A family's grief is changing lives

When Sandpoint native Tim Prummer died of an accidental overdose, his family was devastated and stunned. 

After all, Tim had begun to heal his relationships, was living in a homeless transition shelter in Colorado, was eating healthier, attending counseling, and had held a job for over a year. But Tim, 28, had struggled with anxiety, depression, and addiction his entire adult life despite several attempts at treatment and tough love. 

Following his death, Tim’s family learned of a treatment located in Sandpoint that they believed could have saved his life, and they became determined to spare other families the pain they experienced. 

Dr. Linda Larson, founder of North Idaho Neurotherapy, specializes in psychological health, wellness, and mind-body physiology. Tim’s father, Gregg Prummer, learned of the unique treatment at Linda’s clinic and is confident that if Tim had gone through this treatment, he would be living a whole life today. 

The treatment begins with administering a noninvasive, quantitative EEG brain map that allows Dr. Larson and her staff to measure, analyze, and quantify brainwaves. They can see the brainwaves in different situations and their relationship to one another, allowing them to determine where the brain may manifest itself in problematic symptoms and behaviors. 

Once all the data is collected, a brain neurostimulation treatment plan is executed. 

“We have helped many who suffer from addiction, depression, traumatic brain injuries, and much more,“ explained Dr. Larson. 

Upon learning of this treatment, Gregg, his wife Shawna, and Tim's mom, Kathy, came together to fund The Tim Project at North Idaho Neurotherapy. Their goal is to help many who suffer from similar challenges as Tim. 

Since introducing The Tim Project in July last year, North Idaho Neurotherapy has helped 10 community members who had otherwise lost hope. 

One such client is Lynn (not her real name). Lynn is in her mid-30s and grew up in Sandpoint. While she experimented with alcohol in high school, Lynn shares that she began to drink much more while away at college. 

“I knew I was an addict in my early 20s when I was using all day, every day. But at that time, I wasn’t drinking,” said Lynn, adding that her compulsive behaviors, including an eating disorder, led her to the fact she had addictive behaviors. “When I got clean off hard drugs, I then began drinking and smoking pot, but it wasn't until my early 30s that I became a daily drinker. I could have a few glasses of wine with dinner or a couple of beers and not crave more.”

Like many people with a substance use disorder, Lynn also suffered from anxiety and depression. 

“My depression would sometimes make me stay inside all day instead of doing the things that I love. So instead of sitting in that, I would drink to get some energy and forget about being depressed,” she said. “It would change my feelings immediately and allow me to get up and out of my house. However, at that point, I would have to keep drinking to keep the depression away, and so I would be drunk all day and just absent in my life. I wouldn’t be present at all mentally or emotionally, and I would often forget things that happened throughout the day or conversations I had.” 

Desperate to get better, Lynn went through rehabilitation at Hazelden in Minnesota, made famous by the former First Lady Betty Ford. There, treatment for Lynn primarily involved education and group therapy aimed at education about addiction. 

It was not a cure, and it was not until Lynn’s therapist in Sandpoint told her about The Tim Project and Dr. Linda Larson's work that she regained hope. 

She entered the Tim Project with an intense 15-day treatment plan administered two times each day. It was not long until Lynn noticed a difference. 

“I noticed a difference within the first few days,” said Lynn. "We focused on breathing during our sessions as well, and it truly helped with my anxiety.”

While her life still has its ups and downs, Lynn states that she has benefited from the treatment and continues to use the knowledge she gained at North Idaho Neurotherapy to help manage her decision-making. 

“My compulsive behaviors have become minimal and less habitual,” said Lynn.

Lynn urges anyone who may suffer from addiction, anxiety, depression, or any brain ailment to at least undergo brain mapping. 

“There is so much tangible evidence they give you on day one that it’s hard to argue the validity of what they do,” said Lynn. “There was so much relief when I saw the original brain map because I could never express why I did some of the things I did or explain my addiction.”

Another person who has benefited from the Tim Project is Tom (again, not his real name). 

Tom is currently in his late 20s and is the youngest of five children. "I have great parents who have always supported and loved me,” said Tom. “However, they both worked full-time to support our family, and I was often alone with my siblings. I was exposed to the party life at a very young age." 

At the age of 12 or 13, Tom began to use both alcohol and occasionally smoked marijuana. 

“As time passed, I progressed to more intense substances and ended up using meth at the age of 14. That's when I went to rehab for the first time,” said Tom, who was there for four months.

In rehab, Tom learned about addiction but did not believe he was an addict. However, as time went on, he continued to slip into the same behaviors, which worsened each time, using drugs and alcohol to escape the pain of broken relationships and to treat his depression and anxiety. 

By the age of 16, Tom had already entered a few more rehab programs and finally accepted the fact that he was an addict. 

But it took a bad car accident for Tom to accept that he needed more help. He found Bethesda House in Sandpoint, a safe and sober transitional housing facility for men. Then, Tom's counselor introduced him to North Idaho Neurotherapy. 

Tom still resides in Bethesda and said that with the support of the Bethesda House and the treatment he receives at North Idaho Neurotherapy, he has genuinely changed and no longer has the urge to use drugs or alcohol. 

"I’m so excited because I already feel so much healing, and I’m not even finished yet. This program works, and I would encourage anyone struggling to give this a chance because you will feel different, be healed, and the urge to use will go away. My anxiety and depression have gone way down,” said Tom. 

Each day, Tom experiences a new and better version of himself and is starting college classes.  

He is grateful every day to the Prummers and the Tim Project. 

“I want to thank the Prummer family for this opportunity,” said Tom. “I feel like it’s given me another chance to truly be successful and overcome the substance abuse of fentanyl, overcome depression and anxiety, and just heal from trauma. It's truly an honor. I'm grateful beyond words could explain,” said Tom. 

Lynn, too, is appreciative. 

“I cannot express my gratitude enough. This type of therapy is financially unattainable for me, and they were able to offer it to me," she said. “I have no idea where I would be in my recovery if it weren't for this therapy. It has allowed my brain to heal itself and allow recovery to happen physically. I truly don't believe my recovery would be as strong as it is without the Neurotherapy. Thank you.”

Though they could not save their son, the Prummer family has impacted many in our area through funding of the Tim Project. 

“Most of the people we have helped through the Tim Project have tried multiple forms of therapy with limited success,” said John DeWig, MA, LMFTA, a therapist and director of neurophysiology at North Idaho Neurotherapy. “We have done incredibly well in this area relative to other treatment facilities.”

To learn more about the Tim Project, contact North Idaho Neurotherapy at 208-255-6057. Learn more by logging onto www.nidnt.com. 

    Tim Prummer is pictured as Sandpoint Beach in this photo shared by his family. After Prummer passed away due to an accidental overdose, his family founded The Tim Project Following his death, Tim’s family learned of a treatment located in Sandpoint that they believed could have saved his life, and they became determined to spare other families the pain they experienced.