Education has been my lifelong career. It all began in South Africa working for the Education Department of Kwa Zulu Natal, predominantly in Early Childhood but also in Primary schools where I practiced both as a teacher and a school principal. During my ten years learning, living and working in Early Childhood Education in Botswana, I developed a curiosity and interest in neuro-development and the different ways children learn and started with a course in Mind Dynamix Profiling under Dr Melodie de Jager.

I obtained an ACTDEC Degree in TESOL (UK) and after immigrating to New Zealand in 2006 with my husband, completed Levels 1-4 of Te Reo Maori through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

My teaching career in New Zealand has been as a classroom teacher in various schools and a support teacher in mainstream education and in a Special Needs unit.

I continued my learning journey by completing:

• the HANDLE (Holistic Approach to Neuro Development & Learning Efficiency) Screener course in Australia,
• a Postgraduate Degree in Special Ed with an endorsement in ASD (Massey & Canterbury Uni)
• and Levels 1 and 2 of RMTi (Rhythmic Movement Training) which focuses on the early, primitive reflexes of infants. The purpose of the specific movements is to bring integration and balance to children and adults with learning, behavioural, sensory, physical, emotional and social challenges.
• Academic Publication:

Bevan-Brown, J & Dharan V. (Editors) (2016) – Autism Spectrum Disorder in Aotearoa New Zealand: Promising practices and interesting issues. Chapter 13 Sensory therapies & interventions for individuals with ASD. Swanepoel, J.V.

Why I work with Tomatis®

Tomatis® training seemed to me to be a perfectly natural complement to all that I had done before. After reading ‘The Conscious Ear’ by Alfred Tomatis, everything just made perfect sense as to why Tomatis® is so effective. Suddenly all the dots of years of study connected!

Results

The research and logic behind Tomatis® is clearly evidenced in the amazing success I have seen achieved by clients of all ages that have participated in the program in Taranaki. Not only individuals but also groups of students in schools have been helped socially, emotionally and academically. Principals of schools in Taranaki return each year for more group sessions of Tomatis® for students who are not eligible for funding support, yet need extra help to succeed. There is no evidence more powerful than that of parents and teachers who have seen positive changes in their children and students.

Get in touch