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The Brain Development Podcast

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by Lara Barnes

60 episodes

Updated Daily

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Podcast Overview

The Brain Development Podcast provides parents with a pathway to healing the behavioural and learning symptoms of their Autistic, Dyslexic, ADHD, OCD, Asperger's, Dyspraxic, and Dysgraphic child.  This podcast covers topics like building the foundation of the brain, correcting the behavioural and learning issues you see in your child with a neurodiverse child.  We shared parent success stories, expert insights, how the brain develops, what causes changes in a child's trajectory, how to help your child, gut health, microbiome, supplements, diet, nutrition, lab testing, visual and auditory systems, correcting the trajectory of a child with primitive reflexes, nervous system, photobiomodulation and so much more.  Join us to understand how you can help build your child's brain to let your child shine.

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Publishing Since

7/8/2025

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Recent Episodes

July 30, 2026

Building Healthy Brains Starts Earlier Than You Think | Dr MaryAnne Shiozawa

Ever feel like traditional approaches are only addressing your child's surface-level symptoms without ever fixing the root cause? This episode features Dr MaryAnne Shiozawa, a paediatric and pregnancy chiropractor trained in functional neurology and the Melillo Method, who breaks down how a child's nervous system dictates their behaviour, learning, and emotional regulation. We dive into the hidden impact of birth interventions—from C-sections and forceps to stargazing positioning—and how early physical stress can leave a child's brain stuck in lower-level survival networks. Dr MaryAnne shares how gentle, targeted paediatric chiropractic adjustments help resolve retained reflexes, improve sensory processing, and clear the pathway for healthy cortical development. It is an empowering, eye-opening look at why supporting the physical spine and nervous system is foundational to helping neurodiverse children truly thrive. Key Takeaways Nervous System First: Behavioural and learning symptoms are direct reflections of how well the nervous system is processing and integrating information. Early Birth Stressors: Interventions such as C-sections, forceps, or unusual birth positions can create upper cervical tension that disrupts developmental milestones. Beyond Acuity: Movement and proper spinal alignment directly feed the brain, providing the required stimulation for higher-level cognitive and emotional control. Retained Reflexes: Unresolved infant reflexes keep a child locked in a state of autonomic dysregulation, affecting posture, speech, and focus. Proactive Intervention: Parents shouldn't "wait and see" if a child outgrows early physical or behavioural delays; early neurological support yields the best long-term outcomes. Podcast Chapters & Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to Dr MaryAnne: Paediatric chiropractic, functional neurology, and the Melillo Method. 02:31 – What Inspires Paediatric Care: Connecting nervous system function to childhood development. 11:34 – Modern Environmental & Movement Factors: How tech, diet, and lifestyle reduce vital sensory input . 17:29 – What Happens in the Clinic: Assessing retained reflexes, posture, and neurological gaps. 25:05 – Impact on Behaviour & Regulation: Linking upper cervical health to emotional and academic struggles. 26:15 – Birth Trauma & Cervical Stress: How birth positions and interventions impact infant nervous systems. 31:29 – Early Red Flags: Torticollis, head preference, and sleep disruptions. 38:05 – Why Chiropractic Belongs in Neuro-Rehab: Supporting long-term brain health and functional balance. 45:36 – Don't Wait & See: Final advice for parents seeking root-cause answers. Dr MaryAnne Shiozawa graduated in 1997 from Life University with a Doctor of chiropractic degree. She is a pediatric and pregnancy practitioner, trained and certified in NetworkSpinal and Webster Techniques. She trained with Dr Robert Melillo and the Melillo Method. She is also a certified animal chiropractor. She had a practice in New York City for 11 years, then moved to Paris with her young family in 2009 and continued to practice there for three years. In 2012, she moved to London with her husband and three children and has been running her home practice since then. She now also teaches pediatric seminars, and speaks as much as she can to young chiropractors and students about how chiropractic is one of the greatest jobs in the world. https://www.tiktok.com/@dr_maryanneInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_maryanne/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drshiozawaSubstack: https://substack.com/@drmaryanne SOCIAL/IMPORTANT LINKS ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@braindevelopmentuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/braindevelopmentuk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/larakelly/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https:/www.braindevelopment.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thrive Hub ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thrive-hub.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOST BIO Lara Barnes a successful woman in tech found herself managing behavioural, learning and speech difficulties with her son, she learn functional neurology and how to change the brain to correct his symptoms and build his left brain. The Building the Brain Podcast is for parents needing to understand how to help their children and show them what can be done to change little lives to allow them to shine and be their best version. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

July 23, 2026

Primitive Reflexes and Brain Development: Understanding the Root Cause of Childhood Challenges with Dr Renee O'Conor

