Update post

Ricarda has left a new comment on your post "Anonymous has left a new comment on your post ""...":

Hello Samuel and all others,

I also know a righty who switched to the left (and many from L to R). She now emergees, because I shared my story of emerging. And I always try to convince others to emergee or at least try to make them realise the difficulites of being a submergee or being a submergee at all. Im my view the greatest problem is that people don't even think, they could be submergees because they started writing with the wrong hand all by theirselfs.

So did I. It took me years of being ambidextrous to finally realise I'm actually left handed. The same day that came to my mind I started emerging, without knowing anything about it. I then read the german books from Sattler and many, many internet-sites plus your book.

I'm glad that more and more people are getting aware of the problem and I'm always trying to spread the 'news' (-:

Greetings



Posted by Ricarda to Hidden Handedness at December 16, 2009 10:53 AM

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "":

I have just ordered your book and cant wait for it to arrive. I have a slightly different problem in so far as I am a natural rightie and around the age of 8 when I was mucking about with my father who thought it would be brilliant if I could be ambidextrous I switched to writing with the left!

Two years later I broke my left arm very badly and still managed not to convert back to the right. I do everything else with my right hand. This will sound strange, my problem all my life has been lack of direction, feeling of great blockage, building in to deep frustration ending up as a bout of depression. I seem to let life drive me usually in the direction of some mistake. I have been in and out of therapy to find the crucks of the matter and nothing has worked. Constantly trapped! For the first time ever I feel excited that I may have stumbled on the answer. Do you have any knowledge of this somewhat unusual conversion. I would be grateful for any advice or help. YP

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Posted by Anonymous to Hidden Handedness at May 20, 2009 8:32 AM

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Samuel Randolph to Anonymous

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Dear A,

Thanks for sharing this story. Yes, I know of a few cases like yours of Right to Left. The consequences appear to be identical in either case, from L to R or R to L. That is why the terms submergee and emergee were developed, no bias, just a way of talking about what happens when handedness reversals take place. Dr. Stanley Coren writes that reversals typically happen before age 9, so your case fits into his profile of the issue.

We desperately need research in this category but in the meantime, Hidden Handedness does a good job of explaining what happens when handedness conversions take place and what happens when one returns.

I've been following research in neuroscience since writing the book in hopes of inspiring research in this category and all of the current findings support what I said in 2007.

One of the more interesting people you may wish to look at in considering therapeutic pathways is Anat Baniel - her latest book Move Into Life is an excellent resource and you can also see her speak on You Tube. If you do see her video clips, note the emphasis she places on movement of the hands in several of the clips. She refers to herself as "Movement Coach" and in her case you will see her placing an emphasis on mindful movement of the hands. If you think about it, that's the pathway that one follows to reverse their handedness - logically, that's the way one returns at a later date.

Handedness conversions are still a very untouched subject, so I wish you the best in your recovery and please don't hesitate to write further as things develop.

Samuel

An emergee wonders why...

I recently received this input from a visitor to the site:

"you should make your experiences available to everyone and not try to profit selling a few books,this needs to go public there are thousands of people with this problem,trapped deeper than you were in their own brains. and many have no idea that they were forced when they were children"

I would like to make a few comments in response to these thoughts.

1. The writer has obviously developed a clear understanding and insight into the importance and scope of the submergee problem. Living life as an emergee, one becomes deeply (painfully) aware of the tragedy that follows when adults create submergees by deliberately altering the handedness of defenseless children, training them to use a form of handedness (and in consequence neurological laterality) which they were not designed to express. Once my eyes were opened to the problem, I was amazed to learn how many people this practice has impacted in the past, and how many it harms in the world we live in today.

2. In my experience, "going public" so the general population becomes aware of the submergee tragedy and is motivated to stop the damage is a process that is going to take many years of patient effort. We really need a series of major public figures or organized groups that are willing to take up the cause and educate the public to join in to help put an end to the practices that cause it. The best current example of this kind of patient effort that I am aware of is in Germany and based in the province of Bavaria (see link Center for Left-Handers on this blog)

I have learned to view the issue of submergees and emergees as the work of a lifetime. Though I can empathize with the writer's heart, having agonized for many years over the fact that the issue has remained maddeningly invisible and "off the radar", in time I came to realize that a quick resolution isn't likely.

Those who wish to get involved need to recognize that this is a battle that will most likely take decades to win, and those who participate will have to be prepared to do whatever they can to patiently raise awareness and gain a public hearing where possible, as well as doing the basics, which in the world we live in today includes creating a blog or website and a book. I have done all of these things and I welcome others to join in promoting this very worthy cause, although it is not one for those who are eager for profits or quick answers! I will gladly post and respond to constructive comments from others and include links to any individual or any group that has website or blog or published resources that will help us to get the word out.

3. In summary, though it's true that there is an urgent and as yet unanswered need for more people who are willing to go to work on the submergee topic so it does "go public", I am encouraged by the fact that gradual progress is being made. I do appreciate this chance to respond to a valid question.

Best wishes,

Samuel

Some interesting developments...

Some very marvelous recent developments of late worth sharing.

On the book front, 10 stars for these three books.

If you are interested in neuroplasticity (Doidge and Blakeslee).

And for a rather stunning overview of his theory of how the neocortex in the human brain functions (Hawkins).

The Body Has A Mind of It's Own - by Sandra & Mathew Blakeslee
The Brain That Changes Itself - by Norman Doidge
On Intelligence - by Jeff Hawkins & Sandra Blakeslee (published 2004 but still well worth reading)

Also a true gem in the podcasting realm - The Brain Science Podcast (BSP) by Ginger Campbell, M.D. http://docartemis.com/brainsciencepodcast/

Hawkins appears on a recent episode of the BSP - what a wonderful experience to learn of someone who is working in what appears to be a successful manner on big picture questions in such a complex topic area.

There are many many other interviews on the BSP that deserve a hearing.

In terms of my own update of understanding regarding neuroplasticity and laterality in connection with what I have said to date about submergees and emergees, all of the updates I have seen post publication of Hidden Handedness (January '07 publication) seem to support the models that I proposed in the book for the submergee and emergee experiences.

So far so good, but it's really been breathtaking to see how fast research is changing the playing field.

Samuel

Radio Spot

I heard you'll be doing interviews with various radio stations. Will any of them be available on the Internet?
AJL

New comment on Hidden Handedness

Many people have an intuitive sense that switching a child's handedness is not wise, but many others don't see it as a problem (and may even think it's a good idea). I'm looking for any information you may have on studies that will provide serious information on the consequences of forced switching.
Thanks!
Rosemary West

Hidden Handedness - The Emerging Story Of Handedness Reversals

An amazing account of faith and perseverance. Truly a born again account. The human mind has to be God's connection to us through faith. The human hand is a physical manifestation of that connection. This personal account is the combination of both.
John U.