Kim Pomares

Hello, I’m Kim and I am supposed to write a page about myself… How embarrassing!

I am the oldest of Claudie’s five children. I am blissfully married to Rachel, with whom I care for my own five children, Anna, Timothy, Xavier, Nicholas and Emily.

I studied Biochemistry at the Université Paul Sabatier in Toulouse, France and Graphic Design at the Univesity of Salford, UK.

In 2003, I joined Claudie (“mom”) at the Gordon-Pomares Centre. Until then she had been running a one-woman show at the Centre.

I was then given the task to make Multisensory Therapy available to all families around the world who are struggling with brain health issues, from Autism to Alzheimer’s.

Business

I have no formal business training. All I learned, I learned from friends and concerned individuals who, from time to time, have pointed me in the right direction or pointed at problems I would face if I did not change the way I was doing things.

I am also an avid reader and have perused dozens of books and seminars.

Until recently, I used to think that in order to reassure families that they were dealing with a good company, so that they would feel comfortable letting us tell them what to do with their children or spouse or mother with a brain problem, we needed to paint a corporate image to the public. So, at the time, I went and registered a couple of trademarks, including “The Brain Repair Institute of Canada.”

Authenticity

It sounded impressive to us, but I can’t think of anyone else who felt the same, especially after they found out that it was just the four of us.To us, it felt like we really were something. I think it fulfilled a need in us to be recongized as a credible entity in some way. I understand now that pretending to be something that we are not does not help foster the kind of relationship we had in mind.

When people bring their loved ones to Claudie, they quickly realize that she loves children deeply and would do anything for them. It shows in how she interacts with them and how they respond to her in ways they respond to no other therapist. It shows in her inability to say no to parents who bring their sick children to her, asking for help. It shows in how she gets personally upset when parents don’t do the Multisensory programme the way it should. She literally loses sleep over it.

Working with my mother

At first, I felt like quitting many times. Eventually, we both learned how each of us functions, what each other’s core values are and how we complement each other. Now, I thrive on working with Claudie and also Kent who are all committed to serving. We wrote a vision statement for the company earlier this year and we review every move we make against it.

For example, I would rush in, head first, into every new idea that looks good on paper. Now, I ask myself, “What would she think?” Most of the times, I don’t even have to ask her face to face, I know how she will respond.

I also used to think that she needed to distance herself more from the families we serve. I thought that it would help preserve her mental sanity to keep what some call “professional distance.” She cannot function that way. She has to see and feel each person that she treats. There are side effects to this no-compromise intimate approach, especially being the warm-blooded half-russian woman she is, but she could not design a Multisensory programme any other way. I and Kent, and everybody else who has worked as her assistant, learn to manage and act as buffers when needed.

What I am working on now for the Centre

I learned about Blogs a few weeks ago and how they help bring people together. Right now I am working on putting together one that will help families find the help they are looking for, whether it is simply ad-hoc advice or a long term close relationship with a guide like Claudie who can show them the way to help the brain repair itself naturally.

I am always open to feedback. Please let me know how I can improve our service. Just leave a message in the comment section below or send me an e-mail. Even better, call me!

Kim Pomares
Co-founder of Multisensory Answers