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What is the Sunflower Therapy?
The Sunflower Therapy is a comprehensive approach to the diagnosis and treatment of health, learning and behavioural difficulties. It is a unique way of relieving stress and promoting well being using an array of safe, natural therapies matched to individual needs.
By tackling many of the underlying causes of the problems children are enabled to achieve more of their own potential.
The Sunflower Therapy is based on the concept that physically, neurologically balanced, healthy, well integrated children naturally perform better, feel better, achieve more, have greater self esteem, get on better with others and make the most of their opportunities.
It is a comprehensive and efficient natural health system devised for screening out and effectively dealing with learning difficulties.
A Summary of the stages of Assessment and Treatment
Introduction
Extraordinary improvements in some children's performance in various areas of their lives, including academic accomplishments, have been observed after treatment at Sunflower clinics. Here children are invited to go through a complete protocol which seeks to integrate various functional, chemical and mental and emotional elements more fully so that the children are able to access and employ more of their potential in their activities. The whole screening and treatment procedure is divided into various stages:
Stage 1
Initial consultation, assessment and report of findings
Stage 2
The structural functional integrity of the muscular skeletal system will be assessed and treated to normalise it for lying, sitting and then standing positions.
The body can be regarded as a network of interactive systems all of which should co-ordinate with and adapt to each other. A further structural screen investigates this ability, with the child lying on the couch. Wedges are placed in different positions under the child's body. Measurements are then taken to determine whether the body is accommodating these distortions, if not the adaptive mechanisms are corrected.
Stage 3
Finer reflex control systems relating to the interaction of eyes, ear balance, co-ordination and gait, information input, storage and retrieval, are assessed and treated.
Stage 4
The child is challenged with various activities required for normal skills of reading, writing and numeracy. Negative neurological responses which impede the ease with which these activities are accomplished are then corrected.
Negative Clearing (Learning to cope with difficult situations)
Parents and children are asked to complete a list of situations, events and issues that the child experiences difficulties in handling. Procedures are used to help eliminate inappropriate neuro-associated behaviour. The child is helped to construct more appropriate responses. Instruction is given on how to re-pattern these helpful changes until they become habituated.
Stage 5
Test as described in the International College of Applied Kinesiology (I.C.A.K.) literature relating to neuro-transmitters and the balance of the sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous system are given. Dietary and nutritional programmes are devised when appropriate.
Stage 6
Additional screens of tests are performed to investigate inflammatory pathways, allergies, the relationship between muscles, organs, aspects of intestinal and liver function, and also glands and their hormonal function.
Stage 7
Further evaluations for chemical imbalances such as allergies, candida, parasites, toxic metals are made and addressed in appropriate ways when required.
Stage 8
In some cases Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques, as developed by Grindler and Bandler, are pursued to reinforce positive elements of attitude and approach to override negative beliefs and behaviour that may be blocking the child's normal propensities to enjoy learning experiences with self confidence. This enables them to cope well in situations where before they were not their normal, confident able self.
Re-assessment
Stage 9
Re-assessments are carried out to ensure that progress has been maintained. Clients are advised to return for periodic re-assessment and treatment where appropriate to ensure against recidivism. It is worth providing an occasional forward boost as the various transitional stages of growing up occur. Each stage, occasionally causes new difficulties for which additional help and support may be recommended.
How many visits will be needed?
The normal number of visits required to check out and address all these various screens and tests is seldom less than 10 and not usually more than 15 over a 12 month period.. It is not possible in advance to give an exact estimate as hundreds of tests are rapidly performed and any abnormal results are addressed individually and immediately.
It would be quite impossible in advance to do all the tests at one time and therefore the whole diagnostic system is split into manageable sections. We treat what we find in each individual case.
How much does it cost? (May 2007)
The normal cost of the initial consultation, assessment and report is £130* gifted by Sunflower Practitioners back to Sunflower Trust. The cost of subsequent appointments are generally £44* for a 20-minute appointment. There are additional costs for homeopathic remedies or nutritional supplements.
*Families wishing to apply for help with funding, please complete form available in Download section of website
At what intervals will the treatments normally take place?
To begin with it is preferable to see children weekly for the first 4 – 6 appointments. When the chemical side of the treatment is reached, there is normally a gap of 4-8 weeks between treatments. This is so that the nutritional programme prescribed can be followed and have time to work. Once that part is completed, additional time is required for all the treatments to settle in before re-assessments are made. A full school term or so should be allowed to give the child a chance to discover and explore the re-activated parts of his/her more integrated mind and body which results from the treatment. The overall treatment time would thus spread over a period of 12 months. A re-assessment should follow a year after the initial consultation.
What about children that live far away?
Special arrangements can be made for those coming from a distance away or for children who are away at school. We can, on request, supply you with information to enable you to make arrangements to stay locally overnight and receive treatment on two consecutive days. This could be repeated a month later so that the number of journeys would be minimised.
How does the child cope?
Mostly we have had little or no problems with children, provided they have the full support and encouragement from their parents. Although a strange and very different experience for them, most children respond well, enjoying the challenge and the attention they get. Some slight discomfort for a very short time may be experienced in the early stages but this has hardly ever been a problem and is well within the degree of discomfort that any normal children might experience in their day to day activities and most children easily take this in their stride. Occasionally some children find difficulties in following nutritional programmes and taking food supplements where indicated. We have found that the attitude of the parents is a crucial factor in helping children overcome such difficulties.
How you as parents can help
The love, leadership and support of parents for their children to overcome short term inconveniences in their pursuit of a longer term gain, is a lesson for life. It helps them to develop the self discipline, character and confidence that they need to be successful.
"Health is the harmonious function of all elements of the whole being; structural, chemical and emotional"
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