Moving - Feeling - Growing - Thriving

The Anat Baniel Method is a NeuroMovement® approach that evolved from the Feldenkrais Method.

It is centered in the empirical evidence, collected over thirty years of work with thousands of children, that under the right conditions a child’s brain is almost always available for potent learning, regardless of the diagnosis. The discovery of brain plasticity in neuroscience has validated both methods and Dr. Feldenkrais’ early observation and postulate that the brain can always change for the better.

The Anat Baniel Method identifies nine principals that “wake up” the brain and drive it to work better. They are essential for human growth and development throughout life.

In my work with children, rather than focusing on their diagnosed condition, I closely observe what the child can do and use the Nine Essentials to activate their inert potential for change. Through gentle directional touch, I highlight important structural and functional connections in the child’s sensory-kinetic awareness. With that they can feel themselves in new ways, which they could not access for themselves at the time. This prompts the brain to rapidly grow new neural connections, thereby establishing many more possibilities for a more refined organization and regulation of movement, thinking and feeling.

In this way I engage in an open-ended conversation with the child that often leads to unexpected breakthroughs in their development.

The nature of the lessons allows for the child to be at ease, which is also essential for potent learning.

We know that learning does not happen in a linear way but rather in leaps. Whenever the brain has mapped out enough new “data” it can organize functions of higher complexity. We see this in the child as “suddenly” mastering a new skill. Yet what appears to have occurred suddenly, has in reality been in the making for quite a while “ behind the scenes” in the brain.

While repetition is important to learn new skills it must be combined with a large dose of novel sensory and kinetic experiences.

In order to best drive this potent way of learning I work with children in lesson clusters, meaning a series of lessons on consecutive days followed by a lesson free period. The length of these periods depends on each individual child’s needs.

This learning process can benefit children with cerebral palsy, stroke and other kinds of brain damage and injuries, genetic disorders, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders and dyslexia.

NeuroMovement has also shown to make a difference in children with undiagnosed developmental issues.

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      For a worldwide listing of NeuroMovement® professionals serving
      children with special needs, please visit www.NeuroConnect.world.

“Gabrielle is an amazing practitioner and caring human being and has the ability to bring connection to the world.“ 

“Her special gift of presenting and implementing the Nine Essentials of the Anat Baniel/NeuroMovement Method in her private lessons and lectures has turned my life and Z’s life around completely. Gabrielle has helped me to understand brain plasticity and has coached me to work with Z at home and to advocate for her at school. This has made such a difference in the quality of care I am now able to give to the medically fragile children. The changes in the quality of Z’s life and her abilities now are a milestone and I will continue supporting the work of practitioners like Gabrielle who are steadfast in maintaining hope and seeing potential in those who were once thought to be lost.”
Michelle Washington, RN, Oakland

“I witnessed much change in A. since Gabrielle started working with him.“ 

”He does more on his own, appears more interested in things around him, and explores his environment with intense interest. He has better orientation, stands up often on his own and cruises along furniture. He also walks much better with his walker.  I took a class with Gabrielle that made me aware of how I move and how I can move better. It also learned to use the Nine Essentials in my daily work with the kids and was able to help A. making progress with eating. This program helps kids with special needs and caregivers because it gets results.” 

Denise Gums, teacher assistant, Oakland

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