I am Free Now

Wisdom Shared with Carole Blueweiss

ABOUT BERIL TOKCAN
After studying graphic design in Milan and visual communication in Sydney respectively, Beril Tokcan returned to her homeland Turkey in 2003 and founded her design studio in Istanbul.

She came across the Anat Baniel Method® NeuroMovement (ABMNM) in 2012, while in search for a method to help her son, who was diagnosed with PVL /CP due to premature birth.

She completed the ABMNM Professional Training in 2015 and consecutively all the ABMNM Mastery Programs (for Children with Special Needs, for Vitality and Anti-Aging, and for High Performers). She also completed Kids Yoga, Yoga Therapy and Jeremy Krauss Approach trainings and participates in the ABMNM Professional Trainings as an assistant.

She works with children and adults at her practise in Istanbul, offering private lessons, group classes and workshops, with the mission of transforming the impossible into possibie and making positive changes in people’s lives.

Beril is the author of ‘I Am Free Now’.

www.beriltokcan.com

Instagram: beriltokcan
@devinim
Anat Baniel Method® NeuroMovement® Practitioner
www.beriltokcan.com
www.devinim.ist

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
(list compiled by Beril)

BOOKS

Awareness Through Movement, Moshe Feldenkrais

Hardwiring Happiness, Rick Hanson

Hold Onto Your Kids, Dr.Gordon Neufold & Dr.Gabor Maté

Kids Beyond Limits, Anat Baniel

Move Into Lİfe, Anat Baniel

Parenting from the Inside Out, Daniel Siegel and Mary Hartzell

Positive Discipline for Children with Special Needs, Jane Elsen, Steven Foster & Arlene Raphael

Rising Strong, Brené Brown

Soft Wired, Michael Merzenich

The Brain That Changes Itself, Norman Doidge

The Brain’s Way of Healing, Norman Doidge

The Whole Brain Child, Daniel Siege and Tina Payne Bryson

Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain, Sharon Begley

Trauma-Proofing Your Kids, Peter A.Levine, Maggie Kline

HEALTHCARE PRACTITONERS

Dr.Paul Jordan
[e-mail]
https://drpauljordan.godaddysites.com/

Dr.Roy Nuzzo
Overlook Hospital, Summit NJ
973-306-9388
[e-mail]

Dr.Joseph C. D’Amico
212-757-6440
[e-mail]

SPML
http://www.podopediatrics.net/spml
Facebook Group: SPML - Selective Percutaneous Myofascial Lengthening

Anat Baniel
415-847-1311
[e-mail]

Judith Dack
[e-mail]
416-481-2381

Beril Tokcan
www.beriltokcan.com
Instagram: beriltokcan

EXCERPTS FROM THE INTERVIEW
You are welcome to share the wisdom from this episode. Please be sure to credit: “Ep. 7, Beril Tokcan, Courtesy of Wisdom Shared Podcast with Carole Blueweiss.”

You have all these dreams about what's next in your life.. ... suddenly it's all washed away and you're left with a big unknown.
The gap was getting larger and larger every day. Our doctors kept telling me .... “They were born prematurely. We should wait a little more.”
There's that motherly instinct saying, “something is wrong,” but you're hoping it's all fine because the doctor is saying it's all fine.
There should be a more humane way to connect with him and see where he's at and to help him get to the next step, not go 50 steps ahead. I had no idea what it could be, but I knew there should be a way so that’s when I started doing my research,
I had no idea how much movement has influence on the brain's potential to learn and change it.
It[ABMN] works in different ways with each child because each brain is unique.
I was feeling very alone and isolated. I thought no one got what I was going through. I built these big walls around me and I just wanted to be inside with the two kids I just didn't want to have anything to do with the outside world.

I started to see a psychologist. And one of the things that she told me really struck me. She said, “You have to put the oxygen mask to yourself first,” which I found out to be very true.
I said out loud that I have a child with special needs. And that was the breaking point for me because before that, you know, of course I have a special needs child, but I couldn't verbalize it.

The ABM training was wonderful because you could look into each other's eye and understand each other and feel each other without, without needing for words, it was such a safe place to be.

I went to the[ABMN] training to learn the tools to help my son and other children, but I had no idea how much it would change me as a person.

We need to see where the child is and offer different ways for him to figure out how to get to the next step.

He's a child with confidence and determination and motivation because he figured things out for himself. And by me slowing down and by me connecting with him and by me giving him the space, he figured things out.
At one point he left his walker and started taking steps. And there was more fluidity in his walk and he opened up his arms and he said, “I'm free now.”

When he was diagnosed, we went to see a couple of neurologists and all of them basically gave similar answers of what he will never be able to do in life.

How come they can speak so firmly about things that my son will never be able to do in life? He's only one year old. It's just that motherly instinct saying, I'm going to do everything in my power to help him improve his potential.
Sports has been a part of our journey, a big part of our journey because that's where he likes to challenge himself and wants to play together with his friends. And I see that as the best therapy.
Trust your intuition in whichever path you want to take. And do a lot of research. Not everything will be useful for your child, but find your own rhythm and pace and what works for you. Don’t wait for answers to come to you.
No one has a magic wand. It's a long process and it can be hard. But it can also be joyful and fun. Just embrace it all and take care of yourself. I wish I had started taking care of myself and helping me heal earlier.

Find parents that are going through similar journey and process because you do need someone to walk this path with.
I don't believe in labels and I don't think we need words like special or unique or extraordinary. I think each child is unique and special and extraordinary..... By labeling them, you're pushing them outside of the circle.
Be open enough to listen, but then listen to your intuition and let that be the guide in your decision-making process.

The most important thing is that the child can learn and if they can learn, they can always learn more.

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The Wisdom Shared Team

• Audio Engineering by Steve Heatherington of Good Podcasting Works
• Co-Producer and Marketing Coordinator: Kayla Nelson
• Production Assistant: Becki Leigh