What is the Anat Baniel Method®?

This is one of the hardest questions I get asked as an ABM practitioner!

It seems silly, because after 9 years of taking my daughter to practitioners, 3 years of training and 5 years of practicing, I should probably be able to answer this simple question in one sentence. 

But... well...it's complicated. 

ABM is a paradigm shift from looking at our children as something to "fix", to seeing them as the dynamic, amazing humans they are (with dynamic and amazing brains). 

From a parent's point of view, this seems so obvious.  

From a professional point of view, it's just not how rehab and therapy are done (yet!). If there's something "wrong" you try and fix it. And if you are a child... other people try and fix you. 

That never sat quite right with me, as a parent. 

My ultimate goal for my daughter is for her to reach her own unique potential, whatever that is. How can I, as a parent support her in reaching her potential? 

I quickly realized that doing things TO her, just wasn't working.
I can't force her to LEARN new skills or milestones. 
Her OWN brain has to figure it out. 

ABM taps into the brain's OWN ability to change and grow. 

My job now as a parent, is to create the right conditions to optimize her OWN brain's ability to change and grow. 

Enter... ABM and slow, gentle movement. 

So, go watch the video above for my latest one minute version of what ABM is.

Hopefully this will help you explain ABM to your family and friends, the next time they ask: 

"Just what type of therapy is this Ana... what? "

ABM®, or the Anat Baniel Method® of Neuromovement® uses slow, gentle movements to tap into the brain’s ability to change. 

Scientists have proven that brains can change at any age.
They call the brain’s ability to change: neuroplasticity. 

There are research-proven ways to access your brain’s natural ability to change (to grow and learn). 

Because ABM uses slow, gentle movements to access the brain, it can help children with a wide range of diagnosis. 

Instead of working with the symptom of the diagnosis (spasticity, hypotonia, hypertonia, etc), ABM taps into the brain’s own ability to learn, grow and reorganize movement patterns.  

The good news is that creating conditions for your child’s brain to change and grow, doesn’t have to happen just in a therapy room. 

A few simple ways to create learning conditions are to:

• Slow down
• Use variation
• Bring awareness to your child’s movements 

This is great news for parents with kids with special needs! 

By incorporating these easy tools into your everyday life with your child, you can tap into your child’s brain’s natural ability to change and grow. 

Slowing down, adding variation and bringing awareness can be used in everyday activities.

These can also be used in combination with simple exploratory movements, which you can find inside the Movement Class Membership.