Flourish Wellness

Flourish Wellness Flourish Wellness provides clients with a unique massage experience that encompasses specialized kin

08/23/2026

Things that make you feel rich as an autism mom 🤍

• School drop-offs without a meltdown
• A good night’s sleep and multiple in a row.
• A dry bed in the morning. Oh I’m so glad this is a thing of the past!
• Swallowing supplements for the first time
• Learning to swim + across the deep end!
• Seeing their joy
• Trying new foods
• Watching meltdowns become fewer and fewer until they are non existent 💜
• Being able to go places you once avoided
• Being able to relax around your own child
• Knowing how to recognize when their nervous system is struggling
• Understanding the nervous system instead of fearing the behaviour
• When something feels “off,” knowing to check your own regulation first
• Having the knowledge and tools to support your family
• Watching things that once felt impossible become everyday life
• Looking back and realizing just how far you’ve both come 🤍

These are the things that make me feel rich.

Not because our journey has been perfect, but because I remember where we started.

And I know how far we’ve come. 🤍

08/01/2026

An Important Update from Flourish Wellness
As many of you know, I'm passionate about continually expanding my knowledge and refining my approach to treatment. Every course I take, every skill I learn, and every hour I invest is with one goal in mind—to provide the highest quality care possible for my clients.
To reflect the continued growth of my practice and the level of care I provide, my rates will be changing effective September 1st, 2026
New Rates
đź“Ť Maple Creek: $155/hour
đź“Ť Medicine Hat: $165/hour
I understand that any change in pricing is important, and I want you to know that I never make these decisions lightly. This adjustment allows me to continue investing in advanced education, treatment techniques, and the time and attention each client deserves.
I am truly grateful for the trust you've placed in me. It is a privilege to be part of your health and recovery, and I look forward to continuing to help you move better, recover well, and feel your best.
Thank you for your continued support.
With gratitude,
Kristen Arndt, RMT
Flourish Wellness

07/20/2026

The 3 best approaches I’ve found 👇

✨ 1. Primitive Reflex Testing & Integration

Primitive reflexes are automatic movement patterns we’re born with that should naturally integrate as the nervous system develops. When they remain retained, they can contribute to challenges with emotional regulation, sensory processing, attention, coordination, and other symptoms commonly seen in autism.

Identifying and integrating retained reflexes was one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle for our family.

✨ 2. Muscle Testing

As the parent of a nonverbal child, muscle testing has been invaluable.

Muscle testing is a biofeedback tool that can help identify stressors and priorities within the body. It gave me a way to better understand what my son needed when he couldn’t communicate it with words and helped guide our nervous system support strategies.

✨ 3. Understanding My Own Nervous System

This is my favourite thing to teach parents.

When our children are struggling, we naturally focus on them. But a mother’s nervous system state directly influences her child’s nervous system more than anyone else’s. Learning how to regulate my own nervous system changed not only my experience but my son’s as well.

đź’› All three of these approaches address symptoms from the perspective of the nervous system rather than simply managing behaviours.

They have been life-changing for our family, helping transform our home from chaos to calm. My nonverbal autistic son now enjoys travel, public outings, haircuts, and recovers from dysregulation much more quickly than ever before.

If traditional therapies haven’t provided the results you hoped for, I’d love to show you another approach.

đź“© Send me a DM or book a consultation through the link in my bio.

07/17/2026

News flash 📸

If you’re parenting an autistic child and you’re focusing on speech, behaviour, sensory challenges, anxiety, meltdowns, or gut issues separately... you may be missing one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle.

The vagus nerve plays a critical role in regulating the nervous system, digestion, emotional regulation, social engagement, communication, and sensory processing. When vagal tone is low, children may struggle to feel safe, connected, and regulated in their bodies.

This can show up as:
✨ Social and communication challenges
✨ Sensory sensitivities
✨ Emotional dysregulation and meltdowns
✨ Anxiety and chronic stress responses
✨ Gastrointestinal issues such as constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and stomach pain
✨ Difficulty transitioning, learning, and focusing

Research has shown that many autistic and neurodivergent individuals experience differences in autonomic nervous system function, including lower vagal tone. When the nervous system is stuck in a state of protection, it becomes much harder for the brain and body to access regulation, connection, communication, and learning.

The good news? Vagal tone can be supported and strengthened through simple, consistent activities that help the nervous system feel safe and regulated.

I’ve created a FREE Vagal Tone Guide packed with easy-to-implement exercises, practical strategies, and information you can start using at home right away.

Comment FREE below and I’ll send it to you. 💙

07/15/2026

✨ New here? Welcome! ✨

I help autism moms and their families transform their homes from chaos to calm—especially when traditional therapies haven’t delivered the results they were hoping for.

This isn’t just something I teach—it’s something I’ve lived.

My own son has nonverbal autism, and our household once felt like it was in constant survival mode. Through years of research, learning, and plenty of trial and error, I discovered practical tools and techniques that support the nervous system and help address many of the challenges often associated with autism.

The results have been life-changing for our family. My son now enjoys travel, can regulate much more quickly, tolerates haircuts, and participates in public outings—things that once felt completely out of reach.

The best part? These are skills that parents can learn and use at home to support their child’s development, regulation, and overall well-being.

If you’re searching for a different approach and wondering whether there’s more you can do to help your child thrive, you’re in the right place.

Follow along, and I’ll share the tools, strategies, and hope that helped transform our family’s journey. 💙

07/08/2026

Why these reflexes matter 👇

Primitive reflexes are automatic movement patterns babies are born with to help them survive and develop. As the brain matures during the first year of life, these reflexes are meant to naturally integrate.

