In this insightful episode, we’re joined by Dr. Melanie French to explore the Kestenberg Movement Profile (KMP)—a groundbreaking system for understanding human development through movement. Developed by Dr. Judith Kestenberg, the KMP integrates psychodynamic theory with movement analysis, offering a lens into how early motor patterns reflect and shape emotional and psychological growth.

Dr. French unpacks the core elements of the KMP and its close relationship to Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis, illuminating how, especially how the frameworks of tension flow rhythms, tension flow attributes, and pre-efforts reveal the deep interplay between body and psyche.

Whether you're a clinician, movement professional, or simply curious about the inner workings of human development, this conversation offers rich insights into how movement patterns can inform therapeutic practice, self-understanding, and holistic wellbeing.

Learn more about Dr. Melanie French

Learn more about Kestenberg Movement Profile

Study KMP with Dr. French

Bio for Dr. Melanie French

Dr. French brings a wealth of knowledge to her work, including 10 years of working in both inpatient and outpatient settings as a clinician and dance/movement psychotherapist as well as a graduate-level educator in clinical training programs.

With a dedication to holistic healing, Dr. French holds expertise in mind-body approaches to wellness. Her lifelong interest in healing from trauma, anxiety, depression, and social phobias led her to professional training in multiple modalities, from Western academic approaches to Eastern medicine, as well as cross-cultural perspectives on health and wellness.

Dr. French has special expertise in developmental psychology and how we can understand what children need through observing their nonverbal behavior, and how what happens in our first 5 years of life is remembered by our bodies long after our conscious mind has forgotten! Her doctoral research explored the profound impact of rhythmic movements on emotional states and early childhood memories.

As a master trainer and educator in the Kestenberg Movement Profile (KMP) Body Movement Analysis System, Dr. French shares her expertise with a wide international audience, empowering others to understand how to support child development and healing of developmental traumas or difficulties at any stage of life.

She brings extensive training in an array of mind-body modalities, including hypnotherapy, dance/movement therapy, hatha yoga, energy psychology, EFT/tapping, kinesiology, mindfulness, meditation, Usui Reiki II, and creative arts therapies.

Embodied People is sponsored by Integrated Movement Studies and co-hosted by Sarah Donohue and Colleen Wahl

This is another extra special interview session with Jeremy Devins of QuietMind Astrology and QuietMind Yoga.

Jeremy's work stands out for his remarkable skill of bringing inner wisdom to the surface through Yoga and Astrology. His life choices model following one's inner life. And his teaching, both yoga and astrology teach students to do the same.

In this interview learn about connecting to the body, and about philosphical connections between yoga and astrology.

He has a new mentorship program starting at the end of the month. ANd if you want a great online yoga resource QuietMind Yoga is FULL of classes and learning opportunities.

Bio: Jeremy Devens, founder of Quietmind Astrology. After 19 years of study, what began as a personal search for clarity became a calling to help others align with their true path. He created this workshop because he remembers how overwhelming it was to look at his chart and not know where to begin.

Embodied People is co-hosted by Sarah Donohue and Colleen Wahl

Embodied People is sponsored by Integrated Movement Studies

In this extra special episode learn about Rosemarie Onvlee. We first met Rosemarie via the beautiful motif cards she created. From there we became fascinated with her work and path. As a physiotherapist in the Netherlands she integrates Laban/Bartenieff methods into working with her clients towards healing.

Biography for Rosemarie Onvlee:

Rosemarie is a is physiotherapist based in the Netherlands. She teaches dance and movement classes to adults and 50+ people. She created Motif Symbols cards.

Buy cards at her website

Follow her in IG

Embodied People is sponsored by Integrated Movement Studies and co-hosted by Sarah Donohue and Colleen Wahl

Art by Erin Law