Primitive Reflexes & Primitive Reflex Therapy
What are Primitive Reflexes?
What is the purpose of Primitive Reflexes?
What is the purpose of Primitive Reflexes?
We are all born with primitive reflexes that are meant to 'do their job' then go away (integrate). If this is not the case they can act as a barrier to emotional maturity and emotional regulation, learning at school or in special education, sensory processing, physical development / coordination.
We have many Primitive Reflexes which affec
We are all born with primitive reflexes that are meant to 'do their job' then go away (integrate). If this is not the case they can act as a barrier to emotional maturity and emotional regulation, learning at school or in special education, sensory processing, physical development / coordination.
We have many Primitive Reflexes which affect the way we stand and walk, the way we talk, the way we think and learn and the way we manage our emotions and relationships. They are SO VERY important in our emotional regulation but also our ability to learn and affect our daily lives.....for some people more than others
What is the purpose of Primitive Reflexes?
What is the purpose of Primitive Reflexes?
What is the purpose of Primitive Reflexes?
Our Primitive Reflexes generate specific movements as we are developing through our first months of life. The movements generate and then strengthen pathways in the brain so that we can process sensory input. So, if we haven't made enough of these specific movements, then the reflexes remain and the pathways in the brain are not develope
Our Primitive Reflexes generate specific movements as we are developing through our first months of life. The movements generate and then strengthen pathways in the brain so that we can process sensory input. So, if we haven't made enough of these specific movements, then the reflexes remain and the pathways in the brain are not developed sufficiently in order to process sensory input successfully
What is Primitive Reflex Therapy?
Who can Primitive Reflex Therapy help?
Who can Primitive Reflex Therapy help?
Primitive Reflex Therapy with Rhythmic Movement Training or RMTi uses small rhythmic movements which strengthen connections in the brain resulting in everyday tasks becoming easier leading to a happier home, school or work life.
Who can Primitive Reflex Therapy help?
Who can Primitive Reflex Therapy help?
Who can Primitive Reflex Therapy help?
Everyone! But we see particularly big changes from Primitive Reflex Integration in individuals living with problems with emotional regulation including Anxiety and Anger, also Autism, ADHD, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Parkinson's, and general difficulties with reading & writing. Get in touch to find out how brain & body boost can help with Primitive Reflex Therapy.
Does this sound familiar?
Children
Your child cannot concentrate / focus / maintain attention and struggles with learning, managing their emotions with school work often resulting in emotional outbursts?
Extra tuition or support at school is not having the intended result – it may even be making the situation worse? You just want your child to be happy, enjoy school and keep up with peers?
Primitive Reflexes could be playing a part....Primitive Reflex Integration through RMTi (Primitive Reflex Therapy) could be the solution.
Adults
You struggle with anxiety, insecurity, shyness, lack of self confidence and you suffer with imposter syndrome?
You constantly talk yourself out of social events, going for a promotion at work and/or you have fits of emotions and then beat yourself up afterwards? You just want to feel on top of life and live your best life and achieve your dreams?
Primitive Reflexes could be playing a part.... Primitive Reflex Integration through
RMTi (Primitive Reflex Therapy) could be the solution.
Signs of retained Primitive Reflexes
Hands up if these signs sound familiar?
- Low tolerance to stress or constant state of inner stress / shy / withdrawn / insecure / anxious
- Difficulty interacting with peers at school / teachers / boss
- Poor sleep routine
- Difficulties sitting still
- Poor handwriting / spelling / excessive writing pressure
- Difficulties with maths
- Tense muscles especially in the legs: toe walking
- Bed-wetting post age of 5
- Problems learning to hop
- Problems with physical coordination
- Problems learning to do breast stroke / ride a bike
- Difficulties with ball games / poor hand eye coordination
- Difficulty holding head up / tense shoulder muscles
- W sitting
Primitive Reflex Therapy
We are all born with Primitive Reflexes, which should do their job and then be 'put to bed' in the brain stem. If this doesn't happen, we can face many challenges in life ranging from poor balance and co-ordination to poor emotional regulation leading to fits of emotions. Primitive Reflex Therapy such as RMTi can help with Primitive Reflex Integration to help make life easier!
Why could retained Primitive Reflexes be responsible for these challenges? Our Primitive Reflexes generate specific movements as we are developing through our first months of life. The movements generate and then strengthen pathways in the brain so that the infant can process sensory input.
So, if an infant hasn't made enough of these specific movements, then the reflexes remain and the pathways in the brain are not developed sufficiently in order to process sensory input successfully. Therefore, our Primitive Reflexes can affect the way we stand and walk, the way we talk, the way we think and learn and the way we manage our emotions and relationships - they are so very important to our everyday life and our ability to learn.
