Episode Details

"The brainstem is developed, soothed, and repaired through experiences that are rhythmic, repetitive, relational, and somatosensory" ~ Bruce Perry, MD, PhD

This is part 3 of the Strengthening the Foundation of the Brain series.

The brainstem is the lowest, most inside region of the brain.  It sits at the base of the brain and connects the skull brain to the spinal cord.  The brainstem is the first part of the brain to really wire up, flourishing with neural connections.  The brainstem is organizing and developing in utero and is working pretty effectively in healthy, full term infants.

The brainstem is responsible for all the things our brain and body does automatically- in fact, it's called the autonomic nervous system.

Heart rate, respiration, and most importantly in this Strengthening the Foundation fo the Brain series- the regulation of energy and arousal in the nervous system.

It can be easy to overlook the relationship between energy, arousal, and behavior because we've been taught to believe the behavior is largely deliberate, intentionaly, and something we do with a lot of thinking.

The brainstem is organized and regulated- healed- through experiences that are rhythmic, repetitive, relational, somatosensory! 

If you'd rather read the blog instead of listen on the podcast, CLICK HERE.

Underneath every behavior is something happening in the body, specifically in the nervous system. When we support the body first, behavior often begins to shift. Even for kids who don't have a sensory processing disorder! 

Join my March 24th webinar at 8pm eastern- Sensory Strategies for Dysregulated Kids with Baffling Behaviors

RobynGobbel.com/SensoryWebinar

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Let's hang out this summer at two different trainings for professionals!

Therapy with Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors- June 1 & 2 in Syracuse, NY RobynGobbel.com/NY

Presence in Practice- July 15, 16, & 17 in Rockford, MI (outside Grand Rapids) RobynGobbel.com/Michigan2026

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Grab a copy of USA Today Best Selling book Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors robyngobbel.com/book

Join us in The Club for more support! robyngobbel.com/TheClub

Sign up on the waiting list for the 2027 Cohorts of the Baffling Behavior Training Institute's Immersion Program for Professionals robyngobbel.com/Immersion

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Webinar and eBook on Focus on the Nervous System to Change Behavior (FREE)
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