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Institute for Integrative Bodywork & Movement Therapy

AN ISMETA Approved Training and Professional Development Programme founded by Linda Hartley

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Home » A Great Introduction

29th June 2022

A Great Introduction

A Great introduction to IBMT. I particularly valued the variety of practices, welcoming and friendly tutors and the relaxed venue and atmosphere.

Nadiya June 2022

by Paul Beaumont

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Knowledge & Clarity

Pacing and Time

What participants say about IBMT:

My Movement Understanding …

I apply it in each dance class (Modern dance/ improvisation/ bodywork/ individual processing…) Its the basic matrix, my movement understanding builds up on.

Immensely Transformative

It feels like the work of IBMT is a really important offering. One that this world needs more of and as such I came away feeling as though I had been a part of something that has the potential to be immensely transformative personally and within my own family and wider community.

Intro Workshop Participant June 2023

How would you describe the event to someone else?

Inspiring and life changing.

Stephanie Smith – Intro Workshop Participant, March 2025

New Understanding …

The training gave me a deep new understanding of movement and body- spirit-soul-communication. The wideness, the openness, its concrete and creative at the same time.

Great Pace with Good Balance

Did the workshop meet your expectations:

brilliant. really well facilitated. great pace with good balance of pair/ group/ individual reflection. felt a really safe space where everyone was welcome. the time flew by.

Gabi – Intro Workshop Participant, June 2025

Feedback from Infant Movement Development Student

On a professional level this module has supported me in my teaching of human movement patterns in yoga classes and embodiment workshops. The training gave me a lens to witness movement expression, what is emergent, where an individual may need resourcing. It gives approaches to process and practices that can be offered to my private therapy clients in co-creative enquiry.

The module offers a powerful map for personal process and professional practice. The somatic approach allows for multiple levels of conscious and unconscious material to be engaged through the body rather than the mind. It delivers theory, practice and experience in the inter and intra personal domains of talk, touch and movement. This investment and exploration invites integration for the practitioner.

Mel Softley 2021 YogaSoftley.com

Immersion and Balance …

I loved meeting others interested in this work from many walks of life. The time for immersion for own process, was nicely balanced with being a learner.

Informative, Interesting and Embodied

The module exceded my expectations. I found it informative, interesting embodied and well run.

Diploma Student June 2022

A Real Joy …

It was a real joy to dip into the work. I find myself quietly stopping across my day and physically and mentally revisiting many moments from the session.

What did you particularly value about the event?

The opportunity to try out the methodology and approach of IBMT, meet the facilitator, meet the fellow participants.

What appeals to me is the experiential and deep approach, and the integration of Body Mind Centring with Authentic Movement and Somatic Psychology.

I appreciated the way the workshop was facilitated, with the focus on choice.

Joanna Jasiewicz, facilitator, www.moverooted.co.uk

Intro Workshop Participant, March 2025

What did you value about the day?

The being together, in not knowing, as a way for real experiential Learning (Emma)

The sense of Safety and holding (Anon)

Intro Workshop – Feb 2025

Depth and Safety

I’m particularly interested in the embodied anatomy having studied anatomy in depth from a scientific perspective. Exploring embodiment of our organ body was probably my favourite part. I love the way this work supports depth and feeling safe. Creative, fun, resourcing, interactive. Great Venue.

Henri Dobson – May 2022

Embodied Anatomy & Movement Repatterning Intro Workshop

Joyful

A joyful coming together of those interested in exploring the insights and potential for healing revealed when coming into the body.

Robin Hutt www.robinhuttyoga.co.uk Yoga teacher – Intro workshop Participant June 2023

A Great Introduction …

Nourishing, engaging, thought provoking and beautifully held.

What I value about the training …

It supports me in the way I live my life and relate to others. I feel it is a part of me, it’s not what I do, its how I am.

The impact of the training

I was always very excited about the IBMT Diploma, but never anticipated quite how much my life/career would develop as a result.