Primitive Reflex Therapy: Rhythmic Movement Training
Why Rhythmic Movement Training?
Who can Rhythmic Movement Training help?
What is Rhythmic Movement Training?
Our Primitive Reflexes generate specific movements as we are developing through our first months of life. The movements generate and then strengthen pathways in the brain so that we can process sensory input successfully. So, if we haven't made enough of these specific movements, then the reflexes remain and the pathways in the brain are
Our Primitive Reflexes generate specific movements as we are developing through our first months of life. The movements generate and then strengthen pathways in the brain so that we can process sensory input successfully. So, if we haven't made enough of these specific movements, then the reflexes remain and the pathways in the brain are not developed sufficiently in order to process sensory input successfully. RMTI or Rhythmic Movement Training is a method of Reflex Integration.
What is Rhythmic Movement Training?
Who can Rhythmic Movement Training help?
What is Rhythmic Movement Training?
Rhythmic Movement Training or RMTi replicates the movements that babies and infants make as they are developing, using small rhythmic movements - to fill any gaps in movement and therefore strengthen the connections in the brain. Strong connections in the brain will lead to Reflex Integration, because the Reflex is no longer needed. Res
Rhythmic Movement Training or RMTi replicates the movements that babies and infants make as they are developing, using small rhythmic movements - to fill any gaps in movement and therefore strengthen the connections in the brain. Strong connections in the brain will lead to Reflex Integration, because the Reflex is no longer needed. Resulting in everyday tasks becoming easier leading to a happier home, school or work life.
Who can Rhythmic Movement Training help?
Who can Rhythmic Movement Training help?
Who can Rhythmic Movement Training help?
RMTI or Rhythmic Movement Training can help everyone! But we see particularly big changes with Reflex Integration in individuals living with problems with emotional regulation including Anxiety and Anger, also Autism, ADHD, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Parkinson's, and general difficulties with reading & writing. Get in touch to find out how brain & body boost can help.
Causes of retained reflexes
Before Birth
Before Birth
Before Birth
The movements baby makes during pregnancy are important for the emotional reflexes to integrate. Mother's nutrition, drug / alcohol use, and emotional stress can impact the movements baby makes during pregnancy - fewer movements can lead to a retained Fear Paralysis and subsequently Moro reflexes which are important for sensory processing and emotional maturity.
During Birth
Before Birth
Before Birth
Our primitive reflexes are involved in our birthing process. Birth interventions are obviously needed in order to keep Mum and baby safe, however interventions such as C Sections and Forceps can lead to retained primitive reflexes because the reflex has not had the opportunity to fulfil it's role in the birthing process and therefore can remain active.
After Birth
Before Birth
After Birth
After birth, the movement of babies is often restricted by equipment used on a day to day basis. These days we often use supportive seats, walkers, jumpers and capsule car seats to contain whilst out in public. The equipment can often be putting baby in a position it is not yet physically ready for but also stopping baby from making the natural movements which integrate the reflexes.
Free 15 minute phone consultations with an RMTi Instructor..
...a great way to find out more about Primitive Reflexes & Rhythmic Movement Training / Primitive Reflex Therapy and how brain & body boost can help life, learning & work easier
One to One Services
Initial Consultation
At brain & body boost in Huddersfield, I offer an initial consultation, which lasts around 1 hour 30 mins, in a quiet and private therapy room at my home in Slaithwaite. This includes information about Primitive Reflexes & Primitive Reflex Integration / Primitive Reflex Therapy with RMTi and some simple assessments to identify retained primitive reflexes (clients to complete a questionnaire prior to the appointment). Towards the end of the session I show clients some RMTi Primitive Reflex Therapy movements to practice at home before our next consultation. The movements should be done daily (ideally) and the Primitive Reflex Therapy should take no more than a few minutes to start with to begin with.
Follow Up Consultations
In the follow up Primitive Reflex Therapy appointments, we catch up on any changes since we last met and any benefits from the movements and then review the movements given in the last session. We then look at some additional movements to work on Primitive Reflex Integration and any other useful strategies and tools. The follow up consultations lasts around 1 hour.
Growth Work & Report
After each consultation I will provide a Growth Work summary (Primitive Reflex Therapy movements to practice at home) as a reminder of the movements we have done in the consultation. After the initial consultation, I can provide a full report detailing my findings from the assessment for an additional cost - some clients find this useful to share with school to help explain the impact of
Primitive Reflexes and benefits of Primitive Reflex Integration.
New! Brain & Body Calm Academy
Does your child suffer with anxiety or anger (or both?)
Have you already tried journaling, breathing exercises, meditation, mindfulness, yoga, talking to your GP or even talking therapy? And nothing has really helped your child?
