Central to my philosophy and theory is the belief that feeling at home with oneself, comfortable in one’s own body and being able to relate others is essential for all personal development and well-being.

In seeking to engage children and parents in interactive learning I use a therapeutic methodology called 'Developmental Movement' which is based on understanding safe touch. We need touch for our emotional health; studies also show that babies who are not touched enough can fail to thrive, and touch continues to be important into adulthood. In fact, Studies show that touch in the form of massage can be a great stress reliever.

Drawing on my knowledge of child development as an early year’s practitioner and secondary school physical education teacher, my training in integrative therapy, my intense interest in human movement and its psychological implications led to the development of this unique way of working with children and their parents. I am an experienced practitioner and trainer with extensive knowledge of human movement theory.

Training

In my courses I explore and consider the evolving theory of Veronica Sherborne’s work which underpins the practice and implementation of Developmental Movement Play/Therapy alongside, outlining the theory and philosophy. In my training, I address the practical aspects of planning and implementing sessions for groups with varying needs and abilities, and re-contextualize Sherborne’s work within the requirements of the school curriculum, with reference to a consensus of present-day, psychological, educational and sociological thinking.

Although Developmental Movement Play/Therapy has its roots in education, current practitioners come from diverse professions, including physiotherapy, psychology, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy, as well as education.

Developmental Movement Play/Therapy has a crucial role to play in the lives of all children and can be particularly beneficial to children with learning disabilities, children with physical disabilities, and children who are emotionally and behaviourally disturbed.

My approach is based on the philosophy and theory of human movement created by Rudolf Laban (pioneer and founder of Modern European movement analysis). The development of trust, in ourselves and others, and creative self-expression are fundamental themes throughout this type of movement.

"Movement has a quality and it is not its utilitarian or visible aspect, but its feel. One must do movements just as one has to hear sounds, in order to appreciate their full power and their full meaning."'Effort' - Rudolf Laban and F.C. Lawrence (1974)

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In Developmental Movement there are two basic objectives: Awareness of SelfThis is gained through movement experiences that help the person concentrate so that they become aware of what is happening to their body, "listening" via touch and by the feeling of inner physical sensations rather than by our usual looking and thinking. This helps lessen self-criticism and allows people to grow in terms of self-esteem and confidence both at a physical and emotional level. Awareness of others: to begin to learn to move around and interact with others in ways that encourage the further development of trust and the building of positive relationships. These movement experiences enable the person to be appropriately supported while being encouraged to explore their unique creativity through shared movement activities.

"Through my experience of teaching and observing human movement, and of learning through trial and error, I have come to the conclusion that all children have two basic needs; they need to feel at home in their own bodies and so to gain mastery, and they need to be able to form relationships."Veronica Sherborne (1990)

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