Neuroplasticity through Sensorimotor & Somatic Integration
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are our most commonly asked questions. If you can't find an answer here or on our website, please don't hesitate to call or email!
Tel: (603) 428 3059
Email: creativepathwayspt@gmail.com
What is Physical Therapy?
Physical therapists are healthcare specialists that play a unique role in society in prevention, wellness, fitness, health promotion, and management of disease and disability. Although therapists are experts in rehabilitation and habilitation, they also have expertise and the opportunity to help individuals and populations improve overall health and avoid preventable health conditions. Physical therapists have extensive training in understanding in the relationships between anatomy, movement, physiology, and function. They use tools like education, exercise, manual therapy, and other natural elements to help individuals improve their level of health and bodily functioning.
Do You Take Insurance?
Unfortunately, we no longer do. Holistic services that treat multiple conditions or areas of the body aren’t paid for by many insurance companies.
How Much Do Sessions Cost?
Sessions cost $135 each. We accept check, cash, credit card, or Venmo. If you want to try to be reimbursed by your insurance company, we can provide receipts with our services.
What is The First Session Like?
Physical Therapy: Our first session is designed to learn about you condition and treatment goals. In our initial evaluation, we will use both traditional and integrated neuromyofascial approaches to understand your problem. You will be provided a treatment plan, and we will recommend certain exercises or techniques.
TRE and SSP: At your first visit, you will be provided with a body awareness and screening assessment to help better understand your nervous system. Then we'll show you how to monitor and self-regulate before we give you one-to-one training on how to use either TRE or SSP safely.
Fascia Fitness: We’ll discuss your goals and give you a health history questionnaire. We also will provide an optional movement assessment. Our programs we build and help you get started on the same day. You’ll be provided with a personalized exercise routine that you can use at home, too.
Fascia and Nervous System Oriented Manual Therapy and Massage: We'll talk with you about your goals. We'll help you to identify areas that may be overactive, stuck, or disconnected and help you rebalance these areas. We will provide you with hands-on and DIY strategies that help directly work with your body's fascia and nervous system so the work stays comfortable and enjoyable at every step of the way.
"Top-Down" and "Bottom-Up" Healing -What's the Difference?
“Top-down" healing uses your conscious brain (neocortex) to influence your body’s physiology directly. "Bottom-up” healing operates on a subconscious (brain stem) level. We use both in combination to create a unique plan for you. TRE and SSP are both “bottom-up” techniques and are in some cases more suitable than other "top-down" techniques such as talk therapy or movement training for certain trauma experiences and/or chronic stress ad injuries.
What are Non-Pathological Spontaneous Movements?
Non-pathological spontaneous movements arise without an underlying pathology (like Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, etc.). They’re linked to our body's reflexes and autonomic nervous system and happen in many contexts: therapeutic, social, and solitary. Anecdotal evidence suggests these movements are related to the development and maintenance of the body, and hence have a great therapeutic potential. We offer services that use these natural and instinctual movements in a therapeutic and wellness setting.
What is your cancellation policy?
If you need to cancel your session, we ask that you please do so within 24 hours of appointment. If you don’t cancel, you’ll be liable for a full session fee.
How Long are sessions?
The sessions are 60-90 minutes long. For individuals or families who need longer sessions, we also make them available.
What does Neuroplasticity mean?
Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to reorganize synaptic connections, especially in response to learning new experiences or following injury. This process occurs in both the neocortex (thinking brain) AND the brainstem (reflexive brain). We use neuroplasticity methods to target the brain and nervous system for healthy rewiring and function. We use rich and powerful sensorimotor experiences that help enhance this process of learning, recovery, and performance in all our services.
What is Reflex Integration?
Reflex integration is a process recombining “primitive reflexes,” or the autonomic movements that our brain and body use for healthy growth and protection as a child. They happen in the womb and begin to integrate during the first year of life, when development is normal; when reflexes don't integrate, issues with safety, growth, movement, learning, and emotional regulation can all become affected. This happens especially when the nervous system is injured, stressed, or traumatized. We specialize in reflex integration treatments and include screening for them for all of our clients (children and adults).
What is "Trauma-Informed" Approach?
Trauma is defined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services as "a result form an event, series of events or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life-threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual's functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional or spiritual well-being." We acknowledge past trauma and show sensitivity to the the effects it can have on a person's present events. By using a trauma-informed care, we believe each person can be engaged and invested in their own health and thrive in their surroundings.
What is Somatic Based Techniques?
Somatic-based techniques explore the connection between the body and mind. They examines how psychological and emotional stress and trauma can be trapped within the body, impacting movement and behavior. Somatic therapeutic techniques can be passive or active and help to empower freedom from distress. They encourage a mindful relationship with the body. We will show you how to monitor and self-regulate your nervous system from the very beginning.
What's the Difference Between "Tone" and "Strength"
"Tone" is from the brain. "Strength" is something that is produced by the muscles. We use neuroplasticity techniques to help change this and give children and adults more voluntary control over areas that are often being overly influenced by tone. We often find retained primitive reflexes and inadequate integration a large reason for tone problems we see. We help identify and directly treat these types of problems.
What do I need to bring or with me or wear?
Wear whatever is comfortable for you to move in. Some people wish to bring friends and family for support, and we encourage this. (Just a note: We offer bottled water on site.)
What is Sensorimotor?
Sensorimotor involves the process of receiving sensory messages (input) and producing a response (motor output). All movement comes from sensory. Our brain receives information from our senses that include vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, vestibular, and proprioception. This information is then organized, and processed to produce movement. Missed milestones, injuries, and trauma disrupt and impair this process. We specialize in helping improve this in-out communication process and use multisensory approaches with all our clients. This helps make treatments not only more fun, but also more effective.
What is Polyvagal Theory (PVT)?
Polyvagal Theory is anew way to understand and work with trauma. PVT identifies two major pathways that occurred at different stages in our evolution. It suggest a hierarchal system to how our nervous system is activated and provides a new framework on how we can interact directly with this at a conscious level to enhance neuroplasticity. We teach you how to understand and safely work with your nervous system with all of our services.
Do you Work with Groups?
Yes, we can work with small group, fiends, and families. In some cases sharing a session with a friend or working in a small group can add for a richer and more memorable experience. In addition, it can also help save on costs. Especially with our wellness services, we encourage spouses, couples, friends, and families to learn together when it makes sense to.