Ever feel like traditional therapies are only scratching the surface of your child's developmental challenges? In this enlightening conversation, host Lara sits down with Dr Renee O'Conor, a family chiropractor and functional neurology practitioner, to explore how the brain grows from the bottom up. Using a powerful tree metaphor, Dr Renee explains how the brainstem acts as the root system for all emotional regulation, sensory integration, and higher-level learning. The discussion covers the critical role of primitive reflexes—such as the Moro, Fear Paralysis, and Spinal Galant reflexes—and how early factors like C-sections, poor latching, or head lag can indicate unintegrated neural pathways. Dr Renee shares moving clinical success stories of non-verbal children finding their voices and offers an empowering message for parents to trust their instincts and seek true root-cause solutions. Key Takeaways Sequential Brain Growth: The brain develops from the bottom up, inside out, back to front, and right to left, requiring a solid brainstem foundation before higher cognitive skills can stabilize. Reflexes Drive Regulation: Retained primitive reflexes like Fear Paralysis and the Moro reflex keep a child locked in a fight-or-flight state, triggering anxiety and emotional outbursts. Early Infant Indicators: Birth history factors, including C-sections, breech births, persistent head lag, and difficulty latching, frequently point to early neurological gaps. Symmetry in Sensory Input: Asymmetrical feeding patterns or restricted physical movements limit a child's visual and spatial processing capabilities as they grow. Parental Intuition is Key: Parents should trust their instincts when sensing developmental delays, regardless of changes to official milestone guidelines. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to Dr Renee O'Connor 03:55 – The Tree Metaphor: Bottom-Up Brain Development 10:07 – Primitive Reflexes & Birth Trajectory 14:03 – Fear Paralysis and Moro Reflexes in Anxiety 17:18 – Early Warning Signs: Head Lag and Latching 23:10 – Clinical Transformations & Non-Verbal Breakthroughs 28:21 – Trusting Parent Intuition & Seeking Answers Dr Renee O'Connor is a family chiropractor, functional neurology practitioner, and the founder of True Potential Chiropractic and the Brainsync Program in Pakenham, Victoria, Australia. For more than 23 years, Renee has dedicated her career to helping children and their families navigate the challenges of neurodevelopment, learning, behaviour, and emotional regulation. But what truly drives her isn't just her professional training—it's the thousands of families she's had the privilege of walking alongside. Today, Renee combines over two decades of clinical experience with advanced qualifications in chiropractic, childhood neurodevelopment, and functional neurology. She holds Bachelor degrees in Clinical Science, Chiropractic and Human Biology, is certified by the International Board of Functional Neurology in Childhood Neurodevelopmental Disorders (IBFN-CND), is a Diplomate in Chiropractic Neurodevelopmental Paediatrics, and is a member of Focus Academy. Social media; www.tpchiro.com.au @true_potential_chiropractic www.brainsync.com.au @brainsync.com.au SOCIAL/IMPORTANT LINKS ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@braindevelopmentuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/braindevelopmentuk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/larakelly/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https:/www.braindevelopment.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thrive Hub ⁠⁠⁠https://www.thrive-hub.com/⁠⁠⁠ HOST BIO Lara Barnes a successful woman in tech found herself managing behavioural, learning and speech difficulties with her son, she learn functional neurology and how to change the brain to correct his symptoms and build his left brain. The Building the Brain Podcast is for parents needing to understand how to help their children and show them what can be done to change little lives to allow them to shine and be their best version. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

July 16, 2026

Hope From Parents Who've Been There: Real Stories of Brain Development: Parents Share Their Experience.

Every week I meet parents who walk into my clinic feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and unsure where to turn next. Today, I wanted to step back and let you hear directly from them. These are real mums and dads sharing what life was like before they began their brain development journey, what they experienced during the programme, and the changes they've seen in their children. My hope is that if you're listening today and wondering whether there's hope for your own child, these stories will remind you that you're not alone. SOCIAL/IMPORTANT LINKS ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@braindevelopmentuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/braindevelopmentuk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/larakelly/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https:/www.braindevelopment.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thrive Hub ⁠⁠https://www.thrive-hub.com/⁠⁠ HOST BIO Lara Barnes a successful woman in tech found herself managing behavioural, learning and speech difficulties with her son, she learn functional neurology and how to change the brain to correct his symptoms and build his left brain. The Building the Brain Podcast is for parents needing to understand how to help their children and show them what can be done to change little lives to allow them to shine and be their best version. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

60 total episodes available

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What is The Brain Development Podcast?: The Brain Development Podcast provides parents with a pathway to healing the behavioural and learning symptoms of their Autistic, Dyslexic, ADHD, OCD, Asperger's, Dyspraxic, and Dysgraphic child. This podcast covers topics like building the foundation of the brain, correcting the behavioural and learning issues you see in your child with a neurodiverse child. We shared parent success stories, expert insights, how the brain develops, what causes changes in a child's trajectory, how to help your child, gut health, microbiome, supplements, diet, nutrition, lab testing, visual and auditory systems, correcting the trajectory of a child with primitive reflexes, nervous system, photobiomodulation and so much more.

Join us to understand how you can help build your child's brain to let your child shine.
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates daily.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Does this podcast accept guests?: Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

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