Movement Foundation Workshops
For parents, carers and health professionals
Functional integration through movement is essential for developing a strong sense of self - knowing who we are and where we are in relation to the world around us.
By working with the child’s innate ability to move, and subltly engage the proprioceptive, vestibular, and kinaesthetic systems, we strengthen the foundations of everyday functioning. Movement and the implicit sensory systems underpin balance, coordination, body awareness, spatial orientation, and purposeful movement, all of which contribute to increasing embodied confidence.
When the whole self functions in harmony, individuals are better equipped to engage, learn, communicate, and navigate daily life with more agency.
In the workshop you will learn the fundamental foundations of movement in your child’s development.
Fundamentals Foundations:
Touch as communication
Using respectful, intentional, and clear touch as a means of communication to support learning and development. This approach is particularly valuable for children and young people whose primary way of understanding and expressing themselves is through non-verbal communication and body language.
Finding the ground and bringing the ground to the child
Supporting children to feel physically secure and well organised begins with ensuring they are comfortably and appropriately supported—both in their own bodies and through the equipment they use, such as wheelchairs, standing frames, seating systems, and sensory resources. A stable foundation enables more effective movement, learning, and participation.
Weight shift, pressing, and lifting as precursors to movement
Understanding the biomechanics and physics of functional movement is fundamental to supporting motor development. Weight shifting, pressing, and lifting are essential movement patterns that underpin developmental progression and help children move through key developmental stages.
The senses as the stimulus for movement and orientation
Movement is driven by sensory information received through the body. the nervous systems work together to develop body awareness and support spatial orientation
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Workshops are in person in London or online and can be tailored to your profession; physiotherapy, school, medical or health and wellbeing.
Workshops are between 2 hours - 2 days .
Contact me to start a conversation. Pricing varies depending on group size, organisation type and delivery format.
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I co-ran Movement My First Language, an international project for adults who live or work with disabled children and teenagers. The project was for adults to build confidence in using movement as a means of empowering children's learning.
Advance trainings included: working with babies and children, unfolding anatomy from conception to death & bodily responses to trauma.
I have been interviewed about my Feldenkrais practice, been a lead speaker and facilitator for Feldenkrais Summits on disability and children and teenagers.
I work in a London special needs secondary school as a Feldenkrais Practitioner
“Lou is a warm and friendly workshop leader who effortlessly creates an experiential learning environment where participants are encouraged to create, explore, and share their ideas and discover new possibilities. In response to any questions that arise, Lou is masterful at setting up quick and simple activities with immediacy and spontaneity".
Ingrid. Movement Therapist and Occupational Therapist
For Feldenkrais Practitioners
Building on what you already know about movement and developing the self image through touch, the workshops will be an opportunity to develop your curiosity, thinking and sensing to work with children and teenagers.
Using the Fundamental Foundations listed above you will be able to ask questions, explore your interests and be curious about movement development
Workshops have previously explored:
How to work with parents, carers and adults who live and work with the child or young person you work with
Translate what you know from working on the table to working as you move around the space following the child.
How to pace sessions while working with a particular request
Explore themes such as; “what is good posture?” and “how do walking and locomotion develop?”
Using bubbles and games to develop breathing
