International Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Open Access

Abstract

Flood Trauma Survival and Recovery Using MNRI Reflex Neuro-Integration Therapy

Patricia Shackleford, Vicky Roy, Amy Cameron, Lisa Ortego, Tina Marks, April Dunnehoo, Emily Pelican, Laurie Callaba, Svetlana Masgutova and Nelli Akhmatova

This study presents the results of trauma therapy with 79 Louisiana flood survivors in August 2016 when their state was impacted by a catastrophic flooding. There were over 30,000 people evacuated, 13 deaths, and over 146,000 homes, schools, and businesses damaged.
A team of fifteen MNRI specialists set up Trauma Recovery clinics in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, LA for children and adults. The purpose was to work with the innate reflex patterns activated negatively by stress and trauma that aid in protection and survival and to reduce the reactive work of the HPA stress axis and overloading stress hormones in the body, allowing the neurological system to self-organize and increased resilience. The work was non-verbal and targeted sub-cortical areas of the brain and peripheral nervous system to avoid “re-victimization” (via building a negative narrative) and release trauma through the extrapyramidal nervous system.
The survivors of the flood demonstrated dysfunctional reflex patterns in: Core Tendon Guard (trigger for HPAstress- axis), Moro (fight or flight), and Fear Paralysis (freezing), ATNR (auditory reactivity), and Hands Supporting (personal space and physical body protection) indicating that these children and adults were experiencing traumatic stress, lowered resilience, and an impaired ability to protect themselves. The use of the MNRI method demonstrated improvements in the reflex functions in children from 7.58 ± 0.59 points (dysfunctional level) to 14.86 ± 0.64 points (p<0.05) and in adults from 8.78 ± 1.21 points to 15.91 ± 0.82 (p<0.05). Comparisons were made with a similar study done with survivors of the Newtown, CT school shooting in 2013.