Zimmermann works with mind and body | – Left Hand Valley Courier

Diane Zimmermanns journey to opening her own Anat Baniel Method NeuroMovement (ABM) practice, Pathways NeuroFitness LLC, was equal parts serendipitous, self-driven, and destinty. Zimmermann, who has been a Niwot resident for around 20 years, began taking initial steps towards her journey almost two decades ago, when her children entered Niwot Elementary. Zimermann began working with children by volunteering at the school and she eventually became a para.

During this time, she transitioned into a behavior coach and had specific children under her care, specifically one with cerebral palsy. Zimmermann would perform his care throughout the day, which entailed suctioning, tube feeding, and attending to his hygiene. That wasnt my first introduction to kids with special needs but it was an introduction in a pretty big way, Diane explained.

After that meaningful work, Zimmerman worked as an office manager for a naturopathic doctor, who at the time, was based in Niwot. She found herself working alongside a practitioner of a growing form of healing through movement, called the Anat Baniel Method NeuroMovement. The head practitioner offered to send Zimmerman to a one-day workshop hosted by Baniel and immediately after, she decided to become a practitioner.

She began classes in January 2017 and recently graduated from an 18-month program, earning her certification as an Anat Baniel Method NeuroMvement practitioner. Since then, Zimmermann has started to grow her practice and spread the world about this form of movement lesson from her home studio.

The physicality of a lesson is not unlike massage or physical therapy, except this practice specifically focuses on affecting the mind, through the body. AMB relies on subtle movement, made with intention and direction, throughout the entire body, to create more neurological pathways in the brain. This work has helped those with Alzeheminers and Dementia as well as children with special needs. AMB can also heal sports injuries while fostering the ideal movement, which is key to having a higher quality of life by eliminating stress and reducing pain.

Zimmermann elaborated on the intention behind these lessons, This practice focuses on using movement to inform your brain and help create new neural connections. It used to be thought that we were born with only a certain set of neurological connections. Over time, theres been a lot of research done in the neurological world, and they are finding that people can form new connections throughout their lives. You can change things, you can improve situations if you can create new connections.

There are nine key factors Zimmerman adopted from the ABM, which include some interesting, unexpected notes. Enthusiasm and variation are two that immediately jump out. Zimmermann explained that with these types of lessons, small changes are actually big victories. Celebrate everything, she says. Parents that have children with special needs have gone to every possibility modality that they can. When theres a change, a child that couldnt roll over, that may be three years old and has CP is finally able to roll over because of the work thats done, thats remarkable. Special needs children often achieve a physical change after a session, but this could look as subtle as rolling over. However, for a disabled child, this is a huge leap and deserves to be celebrated and cherished.

Zimmermann also works with the elderly, athletes, musicians, and more. This author had the chance to receive a Functional Synthesis Lesson with Zimmermann. It was a one-on-one session in her welcoming home studio. Her warm energy saturated the room and made me feel instantly comfortable, even though I had no idea what to expect. We discussed my current mental and physical states. I had some lower back stiffness from grouting tile all morning and expressed this, to which Zimmermann replied, No problem, well focus on that and get it taken care of.

Clients easily relax in the comfortable studio, filtered with moderate natural lighting and scented with lavender essential oils. Zimmermann begins to subtly push and pull on various areas of the body, holding slight tilts of the shoulder or gingerly pulling on bent elbows. Its not like any bodywork that Ive ever had done. Within the first few minutes, I was releasing deep breaths, with ease. Its as if the movements prompted my lungs to expand and contract as much as possible, without my noticing.

After the hour-long session, and one instance of drifting off to sleep, Zimmermann was encouraging me upwards through a cradled embrace that helped me move from the prone to seated in a gentle, easy movement that didnt strain any part of my body. I felt taller immediately, body supported by bones instead of muscles and joints.

In addition to these one-on-one sessions, Zimmermann offers a verbally-guided, 35-45 minute group class that takes participants through the intentional movements. She is also earning an additional certification called The Childrens Mastery Program, that is teaching her how to better work with special needs children, which she will graduate from in November. She is also hosting an open house on Sept. 27, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. Visit her website for more details, https://pathwaysneurofitness.com.

Go here to read the rest:
Zimmermann works with mind and body | - Left Hand Valley Courier