I am an IM Trainer. I would like to know what you know (or have heard of) about the IM Training program and its results?

what is the im training program?

I went to the website awhile back when it was first mentioned on the boards. I think it is way too expensive. The whole site looks like a really long late nite infomercial. I think if you are really interested in helping folks you would offer a reasonably priced "do it yourself" book. You would still make money in the workshops and probably get more interest in them.

I'm only a provider of the technology, and it requires a trained person and some patented technology to take a person through the process. I haven't figure out a way for people to do this on their own.

There are more than 1500 providers doing this in the USA, and we all pay a royalty for every person we take through the training. For that reason it is expensive. Each provider sets his/her own charges for the program, and I'm one of the lowest priced (NYC $2000, any HealthSouth Clinic $1500, and I'm $820).

The reason people pay these prices is that it seems to work. My experience is that 70% of my clients (mostly children, now) eliminate all their ADD/ADHD symptoms in 5-6 weeks. It's permanent, drug free, and doesn't require any lifestyle changes for the family.

The other 30% have significant reduction in symptoms and improvement in quality of life. These are those who have multiple diagnoses (OCD, Bi-Polar, ODD, etc. . ).

I've been doing this for 2 1/2 years. And I think I now understand what is happening for those with ADD/ADHD. From my experience (and related research I have read) I think there is something skewed in the timing "circuits" in the Basal Ganglia (a part of the brain just on top of the brain stem).

I think there are multiple possible causes for this. In my clinic, I have seen children who were born this way, I have seen children who got this way from black mold exposure, I have seen children whose symptoms started after exposure to Thimerosal (mercury poisoning), and I have seen children for whom there does not seem to be any reason their symptoms started.

What the IM Training does is re-build those timing circuits in the brain. When this is done, the symptoms go away.

For the flat fee, how many sessions does one receive?

Jon

This is from your website. I don't see an 820.00 cost.

"Costs at GotoFocus Centers®Thousands have completed the IM Training for $2,000 to $2,500 (or more). GotoFocus Centers has brought this technology out of the medical world to make it available and affordable for everyone. ® ®Free 20-minute Initial Assessment/Evaluation (IAE) ®IM Performance Training (IAE < 85), 12 sessions, $498 ®IM Standard Training (IAE >85), 15 sessions, $698"

What is done different for ADD/ADHD? What are the scientific results with ADD?ADHD?

Do you have any clients who are willing to be contacted as references, who were treated for ADD/ADHD and who are objective; ie, not selling the product or profiting from the sale in any way?

Thanks

Jon

Jon: Can you help me? I remember that text in my website from last year, but I cannot find it now. Will you send the URL for the text you show in your note?

I found this too:

“Attention, learning and problem solving depend in part on the ability to plan and sequence actions and ideas. The Interactive Metronome® helps individuals systematically exercise and often improve basic motor planning and sequencing capacities.”
Stanley Greenspan MD, a noted child psychiatrist, specialist in ADD/ADHD, and ex-head of the NIMH, is Chairman of IM’s Scientific Advisory Board.

If it really improves symptoms then the price is reasonable. 15 sessions for a 1000.00 seems to be the local cost, which comes out to 66.00/session which is 1 hr session. That is lower than most medical services. (Florida)

The above support from Stanley Greenspan gets my attention (yes I do possess attention).

If it just improved my handwriting that would be great, but I'd like to se improvements in my reading and organization skills, and in being places at the right time. Who knows...I will keep researching, and I might give it a try.

Jon

Now, about your questions:

We see ADD/ADHD having a similar base. There are 9 things we pay attention to in understanding the behaviors of ADD/ADHD. For me, 4 of these factors makes the difference between ADD & ADHD and how severe it is.

They have to do with something we call "Disassociation." In our work we use this term to talk about a disconnect between the environment (situation, context) and behavior. When asked to attend, is there poor attending or no attending. The "no attending" we call disassociation.

The way we measure this is to give the subject a steady reference beat (using headphones) and ask them to tap their hands (using a sensor) exactly on the beat. Those with no attending have no connection between the beat they hear and the beat they produce. This can be in the form of "Random" taps or "Racing" taps (following a steady beat, just not the one they hear).

