The Non-Linear Movement Method®
Move. Explore. Sense. Feel. Liberate
What is the Non-Linear Movement Method?
The Non-linear Movement Method® (NLMM) is a powerful somatic modality which has been developed by Michaela Boehm over the past 30+ years.
The NLMM involves continuous, self-guided, movements of the body, which support the body to unwind any chronic holding patterns and move out of contraction.
Through the continuous movement of NLMM it encourages the nervous system to regulate, to process and identify emotions, promotes feelings of aliveness and well-being, releases nervous system freeze responses, reinforces bodily awareness and sensitisation, and allows the body’s innate intelligence to release stored tension and return to a state of homeostasis (balance).
As the body moves in a non-linear, self-guided, non-habitual way, individuals are encouraged to access their bodily and conscious wisdom, and over time the capacity to feel the physical sensations of the body increases, as the body and mind unify.
The NLMM is a sensitising modality which deepens the connection to the body, and increases our ability to feel how the body feels in each moment, and have a greater degree of understanding of what those sensations mean and how we can then act from that place of greater sensitisation.
The NLMM also increases our ability to be honest with ourselves about what we are feeling and be with emotions that may have been too intense too feel. This allows for freeze patterns or fight/flight patterns to shift and transform through the continuous movement of the body.
As well as creating further depth of feeling and embodiment, one of the most reported results from those that practise the NLMM, is a dramatic increase in the ability to feel pleasure and well-being in their body. As frozen tension patterns are no longer being held onto, the body has a greater capacity for other feeling states.
The NLMM does not impose anything onto the body, or force the body to behave in any particular way. Providing the individual with a rich ground for exploration, reflection and self-guided inquiry.
The NLMM relies on the innate intelligence of the body to move our nervous system and chronic holding patterns into a more fluid and flowing state.
The Non-Linear Movement Method honours the unique bodily genius that resides within every human.
Benefits of the Non-Linear Movement Method
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Regulates the Nervous System
The demands of modern life create stress and tension in the body and an overactive mind. NLMM encourages the identifying and unwinding of patterns of contraction. Through gentle, non-force movements bodily tension and underlying mental loops are relieved. The result is a systematic, self-guided unburdening of the nervous system.
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Processes and Identifies Emotions
As the body unwinds and the mind relaxes its pressured pace, the emotions associated with these contractive patterns become apparent and can be dissolved through the movement. You can note recurring emotional loops for further processing and at the same time allow emotions to simply arise and let go.
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Releases Trauma Patterns into Flow
One of the common results of traumatic experience (fresh and old alike) is “freeze”, a state in which body, mind and emotions are stuck in a state of numbness. Often “freeze” is falsely perceived as a feeling of “calm/nothing”, which results in an inability to release the experience and ease the bodily patterns of hold. NLMM facilitates a continued movement, which gently opens the freeze pattern and allows for recognition and release of the underlying bodily and emotional patterns.
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Unites Mind and Body in Intimacy with Physical Sensation
Through continued engagement with release of contraction and facilitation of emotional awareness, the ingrained patterns become both more apparent and less pronounced. Over time, physical sensation can be more fully engaged with, and the acceptance as well as tolerance of all sensation increases. Intimacy with whatever is present is possible. Body, Emotion and Mind can align to support an integrated approach to feeling and understanding existing behavioral patterning.
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Creates High Bodily Responsiveness
NLMM educates the body how to release and process contractions, stress and emotional tension while at the same time sensitizing you to your internal landscape. This is called “Interoception”, the ability to feel what is “inside”. Via the body we become highly attuned to all sensations and can note, react or release fluidly and without having to attend to traumatic or suppressed backlog.
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Opens Access to Bodily Wisdom
By putting emphasis on movement and circumventing the analytical mind and loops of tense thinking the natural intelligence of our bodies is accessed. Through gentle guidance the mechanisms of “freeze” and refusal to feel are being loosened and our innate bodily wisdom can create the necessary actions and releases.
