History of Movement Therapy
Movement Therapy is an innovative approach towards the treatment of Autism. It was designed by Vivien Symington (BA/BPHE Queen's University) who, through her work with a number of non-verbal, low functioning autistic children, recognized a connection between motor skill development and readiness for acquisition of other skills. She uses elements of Sensory Integration, Occupational therapy, ABA and DIR in a gym setting and draws inspiration from work on learning styles (Kolb learning styles), Brain Highways, Brain Gym and the work of Glenn and Janet Doman (Institute for the Achievement of Human Potential) to work on balance, bilateral integration, strength, motor development and planning, and self esteem.
How We Got Started
In 2002 I was approached by a mother who had a child living with Autism. She had heard that private lessons in gymnastics might help her child. I had never heard of autism and was unsure of what to expect; therefore, I decided that it would be best if I did the private lessons myself. This was the beginning of a new direction in my career. The child had to attend his lesson when the gym was empty, which was lunch hour. He was overwhelmed, frightened, unable to cooperate and resistant to new experiences. He often had angry outbursts and became over-stimulated by the end of his class when others began arriving for their lessons. My first challenge was to create a safe environment and to relax the child so that he felt able to tolerate this environment and could develop a sense of trust in me. This was accomplished over time with consistent strategies and patience. My next challenge was to expand his comfort level while others were present at the facility. We gradually expanded his comfort to include other children arriving for classes as well as, staff members. As his trust grew, we were able to expand his sensory threshold and repertoire of physical capabilities and experiences, greatly enhancing his enjoyment of the everyday world we take for granted. I suggested to his mother that we integrate my work with that of his other specialists. This proved to be very beneficial, enabling him to make new neurological connections and to increase his cognitive and verbal abilities which increased his ability to participate in the world. I drew upon my knowledge and belief that there is a huge connection between gross motor development and the acquisition of learning and fine motor skills.
- Vivien Symington B.A./B.P.H.E., Founder of Movement Therapy February 28, 2008
Where We Are Today
As of May 2012 we have over 100 children registered in the program, 8 therapists, 2 researchers, and many practicum students from Simon Fraser University.
The research team includes: Vivien Symington, Dr. Rob Wishart - Clinical Assistant Professor, UBC, Cynthia Hamilton, PhD, VCHRI, Assistant Research Director, Coastal HSDA, and Helen Wang, BsC, SFU