Louisa White www.joyfuljams.co.uk

Nourishing, interesting, inspiring

The content and pace of the day was great. Nourishing, interesting, inspiring

Participant on the Introduction to Infant Movement Development – Feb 2024

Beautifully Presented

I received an amazing experience and I would love to study myself. This is an amazing therapy to help other people. Beautifully presented.

Daiva – Intro Workshop June 2024

Being taught with integrity and compassion …

The invaluable synthesis and insightful application of Body Mind Centering including the experiential anatomy, somatic psychology and Authentic Movement. Being taught with integrity and creative, kind and compassionate knowledge.

Applying my Training …

I currently work in an educational context and so explore appropriate applications of IBMT material in this setting. I also apply the IBMT material within my artistic practice and post graduate research.

Feedback from an Intro Workshop

I really enjoyed the whole process and felt very different by the end. I particularly valued the experiential nature of the event. I think it has affected me in a deep and lasting way.

Sian G – May 2022

Clarity, Authenticity and Acceptance

This practice has supported me both professionally, in my therapeutic work and personally in my daily interactions; I am able to track my experience in relation to another and separate more easily their experience and mine. I believe I am able to act in the world with more clarity, authenticity and acceptance.

Louisa (Authentic Movement & Therapeutic Practice Student) 2021

How would you describe the IBMT event?

An experiential workshop with an opportunity to learning about IBMT and its methods of teaching

Holly. Introduction to Infant Movement Development – Feb 2024

Mark Making

What did you particularly value about the event?

I loved the incorporation of the mark making, I found that very helpful to articulate something that i find very difficult to put into words. Feeling it, then Drawing it, without thinking it first, that really helped!

Thank you. I feel like a lot of “behind the scenes” work is being done somewhere in here after attending that day.

Laura – Intro Workshop Participant Feb 2026

A place to come home

A place to come home to every part of yourself.

Katherine – Workshop Participant July 2022

Practical & Insightful

A practical and insightful introduction. It gave me a flavour of the training. Paul held space sensitively but incredibly powerfully. The number of participants felt just right.

Lauren Bloxham – Intro Workshop Participant June 2023

Transformative

It was transformative. I came without many expectations and it blew me away. Throughout the day I felt safe and held and just kept falling deeper and deeper back into my true self. It was the first day I’d spent alone in more than 4 years of pregnancy and babies and I couldn’t have wished for a better place to return home, or people to journey with. Thank you.

Katherine Rose – Intro Workshop Participant July 2022

Intro Workshop Feedback June 2025

Really lovely space, calm environment. Plenty of space for the group to move and all the facilities we needed.
Great facilitation. Really great overview and covered many things without it feeling rushed or overwhelming. The activities were really engaging. A great balance of talking and workshopping.
Excellent insight into the course with a wide range of material. Engaging. Well held.

Izzy Simpson – Yoga Facilitator

Jan 2026 Intro Workshop Feedback

The day fully met my expectations and in some ways exceeded them.

It was a very positive and supportive experience. I felt safe, respected and encouraged to explore at my own pace.

It is a gentle, accessible introduction to somatic work.

Florentina

A journey into the body

A journey into the body. I particularly valued the kindness and thoughtfulness of the facilitators.

Anon – Intro Workshop Participant – June 2024

Well Structured Study …

Good time to dive in with personal embodiment as a main focus, rather then theoretical information; deep learning about hands-on work and ability to hold the client’s process.

Excellent Holding

Excellent holding, felt like a very safe space

A day of meeting ways of understanding the body, light and deep at once.

Anon – Intro Workshop Participants Mar 2026

The freedom to listen fully to what I needed

What did you value about the workshop: The pace of the day. The variety. The feeling of safety and being held. The freedom to listen fully to what I needed.

Katherine – July 2022

Personal Process alongside Embodied Learning

The diploma has met and surpassed my expectations. The combination of personal process alongside embodied learning and information has worked beautifully for me. I think in combining Body Mind Centering®, Authentic Movement and Somatic Psychology, Linda Hartley has created something unique and wonderful.

