Art Therapy

Brain Fitness

Join me for PuzzleArt Therapy Live Training in New York!

Hi everyone, We have just four days till our next PuzzleArt Therapy Training! PuzzleArt Therapy Training Program Brochure June 8 2014 – Register Early – Space Limited – Six Credit Hours of Education in Our Certification Program Held at: Long Island Vision Care Dr. Susan Fisher 1600 Stewart Avenue Corner Merrick Ave Suite 108 Westbury, NY 11590 Easy Free Parking See you soon! Alli Berman

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PuzzleArt Therapy: Learning Through Levels

The basic PuzzleArt Therapy System has three levels, each with several modules that help participants learn, develop, and refine a variety of skills. The levels are set up to move the participant from simple to more complex challenges, though each level and each exercise within the levels can be repeated over and over, without the risk of it becoming boring or repetitive. This is a result of the open-ended format of PuzzleArt Therapy. While there are specific directions that teach the eyes and brain to look for connections, paths, and ways to solve problems, there are no specific right or wrong answers, but instead, a plethora of potential solutions waiting to be discovered! Level One Modules  The goal of the level one modules is to familiarize one’s self with the PuzzleArt pieces, relate more closely to them, and practice working with them while developing solid breathing and relaxation practices. Through the exercises in this level, participants will first become oriented with the PuzzleArt pieces, and will be guided through exercises that help them make connections between colors, shapes, lines, edges, as well as providing them with an opportunity to manipulate the pieces to form their own patterns and designs; becoming a visual artist right from the beginning! Participants will be making these connections in a way that unifies physical movements with visual tracking. Neural pathways will be developed and strengthened while they settle in with the mesmerizing PuzzleArt pieces that are just irresistible – they are made to be touched and that is exactly what participants will want to do! As they work through the levels, participants will be challenged to break away from the obvious connections and find more subtle associations, ones that might even seem to “break” rules they didn’t even realize they were attempting to impose (for example, connecting the pieces in a way that lines, colors, or textures align but in which the actual pieces don’t square up – it sounds simple, but you’d be surprised at how many people think squares must be evenly lined up with each other in order to be “right!”).   Level Two Modules The level two modules are dynamic and creative. As participants move deeper into the PuzzleArt universe, they will learn how to expand their creative horizons. This level guides participants through a process that helps them see the pieces instead of just look at them. It then takes them through guided exercises to examine what they see, and observe how that changes as they follow the exercises. They’re then taken through a series of questions that prompts them to critically evaluate and synthesize both what they’ve seen and the process they’ve gone through. We continue to develop guided relaxation and breathing techniques in this level, as well as adding in more whole-body movements that strengthen bilateral skills. Level Three Modules The level three modules deal with feelings and emotions related to the colors, shapes, textures, and lines of the PuzzleArt pieces, but more deeply, it is about recognizing the value of owning one’s emotions, viewpoint, and perspective. Challenges in this level have the participant literally take on a new perspective of the PuzzleArt Pieces, from changing their position in relation to the pieces, changing the piece’s relationship to the viewer, and changing how the viewer uses their eyes to see what they’re working on. “[PuzzleArt] is opening my mind to see different things. I’m able to take something that’s a challenge and step back and see things from a different perspective.” — Kathy Viola, a Senior Sales Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics quoted in New York Newsday These three levels serve as an introduction to the basic PuzzleArt Therapy System, which all told, develops more than twenty skills, including: Amblyopia / Suppression Bilateral Integration Binocular Skills Cognitive and Problem-Solving Skills Creativity Directionality Gross + Fine Motor Letter + Word Recognition Memory Near / Far Focus Oculomotor Peripheral Vision Sensory PuzzleArt Protocol Spatial Relationships Visual: Closure, Discrimination, Figure /Ground, Perception Visualization And more!   Sign up today for a free brain game, and get a glimpse of what PuzzleArt Therapy is all about! Alli Berman is a Brain Fitness expert and the Eye Brain Fitness Guru. She has been an artist, author, educator, creativity consultant, workshop leader,  perceptual and sensory products and programs developer, and motivational speaker for the past 30+ years. Berman has served as an educational advisor to the American Academy for Anti-Aging Medicine for over 30 years, and she is the founder of The Art of Rehabilitation and Anti-Aging Art. She created the PuzzleArt Therapy System in collaboration with behavioral optometrist, Susan Fisher, OD, and through consultation with neuroscientists around the world. Berman uses the system herself on a daily basis to keep her own brain as healthy, engaged, and challenged as possible!

