American Circus Educators Magazine Winter 2017 (Issue 3, Volume 11) | Page 32

STORIES Circus as Therapy 1/ This blog post tells one person’s story about traumatic brain injury and how they experienced improved short-term memory, better reaction time, better physical condition, and were more relaxed with juggling therapy. 32 2/ A 14-year-old from Ft. Thomas recovered from a rare disorder with the help of some circus performers he met at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). 3/ Every day, Kayla Dyches floats above ground on aerial silks as a circus arts performer. But she almost didn’t make it there. As a gymnast in her late teens and early 20s, she suffered from anorexia. It wasn't until Dyches tried climbing into the air that she realized she had a problem. Now, she's fighting back against the disorder and developing the strength to soar in more ways than one. 33