Autism Movement Therapy (R) Method: Waking up the Brain!

A practical guide to the innovative Autism Movement Therapy ® (AMT) approach - structured movement and music classes designed to stimulate the brain, aid sensory processing and decrease problem behaviours in children with autism spectrum disorders. Reflecting a growing interest in the body-brain connection, and incorporating the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis, the AMT approach uses music and movement to develop audio, visual, gross motor and spatial awareness skills in children with autism. The book breaks down the components of the typical 45 minute session, from circle games to story dances, and explains how the reader can create their own AMT program. This exciting new approach will complement other therapeutic techniques for children on the autism spectrum and can be used by a wide range of professionals, such as teachers, arts therapists and dance instructors, as well as parents and carers.

Table of Contents:
Part I. Understanding Autism Movement Therapy. 1. The Benefits of a Movement and Music Program. 2. What Does an Autism Movement Therapy® Session Look Like?. 3. Music and Movement in Every Language. Part II. Behavior and The Value of Teaching Social Skills. 5. Behavior Behavior Behavior. 6. Social - Ability: You Dance and "Social" I. Index.

About the Author :
Joanne Lara, MA was a professional dancer before becoming a classroom education specialist and university professor. She was the founder of the nonprofit organization Autism Movement Therapy®, based in Los Angeles, California, which certifies, trains, and licenses dancers, educators, parents, and professional service providers in AMT. Joanne was a Core Adjunct Professor at National University in LA, California and taught weekly Autism Movement Therapy classes in Van Nuys, CA, where she had a private ABA behavioral consultation practice. She produced the documentary Generation A: Portraits of Autism and the ARTS, was the executive producer of the LA musical event Temple Grandin & Friends: Autism Works Now and was a columnist for Autism Asperger's Digest and Sensory World.

Review :
Programs like Joanne's Autism Movement Therapy offer opportunities for our kids to develop the necessary and fundamental skills that benefit all our kids. Art saved my life! In addition to being a "must read", Autism Movement Therapy (R) as described in this book is a "must experience" for anyone wishing to learn how to empower individuals on the autism spectrum to first be more comfortable within their bodies, and second, achieve greater success interacting with the surrounding environment. The beauty of this book is that Joanne breaks down AMT ® for all those interested in not only delivering a music and movement program but one specifically designed for individuals on the autism spectrum, including pedagogy and Best Practices ideology. The arts empower people with autism to connect. Joanne's "whole brain" approach, and the stories of the children and adolescents Joanne works with are inspiring and accessible, with the guidance of her book. Joanne's book captures it all: how AMT works, the impact of art and art expression, and the relationship of music and movement with the brain and its pathways. Joanne's unique way of intertwining her real life experience with children and their progress through AMT provides the reader with a true understanding of how AMT can impact every facet of a person's life by 'waking up the brain'. Joanne Lara has taken the art of dance and movement and turned it into a therapy that all children with autism can benefit from. Joanne's book is fun and inspiring; she instilled a love of dance in my son that is beautiful to watch. Autism Movement Therapy ® Method: Waking up the Brain! is a groundbreaking work and a joyously life-affirming book. Here, the dance studio is both a classroom as well as a warm, safe, and fun community, fostering the development of the participants' awareness from the inside out. Unlocking the unknown potential of those on the autism spectrum through dance and music, it offers new hope and real answers for those often pre-judged as incapable of change and a clarion call for the absolute necessity of arts education in child development. Since I first participated in Joanne Lara's Autism Movement Therapy, it has really helped me to connect the right side of my brain to the left. It helps people with autism to learn how to focus more through movement. The authors include a number of diagrams and photographs and then provide an outline of a typical session, including information about music, linked to other skills being taught...this is an interesting introduction to this approach and it is written in a practical style.