Rhythmic Movement Training International

Movement-based, Primitive Reflex Integration Program for all humans

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Welcome to RMTi

Rhythmic Movement Training is a movement based, primitive (infant or neo-natal) reflex integration program that uses developmental movements, gentle isometric pressure and self-awareness to rebuild the foundations necessary to help overcome learning, sensory, emotional and behavioural challenges for children and adults.

RMTi is a nonprofit organization that provides professional training & licensing and offers a worldwide network of instructors & consultants to the community.

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Beyond the Sea Squirt: A Journey with Reflexes

By: Moira Dempsey

Beyond the Sea Squirt is a book that highlights the importance of movement in our ability to be creative, think, solve problems, control impulses and connect to others. This is a book for those interested in RMTi and the stories of some of those who have used the program to make beneficial changes

Movements That Heal

By: Harald Blomberg & Moira Dempsey

Movements that Heal looks at the reasons behind why the Rhythmic Movement Training and Primitive Reflex Integration program works. It discusses the developmental and environmental reasons behind many learning, sensory, emotional and behavioural challenges.

Stories & Insights

How to Successfully Implement RMTI in Schools: A Practical Case Study Across 9 Schools
How to Successfully Implement RMTI in Schools: From Pilot to Full Integration Implementing Rhythmic Movement Training International (RMTI) in schools can feel overwhelming. Where do you start? How do you gain leadership buy-in? How do you prove impact? In our fifth webinar in the “Applying RMTI in School Settings” series, we explored a real-world case study that answers those exact questions. From Personal Story to System-Wide Change RMTI Consultant Isla O’Donnell oversees safeguarding and pastoral care across nine schools within…
Retained Primitive Reflexes in Children: What They Are, What They Look Like, and What You Can Do
Your child’s teacher says he can’t sit still. His handwriting is a struggle. He melts down over things that seem small. You’ve tried behavior charts, dietary changes, more sleep. Nothing quite sticks. Before assuming it’s a discipline problem — or moving directly to a diagnostic label — it may be worth understanding a concept from developmental neurology that many parents haven’t encountered: retained primitive reflexes. Research in this area is still evolving, and clinicians differ on how to interpret and…
Moving Beyond Meltdowns: How RMTi Supports Sensory Processing
For children and adults who struggle with focus, coordination, and overwhelming emotions, the world can feel like a constantly shifting, unstable place. These struggles often stem from difficulties with sensory processing and self-regulation. This instability, which often leads to emotional outbursts and learning difficulties, can be healed by addressing the core foundation of the nervous system through Rhythmic Movement Training (RMTI). Part 1: The Foundation of Function—Understanding the Eight Senses Sensory processing is the body and brain’s ability to organize…

What People Are Saying…

I started applying RMTi with Jyun Jie in September 2014. He was a hyperactive child, who had difficulties focusing and getting to sleep. It was a challenge getting him to lie down for me to do all the passive movements. Therefore I started doing 5 minutes of movements with him every day. And by December he became much more cooperative and started to allow me to do most of the movements for at least 10 minutes. Today he enjoys the passive movements and I have even successfully introduced some active movements recently.

He is now a much calmer boy, and sleeps easier as compared to when he first started. And hence he has started to be more tolerant to taking instructions and have started adapting to school environment.

Adeline Chai, RMTi Provider, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

Adeline Chai

02/12/2023 | Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

Moira, Thank you for the rhythmic movement course I attended. I gained much on many levels. It definitely highlighted for me the strong possibility I may be very much stuck in the Fear Paralysis. I feel so stuck in many areas of my life and have been unable to ‘break’ through. The movements have given me another avenue of hope.

Cat Ryon

04/12/2023

I work in a special school in Milton Keynes, which caters for pupils from infants through to 25 with ASD and other learning difficulties. At present the programme is based within my class, however from September I will be using the programme around the school on a 1:1 and small group basis due to the benefits and progress we have seen with the pupils in my class.

Firstly, let me describe those I have been using it with, my class is a very boisterous, argumentative, hormonal, non- attentive but enthusiastic class of 11 -14 year old boys with ASD and other learning difficulties. We are classroom based most of the day with limited access to the PE Hall and spaces where we can carry out physical activities. Also due to staffing issues at present I have been unable to deliver the RMT programme on a wholly 1:1 basis. However, with all these restraints in place I have had very positive results with the pupils and they have embraced lots of the movements. So to explain, I use the movements as part of the PE lessons as a warm up and cool down exercise. The pupils join in with these as they see them and experience them as part of the whole lesson and so are not over stimulated by them. It is also fun for them to join in with their peers. Also to incorporate them on a more regular basis I apply the moves to a sensory circuit set up in class to make sure that some extra movements are integrated into their day.

The results of using these movements has been evident in class. Transitioning from PE to lunch was always a very noisy, unsettled period. When the RMT movements are used as part of the cool down programme the pupils are able to move from one lesson to the next in a far more calm manner. When the movements are used in class the pupils are able to sit afterwards, they remain more calm and settled after the movements all of which contributes to them being able to focus on their tasks and work to a far greater degree.

As the movements are enjoyed by the pupils they really like to use them and take ownership of them. One child in particular finds comfort in using the windscreen wipers movement when he his experiencing particularly high levels of anxiety. This works an amazing tool to focus and expend his physical energy while calming his emotional anxieties. This is just a very brief overview of some of the work with RMT and the benefits. I am constantly developing how I incorporate this programme and adapt it to suit those I work with.

Lydia Moran

United Kingdom