Dear Hannah ,
Paul and Gail Dennison were inspired by and drew on many developmental and movement programs in developing the Brain Gym® work. Their main inspiration and area of work was the early childhood neuro-motor development/sensori-integration field from people like Kephart from Perdue and Jean Ayers. I believe the Dennisons acknowledged Doman and Delecato in their bibliography because of their use of cross lateral movement. However the Brain Gym® program has no connection whatsoever to the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential or Doman-Delacato type patterning and the model of brain development and function it is based on, which to my knowledge included suppressing right hemisphere function in favor of the left. The Brain Gym program follows more current models of brain function and development including that of Sperry and Ornstein which suggests that movement on the left side of the body is initiated in the right hemisphere of the brain and vice versa. The Brain Gym® activities are meant to improve whole brain integration and activity. The Brain Gym® exercises are self-actuated exercises. No dire outcomes if children do not participate in the Brain Gym program are suggested.
Best Wishes,
Dave Saunders