Ali Rose June 2022

Pacing and Time

I particularly valued how the material was combined with how skillfully we were held, together with the pacing and time given to things.

Hannah – Diploma Student, June 2022

Creative Expression & Deeper Understanding

How would you describe the event to someone else?

Creative expression and a deeper understanding of how we process and move emotions through the body

Nicole Earley – Conscious Co-creator

Bristo Intro Participant – Sept 2025

Informative & Compassionate

A very informative day and it felt a very held and compassionate space. It felt a good balance of theory & embodiment…The day covered all that I expected for an intro day.

The day offered a chance to be and experience with others the many and varied ways of weaving in more somatic practice to our work and lives. I was delighted to have the time and space to simply be and enjoyed feelings of cross-pollination of practice and possibility among us.

Jess – Participant on the Introduction to Infant Movement Development – Feb 2024

A Balance of Theory and Practice

I wanted to write and let you know how much I enjoyed the day. It was really wonderful to have a balance of theory and applied movement practice.

Bryony Vickers - Birthlight Tutor

http://www.beetrootbabies.co.uk

What did you particularly value about the event?

Sensitive trainer, leading us through the day with openness and kindness

M Gray Yoga Teacher

So much valuable information

I really enjoyed exploring concepts like gravity or cells and body development into a movement practice. There is so much valuable information to explore and to integrate in ourselves. Very grateful to have this experience.

Eddie Merino, Intro Workshop Participant April 2024

Gentle & Well Paced

I particularly valued the content and Paul’s delivery of it, felt gentle and well paced, giving lots of room to begin to integrate each experience. A wonderful way to learn! I deeply valued it as an opportunity to find my own pace away from the pressure of everyday life.

Intro Workshop Participant June 2023

Knowledge & Clarity

A very measured day and really, the way the teacher taught across the day, calm and gentle with knowledge and clarity. Good to have a former student hold the space and be there to help answer questions.

Anon – Intro Workshop Participant, June 2022

Nourishment & Wellbeing

A beautiful venue in wonderful location, really added to the sense of nourishment and wellbeing.

Anon – Intro Workshop Participant, June 2022

Feedback from Infant Movement Module Student

I loved this course – it really supported and deepened my existing knowledge and practice in developmental movement. Through the experiential work I believe significant repatterining of my system occurred and my life (literally) became more full and present which has had huge implications both professionally and personally.

Louisa 2021

Safety & Containment

I valued the sense of safety and containment in the group. I felt the workshop was an excellent holding environment to explore and develop this work.

J Hegarty – Intro Workshop Participant June 2023

Space to Ask Questions

It was a great intro to the Diploma course with lots of space to ask questions as necessary. Also a helpful introduction to somatic movement & space to personally experience this.

Helen Venn – Intro Workshop, Bristol June 2024

Informative & Affordable

Informative, affordable, friendly & warm

Gave me a great idea of what to expect from the Infant movement development course as well as the wider diploma programme.

Emily Katsuno Yoga Therapist www.emilykatsunoyoga.com

Intro Workshop Feb 2024

Likeminded Souls

An opportunity to gather with likeminded souls to consider deeply the incredible vessel that is out body and to explore the power of movement

Julie, Coach/Therapist – Intro Workshop Participant June 2023

Spaciousness & Complexity

I really appreciate the pacing of the weekends, the spaciousness and the fact that complexity is embraced. It feels like an antidote to modes of being in the wider world.

Hannah Buckley 2021

Interest and Curiosity …

Even though the introduction was just for a few hours – I found the effects long lasting and it has definitely inspired an interest and curiosity about somatic movement for me.

The course succeeded my expectation

The day offered an opportunity to better understand the IBMT programme as well as having a feel of the infant movement development module. The course succeeded my expectation

Samuele Russo

a taster of all the different modules through both information and practice

What did you particularly value about the event?

