What Families Say
A new coping skill was added to Matthew’s tool box once he was introduced to Bal-A-Vis-X. Bal-A-Vis-X is the easiest and readily available technique Matthew can use for a variety of different reasons to effectively cope with a multitude of unique differences. Matthew is on the autism spectrum and struggles with OCD, ADHD, anxiety, sensory issues, learning disabilities as well as stammering and stuttering when speaking. His handwriting was not legible and he was unable to cross the center line of his body, all of this intensifying and adding to his already present anger issues. Matthew was first introduced to this technique when he was in the third grade where he would do a few of these exercises sporadically with his special education teacher before taking a test. He continued off and on through the fourth grade and every visit with his pediatrician engaging in a few exercises. Our pediatrician did a serious of small tests with the balls at a medication check visit and showed us the “wow” factor. Matthew tried to read a passage from a magazine and write his name, both proving great difficulty. Together Matthew and his pediatrician did a series of Bal-A-Vis-X exercises, amazingly enough after they had finished about 3-5 minutes of what I thought was playing ball without talking Matthew again read the passage from the magazine, this time fluently without stuttering and was able to write his name in uniform sized letters with correct punctuation. I was astonished by the extreme difference this made and Matthew was almost certain that magic was preformed. It was then that in the sixth grade we started going to therapy consistently with Meg and have been for almost two years now. Bal-A-Vis-X is an absolute blessing to us, Matthew has it written in his IEP at school that he can excuse himself to do this exercise any time he feels it is needed. At one point he was able to use this in order to calm his anxiety enough to enter the school. Matthew will use this to refocus so he can study for an upcoming test, if he is feeling overwhelmed he will do a simple exercise of 5 minutes of alternating left and right hand up/down bounces with two balls to let his brain engage into the logical part so he can move forward and calm himself. Matthew has said that “Bal-A-Vis-X makes me feel better and helps my anger. I don’t always recognize that I act better, but my family and teachers do.” He is learning to understand and recognize the signs that might trigger him and ward them off by doing Bal-A-Vis-X. Each week when he gets in the car after group therapy his words are “I feel better, I’m glad I went.” Bal-A-Vis-X is a skill set that can be used by all ages, his grades have come up, speech and handwriting have improved and generally he’s a happier kid that feels accomplished after doing some of the more difficult bounce rhythms. This is a process you have to trust and work at because it can produce big things. I love the confidence that he has gained with Bal-A-Vis-X and the fact that he can excel in something.
— Heidi Anderson Bal-A-Vis-X Practitioner
December 13, 2018
When Logan was in first grade his teacher told me he was a hard worker & had a good attitude, but that he was going to be the kind of student that has to work very hard to get straight C’s. She was right. Despite our best efforts he struggled his way through school. The transition to high school was horrendous. Every evening we would work with him on homework from 6:00 – 10:00 when we called it quits and sent him to bed, never finishing everything he had to do and prioritizing by which classes he had the worst grade in. He was stressed and miserable, as were we. There was no longer time to play basketball in the driveway, or a boardgame after dinner. Our lives were consumed by homework. By then end of his freshman year we knew something had to change and were considering all kinds of things from homeschooling to allowing him to drop out and pursue vocational training.
While it had been suggested multiple times, we never had him tested for learning disabilities. We felt that, as an adult, the world was not going to change for him or his differences, so why should we raise him to expect it to by allowing a diagnosis and the IEP that inevitably goes along with it. However, by the spring of his freshman year we were so physically and emotionally drained that we had him tested. In some categories he tested at college level, in others, such as reading comprehension, he tested as low as fifth grade. The test also confirmed what we already knew, that he was adhd, and most likely dyslexic, although we didn’t spend the money to confirm this since at that time the state of Kansas did not recognize dyslexia as a learning disability. However, he did not test low enough to qualify for any services, even with a 4 year deficit in some categories.
As we were walking out of the meeting where we discussed his scores, the administrator of our school asked me if I’d ever heard of Bal-a-Vis-x. I had not, but I went home and googled it. I read the studies, and decided it was worth a try. There was a training taking place an hour from our home in just two weeks, I e-mailed Bill and asked if I, as just a parent, not a therapist or educator, could take the training. He said I could, and then he invited Logan to participate as well. Logan and I took the training for the 3 or 4 days it was offered. I ordered the balance board and sets of balls, as well as a dvd. We continued practicing throughout the summer, and then made bal-a-vis-x a part of our routine every morning before school. Logan felt an effect immediately. He describes it as “it makes me feel calm”. We continued to do bal-a-vis-x every morning before school throughout high school. His grades improved. His organization improved. We were no longer doing homework all evening long, and could once again be a family who played board games or basketball in the driveway after dinner. His sister could now have some of our attention, which she had been missing out on.
Logan is now a sophomore at Hutchinson Community College. He has maintained a 3.5 grade average for three semesters so far, and will graduate in the spring with an associates degree in Business Management and Entrepreneurship. All without an ounce of our help. He was an ambassador for the school last year, and also the homecoming king. The kid who we considered letting drop out of high school has excelled in college. I know this would not have been possible without Bal-a-vis-x. It really works. I am now using it every morning with our daughter, whom we adopted out of fostercare at age 8. I believe it is helping heal her brain of some of the trauma she experienced in her birth home. If nothing else, it is a fun activity to do together, and has helped us bond.
I can’t thank you enough, Bill, for developing bal-a-vis-x, and for teaching it to us. You really have changed my childs life.
Sincerely, Dawnita Miller
“This is my mother-in-law, now 99 years old. She has been practicing Bal-A-Vis-X nearly 4 years. The exercises brought her back from the brink of dementia, when she would only repeat “No” or “I don’t know” or “I can’t remember.” Now she jokes, remembers loads, tells stories, enjoys life. BAVX has been a very important part of her amazing return to well-being. Heart gratitude.”
– Juanita Benson