Prescrip)ons

for Healthy, Happy, and Strong people – The Dolphin Way!

Dr. Shimi Kang MD
Clinical Associate Professor: UBC
Psychiatrist: BC Women’s Hospital
Medical Director: Child & Youth Mental Health, Vancouver
#1 Bestselling Author: The Dolphin Way, The Dolphin Parent, The Self-Mo)vated Kid
Mom: Three fantas)c/exhaus)ng children!
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 Thank you Eaton Arrowsmith
Community

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Finding Balance in an Imbalanced World:
Simple Lifestyle Choices that Powerfully
Impact Neuroplas)city

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 simple is not easy
knowing is not doing
doing leads to being

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 We Humans Are In Trouble

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 “Stress is the #1
health epidemic
of the 21 century”
st

- World Health Organiza)on

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Stress ->
Freeze Fight
Flight
-> React

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The Dolphin Way TM

What one skill
= successful life?

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 Adaptability

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Different adapta)ons
 “Lemons into
lemonade”

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 Adaptability = Neuroplas)city

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How do we cul)vate
adaptability?

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P.O.D.
















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 Humans have understood the value of play
for millions of years.

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 Play is linked to our highest level of
thinking and func)oning.

•  Emo)onal regula)on
•  Abstract thinking
•  Organizing thoughts
•  Relevant vs. irrelevant
•  Planning for future
•  Strategic thinking

Brown and Vaughan, New York: Avery, 2009, 112.

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 “Play” can be two types

Convergent play:
structured, involves
rules or a “correct”
answer.

Divergent play:
unstructured, free,
about exploring
different ways of doing
things.

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 Play!

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Play!

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 There are various
sub-types of play

Na)onal Ins)tute of Play

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 Play via Body Movement
Playing through
movement is
linked to:

•  Innova)on
•  Flexibility
•  Adaptability
•  Resiliency
Na)onal Ins)tute of Play

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 Play via body movement can assist in the
development of the cerebellum

Upright Doctor
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 Exercise

•  Physical Exercise,
the same type seen
in free play, has
been found to
increase the same
neurotransmiders
as ADHD
medica)ons.

hdp://www.additudemag.com/adhd/ar)cle/3967.html

 Movement and ADHD

•  Children with ADHD have

been repeatedly found to
do beder on tests when
they are allowed to
“fidget and move freely”
while working.

hdp://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/giving-kids-with-adhd-room-to-move-could-boost-test-scores-study/ar)cle24941450/

 Social Play
Essen)al for the
feeling of belonging. It
includes:

•  Adunement Play
•  Rough and Tumble
Play
•  Celebratory or
Ritual Play

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 It helps children encode and decode social
signals. R. Ahern et al, The Benefits of Play Go Well Beyond Physical Fitness

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 Rough and Tumble Play
Has been shown to be
necessary for the
development and
maintenance of:

•  Social Awareness
•  Coopera)on
•  Fairness
•  Altruism
Na)onal Ins)tute of Play

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 Rough and Tumble Play

•  Play reduces the

Impulsivity
normally seen in
rats with damage
to their frontal
lobes.
 There is a
connec)on
between a
lack of
rough-and-
tumble
play and
ADHD
B. Azar, It’s More Than Fun and Games

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 Rough and tumble play as well as
celebratory or ritual play can assist in the
development of the frontal lobe.
Brain Injury Alliance

Psych Scene

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 Object Play
object
manipula)on
in childhood
leads to
higher
cogni)ve
skills.

F.R. Wilson, The Hand: How Its Use Shapes the Brain, Language, and Human Culture

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 © MPI of Psychiatry

Object play can assist in the development

of the motor cortex.
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 Imagina)ve and Pretend Play

Key to
enhancing a
child’s capacity
for cogni)ve
flexibility and
crea)vity.

S.B. Kaufman, The Need for Pretend

Play in Child Development

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Imagina)ve and Pretend play assists in the
development of a widespread network of neurons
called the “mental workspace”
10.1073/pnas.1311149110
 Storytelling Play

This type of play helps us understand ourselves

and those around us.
Na)onal Ins)tute of Play

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 Storytelling play ac)vates areas in the brain that
we would use when actually experiencing the
events in the story.
Leo Widrich, The Science of Storytelling

10.1073/pnas.1008662107
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 Nature
•  Free )me in Nature
has been found to be
very beneficial for
those with ADHD:

•  Increased
Concentra)on
•  Symptom
Reduc)on
•  Beder Cogni)ve
Func)on
•  Calmness

hdps://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mental-wealth/201306/natures-rx-green-)mes-effects-adhd

 A regimen of social, boisterous play could be one way
to help children with aden)on and impulsivity.
Brown and Vaughan, Play: How It Shapes the Brain

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 The Tiger, Dolphin, & Jellyfish

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Favorite Teacher

Firm Yet Flexible, Love with Limits , Warmth & Control

FORWARD: SHOULDER TO SHOULDER

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www.drshimikang.com hdp://www.mindfulnessmd.com/2014/07/08/neuroscience-of-mindfulness-default-mode-network-medita)on-mindfulness/
 Adapted from formebesa
Enhanced:
aden)on
crea)vity
mo)va)on
Produc)vity
problem solving
moral compass.
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Adapted from Forbes Magazine

 Adapted from formebesa

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Adapted from Forbes Magazine

 Adapted from formebesa

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Adapted from Forbes Magazine

 Ac)vates the default
Adapted from formebesa
mode network –
Where certain
biological processes
exclusively occur.

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Adapted from Forbes Magazine

 Adapted from formebesa

www.drshimikang.com Adapted from Forbes Magazine


Balance->
Conscious Choices->
Interact

↑↑

Stress ->
Freeze Fight Flight->
React

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 Thank you!


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