MONI LEBON
NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL THERAPIST
What is neuro-developmental therapy?
NDT aims to recapitulate;
to repeat the stages of evolutionary development during the earliest phases of life. Giving the body a second chance to further develop the nervous system.
By working through the retained primitive reflexes we can remove these blockages that can significantly hinder our ability to access our potential.
Why Neuro developmental therapy?
It can help with
Physical symptoms
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​​Bed wetting beyond age 6 (nocturnal enuresis)
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Clumsiness
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Dyspraxia
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Motion sickness
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Photosensitivity
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Poor posture
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Poor spatial awareness
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Tics
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Walking on toes
Emotional difficulties
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Hypersensitivity
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Mood swings
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Poor impulse control
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Anger and aggression issues
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Withdrawn, timid behaviour
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Low self-esteem
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Difficulty relating to their peers/making friends
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Angel at school, demon at home
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Attachment and separation issues
Learning difficulties
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Coordination difficulties
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Dyslexia
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ADHD and ADD
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Poor concentration
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Poor organisational skill
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Poor handwriting
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Poor short-term memory
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Sequencing difficulties
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Dyscalculia
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Difficulty conceptualising
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Slowness at copying tasks
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Translating thoughts into words on paper
Other flagging signs
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Poor motor coordination and balance
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Poor motor sequencing
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Poor fine motor skills/manual dexterity
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Poor hand-eye coordination
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Mouth is moving when hands are engaged (i.e. when practising an instrument or cutting with scissors)
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Slumping the head close to the table when writing
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Messy eating
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Sitting in a 'W' position on the floor
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Swim better when underwater
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Mixed laterality or still unestablished laterality by age 6/7
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Dysrhythmia/poor timing and rhythm of movement
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Easily distracted
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Physical timidity, dislike games and sports
Related conditions
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Agoraphobia
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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
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​Anorexia
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Asthma and eczema
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Hayfever
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Prone to allergies
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Poor immunity (constant ENT problem)
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Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)
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Vertigo
Stresses
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Anxiety
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Chronic stress
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Elective mutism
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Free-floating anxiety (for no obvious reason)
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Poor adaptability - very rigid with routines and dislike surprises
A drug-free neural stimulation programme to get back on track
You may wonder how a single therapy can treat such a wide range of symptoms. The answer lies in the fact that some people's central nervous systems have not fully matured. When the foundation is weak, various symptoms may emerge as further stress is placed on the system. We can identify this immaturity by testing for the presence of primitive reflexes, which develop as early as 9 weeks in utero. These reflexes serve as rudimentary tools for learning to inhabit our bodies, utilizing movement to develop the nervous system. They teach us fundamental lessons but should inhibit and allow adult postural reflexes to come through. If this transition does not occur, the central nervous system—the gateway for fluent communication between the body and brain—will not be mature enough to handle the workload. The previously mentioned symptoms are examples of miscommunication between different body parts.
Neuro-developmental therapy is a non-invasive, drug-free neural stimulation programme that can be carried out at home. It combines tactile skin stimulation with physical exercises designed to inhibit residual primitive reflexes, giving the brain a second chance to develop.
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Through this process, it has been shown that anxiety can be significantly reduced, learning can become easier, and emotions can be better managed. It can also promote age-appropriate behavior, enhance motor control, and improve coordination. The therapy addresses the immaturity of both physical coordination and the psyche, as neuro-developmental delay can affect all three aspects of the self: physical, emotional, and mental.
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Children and adults who undergo this therapy tend to develop greater confidence and a stronger sense of self, enabling them to recognize their inherent potential.
What are Primitive reflexes?
Primitive reflexes are the inborn software that helps to assist in our births and to survive the first months of life. They are automatic, stereotyped movements that protect and provide the basic training for our motor activity. They are vital for human survival as we learn to adapt to the new environment outside of the comfort of the womb in a gravity-based environment.
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The presence of primitive reflexes beyond the normal age range(mostly before 12 months) will also hinder the development of the more sophisticated and important postural reflexes impacting on the further maturation of the central nervous system. The primitive reflexes need to be “put to bed” and retire in the brainstem allowing higher brain functions to take the helm. They should only come back online if there is an insult to the brain in an accident or other forms of brain degenerative diseases.
What are Postural reflexes?
The postural reflexes are a set of more adult and sophisticated reflexes, responsible for handling many gross motor functions. They provide the basis and fluidity for the unconscious, automatic control of balance(vestibular system), posture(muscle tone), and movement(motor function/ coordination). They come into existence in the 1st year of life from about 6 months of age and they need to be fully integrated and fully functioning in order to allow the primitive reflexes to be suppressed. The 2 sets of reflexes have a push and pull effect on each other, influencing each other and coexist at the same time during transitional stages. If the postural reflexes do not have enough strength to competently take over our motor functions in our gravity-based environment, the primitive reflexes will not be able to let go and thus remain active in the system.
Learned motor functions are stored in the cerebellum (lower brain). They should become automatic, allowing the cortex (the executive command centre of the brain) to be free to handle all other more complex tasks.
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What to expect from treatment?
The neuro-stimulation programme aims to reignite the maturation of the central nervous system. As the system becomes better integrated, we should begin to see improvements in all areas requiring attention, balance, and coordination.
Reading and writing skills will likely see changes as well, as they are also affected by many of the primitive reflexes, with vision itself being a motor skill.
Controlling behaviors and shyness both stem from fear, which forms the basis of insecurity. This may due to a lack of firm relationship with gravity. The emotional body is closely connected to the maturity of the central nervous system, and as the therapy progresses, we should begin to observe a growing sense of self-awareness and self-esteem, leading to improvements in social and emotional behaviors.
Here are some practical signs of transformation that may be noticed from undergoing a programme:
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Reduced impulsivity and better emotional regulation
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Improved focus and attention
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More able to stay on task
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A better understanding of reasoning/more empathy
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Increased self-confidence
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Integrate better socially
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Ability to relate to peers/ make friends
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Better coordination/body awareness for movement exercises, dance/sport, less clumsy ​
About Moni
Following a challenging start with her first child's early schooling experiences, Moni discovered Steiner education. She completed her Steiner teacher training in both lower school and kindergarten and worked in the Steiner early years setting. Her first child's needs led Moni to another transformative learning opportunity with Bob Allen, a leading Neuro-developmental therapist based in Windsor. The whole family underwent the programme before Moni began her training with Bob.
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Moni is a fully qualified and insured neuro-developmental therapist and a Johansen Individual Auditory Stimulation (JIAS) provider. She worked at the Key clinic in central London before rejoining Bob in Windsor. Currently, Moni works from her home in Northwest London, besides Windsor and Kings Langley, Hertfordshire.
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Much like her Steiner teacher and early years training, which provided a deep understanding of various stages of human development, Moni believes that such therapeutic inputs can help remove obstacles on one's life journey.
"Our rightful place as educators is to be removers of hindrances. Each child in every age brings something new into the world from divine regions, and it is our task to remove bodily and psychical obstacles out of his way, to remove hindrances so that his spirit may enter in full freedom into life."
Dr. Rudolf Steiner addressing the Waldorf teachers at the Oxford Course