The calm, knowledgeable teacher. The gentle approach using guidance with the movement. The balance between practice, sharing, group work, individual work and information.

The workshop was amazing, thank you very much.

How would you describe the event to someone else?

An introduction to the IBMT course where they give a taster of all the different modules through both information and practice. A very warm, welcoming and friendly space.

Lauren – Intro Workshop Participant Feb 2026

What did you particularly value about the event?

The atmosphere of kindness, permission and acceptance that was created from the outset of the day and continued throughout.
Heather Whitelaw Clinical Psychologist – Intro Workshop Participant, March 2025

Did the workshop meet your expectations?

Yes – I loved the balance of talking and movement exploration

Anon – Bristol Intro Workshop Participant, Sept 2025

Theory and Practice …

I valued the experiential nature of the work…. theory supports practice rather than theory led.

Engaging & Embodied

The day gave a really engaging and embodied peek into what each module involves for the diploma. It was held brilliantly and gave space for making connections with other people attending.

Hazel Stark – Intro Workshop Participant June 2023

Feedback from students on Infant Movement Development 2024 – 25

Rich in support and resources. Insightful and comfortably paced. The group size was perfect.

Thank you. A hugely valuable, rich and insightful experience and I hope to be able to dip in again in the future.

Lauren, Yoga teacher, www.sabda.uk

Did the module meet your expectations?

It was incredible and surpassed my expectations. It was full of deep learning and all the joys and challenges that come with embodiment. It was held and paced with real skill with teachers and assistants bringing so much steadiness, compassion and knowledge to the process. It has brought rich insights that will be unfolding for months if not years to come.

What did you particularly value about the module?

The sense of community and being alongside others who had various degrees of experience in both their professional fields and the IBMT material. I loved being able to learn from one another as well as the teachers and assistants.

Anon

A mix of light theory and practical exercises has been perfect.

It was really helpful to learn about different modules and get a taster of what they would entail. A mix of light theory and practical exercises has been perfect. Mel has been a wonderful tutor, explaining complicated concepts in simple, easy to grasp ways. It was also great Garwyn was there, patiently answering all the numerous questions, it was very helpful to learn about the diploma from a student’s perspective.

I would recommend for anyone who would like to get a feel for what somatic movement is about. Also, it’s a great introduction to the different modules of the diploma programme.

Anastasia Pavlova

Intro Workshop Feedback Jan 2026

Integration & Digestion

Nicely paced, with plenty of integration and digestion time (literally!), and opportunity to connect with like minded others. Opportunity to share process in pairs and groups. Chance to experience the IBMT teaching method.

A re-introduction to and exploration of movement as our first human language.

Irma Allen, therapist-in-training, researcher-writer, anthropologist, organiser.

Participant on the Introduction to Infant Movement Development – Feb 2024

Fascinating Deep Dives

I just wanted to say Thank you for the Saturday workshop. I took it as a CPD and did not expect to dive in so deeply straight away. In the part when we were going through evolutionary patterns, my body decided to stay in the movement of a skin cell – the potential. After the movement I drew a skin cell, only realising it when I finished. It was a fascinating experience. Thank you again.

Ania Nizio – Online Intro Workshop Participant Feb 2023

Intro Workshop Feedback

Really well delivered and facilitated by grounded practitioners

Chris – Intro Workshop Participant April 2026

How I apply what I learnt …

All the time, in private client work, in public workshops, in Higher Educational teaching both BA and MA level, and in navigating personal waters, it is a bedrock of my being-ness in the world.

Did the event/workshop meet your expectations?

I loved the small size of the class. The teaching was excellent, well paced and delivered.

Louise Perry IFS & Art Psycotherapist MA, UKCP, HCCP, BAAT

Intro Workshop Feb 2025

A Great Introduction

A Great introduction to IBMT. I particularly valued the variety of practices, welcoming and friendly tutors and the relaxed venue and atmosphere.

Nadiya June 2022

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