The INPP Method | Through the Looking Glass

What is INPP?

INPP is the Institute for Neuro-Physiological Psychology. It was founded in Chester in 1975 by psychologist Dr Peter Blythe, and its work was developed further under the leadership of Sally Goddard Blythe, whose books on reflexes and child development are read by parents and professionals around the world.

For fifty years INPP has researched one simple idea: that many children who struggle at school are not lazy or unable, but are working with a nervous system that hasn't yet finished the groundwork it needed to do in infancy.

I am a fully qualified and licensed INPP practitioner. The assessments and exercise programmes I use with families are the INPP Method.

Primitive reflexes: the missing piece

Babies are born with a set of automatic movements, the primitive reflexes, that help them survive and grow in the first months of life. As the brain matures, these reflexes should quietly switch off and hand over to more mature patterns of movement and control.

Sometimes that hand-over doesn't fully happen. When early reflexes linger past the first year they can get in the way of balance, posture, eye movements, hand control and the ability to sit still and focus. The child then has to work far harder than their classmates for the same result, which shows up as difficulties with reading, writing, concentration, coordination or managing big feelings.

INPP calls this neuromotor immaturity. It is not a diagnosis or a label; it is a physical, measurable and, importantly, changeable starting point.

What an INPP programme involves

Assessment. I begin with a detailed developmental history and a physical assessment of balance, coordination, eye movements and the reflexes themselves. This tells us exactly which stages need revisiting.

Daily exercises. Your child follows a short sequence of slow, gentle movements at home for around 10 to 20 minutes each day. The movements are based on the natural patterns babies make in their first year, giving the nervous system a second chance to complete them.

Reviews. We meet every 4 to 8 weeks to check progress and move on to the next stage. Most programmes run for 6 to 12 months.

There are no drugs, no equipment and nothing invasive. What makes it work is regularity, repetition and time.

Who it can help

INPP-trained practitioners work with children and young people who show some of the following:

Reading, writing or spelling that lags behind their obvious ability
Difficulty sitting still, concentrating or following instructions
Clumsiness, poor balance or awkward pencil grip
Trouble copying from the board or tracking a line of text
Strong emotional reactions, anxiety or low frustration tolerance
Bed-wetting or travel sickness beyond the usual age

The method is also used with adults, particularly for anxiety and panic that has a physical, balance-related component.

See how I use INPP in practice →

Common questions about INPP

Is the INPP Method evidence-based?

Yes. INPP's work has been published in peer-reviewed journals and its school-based programme has been trialled in mainstream classrooms in the UK and Europe. It has been refined continuously over five decades of clinical practice.

Does it replace other support my child receives?

No. INPP works alongside school support, tutoring, occupational therapy or speech and language therapy. Many families find that other interventions start to "stick" better once the physical foundations are in place.

Will my child find the exercises hard?

The movements are slow and gentle and take only a few minutes a day. Most children find them calming. The challenge is consistency, which is why I support parents closely between reviews.

Who trained you?

I completed the INPP practitioner training and am licensed by INPP. You can find me listed among the UK licensees on the INPP website.

Wondering if this fits your child?

Book a free, no-obligation consultation and I'll help you decide whether an INPP assessment is the right next step.

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