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You Can\’t Help Getting Older But You Don\’t Have to Get OLD

For as long as humanity has been aging, we’ve been lamenting the process. In The Maxims of Ptah-Hotep (c. 2200 BCE), Ptah wrote on aging, “. . . the progress of age changes into senility. Decay falls upon man and decline takes the place of        youth . . . The mouth is silent, speech fails him; the mind decays, remembering not the day before.” While Ptah may have been a bit melodramatic, most everyone has felt the weight of getting older. Who hasn’t walked into a room only to realize they have absolutely no idea why they’re there, or spent ages searching for an important something-or-other? Helping others combat issues of memory at any age is crucial to our success as practitioners. Memory  When memory lapses become more common, reaction times slow, or words don’t come as easily, panic often begins to set in! But as we know, this is not an inevitable part of aging! People don’t have to sit around waiting to forget what they had for breakfast! Fortunately for all of us, we can take daily initiatives to improve our memory, which greatly increases our quality of life regardless of age. From 3 to 103, we can all benefit from increased memory. Recent studies demonstrate that working memory capacity, long thought of as a constant, can be improved through training. The changes in cortical activity after training could be evidence of training-induced plasticity in our neural systems. Since working memory is essential to how the brain handles information – how we process it, integrate it, retrieve it, and apply it – this  basic functionality is vital to performing daily tasks throughout the life span. From memorizing the alphabet to learning to read, playing team sports to participating in a monthly book club, solving problems, meeting deadlines, setting and reaching goals – all of these (and more!) are dependent on working memory.  The Eyes of Memory The connections between our eyes, brain, and working memory have powerful implications. Our brains process information all of the time, and we make decisions constantly about what to attend to and what to discard. 80 percent of the sensory information the brain receives comes through our eyes, which means we need to pay particular attention to being sure the eyes know how to take in what is being seen. When someone has 20/20 vision, they may think that none of this applies to them. Of course, visual acuity is a small piece of the entire visual picture, as visual ability includes so much more: peripheral awareness, depth perception, focusing ability, eye coordination, tracking, and color vision, to name a few other perceptual factors. Since what we take in through our eyes is so crucial to how our brain processes, integrates, and reacts to information, focused time and energy should be dedicated to perceptual training. Perceptual activities are fun learning tools that can help train the brain in a multitude of ways and assist in making sense of the information the eyes are sending to the brain. Train The Eyes and The Mind Will Follow PuzzleArt Therapy is the first therapy to combine binocular, perceptual, and sensory therapy with hands-on abstract art to improve memory and overall brain function (and therefore, enjoyment of life!). This fun, engaging, and creative therapy can work in so many ways and can strengthen an incredible number of perceptual skills, including: Visual Memory Closure Figure-ground Perception Peripheral Vision Binocular Skills Near/Far Focus Visual Sequential Memory Oculomotor Skills Directionality Spatial Relationships Discrimination Cognitive and Problem-Solving Skills Bilateral Integration Amblyopia/Suppression And more! PuzzleArt Skill Builders take participants on a guided journey through the perceptual learning field, providing  perceptual activities that challenge and activate the brain, improving memory and cognition. It’s vital for people to take an active role at any age and train the eyes to truly see and fully communicate with the brain. Try one of my PuzzleArt Skill Builders for FREE today to sample a perceptual activity that trains the eyes, the body, and the brain. Check out the PuzzleArt Therapy Training for Therapists and Parents.  Alli Berman is a Brain Fitness expert and the Eye Brain Fitness Guru. She has been an artist, author, educator, creativity consultant, workshop leader,  perceptual and sensory products and programs developer, and motivational speaker for the past 30+ years. Berman has served as an educational advisor to the American Academy for Anti-Aging Medicine for over 30 years, and she is the founder of The Art of Rehabilitation and Anti-Aging Art. She created the PuzzleArt Therapy System in collaboration with behavioral optometrist, Susan Fisher, OD, and through consultation with neuroscientists around the world. Berman uses the system herself on a daily basis to keep her own brain as healthy, engaged, and challenged as possible!

