EDUCATION
BRAINBOX Deborah Bone
By Eve Menezes Cunningham
W
hen we get anxious or angry, it’s McQueen Award for “Excellence in Practice.” the brain. We also use a lot of visualisation
hard to think straight. We often get Now Deborah is keeping her fingers crossed by paying attention to the client’s map of the
so caught up in the emotions that for another award. She says, “We’ve been world. By finding out what kind of thing has
triggered it, we just react. short listed for an NHS Innovation award. I’m helped them relax previously, we can make
By taking a step back, even if nothing else presenting next week and will be attending an it big and bright and bold. When they do
has changed, it’s easier to get a grip over our awards dinner with Jo Brand.” that, their brains can reconnect and their
emotions. There’s the old “Count to ten” trick, While awards are wonderful, Deborah breathing slows.”
but taking deep breaths or walking away from loves the feedback she gets from watching As for hopes for the future, Deborah says,
the situation can also help. people using it. She says, “Anyone who sees “We’re hoping it’s going to win the award.
Psychotherapist and BrainBox creator it says, ‘Wow! Why wasn’t I told that before? We’ll get a lot more support in developing
Deborah Bone takes this further. The BrainBox That really makes sense now.’ School nurses the server. We want to refine the product and
shows people what is actually going on in their there’s potential for a BrainBox game, cards
brains by using recycled computer parts and
Explaining what is
and pencil cases. I’d like to develop more
wiring as a metaphor for the human brain. resources around it.
Deborah became aware of more and more happening to their “It would be great if every school had one
people having anxiety related disorders while
working as an Emotional & Mental Health
brains helps people
but it’s helpful for adults, too. It can be used
to help people prepare for job interviews by
Advisor for a Primary Care Trust. A ChildLine
understand their
helping people understand what’s happening.
report published in February 2007 echoed It’s almost impossible to think straight when
this feeling.
own anger, anxiety
you’re anxious because your brain is sending
Because most of her work is with children, stress signals. You can use the BrainBox to
she focused on a way to help them through it
and worries better
demonstrate and teach how important it is to
but the BrainBox can be used to help people of learn to relax.”
all ages. Frustratingly, when we’re worried or are using the BrainBox in assemblies to help This can help people not just with exams
stressed, it becomes almost impossible for us to students prepare for exams.” and interviews but driving tests, stage fright,
learn. Deborah says, “Being highly emotionally “We have the worst emotional and mental dating or any other event that typically makes
aroused literally makes us stupid.” health in the whole of Europe. For young them anxious.
For children who find it hard to concentrate, people, especially, there are anger issues,” says While Deborah had been looking for
this often shows up as destructive behaviour Deborah. Although Deborah hasn’t personally something to use, the demand took her by
which not only hurts them but slows down experienced the extremes of anger and anxiety surprise. She says, “I was using my chisel box
their peers (and makes life at the front of the many of the people she works with battle, like prototype and people were saying, ‘I want one.
classroom exhausting for the teacher). everyone she says, “I had some problems when Where can I buy one?’ We’ve sold them to
Deborah’s training as a Human Givens I was anxious. I wondered what was happening educational psychologists, youth offending teams,
Psychotherapist and NLP Practitioner helped inside my brain when I took an exam and went school nurses, youth workers and other people
her focus on finding solutions. She wanted to blank. And I’ve always been passionate about working with 0-19 year olds.”
use a metaphor that would make sense for the helping people.”
children she worked with, as well as adults. While they knew they had a great
“The BrainBox was one of those four o’clock idea from their chisel box prototype,
in the morning things,” says Deborah. “I woke Deborah says it was challenging to
up early thinking about how I could explain to come up with a product they could
young people what’s happening in their brain sell. “We’ve broken even now,” she
when they get anxious or angry. I’ve always says. “And we’ve done it all on our
been very passionate about mental health and own with a bit of help and advice from
the computer analogy is helpful for children. Business Link.”
My husband is used to me waking up at 4am. Parents love it too. “It helps them
We have a lot of computers around so we understand why they’ve got a teenager
took one apart and made the BrainBox from who is using the stupid part of their
recycled parts. brain,” says Deborah. They learn about
“Different computer pieces are used to their own brains, too. Explaining what
represent different parts of the brain and these is happening to their brains helps people
are connected with wires and crocodile clips. understand their own anger, anxiety and
The BrainBox shows how messages are sent worries better.
between three different parts of the brain.” “We teach them techniques like taking time
In 2007, the BrainBox won the 2007 national out and breathing techniques to reconnect
18 | Summer 2009 - rapport
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