Body Schema provides a blueprint for how we perceive, not only our physical selves, but the world around us through a collection of processes that actively organize and modify incoming information. Body schema is comprised of multiple “maps”, including those of body surface, musculature, intentions, potential for action, and even one to track and emulate the actions and intentions of others. At the cortical level, spatial encoding draws on tactile and visual input to create a 3-D representation of the self. But our embodied self is also shaped by experience, practice, maturation, as well as acute and chronic disease states. The plasticity of body schema allows us to optimize how we interface with our world under the dynamic conditions of the human experience. Disruptions in body schema are well documented in persons with chronic neurocognitive and pain conditions, as the “well intentioned” neuroplastic adaptive capability of our brain goes awry. So how do we recognize and treat this moving target in tandem to traditional therapy? In this course we will explore:
- Neurophysiological underpinnings of the “sense of self””
- How constant reappraisal leads to adaptive and maladaptive responses
- Consequences of maladaptive cortical reorganization
- Tools to identify body schema distortions in your patients
- Adjunctive treatment strategies to complement your existing home programs in treating patients with comorbid body schema distortions
Presenter: Kathryn Richardson
Date: December 7, 2022
Time: 7:30 PM CDT
