What is Rhythmic Movement Training?

Rhythmic Movement Training™ (RMT) is a system of gentle rhythmic movements and reflex integration activities for developing emotional balance, learning ability, ease of movement and sensory integration..

 

 

 

Doing Rhythmic Movements regularly provides profound benefits and helps to increase functioning in the following areas:

  • Attention
  • Impulse control
  • Emotional Maturity
  • Sensory Processing
  • Visual Skills
  • Speech and Language Development
  • Brain Connectivity
  • Physical Strength and Stamina

Overview of Rhythmic Movement Training™(RMT)

Like infant reflexes, Rhythmic Movements are based on natural, spontaneous baby movements. Stimulation from rhythmic movements in the first year of life is fundamental for the development and maturation of the brain.

The brain requires stimulation from the senses for new nerve growth, branching of existing nerves, and myelinization of nerves. The main sensory stimulation for the process of brain maturation comes from the balance, tactile and proprioceptive senses. These three senses are fully engaged while doing rhythmic movements. The rhythmical baby movements done in the first year of life give the brain the stimulation required for maturation and for connectivity between parts of the brain. For many reasons, children may not get enough opportunities to do these rhythmic movements in infancy.

When there is not enough brain stimulation in infancy, it can result in a compromised ability to process sensory information and access the cortex. Access to the cortex is the basis for many skills such as focusing, control of impulses, managing the emotions, abstract thinking, learning, planning, making decisions and using foresight.

A Brief History of Rhythmic Movement Training™ (RMT)

Psychiatrist Dr. Harald Blomberg developed Rhythmic Movement Training™, along with kinesiologist and expert on reflex integration, Moira Dempsey.

Dr. Blomberg first became interested in Kerstin Linde’s Rhythmic Movements because of his own challenges with polio. Kerstin Linde is a self-taught movement therapist in Sweden. Dr. Blomberg studied Kerstin Linde’s work as she used rhythmic movement to help many children and adults with severe physical, emotional and mental health challenges. Dr. Blomberg was astounded by how effective the Rhythmic Movements were for many types of conditions. He studied the Rhythmic Movements for years with Kerstin Linde, and went on to study reflex integration with other movement specialists. Over the last 20 years Dr. Blomberg has seen excellent results teaching these movements to patients in clinics, in private practice and in mental health hospitals. With movement, he has helped children and adults with ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, developmental delay, autism and even severe psychiatric disorders such as psychosis and schizophrenia.

Dr. Blomberg explains that the Rhythmic Movements not only help integrate reflexes, they 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 for a large variety of conditions.

Rhythmic Movement Training™ courses are available now in many countries throughout the world (more information at www.rhythmicmovement.org). Innate rhythmic movements and reflex integration activities for all ages are also taught online in the Brain and Sensory Foundations courses, developed by Sonia Story.