BODY AND MIND ARE INSEPARABLE
Movement Therapy can transform a child in a way that has a profound effect on the emotional, cognitive, social, behavioural and physical. By studying how the children interact with each other and their surroundings, we can illuminate the inner challenges they face. By observing how they walk, how they stand, their modes of expression, their gestures and speech, one can build up a picture of their inner condition.
Movement Therapy nourishes the child’s imagination and releases their creative potential, which in turn fuels their capacity for developmental growth and change.
The true meaning of education is “to lead out” (e-ducere) rather than to “put in”.
My approach is holistic and pedagogical. At its core are the principles of wonder, compassion, conscience and the conviction that a truly holistic education encompasses the ‘head’, ‘heart’ and ‘hand’- the whole child.
My work is devoted to awakening the faculties that lie dormant within each child, empowering them to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of their development, thereby enabling them to discover within themselves, strength, enthusiasm and a passion for life.
I work with children and young adults who have a range of diverse additional needs. All come with a special need, to overcome, unlock and transform, a troubled past, a communication difficulty, a physical disability; the needs are many-fold.
At the heart of my therapeutic work and at the root of the discovery process is play, something inherent, so natural for children, but often profoundly underestimated by adults. If we allow our children to play, to be creative without fear of failure, to be free to explore, to discover, experiment and take risks, we nurture these indispensable tools for life.
By encouraging our children to play and be creative, we will enable them to build and develop within themselves, self-esteem, self-confidence, trust, courage and most importantly a passion for life and learning.
The child absorbs everything, senses everything, no word or glance or act goes unnoticed. They create all manner of ways to cope with situations that infringe upon them and respond in many different ways. They cope by shutting bits of themselves off or shutting the world off entirely. They can close their characters right down – a survival mechanism for the self or they can become hyperactive and filled with frustration and rage.
What can happen as a result of this is that all sensitivity in the child is either closed off entirely, or conversely, extremely heightened. We can recognize the resultant low self-esteem and an inability to cope in school or at home. Some of the visible impacts may be shallow breathing, restlessness, and sleeping problems and the child is unable to digest mentally or physically.
At present I am working with children and adolescents with diverse needs in groups and individually. I work in EBD Schools (Children with Emotional and Behavioural Disorders), Special Needs Schools, and Mainstream Schools, as well as Education Support Centres, Extended Schools Consortiums and for CAMHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
Workshops I have developed and now offer:
- ARC: The Art of Raising Children – workshops for parents, carers and educational professionals.
- CATCHING SPIRIT: Performing Arts workshops for teenagers in schools, which enables them to explore their identity creatively through all art forms; music, movement, images and text. I help them to identify talents and interests and so develop aspirations for the future.
- I also have a private practice.