A NeuroMovement® Story of Hypoxia, Breakthroughs and Hope
How NeuroMovement® Transformed Aubrey's Potential:
A Story of the impact of lessons from Phoebe MacRae, Anat Baniel Method® NeuroMovement® Practitioner on a 6- year old child with Hypoxia from a Birth Injury
From Hopelessness to Progress
"Doctors were not giving us hope.
They said she would never make progress and would not live independently ever.
This has given us hope that she will be able to do more than the limits they set for her."
— Aubrey's Mother
When doctors told Aubrey's parents that because of the Hypoxia she suffered at birth she would never make progress, they felt lost.
Through the power of NeuroMovement®, they found their daughter’s world opening up in ways they never thought possible.
Meet Aubrey: A Child Trapped in Patterns
Aubrey (not her real name) is a young girl who suffered an hypoxic event (lack of oxygen) at birth. This led to a brain injury which impacted her gross and fine motor capacities and her ability to connect with the world.
When I first met her she was vibrant six-year-old, but she was functioning at the level of a 23-month-old.
The hypoxic event injured her brain and as a result She displayed extreme echolalia (robotically repeating scripts), lacked functional speech, and did not engage TYPICALLY with toys or show joy in life.
She had received years of traditional early intervention therapies (physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech language therapy) but experienced no big changes to her developmental milestones, skills or behaviors.
Aubrey had 7 Anat Baniel Method® NeuroMovement® lessons within 4 days with me (Phoebe).
The First NeuroMovement® Lesson: Confronting the Challenges of a brain injury
With a brain injury caused by a lack of oxygen at birth (hypoxia) you never know what levels or types of disability your child will have.
During our first session, I gently began working with Aubrey on my NeuroMovement® lesson table.
Within seconds, she let out an ear-piercing scream.
Her mother explained that she had screamed throughout three years of speech therapy.
Despite my gentle approach, the screaming persisted.
Was it distress? Excitement? A learned response to therapy?
I realized that in order to reach her brain to help to make new connections I needed a radically different approach.
A New Approach: Disrupting the Pattern
To disrupt the screaming and change the approach I hastily put away the lesson table and engaged with Aubrey in the open room.
She ran back and forth aimlessly, caught in an endless loop of repetitive words and screams.
I knew that these lessons needed to be unlike any therapy or intervention she had ever had.
Using the Essentials of NeuroMovement®, I helped her brain notice what she was doing—to recognize and regulate her movement, her voice, and her attention.
She was starting to perceive differences and I was providing the conditions for her brain to get more organized and intelligent.
Over the course of the 7 lessons, her brain began to make neural connections and organize itself in new and meaningful ways.
The job of the brain is to notice differences and to make connections
How did I help her brain to notice what she was doing? —to recognize and regulate her movement, her voice and her attention?
I used all of my tools as an Anat Baniel Method® NeuroMovement® Practitioner to start the process of building connections.
Where I started was not where we ended up together.
The Magic of NeuroMovement® and Music - a secret sauce 🎵
In addition to the 9 Essentials of NeuroMovement® I began layering in elements of music (my other specialty!) to help her brain to do its job of “noticing” even more powerful.
As the mature nervous system in our relationship I chose to match what she was doing. By matching her she was able to recognize herself and her physical movement.
Her brain started to light up as I transformed the nature and complexity of her movements and activities by suggested variations, sounds, movements, tempo, rhythms, volume, pitch.
Notice that? tempo, rhythm, volume, pitch?
These “musical” elements highlight physical and emotional movement.
They create a sense of play and connection.
This is what brains need to make new neural paths!!
The Breakthrough: Her First Functional Sentence
After a lot of gross motor work together I found ways to access Aubrey’s nervous system through gentle, respectful touch.
At first, Aubrey resisted my touch, pushing my hands away.
I was gentle but also persistent. I kept returning to help her brain make new connections.
Though her mother mentioned that she never played with toys in any typical way she gradually became interested in dolls, playing with them in a new and meaningful ways.
Then, she spoke to the dolls—her first cognitively functional sentence.
Her mother was in awe:
"I just can’t believe how much one week of this new therapy has helped Aubrey.
It’s like there was no light on in her little body or brain, and now she is awake and doing things she would never do."
A World Opening Up: Laughter, Play, and Connection
After our lessons on our third day together her mother took her to the park. At the park, she played joyfully with other children.
When a bug flew into her mouth, she exclaimed:
"Mom! A bug just went in my mouth, and I ate him!"
Not only was this a multi-part functional sentence, but she processed the experience with ease—something unimaginable before NeuroMovement® lessons with Phoebe.
By our final lesson, the screaming had stopped.
Instead, Aubrey welcomed my touch and lay in my lap, fully present in her new experience of self.
A Future of Possibilities
Aubrey’s transformation continued at home:
She communicated clearly with her parents: "I’m going downstairs now."
She made connections between similar objects in different environments.
She began spelling and writing advanced words like "cooperate" and "courage."
Six weeks later, at the park, Aubrey recognized me and ran up to give me a hug.
Her mother, astonished, said:
"She has never done that before."
Unlocking Potential Through NeuroMovement®
Aubrey's story is a powerful testament to the brain's ability to change and grow when given the right conditions.
If you're a parent looking for new hope and real transformation for your child, NeuroMovement® can provide the breakthrough you’ve been searching for.
Take the First Step Today
Are you ready to see what’s possible for your child?
Book a free NeuroMovement® discovery call with Phoebe to answer your questions and learn about the incredible power of brain to unlock new possibilities.
May we all experience transformation through the remarkable ability of our brains to change!
originally published on this blog as “This has given us hope”.
Anat Baniel Method® NeuroMovement® is an Innovative, brain based, intervention to help your child to live their life to the fullest!
Are you looking for in-person (Portland, OR area) or virtual help for you or Your child?
I’m Phoebe MacRae and I’m an Anat Baniel Method® NeuroMovement® Practitioner in Portland Oregon.
I use gentle, respectful, somatic movement to help Children with Disabilities or Developmental Delays to naturally develop new brain connections.
If your child likes it, you’ll find me using my other specialty- MUSIC 🎵- in kids’ sessions. Music has a powerful impact on all parts of the brain and it can facilitate miracles!
Do you have further questions?
Please reach out to talk with me!