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Stand Up for Brain Fitness!

Are you sitting down to read this? You might want to change that, right now and throughout your day!   According to new research, sitting is the new smoking, but you’re probably offered a seat far more often than you’re offered a cigarette (does that even happen anymore?). In fact, we’re kind of obsessed with sitting in this country. As soon as you walk into someone’s house you’re asked politely, “Would you like a seat?” You get on the subway and immediately scan for an open bench. You spend the day sitting in your office chair. On the weekend, you catch a movie in a theater that has been renovated with seats that recline, and once you get home, you plop into your comfy armchair. We’re in a sitting epidemic, and it’s bad for our bodies and our brains! It’s time to stand up! The amount of time a person sits during the day is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and death. Many combat this by hitting the gym before or after work, trying to work in their 30 minutes of cardio, but research has now shown that sessions of vigorous exercise don’t actually make up for hours spent on your bum. “Sitting for long periods of time — when you don’t stand up, don’t move at all — tends to cause changes physiologically within your muscles. You stop breaking up fat in your bloodstream, you start getting accumulations of fat . . . in your liver, your heart and your brain. You get sleepy. You gain weight. You basically are much less healthy than if you’re moving.”  – Gretchen Reynolds, author of  The First 20 Minutes: Surprising Science Reveals How We Can Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer So how does standing impact the brain? Well, while the brain comprises only about 2% of the body’s weight, it uses about three times as much oxygen as muscles in the body do. In total, it utilizes about 20% of the oxygen that the body takes in. Getting more oxygen flowing to the brain helps maintain cognitive function, and increasing physical activity improves oxygen uptake. Those who stand up to work increase their physical activity and therefore better oxygenate their bodies and brains, helping themselves think better and faster. Better brain health is better eye health   Increasing physical activity doesn’t mean you have to join a Zumba class before work (though it’s great if you do!). Physical activity needs to be maintained throughout the day to increase oxygen flow to the body and brain, and working in a standing position does just that! It has a positive impact on work performance, creativity, and health in general. But maybe you’re thinking that standing all day just isn’t feasible for you! That’s ok – there are a lot of ways to increase the time on your feet throughout your day. Take your calls standing up, or better yet, walking Schedule a stand up meeting or brainstorming session Set your computer on your kitchen counter so that you can stand to check email/work Take 5 minute standing breaks every hour during your workday Take the stairs Park in the last parking spot available instead of the first Aim to increase your standing to 2 hrs during the work day, with an end goal of 4 hours As Gretchen Reynolds point out, “If you can also walk around your office, you get even more benefits. You will lose weight, you lessen your chance of heart disease, and you will improve your brain. But if you can do nothing else, stand up!” This week, do your brain a favor and set the alarm on your phone to go off once an hour. Use that reminder to stand up for brain health and longevity! For even more brain fitness, sign up for a free brain game to help you create your best day! Alli Berman is a Brain Fitness expert and the Eye Brain Fitness Guru. She has been an artist, author, educator, creativity consultant, workshop leader,  perceptual and sensory products and programs developer, and motivational speaker for the past 30+ years. Berman has served as an educational advisor to the American Academy for Anti-Aging Medicine for over 30 years, and she is the founder of The Art of Rehabilitation and Anti-Aging Art. She created the PuzzleArt Therapy System in collaboration with behavioral optometrist, Susan Fisher, OD, and through consultation with neuroscientists around the world. Berman uses the system herself on a daily basis to keep her own brain as healthy, engaged, and challenged as possible!

