The Move, Play, Thrive Integrative Movement Program is Effective For: 

•  Dissolving Learning and Behavior Challenges—Integrative Movement eliminates the main root cause of learning and behavior challenges—an un-integrated sensory-neuro-motor system. The imbalances involved in ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, sensory processing disorders, slow and effortful processing, feeling overwhelmed in learning situations, emotional outbursts (“meltdowns”), extreme self-consciousness or shyness and some kinds of Autism can be transformed with proper movement. The mother of a boy who had been struggling with school for years recently told us:  “Two months after we began doing integrative movement, my son jumped four grade levels in math and reading.”

•  Overcoming Mental and Emotional Health Challenges— Stress habits, depression, anxiety, constant feelings of overwhelm, phobias, addictions, OCD, crisis intervention. Post Traumatic Stress can be relieved through movements that integrate the brain and nervous system.  Therapists at the largest addiction and mental health clinic in the world in Toronto are using Brain Gymâ successfully for their clients. Swedish Psychiatrist Harald Blomberg, MD has effectively used Rhythmic Movement Training to help his patients overcome developmental delay, learning disabilities and even severe protracted psychosis.

•  Creating Family Harmony & Developing Relationship Skills—Integrative Movement tools are commonly used to create more harmonious and beneficial relationships.  By using these tools in the relationship realm we notice a greatly enhanced ability to listen lovingly, to give more fully, and to create more fun in our relationships.

•  Optimizing Business Results— 
When the South Carolina Farm Bureau enrolled one-third of its agents in a Brain Gymâ based sales training   programed and monitored their results, they found that those agents who took the program achieved a 39 percent higher closing rate - and 71 percent higher premiums - than those agents who did not take the program. 

•  Excelling in Sports and Performing Arts -Olympic medal-winning athletes use integrative movement tools as part of their training regimen. Coaches and sports teams have documented much greater winning averages after applying these movement tools.  Performing artists use it to cure stage fright and create their best performances.

•  Academic Studies and Test Taking—Students who use Integrative Movement techniques develop calm, whole-brain learning and test taking skills.  They are more efficient while studying and learning becomes enjoyable and effective.  Here’s what one grateful student said, “Normally I feel scared and stressed out when I take tests in Math and Science. But this time I did the exercises you taught me before the WASL test. I felt so much calmer, and it made me think more clearly.”-D.L.

•  Overcoming Challenges—Integrative Movement tools can be used to overcome ANY life challenge.  To find out how these tools work, read below.  These tools are ideal for parents, educators, special educators, counselors, OTs, Therapists, child and elderly caregivers and anyone interested in optimizing their human gifts.

How Does Integrative Movement Work?
From our earliest beginnings it is our movements that literally grow the brain.  We are designed to move and movement stimulates brain growth. 

A good book for those interested in the physiology behind how movement enhances brain function is Smart Moves, Why Learning is Not All In Your Head, by Carla Hannaford, Ph.D.  There is also a wealth of information on Dr. Frank Belgau’s website: www.balametrics.com.

For those who would like a brief and simplified summary of why movement works, it is outlined here.

1. Neurotrophins

According to neurophysiologist Carla Hannaford, Ph.D., coordinated, balanced movements like Rhythmic and Developmental movements, Brain Gym, and many others, increase the production of neurotrophins.  Neurotrophins are proteins which stimulate the growth of existing nerve cells as well as new neural connections.

2. Stress Release

 Movement also works by diffusing stress.  Many of our common, everyday stressors are interpreted by the brain/body as survival situations.  In PET scans and EEGs we see that during stress, nearly half of the brain shuts down while adopting an efficiency pattern for survival.  This is why it is extremely difficult to think, learn, remember, solve problems and create when we are in a stressed state.  Movement activities work by restoring whole-brain functioning to access the state of alertness, calm and ease.

3. Other Factors 

In addition to stimulating new nerve growth and reducing stress there are many other reasons why movement works to improve brain function.  Movement often increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain.  Movement is critical for vestibular development (balance) which all other sensory systems depend on.  When we move it requires certain neurons to fire in the brain which in turn develops our ability for higher-level thinking. Movement also “links up” various parts of the brain crucial to functioning well, not only mentally, but emotionally, physically and behaviorally as well. 

Movement is critical to develop the parts of our brain that allow us to focus, pay attention, filter out unwanted sensory stimulation, sit still, concentrate, organize and communicate. 

Harald Blomberg, MD, developer of the Rhythmic Movement Training, explains: Integrative movements “activate critical links between the cerebellum, limbic system, and prefrontal cortex.” This “whole-brain linking” creates optimal functioning and accounts for why the movements are so helpful in overcoming a large variety of conditions.

Because Integrative Movement soothes, balances and energizes the brain and nervous system, it creates change on the deepest levels and can be applied to any life challenge. 

Anything that feels stressful, negative, compulsive or imbalanced in our lives can be changed through the use of movement tools.

For example, if a child is stressed while learning to write, the stress is “wired in” to the body, brain and emotions every time the child begins writing.  Through Integrative Movement we can release the stress and more importantly replace it with a new pattern of ease, confidence and enjoyment while writing.

Sound simple?  It is!  Integrative Movement works quickly and effectively and is making a difference for individuals all over the world.