Getting a Grip

As a teenager my response when someone had lost their power of reason was, “Get a grip!” Little did I know at the time, that that need may in fact have been very real. In the world of Neurokinesiology there is a specific dimension of brain functioning that takes care of our ability to perceive and express. It is the laterality dimension. This dimension is encompassed in right and left hemispheres of the neocortex and is the conceptual and intellectual brain center assigning meaning and expression to the data received in our body-mind system from our external and internal environments. The Robinson Grasp Reflex influences the future expansion of the laterality dimension and the myriad things it governs by accompanying the development of the distinction between the left and right body, and exploration of the all-important midline. Let’s look at it a little closer in terms of the effect a non-integrated grasp can have on our lives via physical, mental and emotional manifestations.

The grasping reflex is exhibited in babies when a finger, or other object, is placed in the palm of their hand, giving stimulus to the pads at the base of the fingers. From this stimulus the baby engages in steady gripping—sometimes so intensely that it is possible to lift the baby up. Physically, this reflex has a huge influence on the evolution of gross motor hand coordination, grasping and holding objects, as well as manipulation of bigger objects. As this reflex integrates at the end of the first year, it serves as a foundation upon which fine motor co-ordination develops. Things that call for finger dexterity such as drawing, writing, playing musical instruments, keyboarding, knitting, etc, all depend on the grasp reflex being in place and integrated. In its absence, physical problems that may arise include poor hand/eye coordination, neck and shoulder pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, dysgraphia (excessive pressure on a pencil or pen), problems with the large intestines, and an inability to time when to hold on and when to let go when playing sports.

But physical manifestations are not all that a non-integrated grasp reflex exhibits. Because the grasp reflex has a vast influence on the development of our conceptual and intellectual brain center, there are often manifestations in our mental processing. Just as the grasping reflex affects the ability to know when to hold on and when to let go physically, it also translates to our thinking and processing skills. A person who suffers from an non-integrated grasp reflex may struggle to know when to hold on and when to let go of ideas, relationships, habits, arguments, etc. This reflex is also largely responsible for the development of speech, as it evolves the left and right brain centers. A struggle here might include speech delays and disorders. In addition the grasping reflex is very much a part of a person’s ability to grasp and hold on to an idea and/or to life. Someone who works hard to learn new concepts and then can’t recall or access them—they just slip away—might look to their grasping reflex to see if it needs some time and attention.

Lastly, this reflex also has a significant influence on our emotional state of being. An inability to grasp properly can result in emotional chaos and instability in those transitional moments of life.  A hypo, or weak, grasp can produce feelings of insatiable wanting. A person may want everything but be able to give nothing in return—driven by overwhelming feelings of insecurity. In contrast a hyper, or over-energy, grasp may result in feelings of having to hold on for dear life to people, situations, emotions, etc—driven by an inability to trust life.

The good news here is that addressing grasp reflex issues is very simple and straightforward. This uncomplicated process can produce profound and potentially life-changing results. All it takes is a little phone call and a session with someone trained in the work of Dr. Svetlana Masgutova. I invite us all to take the advice of teenagers everywhere and “get a grip!” It will bless our lives for sure.

For more information on the integration of dynamic and postural reflexes go to www.neurokinesiology.pl.