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Tomorrow\’s PuzzleArt Training Agenda

Hi everyone, It’s not too late to register for our PuzzleArt Therapy Training! The event is Date: ТВА PuzzleArt Therapy Training Program Brochure June 8 2014 Full Day of Training: Fulfills Level One Requirement for the PuzzleArt™ Therapist Certification 9:00 – 9:15 Registration and Networking Bring business cards and prepare to connect to peers in Occupational Therapy and other fields. 9:15 -10:45 Overview: Visual Skills, Terminology and the PuzzleArt Checklist for Visual Skills Learn the developmental progression of visual skills necessary for success in the classroom or clinic. 10:45-11:00 Coffee break/snacks 11:00 -12:15 Introduction to PuzzleArt, the concepts and the PuzzleArt Therapy products Work with original hand painted PuzzleArt individually and in groups. 12:15 – 1:00 Lunch and Q&A for individual cases 1:00 -1:30 PuzzleArt Therapy System – Hands-on training w/Challenge Grids Engage with different PuzzleArt prod- ucts, paintings and strategies which help develop a variety of important perceptual skills. No art ability necessary. 1:30 -2:00 Practice our special sensory techniques. 2:00 -2:45 PuzzleArt Skill Builders and the proprioceptive differences for wall and table Learn how to use a variety of our different Skill Builders for near/far focus work, discrimination, tracking, coordination, sensory PuzzleArt Protocols, more. Explore Solo Play and Partner Play. 2:45 -3:30 Explore our Activity Books + Card Packs Learn some of the hundreds of activities. 3:30 – 3:45 Coffee break/snacks 3:45 -4:15 Tactile Play with Original PuzzleArt WallWorks and TableWorks Explore the colorful and fun original interactive art that is at the core of the PuzzleArt Therapy System. 4:15- 4:30 Summary / closing remarks See you tomorrow! Alli Berman

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Three Days Left to Register for PuzzleArt Therapy Training!

Hi everyone, Our PuzzleArt Therapy Training is this coming Date: TBA Register for a full day of training for just $265. PuzzleArt Therapy Training Program Brochure June 8 2014 Training includes a full day six-credit training course and overview of the visual, thinking and oculomotor skills needed for success, and the hands-on therapy system which can help improve them. Begin Using New Therapeutic Techniques the Very Next Day. Register now! Alli Berman

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Five Ways to Register for PuzzleArt Therapy Training!

Hi everyone, Our PuzzeleArt Therapy Training Date: TBA Join us for a full day of training that you can use the very next day. PuzzleArt Therapy Training Program Brochure June 8 2014 Full Day Training Registration$265 Group Rate (3 or more register at same time) $230 On-Site Registration (if space is available) $285 4 Ways to Register 1. Phone 516.695.3110 2. Email Training@PuzzleArtTherapy.com 3. Fax 516.374.3728 4. All major credit cards accepted. Claim your spot today! Alli Berman

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Register for PuzzleArt Therapy Training at our Group Rate!

Hi everyone, Our next PuzzleArt Therapy Training is this coming Date: TBA. Lock in our group registration rate of $230 if you register three or more people! – Register Early – Space Limited – Six Credit Hours of Education in Our Certification Program held at: Long Island Vision Care Dr. Susan Fisher 1600 Stewart Avenue Corner Merrick Ave Suite 108 Westbury, NY 11590 Easy Free Parking PuzzleArtTM Therapy Training Program Create your best day, Alli Berman

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