Entries by Elizabeth Hickman

The Value of Hands-On Learning

In Thrive Therapy’s workshops, we compliment cognitive learning from our reflex integration textbooks with crucial hands-on demonstration. The opportunity to feel movement in your body and to demonstrate an exercise in a partner’s body brings rhythmic movement therapy to life.

When Travel Isn’t Fun

Motion sickness is one of the most unpleasant experiences that a traveler can endure. Physiological symptoms like nausea and dizziness come from a sensory conflict within our vestibular system during moments of physical, visual or virtual motion, and our reflexes play a major role in creating this foundation for balance and an awareness of our moving surroundings.

Finding Calm in the Storm

In this case study, we see a client whose emotional distress and regulation challenges impact his entire household. With overactive FP and Moro reflexes, he tried unsuccessfully to self-soothe before Thrive led him on a gentle path toward safety and success.

Rooted in the Earth

The meditative, intentional nature of yoga is a wonderful way to bring calm and focus into our often-chaotic lives. In yoga, we explore grounding our feet to the earth and in a sense, we’re employing our reflexes in our hands and feet to create these energetic sensations that enable us to feel present.

No Longer Frozen

The song “Let It Go” plays such an important role in the Disney movie, telling a powerful tale of a princess learning to accept her past and her powers, letting go of her fear and finding empowerment through self-acceptance. Living authentically is a wonderful theme to introduce to children, yet possible only when a sense of security enables that confidence.

Finding His Voice

In this case study, our client and his family struggled for years without answers. Through his work at Thrive, he worked to ingrate his active fear paralysis and immature root/suck reflexes, which had resulted in both delayed speech progression and the need to self-soothe through chewing and mouthing behavior.

Forming Connections

As a baby develops, movement evolves from primitive reflexes to more advanced motor skills, sending signals that strengthen the neural network, creating connections that increase awareness and control over time.

Spotlight on Babkin Reflex

The Babkin Reflex is the opening of the mouth that occurs with a stimulus in the hand. It works in concert with our grasping reflexes and builds upon defensive reflexes that together help us feel safe and secure. Together, these reflexes help to support the foundation for healthy attachment and social behavior.