Developmental Movement Therapy:

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[March 2008] These are very promising days for the future of people who are dealing with issues of brain health, whether adult or children. Besides the "energy medicine" treatments of homeopathy, there are increasing numbers of supportive therapies that help the body and mind [termed Regimen in the Heilkunst & Homeopathy system]. One of the most encouraging developments I have seen is called Developmental Movement Therapy. (The exact title eventually used may depend on trademark considerations.) I have trained in the basics of this and helped treat children who had brain injuries, using this approach. I wrote about it in my thesis paper for the Spirituality, Health & Medicine program at Bastyr University.

There are at this time few practitioners offering this therapy, but I have been encouraging them for years to share this information and they are finally preparing to offer training. Check back to this web site or the references below in the future.

Here is information about the center that I am currently recommending people contact:

Brain Health/Movement Therapy: Especially for child development [Autism, ADHD, ASD] but also helpful for adults. I have had training in this and received the treatment for head trauma effects of a car accident. Training workshops are being organized and I will help promote those. Active Healing, Inc. "Medication-Free Treatment" Founder, Sargent Goodchild, Jr. click picture to go to site with movie>>

Also visit: Northwest Neurodevelopmental Training Center

A site in England that had training in this: JABADAO

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Essay that I found online about this approach: Developmental Movement Therapy Essay

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Description from my thesis project in 2000:

Premise:  The brain has a built-in self-organizing potential to activate repair of nerve pathways, activated by input from the body.  The Institute has a chart that shows developmental stages of the receptive and expressive aspects of the nervous system.  Intake workups evaluate where there is incomplete development of pathways (or where function has regressed).  Treatment is designed to complete what they call "unfinished work" and rebuild pathways to control functions that are incomplete or absent.  Crawling, creeping and  cross pattern exercises have led to improvement in a variety of problems:  stroke, coma, auto accidents, ADD, hormonal dysregulation post trauma, and more.

Implications:  After trauma to the central nervous system, regain of function can be enhanced by retracing physical movements and body positions that ordinarily are experienced as the infant/child develops.  Even elderly patients have had benefit from doing the patterning, crawling, creeping exercises.  They have some impressive videos of patients who underwent this therapy.

Related Topics:  As I see it, the body movements pull on the fascia, and this in turn causes movement in the craniosacral system.  So patients would probably benefit from craniosacral therapy at the same time.

My Own Experience:  Developmental Movement Therapy is part of my current approach to helping recover from the effects of an automobile rollover accident many years ago. (These were very mild and imperceptible to examiners who did not have the integrated model of assessment that is part of Developmental Movement Therapy.)  I have taken basic training in this therapy and have seen videos and heard case reviews of patients who have benefitted from this.

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 Here are some keynotes about behavior that can benefit from this therapy, from notes I took at earlier training:

SCHOOL BEHAVIORS WHICH MAY INDICATE POOR NEUROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION

§ Student has difficulty focusing on activities

§ Student is unable to sit still - constantly wiggling, squirming, fiddling

§ Student appears immature for chronological age

§ Student is often alone

§ Student is not well liked by other students

§ Student wants endless individual attention and only works with constant supervision

§ Others perceive student working below ability (“needs to try harder”)

§ Student is rough with others but doesn't seem to realize it

§ Student complains of being picked on by everybody

§ Student reads but doesn't understand what was read

§ Student is a poor reader

§ Student is a very concrete thinker

§ Student is constantly annoying other students, touching, shoving, hitting, pestering

§ Student doesn't seem to catch on well to playground or group activities

§ Arithmetic seems especially difficult but the student is good in science

§ Student is frequently in trouble of some kind

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