For two weeks in the summer of 2019, 10 year old Kate’s sessions were filled with a creative challenge—to move in class continuously with her own initiation. We set up the room and filled it with props that were suggestive of different kinds of movement. Then we let her go to work. We simply let her go to any prop she wanted to go to and to move freely on it in her own way. As teachers, our own role was simply to gently encourage Kate and step in whenever she needed any help or support.

Kate’s progression was steady and clear. At first her movements were stereotyped with movement patterns she had already learned. Slowly, however, she started to make her own variations to the movements and take greater risks. We encouraged these choices and helped her develop them within the various prop stations.

Creativity is can uncover hidden strengths in a child. In Kate’s case, her whole way of moving began to come from a different place, a place of joy instead of therapy. She learned to become more courageous and gained strength and endurance as she grew more confident of her movement choices. Many important milestones were met beyond the physical dimension of her sessions. Her mother, Kathy, said that after the sessions, she was able to join in dance classes she had previously not been able to participate in; she was able to hike in nature for extended periods of time; and finally, that she was able to start to interactively talk with purpose and intention. This last milestone was significant because Kathy was told by her speech therapist that Kate could not be taught to say words. The doors opened by creativity are always very broad and universal—anything can happen when a child learns how to make free choices on their own.

Adapted Spiral Praxis is a natural somatic therapy that has helped over a thousand children with special needs and disabilities to reach their motor potential. For more information please visit our website at www.adaptedspiralpraxis.com.

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MUSIC CREDITS
Drops of Dew by Sounds Like Sander
Once I was Lost by Four Trees
Look! Over There! by Hale