradually introduce the central nervous system. This approach prevents overwhelming your child with sudden changes while effectively absorbing information.

Achieving Success with Integrative Listening Systems

Carol knows that providing ample support and guiding clients using the right approach leads to remarkable progress. Here are some of her most cherished success stories.

Success Story #1

Carol worked with a 7-year-old boy diagnosed with autism and ADHD. The child initially struggled with cooperative play and following instructions, causing frustration.

However, after two weeks of intervention, he began actively participating in play and understanding instructions. These improvements have greatly enhanced his ability to concentrate and focus.

Success Story #2

Carol worked collaboratively with a child who faced speech development challenges, helping them expand their vocabulary and form more intricate sentences. In a matter of weeks, the child made remarkable strides in fluency and articulation, showcasing significant progress in their speech abilities.

Success Story #3

Carol played a crucial role in supporting an adult client with Down Syndrome, addressing motor skills, sensory issues, and language development challenges. Through close collaboration with the client's mother, Carol made the necessary adjustments.

In just a few weeks, the client experienced a remarkable transformation. They became noticeably calmer, began using a letter board to communicate, actively participated in household tasks, and even discovered a newfound passion for skiing.

Success Story #4

Through collaboration, Carol worked with a client exhibiting signs of dependency, restlessness, separation anxiety from her mother, and spatial awareness challenges. The client underwent a remarkable transformation after consistently using the Dreampad pillow for a week.

She exuded newfound serenity, no longer relying on her mother's presence, and effortlessly followed instructions. Her growth was evident in her demeanor and adaptability, reflecting the positive impact of the soothing effects of the Dreampad.

Carol’s Greatest Challenge as an Occupational Therapist

Striking the perfect balance between providing parents with scientific knowledge and avoiding overwhelming them poses a significant challenge. Equally challenging is assisting parents in recognizing their child's inherent potential to overcome any obstacle, irrespective of diagnosis or prognosis.

That’s why Carol’s mission is to empower families to embrace and nurture their children's potential, regardless of their diagnosis. Her goal is to educate them about the transformative power of advanced technologies and the effectiveness of positive reinforcement, which can lead to remarkable progress.

With unwavering commitment, she empowers parents by providing essential support and guidance to help their children overcome challenges. Her work proves that with determination, no obstacle is insurmountable.

What’s Next For Brain Harmony?

As clientele grows, Carol stays committed to innovation and introducing new techniques. One recent addition is Quantum Reflex Integration (QRI), an advanced cold laser technique that enhances neurological processing efficiency by re-patterning reflexes.

She values integrating diverse protocols in her sessions, and offering comprehensive support. This keeps her updated with the latest research and empowers clients with effective tools to enhance their well-being.

When clients turn to Carol for guidance, they often make diligent efforts to regulate their nervous and sensory systems using coping strategies. However, despite their best efforts, they still feel a deep sense of unexplored depths.

These listening system tools have the ability to reveal profound insights, amplifying the therapeutic advantages of other treatments. This, in turn, fuels Carol's motivation to continue her learning journey.

 

 

BORING, BUT NECESSARY LEGAL DISCLAIMERS

While we make every effort to share correct information, we are still learning. We will double check all of our facts but realize that medicine is a constantly changing science and art. One doctor / therapist may have a different way of doing things from another. We are simply presenting our views and opinions on how to address common sensory challenges, health related difficulties and what we have found to be beneficial that will be as evidenced based as possible. By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or your children. Consult your child’s pediatrician/ therapist for any medical issues that he or she may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Rachel Harrington, Harkla, Jessica Hill, or any guests or contributors to the podcast, as well as any employees, associates, or affiliates of Harkla, be responsible for damages arising from use of the podcast.

Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.


This podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast.

Jessica Hill, COTA/L & Rachel Harrington, COTA/L, AC
Jessica Hill, COTA/L & Rachel Harrington, COTA/L, AC

Rachel Harrington, COTA/l, AC, CPRCS, and Jessica Hill, COTA/L, CPRCS are Harkla's in-house Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTA) and Certified Primitive Reflex Clinical Specialists. They have been working with children for over 6 years in outpatient settings. They specialize in creating easy-to-digest, actionable content that families can use to help their child's progress at home. Jessica and Rachel are the in-house experts, content creators, and podcast hosts at Harkla! To learn more about Jessica and Rachel, visit the Harkla About Us Page. Make sure to listen to their weekly podcast, All Things Sensory by Harkla for actionable, fun advice on child development.


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