The identity of children has been changed.

 Testimonial 1:

Smile Therpay could not have come into my son's life at a better time. For a few years, his behaviour had been of concern to us. The tantrums, lack of organizational skills, bullying and physical aggression were making life at home very tense and unpleasant. With secondary school a year away, we were eager to get things on track. After an initial assessment, Rachel recommended a programme of a few simple physical exercises for which we needed to devote no more than fifteen minutes a day.

Adhering to the programme - setting aside time in a busy day with a tired edgy child - was challenging, but we did our best. Most of the exercises were fun and the emphasis was on giving it his best shot rather than tiring himself out trying to perfect it.

Within a month there was a note from the school saying my son had moved to a more challenging Maths group. Over the months he made an effort to plan his work and organize himself. He asked for a little diary to jot down deadlines and commitments. At home, things were much calmer. Physically too, his coordination and nuscle tone improved.

We have found Smile Therapy practical and effective and have integrated it into our lives.  

Testimonial 2:

Freddie is now 10. He had a very difficult birth and has an undiagnosed chromasomal disorder which has affected his development, particularly his speech, sight (now resolved), sense of where he is in relation to objects around him and his gross and fine motor skills.

We held him back by a year at school and, in comparison to his younger peers, he is doing quite well academically. With help he also continues to develop his speech and physical skills, but the delay is still very evident even when compared to those younger children; for example an Occupational Therapy assessment in May 2008 showed that he could not hold a pen or pencil properly and so could not write.

Whilst Rachel's therapy offered an opportunity to help Freddie develop more fully we understood that it is not a cure. There is none. However, we want to help Freddie meet his potential and have been using a programme developed by Rachel since the summer of 2008. In November 2008 it is still early days for us. Yet we have seen many improvements. He has progressed through the exercises that Rachel orginally set onto more complex variations or new ones. His teachers and swim coach have remarked on how much better coordinated he is and how much better he is at paying attention. A formal assessment by his Occupational Therapist in November noted that he fidgets less and has better concentration and coordination. The assessment also showed dramatic improvements in his motor skills and his perceptual and spacial awareness; he can now hold a pencil properly and is now ready to start writing!

Perhaps most importantly though, is the change in his relationship with his school friends. He can now join in their games and has the growing skills and confidence to do so. Most importantly to Freddie he can now master the games on his PS2!! He is happier and better behaved.

Finally, Rachel was wonderful with Freddie and he responded well. He likes the activities and (still) wants to do them. They are fun and not a chore. It also means that, in our busy lives, we get to have some fun with him as well.

Testimonial 3:

Since a regression in potty training when my son was young, a persistent 'leaking' of urine throughout the day has been a regular occurance. Now he is 11 years old. We have taken many steps towards curing this frustrating situation, physiologically his body is 'normal' so.....!??! It seems looking for a needle in a haystack might be easier, as light-shedding from anyone with a medical background as to the actual cause in an individual is found. After various attempts at cures, and years on, we find.....Smile Therapy.

My son is assessed by Rachel Schumacher, who made him feel both comfortable and safe. With her findings she created a daily programme for him. She gave a possible explanation for the condition (that for the first time made sense of the situation) and it also applied to my son's short concentration span and inability to recall information easily.

Since following the programme he has improved at school, adapted his ways to make the most of his attrubutes in a class environment and has a much lower 'leaking' rate than before. Overall he has a more positive outlook and is more confident. I recommend any parent that is living in uncertainty regarding a situation with their child's behaviour gives them a chance by trying the powerful integrated method that Rachel uses at Smile :)