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Awakens Vital Energy and Sensual Sensation
As tension, contraction, and emotion are being released, the body becomes sensitized and we are able to feel deeper. One of the marked results of this sensitization is an ability to feel increased pleasure and well being. Participants report an increased ability to connect through their body, both with themselves and others.
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Supports Fascia and Lymphatic Flow
As the body unwinds from long held tension patterns, the fascia of the body is able to relax and flow is felt throughout the body. There is more blood flowing through to the pelvic diaphragm, the lymphatic system is able to flow and detoxify the abdomen and pelvis.
How is NLMM practiced?
NLMM is facilitated on a mat or blanket. Participants dress similar to a Yoga or dance class, in comfortable, non-restrictive clothing.
The method can be practiced at any age, fitness level and mobility.
Ideally the method is done on hands and knees but there are many options if hands and knees is not possible.
The movements are designed to be self regulating and can be done in any position, including laying down.
Molly is currently facilitating regular in-person classes in Margaret River, or live online on zoom.
Meet your class facilitator, Molly…
Molly first found the Non-Linear Movement Method® (NLMM) back in 2019 when she was in the midst of a huge personal growth period. As she was going on a deep dive into her past conditioning and childhood experiences, she discovered all the ways she was disconnected from her body, her emotions, feelings and bodily sensations. This was having a huge effect on her mental, emotional and physical health.
Through Molly’s practice with the NLMM she was able to uncover the layers of her disembodiment and develop her sensitivity to more and more subtle sensation. She started to learn the ancient language of her body.
This had, and continues to have, huge ripple effects as she was able to feel more fully, identify emotions, articulate how she feels to the people around her, move out of freeze responses, regulate herself in a triggering situation, and support the innate intelligence within her body to release and find homeostasis and harmony.
Molly’s practice with the NLMM encouraged her to delve into her inner world and feel things that had been lying dormant there for many years.
Throughout Molly’s journey she has been driven by a fierce level of curiousity and truth seeking. Which has led her down many different paths. Molly now offers holistic women’s health services to her local community in Margaret River- a wonderful mixture of pelvic physiotherapy, craniosacral therapy, Holistic Pelvic Care™, somatic processing, scar tissue remediation, internal pelvic release work, abdominal/visceral fascial bodywork, womb massage and much more.
Molly has a special interest in the nervous system and how it drives so many of our modern life issues that most humans are experiencing today. Through studying the NLMM with Michaela Boehm and Steve James in 2024, Molly aims to weave her in-depth knowledge of the body with this beautiful modality to provide a safe space for people to come and delve into their inner world, learn to develop their bodily sensitivity and regulate their nervous system.
A well regulated nervous system is the best tool we have within us to stay calm, connect to joy and pleasure, and show up for ourselves and the people around us in the best possible way we can.
How does NLMM support women’s pelvic health?
Pelvic health is intricately linked with our nervous system health. When we feel stressed, overwhelmed or anxious our pelvic tissues will contract involuntarily via direction from our nervous system.
Over time, if we are in chronic states of stress, the pelvic muscles start to form chronic holding patterns where they find it hard to relax and let go.
As the pelvic tissues are tight and contracted this limits blood flow to the tissues which impacts the level of engorgement a woman can experience and therefore her level of lubrication and sexual arousal are also effected.
The tight muscles and fascia can cause pain through the pelvis, lower back, sacrum and even up through the spine and jaw. The fascial connections of the pelvis are central to many other areas of the body so having tight, contracted pelvic muscles and fascia, does not just effect the pelvic area.
This has consequences for bladder and bowel prolapse and incontinence, haemorrhoids, abdominal diastasis, headaches, digestive difficulties, immune challenges and many more issues, for when the blood, lymph and fascial systems are effected by chronic stress this becomes a systemic issue.
The Non-Linear Movement Method, is one of many tools that people can practice to regulate their nervous system and unwind from potentially many years of chronic stress and holding patterns that have become habitual in the body.
As the individual develops her level of “interoception”- her ability to sense and feel inside her body- many wonderful benefits come from this learned practice. A deeper sense of embodiment opens up layers of frozen tension that can be liberated from the system to allow a sense of spaciousness and connection to flow in.
Non-Linear Movement Method Recourses:
