LEARN &
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What is the Anat Baniel Method NeuroMovement?
The Anat Baniel Method® NeuroMovement® (ABMNM) is a learning-based approach that invites the brain to reorganize, refine and expand its possibilities through movement, attention and curiosity. Rather than focusing on exercises, drills, or “correcting” what is wrong, it creates the conditions for the brain to discover easier, more efficient, and more comfortable ways of moving, sensing and being. For people of all ages, from children to seniors, the work opens up new options—movement becomes not just an action, but a rich conversation between the body and the brain.
What is the relationship to the Feldenkrais Method®? Are they the same?
The Feldenkrais Method® (FM) laid the philosophical and practical foundation for ABMNM: Dr Moshe Feldenkrais pioneered the idea that awareness in movement invites learning and change. ABMNM grew out of that lineage—Anat Baniel studied closely with Feldenkrais and developed the method further with specific tools, language and a broad emphasis on neuro-plastic learning. While the two methods share core ideas—movement, awareness, learning rather than correcting—they are not identical. ABMNM is distinguished by its explicit focus on brain plasticity, its work with children with special needs, its structured training for practitioners, and its articulation of the “Nine Essentials” (which you’ll find on their own page).
Is there research supporting the method?
Yes—ABMNM is increasingly grounded in research that explores how gentle, varied movement plus attention helps the brain reorganize and form new neural connections. For example, a peer-reviewed article by Anat Baniel and Eilat Almagor in Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience explores this in the context of autism, offering evidence that a “from fixing to connecting” approach shows meaningful outcomes. Research on the Feldenkrais lineage also supports the basic premise: movement with attention invites change in sensation, coordination, function and self-image. While the field is not as large as conventional therapies, the alignment of ABMNM with neuro-plastic principles gives it a strong and growing foundation. (I will soon post a “Research & Resources” link here)
Does this method use neuroplasticity? What does it mean?
Neuroplasticity is central to ABMNM. In simple terms, neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to form new connections, reorganize its internal maps and learn throughout life. In the context of ABMNM, the equation is movement + attention: when you move slowly and vary your movement while attending to how you’re sensing or organizing, the brain receives richer input and is invited to update how it acts. As you notice small differences in movement or sensation, your nervous system begins to reorganize itself and open up new possibilities. The phrase “movement is the language of the brain” captures this: every shift and variation sends messages to the brain. In practice, this means you are not waiting for a “problem fixed”; you are inviting the brain to learn, discover and self-generate change.
Key Aspects of the Approach
This summary of key aspects of the approach to learning and improving function with the Anat Baniel Method® and Feldenkrais Method® is based on a recently published article by Anat Baniel and Eilat Almagor and others in the magazine Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience: “From fixing to connecting—developing mutual empathy guided through movement as a novel path for the discovery of better outcomes in autism”. Read the full article here.
Educational, Not Prescriptive
Both Feldenkrais Method® (FM)and Anat Baniel Method® NeuroMovement® (ABMNM)are positioned as learning-based modalities rather than exercises, drills, or therapies designed to “fix” deficits.
The practitioner’s role is to create conditions for the person to discover new ways of organizing movement and sensing, rather than instructing them to perform a specific, “correct” way.
Start Where the Person Is
The process always begins by joining the person’s current state—physically, emotionally, and neurologically.
This means noticing how they move, sense, and respond right now, and working with that, instead of trying to impose an external standard or push them toward a specific skill.
Gentle, Varied Movement Interactions
Movements are slow, gentle, and varied, often involving small differences in direction, timing, or coordination.
The variation stimulates the nervous system’s capacity for neuroplastic change—the person feels differences and begins to self-organize in new ways.
There’s no repetition-for-drilling; instead, each variation is fresh and exploratory.
Movement + Attention = Learning
Attention is a key ingredient: when a person pays attention to how they are moving or sensing, the brain creates richer maps of the body and movement possibilities.
Movements are done slowly enough for the nervous system to detect differences—allowing for refinement of movement and perception.
Dyadic, Empathic Connection
Learning is not done to the person; it’s a two-way, in-the-moment exchange between practitioner and learner.
Practitioners listen with their hands, eyes, and whole presence, adjusting based on the learner’s responses.
This creates a sense of mutual trust and safety, essential for curiosity and learning.
Self-Generated Change
The aim is for the learner to initiate and own new patterns—to discover rather than be taught.
Instead of enforcing a “correct” way to move, the practitioner offers opportunities for the person to find options that feel easier, more efficient, or more pleasurable.
Whole-Person Learning
The process is not limited to motor improvement—changes in movement organization affect:
Thinking (clarity, flexibility)
Feeling (emotional regulation, sense of safety)
Interaction (social connection, communication)
By working with the whole person, FM and ABMNM® help develop broader self-image—how the person perceives themselves in space, in action, and in relation to others.
In short:
The learning process in FM and ABMNM® is about creating safe, varied, and attention-rich movement experiences in real-time connection, so the learner’s own brain can reorganize movement and perception. It’s an open-ended, curiosity-driven process where transformation comes from within the learner, not from external correction.
Client Experiences
Who can benefit from ABM NeuroMovement®?
NeuroMovement is for people of all ages — infants, children, teens, adults, and seniors. The brain remains capable of learning and creating new neural connections throughout life. Adults often come for help with pain, injury recovery, neurological conditions, or simply to move with more ease. Seniors use it to improve balance, prevent falls, restore confidence, and stay active. The approach is always adapted to the individual.
Can it help someone even if they’ve been told “nothing more can be done”?
Yes, often it can. When progress plateaus in traditional therapy, it doesn’t always mean the brain can’t change — it may just need a different approach. NeuroMovement focuses on creating new possibilities rather than pushing for correction. Many families and adults come after being told to expect minimal improvement, and they are often surprised by new changes, sometimes very small at first, but meaningful and real.
Is it safe for infants and children with severe diagnoses?
Yes. The movements are extremely gentle and always within the child’s comfort. We do not force or stretch or try to make them do something they can’t. Instead, we help them feel safe, comfortable, and ready to learn. Because the work is so respectful and non-invasive, it is suitable for infants and children with a wide range of neurological and genetic conditions.
Does it work only for people with special needs, or also for healthy individuals and performers?
Both. While much of the public attention is around helping children with special needs, NeuroMovement is also used by athletes, musicians, dancers, and anyone who wants to refine their movement or improve performance. It can help with chronic pain, stress, coordination, posture, and overall well-being. Anyone who has a brain and moves can benefit.
Why families come to us
ABM NeuroMovement can support children with:
Learning disabilities
Cerebral Palsy
Autism, Asperger's syndrome
Undiagnosed developmental delays
Bracchial plexus injury
Torticollis
Scoliosis
Hypertonia and Hypotonia
Spinal muscular atrophy
Down's syndrome, fragile X syndrome
Genetic disorders
Through gentle ABM NeuroMovement lessons, children learn to move more easily, gain functional abilities, and develop new possibilities in their daily lives.
How adults can benefit
Adults can benefit from NeuroMovement if they are seeking to:
Improve quality of life and well-being
Rehabilitation from brain injury or stroke
Reduce chronic pain in the back, neck, shoulders, or hips
Move comfortably despite their scoliosis
Improve balance and coordination
Recover from injury or surgery
Enhance performance as athletes, musicians, or artists
Address symptoms associated with aging
Manage anxiety and PTSD
Address ADD/ADHD
Manage neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease or Multiple Sclerosis
If you would like to explore NeuroMovement intensives in Los Angeles or schedule private sessions in Oak View for yourself or your child, please contact me here.
My Personal Benefits from this Method