When they don’t, they’re called retained primitive reflexes, and they can impact focus, coordination, emotional regulation, sensory processing, learning, and behaviour.

Research has found retained reflexes are significantly more common in children with neurodevelopmental challenges, including autism. Studies have shown strong correlations between retained reflexes and difficulties with attention, posture, sensory processing, motor skills, and self-regulation.

When these reflexes remain active, the brain may rely more heavily on lower, survival-based pathways, making calm, connection, communication, and learning much more difficult.

The good news? Primitive reflexes can be assessed and supported through targeted movement activities that help the brain build new neural pathways. As reflexes integrate, many families see improvements in regulation, coordination, communication, and overall functioning.

This work changed our family’s life. Once I understood how the brain and nervous system work together, everything shifted. Our home became calmer, connection deepened, and I finally felt empowered with practical tools to support my son’s development from the inside out.

If you’re curious about what retained primitive reflexes can look like, comment CHART below and I’ll send you my free Primitive Reflex Chart with common reflexes and their associated signs and symptoms.

đź“© Questions? Send me a DM.

07/01/2026

For years, we did what most families are told to do.

We tried the traditional autism therapies. While some were helpful in certain ways, they never seemed to get to the root of what was happening for my son. We were working on behaviours, communication, and daily living skills, but it often felt like we were putting out fires instead of understanding why they were happening in the first place.

Everything changed when I started viewing autism through the lens of the nervous system and brain development.

One of the concepts that resonated deeply with me was Dr Robert Melillo theory of “functional disconnection.” He proposes that many autism symptoms may be related to uneven development and communication between different regions of the brain. In other words, certain areas may be developing at different rates, making it harder for the brain to integrate information efficiently.

When I began learning about primitive reflexes, sensory processing, movement, balance, coordination, and nervous system regulation through this lens, so many pieces of the puzzle started to make sense. Instead of seeing behaviours as problems to fix, I began seeing them as clues pointing toward underlying neurological and nervous system challenges.

Many of the methods and principles I learned from Dr. Melillo’s work became foundational in our journey. They shifted the way I supported my son and completely changed the way I work with families today.

I’m not claiming this is the answer for everyone, but for us, addressing the nervous system and supporting brain integration led to changes that traditional approaches never achieved.

Have you heard of Dr. Melillo’s work or the concept of functional disconnection between brain regions? What are your thoughts or experiences? I’d love to hear them below. 👇

07/01/2026

Rooting reflex👇

✨ How to test it:

Using something soft like a tissue, makeup brush or paintbrush, gently stroke around the corners of the mouth and cheeks.

Watch for:
• Turning the head toward the stimulus
• Twitching of the facial muscles
• Curling of one side of the mouth
• Any automatic movement toward the touch

If this happens, the rooting reflex may still be active.

The rooting reflex is a primitive reflex that helps babies find the ni**le for feeding by automatically turning their mouth toward touch. It should naturally integrate by around 3–4 months of age. However, sometimes it lingers beyond infancy or can re-emerge later in life.

An integrated reflex can also return following:
• Brain injuries or concussions
• Neurological illness
• Significant emotional trauma
• Chronic stress
• Chemical stressors or toxicity
• Other events that impact the nervous system

✨ How to integrate it:

Regularly stroke around the mouth and cheeks using something like an electric toothbrush or a vibration tool like the Rezzimax Pain Tuner shown here. Consistent stimulation over weeks to months can help the nervous system mature this reflex pattern.

Over time, the goal is for the child or adult to no longer automatically turn their head, twitch, or curl their lip when the area is stimulated. The face should remain relaxed and still.

An active rooting reflex may be associated with:
• Speech delays or articulation challenges
• Picky eating
• Difficulty chewing
• Difficulty swallowing
• Persistent drooling
• Thumb sucking beyond the expected age
• Compulsive chewing or sucking behaviours
• Hypersensitive mouth
• Poor manual dexterity
• Emotional regulation challenges
• Addictive tendencies and compulsive behaviours

Primitive reflexes are often overlooked, but they can have a significant impact on daily function, learning, behaviour, and nervous system regulation. They are often retained in autism spectrum disorders.

Questions? Send me a DM and I’d be happy to help. 💛

06/30/2026

If I could convince every autism mama to explore just 3 things that have made a massive difference in our household, it would be these:

✨ 1. Muscle Testing

Muscle testing is a technique that uses the body’s neurological response to help identify potential stressors, imbalances, sensitivities, or nutritional needs. I have found it especially valuable with nonverbal children because it can provide clues about what may be contributing to symptoms when communication is limited. While it shouldn’t replace medical care, it can be a helpful tool for uncovering pieces of the puzzle that might otherwise be missed.

✨ 2. Primitive Reflex Testing & Integration

Primitive reflexes are automatic movement patterns we’re born with that help early development. These reflexes should naturally integrate as the brain matures, but when they remain active, they can be linked to challenges with sensory processing, emotional regulation, attention, coordination, and learning. The good news is that retained reflexes can be assessed and integrated at any age through targeted activities and exercises.

✨ 3. A Mom’s Nervous System & Emotional Regulation

This is the one I’m most passionate about.

Many therapies focus on the child, but children are constantly responding to the nervous systems around them. When we learn to regulate our own stress responses and create more safety within our bodies, it often has a direct impact on our children’s behaviour, regulation, and sense of security.

đź’› As both a practitioner and an autism mama, these three approaches have had a profound impact on our family.

I’m passionate about teaching parents how to use these tools. If you’d like to learn more, send me a DM.

Address

402 Cypress Street
Maple Creek, SK
S0N1N0

Telephone

+13066618198

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