Recovery from Injuries and Concussions

NPT/BSP Allows the Body Work to Be More Effective and to Last

The torsion of the dura mater sheath around the spine and brain triggered from the primitive brain from as a result of those upsetting events will keep the chiropractic, physical therapy, rolfing, or massage work from holding.  (Roberts, P., LCSW). Often, an athlete leaves the body worker’s office feeling great only to be out of alignment again in just a few days to a week after the work was done. (Roberts, P., LCSW). Often physical therapists and other body workers are aware of this phenomena.

This is because the primitive brain’s neuro pathways need to be de-conditioned to release the automatic torsion.  (Roberts, P., LCSW). The problem must be fixed in the deep brain first, where the neuro pathways send signals to the muscles from, before the body will hold the fix. (Roberts, P., LCSW)

Ideally, as an athlete gets physical therapy or other recovery body work from an injury, they should be getting NPT/BSP done concurrently in order to maximize the results of the body work. (Roberts, P., LCSW)

During a Brainspotting session, the athlete may be asked to palpate an area of the body that was injured in order to stimulate a nociceptor which will focus the brain on that part of the body even more. (Roberts, P., LCSW). This creates a deeper, more fully engaged processing of the maladaptations around that injury. (Roberts, P., LCSW)

Any Injury/Concussion Can Result in Depressed Nervous System.
When we endure any physical injury, we can become psychologically depressed. (Jeffery Kutcher, MD).  This is consistent with the body’s natural primitive brain Fight/Flight/Freeze mechanism and/or depressed nervous system functioning as the brain-body goes into a protective state to preserve its energy to heal. 

(Roberts, P., LCSW)

• Many times, athletes don’t realize they have a depressed nervous system.  Often it often shows up as anger, misuse of alcohol or drugs, or a loss of enjoyment in their sport or in other things they used to enjoy. (Roberts, P., LCSW)

Neuro Performance Training with Brainspotting can heal the depressed nervous system by de-conditioning the maladaptive neuro pathways associated with the injury and any other trauma associated with it such as medical procedures or a serious diagnosis such as “you’ll never play/walk again,” etc.  (Roberts, P., LCSW). Once all of the maladaptive neuro pathways have been de-conditioned around the injury and related trauma, the brain and nervous system will return to healthy functioning. 

The anger, misuse of alcohol or drugs and loss of enjoyment usually disappear once the underlying depressed nervous system has healed.  (Roberts, P., LCSW)

Concussions are a Double Whammy.
Concussions are both a physical and a mental trauma. Physically, concussions are thought of as two separate injuries – the injury to head/skull (primary concussion) and the injury (or injuries) to the brain inside the skull (secondary concussion). (Roberts, P., LCSW)

A concussion causes neuro inflammation within the brain which causes mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.  (Roberts, P., LCSW). The outside of the brain becomes swollen and the athlete is operating more from his or her mid-brain which makes him or her more emotional.  This all adds to the anxiety and depression associated with experiencing a mental or physical trauma.  (Roberts, P., LCSW)

The best outcome for concussion recovery was shown to be early intervention by psychotherapists, psychologists or neuropsychologists. (Doug Polster, Phd).  Psychotherapy should be implemented immediately within the first week for the best possible outcome.  (Jamie Pardini, PhD, 2019).

Brainspotting can help with recovery through:

• Releasing the athlete’s brain/body unconscious experience of the concussion and past unconscious experiences with all sports trauma and vicarious sports trauma from watching other athletes endure concussions or injuries. (Roberts, P., LCSW)
• Using the eye reflexes to release the reactive/cortisol/inflammatory brain/body experience. (Roberts, P., LCSW)
• Turning the brain’s unconscious scanning and monitoring on itself for healing and repair of cells. (Roberts, P., LCSW)
• A concussion can shut down the brain-gut axis, causig decreased gut motility and SIBO (small intestine bacterial infection) and SIFO (small intestine fungal infection).  Brainspotting can stimulate and strengthen the vagal nerve to increase gut motility to prevent SIBO and SIFO. (Roberts, P., LCSW)

Depending on the athlete’s symptoms, they may also require other treatment such as: Neuro Ocular Therapy, Vestibular Rehabilitation, Speech Therapy, Cervical Spine and Cranial Sacral treatments and Laser-LED Light Therapy, as well as being followed by a neurologist. (Roberts, P., LCSW)