If you are not ready for one to one appointments, The Brain & Body Calm Academy teaches you and your child about the nervous system’s role in emotional regulation and how to support your child’s emotional well-being through the nervous system in a online group setting.
It helps you and your child understand what is causing them to be anxious or angry and provides therapy to get to the root cause of the anxiety or anger (and other linked emotions) by working with the nervous system.
A drug free solution to make lasting change to help your child feel less anxious or angry for a more harmonious home!
Testimonials
6 year old girl with Anxiety
4 year old boy with Autism & Dyspraxia
6 year old boy with suspected PTSD
"I can't quite believe how much these exercises have changed my 6 year old daughter [after 2 sessions]…....She is a changed person when it comes to being scared. She came downstairs one evening as she was struggling to sleep. She stayed for a while and then went back up to her room to bed. I was amazed! This was the first time she had ever got out of her bed at night as she usually shouts when she wants something, even too scared to get out of her bed herself in the morning. The next day she told me how she had had nice dreams - she always has nightmares or frustrating dreams. Recently she has been complaining that her room isn't dark enough to go to sleep at bedtime - she has always slept with the light on, even a nightlight wasn't bright enough for her as she was terrified of the dark and monsters. She is now happy to pop up to her bedroom by herself during the day which again, is something she has been too scared to do before."
6 year old boy with suspected PTSD
4 year old boy with Autism & Dyspraxia
6 year old boy with suspected PTSD
"It was extremely difficult at home and we researched and tried various things to try to help him cope and feel calm. Just over six months ago Kate Rigby, a RMTI therapist, was recommended to us. My husband has taken him to the appointments where he was shown various, simple and easy to follow exercises that we then do with our son each evening. The very first thing that we noticed was that he managed to fall asleep much more easily. Obviously, this in itself has a massive positive effect! The next thing was that his meltdowns became significantly less frequent, then he started to be more socially aware, and gradually we are seeing his focus and concentration improve. It is not a quick fix by any means but the exercises themselves have become a very bonding and lovely part of our day. We don’t always manage to do them as sometimes it is hard to even find the 15-20 minutes needed but there are measurable positives when we do. I feel like they would benefit so many people!"
4 year old boy with Autism & Dyspraxia
4 year old boy with Autism & Dyspraxia
44 year old lady with suspected PTSD / SPD
"Firstly, wow wow wow! We have seen enormous change in our son's behaviour - he is hugely more social with other children, is initiating conversations with them and speaking to them directly rather than feeling like he needs an adult to help. He is massively more confident when out and about, and changes don't upset him half as much as before. His speech clarity has improved again as well, with new sounds coming through....We are also doing OT and SLT and I think the combination is working very well, but I do think the biggest change is from the growth work you have given us.”
44 year old lady with suspected PTSD / SPD
44 year old lady with suspected PTSD / SPD
44 year old lady with suspected PTSD / SPD
"Since a traumatic period in my life a few years ago, I have been struggling with daily life and the noise levels associated with 2 young children and a noisy husband. When there was too much noise, I felt tension in my stomach and tightness in my chest and felt like getting away from the noise but wasn't able to, so did my best to control my emotions which wanted to explode out. I often failed in this and my response would be anger and shouting (the shouting drowned out the other noise!). Since completing the 5 day Safe & Sound Protocol, I have noticed significant improvements in my oversensitivity to sound and my response has moved away from anger, but I am also so much more sociable and able to do 'small talk'"
76 year old man with Parkinson's
44 year old lady with suspected PTSD / SPD
29 year old man with Anxiety & Dyslexia
“I have Parkinson’s Disease [PSP]. Symptoms include poor balance, poor eyesight, poor sleep pattern, gait freezing, etc..
I was extremely sceptical about the theories behind Rhythmic Movement. However I have now been trying the prescribed exercises aimed at the areas of the brain most affected for a couple of months and have improvements in my symptoms.
My sleep pattern [early waking] has improved [without drugs]. My eyesight problems [ataxia of eyelids] have been alleviated. I still have bad days and better ones, but on the whole I feel better.”
29 year old man with Anxiety & Dyslexia
44 year old lady with suspected PTSD / SPD
29 year old man with Anxiety & Dyslexia
The RMTI sessions Kate is running for me are making a big difference for me and she has helped me reduce my anxiety.
So while working full time she has helped me fight off my anxiety to do a course part time. As I have had the fear of failing. I am also very tense - shoulders always up always have that on edge feeling in new situations especially. So the movements I have been assigned to do have helped me feel slightly more relaxed and safer. Also I like the concept Kate allowed me to choose phrases to repeat to myself for self belief which gives me positivity to push myself.