Those with this characteristic tend to be ADHD.

When 'regular' folks go to a hockey or backetball game and things get exciting, they rev up their tempo to match the conditions around themselves. When they go to a library, they damp down their tempo to match the situation. Those who cannot recognize the tempo around themselves (and make their own tempo match the environment) will be generating behaviors that are out-of-place with the situation. This is how we see ADHD.

For research, click on the "Research" link and then on the "Validity & Reliability" link. This will give you a good overview.

For referral information contact me directly by email. rodger.bailey@gotofocus.com

Roger:

http://www.gotofocus.com/GTFC_Timing_files/frame.htm

Jon

Dr Greenspan article..mentions a possible home unit on the way soon:

http://www.im-powered.com/default.asp?cate_id=13&subcate_id=255&pg_id=427

Jon

Not a low-cost option. It is only for us IMCs (Interactive Metronome Certified Trainers) to use with clients we could not see regularly (for instance a distance problem). The equipment alone will cost us over $1500 for this home unit.

The training simply does not work without a trainer supervising you. And, those with ADD/ADHD often require a lot of guidance to get through the program.

Those children with those disassociation factors are often so bad (their timing) they cannot even start the IM Training without pre-sessions to get their rhythmicity good enough to work with the equipment.

Thank you Rodger for posting here. As you know I had a poor attitude to Gotofocus. Even though your website is complex I think it sucks. I really appreciate you coming here and bravely and I believe honestly discussing the program in depth. The website has all the earmarks of a Mail order marketing scam. Please discuss this with your developers or consider making your own site since you seem to be very good and explaining the process. I did not "get" the timing part until you gave examples here. then boy did it hit home. I definatly hear the beat of a differnt drum. hehe.

What about a child with a prolonged exposure to pesticides (DDT)over a couple of years ? I also played with the mercury from broken thermometers on several occasions. Bad girl, bad girl, I know. But hey, mercury is very fun and interesting.

I honestly don't know (about DDT). I need to test someone to find out what kind of neural timing deficiencies the person has. One thing I have discovered is that we never know what impact some bad agent has on the brain or brain function without testing.

But, if the problem is a timing problem, we have had very good success at rebuilding those timing circuits.

Can you share the statistical data on the success of this treatment method? thanks
Jon

I'm a clinician, not a researcher. So, my comments are based on the 100+ clients we have had in my clinic.

If you want to look at precise research data, go to the "Research" link on my website.

About 70% seem to lose all their symptoms. Those symptoms start reducing or dropping out before the client gets half-way through the 15-session program. Many symptoms are reduced or gone by the end of the 4-6 weeks of the program. Other symptoms take longer, but allmost all are gone within 2 to 6 months after completion.

The other 30% will get significant reductions, but because of multiple diagnoses, not everything gets cleared up.

For each person, the rate the symptoms reduce and which symptoms reduce first, is unique. For children, fidgeting might be the first symptom to go or the last to go, or it might drop out somewhere in the middle of the process.

What is important to know is that this program (IM Training) is not designed as a treatment for ADD/ADHD. It is a timing training. It was originally designed to teach band members how to keep a steady beat. By accident, someone noticed that a child with severe ADHD took the training and his ADHD symptoms were gone. So, they made a purposeful clinical study and discovered that ADD/ADHD symptoms disappeared or were dramatically reduced when children/adults took the training.

The training is still used to give musicians & athletes improved timing. The Miami Dolphins took their core 20 players through this program last year. Jay Fiedler, Ricky Williams, and others from the team are on the IM leaderboard (which shows the best performing trainees from all IM Trainers):

www.im-powered.com/headline/imd_leaderboard_overall.asp

Some high schools in the Miami/Ft Lauderdale area have installed this program to give students an academic boost. Over 1000 students have taken the training and improved their Math fluency by more than 1 year, their reading fluency by more than 2 years, and their mental processing speed by more than 2.5 years. Their grades have improved by .37 GPA, and there is evidence that SAT scores have improved by 80 to 100 points.

Thank you Rodger!

Jonathan

I know it is a little late, but does anyone know who trains or where I can get info on training for interactive metronome?

Thanks,

Polly