Frequently Asked Questions
Who can benefit from this work?
Honestly, anyone can find tremendous benefit from this work. Reorganizing the body through new neural connections has the potential to help anyone improve their daily life. Here are some common reasons people come in:
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They enjoy outdoor activities and want to do them easier
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They feel stiffness, pain, and limited mobility and want more freedom of movement
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They're recovering from an accident, stroke, or surgery or looking for an alternative to surgery
They're tired of feeling awkward and clumsy
They're high performers (athletes, dancers, musicians, etc.) whose performance is suffering due to pain or they want to improve their efficiency and ease of movement to improve their performance
They're afraid of falling or not being able to get up
They have a neurological condition that's affecting their movement, like Parkinson's, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, etc.
Parents bring children in when they are concerned with developmental delays, problems with muscle tone and posture, autism, scoliosis, etc..
What can I expect from a Group Transformational Movement Lesson?
During the Group Movement Lessons, you will be verbally guided through a series of slow, gentle movements, paying close attention to how you feel as you move. There will be short rest periods throughout the lesson to allow the brain to integrate learning that has taken place.
Many lessons are done lying down or sitting in a chair, but other positions may be used as well. There are always accommodations that can be made to meet your needs.
At the end of the lesson, you will often stand up feeling lighter and more upright with a release of some of your habitual tension.
What can I expect from a hands-on Functional Synthesis Lesson?
Individual Lessons are the quickest way to make the most progress. During the lesson, you will lie comfortably on a low table, fully clothed, while I apply gentle and slow movement to grab your brain's attention, give you the chance to really sense and feel how you move, and help your brain start perceiving differences, which is the information your brain needs to reorganize.
I'll direct your attention to different aspects of your movement that may or may not be working for you to help the brain come up with new configurations. Most clients get up from the lesson with a greater ease and comfort of movement.
What if I need to cancel?
If you need to cancel an appointment, please give as much notice as possible, so I may give the slot to someone else. You will be charged the full session for cancellations with less than 24 hours notice, except for emergencies.
If the appointment is for your child and your child gets sick or had a particularly rough night and didn't sleep well, you may cancel without charge. But please provide as much notice as possible.
How should I dress for a lesson?
Wear loose, comfortable clothes with dry, clean socks. You will be asked to remove your shoes. Don't wear skirts, low-cut tops, or tight clothes that might restrict movement. Long pants or yoga-type pants may be preferable to shorts. Please do not apply perfumes or scented lotions before coming in.
What makes this process different from other therapies?
Many traditional therapies try to "fix" the problem area and focus their rehabilitation efforts at the point of pain or difficulty. The most effective way to connect with the nervous system is not through the problem area. NeuroMovement® seeks solutions through changes in the brain that reorganize and improve the relationships between the problem area and the rest of the body.
How can I get the most out of each session?
After your lesson, go for a short walk to sense the way you're moving and to integrate changes.
Pay attention to how you're moving and notice any changes, no matter how slight they may seem, in your comfort, emotions, sense of vitality, and movement throughout your daily activities. Changes may appear unrelated to the lesson because they occur in other parts of the body, but noticing change helps groove them in so they will last.
Take it easy. Sometimes people feel so much better after a lesson they try to "test" the changes by immediately jumping back into their activities full speed ahead. It's important to back off and return to your activities gradually, allowing the new connections to become stronger so the old movement patterns don't take back over.
When you go to bed, visualize a couple movements from the lesson and imagine doing them with ease and comfort. Try doing a few of the movements slowly and gently to relax your nervous system. This practice can be a very calming way to fall asleep.
What can I expect in the long-term?
Outcomes vary greatly between individuals, but many people feel continually more balanced, energetic, coordinated, and flexible. Those who participate in movement lessons on a regular basis feel an overall sense of well-being, are less likely to trip and fall, move about their daily lives with greater freedom, participate in activities they love more easily, and learn new hobbies and skills because they move with greater comfort and think more clearly.
How can I help my child get the most out of each session?
Make sure your child is well-fed and bring a snack for afterward. The brain consumes a lot of energy when it's learning new things, and kids will get hungry.
After the lesson, allow your child some free play time on the floor or outside to allow her to integrate her new changes into functional activities.
Watch for changes. They may seem small, but change is change as far as the brain is concerned and what may seem small to us are important pieces in creating more noticeable changes. The changes may seem unrelated to the movements done during the lesson, but the brain organizes the whole body, so expect to see unexpected changes.
Schedule sessions at the best time of day for your child, when he is alert and available to learn.
Avoid scheduling on days when she receives other therapies, particularly physical therapy.
What can I expect for my child in the long-term?
You should see progress with each group of lessons. Typically, children become more mobile, independent, coordinated, verbal, have better posture and balance, become better learners, sleep better, etc.
But remember that every child is unique with different needs and challenges, and the timetable for observable change will vary. It's important to be patient, positive, and meet your child where he is at each stage along the journey.
How often should I come in for lessons?
It really depends on what your goals are. You may be seeking a solution for a specific problem and find the help you need in a few sessions.
I recommend grouping Functional Synthesis lessons together when possible. Scheduling lessons a few days apart is more effective than spreading them out over weeks.
There isn't really a magic number, but I suggest trying at least 4-6 lessons when you're first trying it out. You may notice changes right away, but new learning takes time as the new neural connections are fragile at first. It's easy to fall right back into old movement habits. By coming in for multiple lessons over the course of a few weeks, the changes in your nervous system will be strengthened, and you'll get an idea if ABM® is helpful for you.
You may find that once you start moving better and feeling younger, you gain a sense of vitality and want to continue receiving lessons to further improve your level of physical activity, clarity of thinking, and ability to learn new skills. Participating in on-going lessons at least 1-2 times a week, whether individual or group, would be very beneficial for continued growth.
How often should I bring my child in for lessons?
Every child is different so individual needs will be taken into consideration, but typically I encourage an intensive approach where your child receives 4-10 lessons within a short time period, like 1-2 weeks. These clusters may occur over a weekend or school break.
During this time, 2 lessons may be given per day with at least an hour break in between. Each lesson may last between 20-45 minutes, depending on the age and attention span of your child.
Another cluster of lessons would be recommended about a month later. The idea is to flood the nervous system with new information and then give the system time to integrate the learning at home.
May I refer to friends or family?
Absolutely! When you hear a friend or family member talking about pain or limitations they are experiencing, please let them know about me. I serve adults, infants, and children. When you refer a new client who signs up and pays for a lesson, you'll get a free lesson.
Does insurance cover NeuroMovement lessons?
At this time, insurance does not cover ABMNM. It is considered somatic education rather than a medical intervention. Upon request, I can provide an invoice detailing services which can be submitted for reimbursement at your insurance company's discretion.
In some cases, you may be able to use your health savings account (HSA) or your flexible spending account (FSA) to pay for alternative holistic care services, but you will likely need a letter of medical necessity from a doctor or physical therapist stating that the alternative methodology benefits a current condition for it to be considered an HSA- or FSA-eligible expense. When in doubt, contact your doctor and ask for the letter of necessity. I have checked with fellow practitioners and clients and am not aware of anyone who has been successful using their HSA or FSA account.
Can I purchase movement lessons as a gift for a friend or loved one?
Absolutely! I offer gift certificates for children and adults. Contact me for more information.
