Children with developmental challenges
Regardless of the diagnosis, almost every child with special needs is able to attain substantial, continuous, and often astounding improvements at all levels — physical, mental, and emotional. This can happen when the child’s brain is provided with the conditions and information that activate its innate plasticity — the ability to change itself and achieve higher levels of functioning.
A distinguishing feature of my approach in my work with children is a strong emphasis on identifying the factors that impact (facilitate or hinder) the ability of a child’s nervous system to self-organize towards more effective action. I pay special attention to those often overlooked acquired barriers to organic learning, which reflect one’s mental pictures of the world and oneself. These mental pictures begin to take shape at birth, and their effect on a child’s development can be far more profound than the impact of inborn neurological deficits.
As a certified emotional anatomy/psychosomatic consultant, I can expertly discern a child’s basic mental pictures through her or his body configuration, muscle tone, posture, and habitual movements. I counsel the parents to help them recognize the specific psycho-emotional patterns in their interactions with their child, and understand how these patterns impact the child’s mental pictures and capacity to learn.
In addition, I provide the parents with practical tools they can apply at home to create an optimal environment for their child’s physical, emotional, and cognitive development.
Anat Baniel Method for children with special needs
I offer hands-on programs for children from infancy through adolescence experiencing various neurological conditions, using the Anat Baniel Method of Neuromovement. It is based on the model of healing pioneered by Moshe Feldenkrais, which envisions overcoming functional limitations through learning to notice, trust, and utilize sensations in one’s body as it interacts with the world around.
This process of organic learning, which plays a crucial role in fostering the development of the nervous system and its capacity to repair itself, unfolds through self-directed exploration that is as much play as it is work. It largely relies on movement as its main vehicle, especially in childhood.
Organic learning is available to all people; however, children with congenital abnormalities and early developmental disorders are often severely limited in their implicit ability to explore the world with their bodies, compared to their typically developing age-mates.
The Anat Baniel Method is designed to stimulate organic learning through gentle touch and manually guided exploratory movements aimed to help children with special needs discover more effective and pleasurable patterns of self-use. That is why my sessions with kids are properly understood as lessons (rather than treatments). They are always tailored to the unique circumstances and learning needs of each child.
The Anat Baniel Method has proven effective for children with the following conditions:
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Cerebral palsy
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Brain damage, including stroke
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Autism spectrum disorders, including Asperger’s syndrome and sensory integration dysfunction
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Birth traumas such as brachial plexus injury and torticollis
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Scoliosis
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Hypertonia
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Congenital disorders such as arthrogryposis and spina bifida
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Genetic disorders such as spinal muscular atrophy, Down’s syndrome, and fragile X syndrome
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ADD/ADHD
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Undiagnosed developmental delays
Intensives
The Anat Baniel Method is most effective for children when it is provided via so-called “intensives.” An intensive is a series of lessons done in a short amount of time. Depending on the condition of the child’s nervous system, they could consist either of two lessons per day during three to five days, or of one lesson a day during 8-10 days. The reason for doing intensives is that they are conducive to rapid changes, in the same vein as language immersion programs. The proximity of lessons in time facilitates building and expanding on what was just learned. The amount of learning that can happen during an intensive is substantially greater than that which can be attained through the same number of lessons spread out over several weeks.
LENS Neurofeedback for children
Children and adolescents with ADD/ADHD, learning difficulties, and autism spectrum disorder can improve their study skills with LENS Neurofeedback. This innovative and very safe form of neurotherapy stimultes the brain out of maladaptive patterns to restore its flexibility and responsiveness. LENS has been shown to enhance focus, memory, creativity, and emotional resilience.
Book an appointment
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If you are booking your first appointment, please make sure to download and fill the intake form, consent form, and questionnaire (for LENS neurofeedback) beforehand.
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My services are covered by Blue Cross Health Insurance (Provider # A424297).
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Coverage by other insurance companies is not guaranteed.
After booking an initial appointment for your child:
Please download and fill out the intake form and consent form. You can either print them out and bring with you for your first appointment or send the filled forms to: meaningfulbody@gmail.com.
Note: We will need this information for an initial assessment of your child’s condition during the first appointment.
