What Parents Say…
Here is a selection from the many testimonials we have received from Parents over the years. Each is individual and often very personal.
We thank all those who have taken the time to share their thoughts with other parents, so that you can gain an insight into MAES Therapy Treatment.
[:en]I will always be thankful that I decided to find out more about MAES[:]
[:]“I found out about MAES when my baby, Molly, had just been diagnosed as having Cerebral Palsy and I was desperately searching for answers on the internet about what to do.
I read about how many children had progressed with MAES and decided to go along for an assessment to see what it was about and if it could help Molly.I was struck by the entirely different approach of MAES to conventional physiotherapy and the explanation of what they were trying to do and what I could do to help her at home. Molly started with MAES at about 6 months and is now 4 years old. The initial belief by the paediatrician of what Molly’s limits would be, have been surpassed and I don’t believe that she would be where she is today without MAES.
When you have a child diagnosed with CP it can feel devastating, I would love all those parents to know about MAES and all children to have the opportunity to have MAES Therapy; to us it was life changing and I will always be thankful that I decided to find out more about MAES and give it a go, with the result so that Molly’s quality of life has been so much better than it would have been.”
Ali Maclaine
London
[:en]My only regret is we didn’t go to MAES sooner[:]
“Our daughter was born at 27 weeks and we knew from early on she will have development issues due to an extensive brain injury. We first met Jean Pierre and his wonderful team when she was 7 months corrected. I was looking for a private physio when I came across MAES Therapy and what we got is so much more than just a regular physiotherapy.
The initial assessment alone was quite an eye opener. JP explained clearly where our daughter’s issues are and thanks to him I finally understood what’s going on with my baby, and even more importantly, how to make the world a less stressful place for her.
We’ve been visiting since November and the change we’ve seen in our daughter in such a short period of time is astonishing. Not only is she finally progressing physically, she’s changed cognitively, she chats and laughs a lot more; as well as emotionally, she’s much more settled and comfortable in her body.
For the first time in a long time I feel hopeful that with JP and his MAES Team on our side, there could be a bright future for my precious girl.
I am happy to recommend MAES Therapy to any parent looking for a specialist physiotherapist for their neuro atypical child. My only regret is we didn’t go there sooner.”
Katarina Sladkova
London[:]
[:en]We are extremely lucky to have MAES Therapy in our lives![:]

[:]“My daughter Maija was born in December 2014 at only 23 weeks and 5 days. Due to her extreme prematurity she has CP.
We’ve been coming to MAES Therapy since she was 11 months old and without their help, she definitely wouldn’t be where she is now!
She can now sit on her own, make steps with support, her understanding has developed, she feels comfortable in herself and is a happy little one, making progress from day to day.
We are extremely lucky to have MAES Therapy in our lives!
Thank you so much! “
Elke Pettit – London
[:en]I really am amazed and excited about the next stage[:]
He continues to astound me with his development, inner strength and abilities.
I would recommend MAES Therapy to anybody if you get the chance.”
Melanie Bryant – UK[:]
[:en]With MAES Therapy we found the missing piece of a puzzle[:]
Our daughter was improving, but something was “missing” for her to get a normal life. None of the therapists that worked with her could gave us any hint of what was missing and she could tell – as she was reluctant to go and work with them all.
Jean-Pierre and MAES Therapy gave us the answer, unexpectedly, as it was like looking at the problem the other way around, and we so grateful for our child who now looks forward to going to therapy.
Not only do we now understand what is wrong, but MAES Therapy has given us the tools to improve it.
Thank you so much!”
Beatriz Zerolo[:]
[:en]We have seen huge changes with Christy[:]
We brought Christy to see Jean-Pierre and the MAES Therapy Team when he was 9 months and again at 10 months old for intensive therapy sessions on the expert advice of a family member.
Jean-Pierre’s approach was individually tailored
From our very first session it was immediately apparent that Jean-Pierre’s approach was individually tailored to Christy.
We quickly realised that the continued practice of tasks such as sitting would not help Christy learn how to sit and instead we needed to help him learn an array of simple and complex skills which will not only help him to achieve sitting but also crawling, standing, walking, climbing etc. as he grows older.
We have seen huge changes with Christy and his movements are much more coordinated than they were previously.
As parents, MAES Therapy has equipped us with knowledge on how best to handle and position Christy so that we can continue with his unique type of therapy at home.
An invaluable tool
We were able to video record for our own use the sessions which has helped us emulate what Jean-Pierre and his colleagues did during the therapy sessions in our own home.
This has proven an invaluable tool not only for us as parents but also for our family members and child- minder who also need to be educated on how best to handle Christy so that he achieves his maximum potential.
To be told not to place Christy for ‘tummy time’ and to limit the amount of ‘floor time’ he had as these tasks would encourage Christy to take shortcuts which would ultimately hinder his future physical development, was at first difficult to comprehend as it was in stark contrast to advice we were receiving from fortnightly sessions with the NHS.
We now realise that by offering Christy lots of supported changes of movement as he is being held by us, MAES Therapy is helping Christy much more than the NHS approach and his confidence to try new and better movement patterns has increased.
Able to sit unsupported
We cannot recommend the MAES Therapy Approach highly enough. Previously we felt frustrated that despite hours of practising sitting, encouraging weight bearing on his elbows, tummy time and practising rolling techniques, Christy just didn’t seem to ‘get it’.
Now, with MAES Therapy, Christy has a whole bank of different movements that we help him with almost continuously throughout the day, and he is on the cusp of being able to sit unsupported.
It is all the tiny little components which MAES Therapy has helped us piece together which has and will help Christy achieve his ‘milestones’ for want of a better word.
Result of MAES Therapy, was far beyond our expectations
We try to no longer judge Christy on the big things he can’t do but are encouraged by his progress on the little things that all add up. To see Christy sit straight up with minimal support and weight bear through his legs even just for a few seconds as a direct result of MAES Therapy, was far beyond our expectations for our little boy.
Christy is learning every day and as we continue Jean-Pierre’s MAES Therapy techniques, there is a whole big world out there for him to discover. Each day his co-ordination improves and his movements diversify.
Not only has MAES Therapy helped Christy improve physically but cognitively we are beginning to see a more inquisitive little boy as a result. Jean-Pierre told us on our first session with Christy that his motivation to move was high and that he simply didn’t have the co-ordination to allow him to move the way he wanted.
We see every day the gap between the two getting smaller and we are only at the very start of our journey with MAES Therapy.
We look forward to bringing Christy to Jean-Pierre and MAES Therapy on a regular basis in the future to enrich him in every aspect of his development”.
Garth & Patricia
Northern Ireland
[:]
[:en]MAES Therapy is.. a real hope for children with neurodevelopmental conditions.[:]

MAES Therapy is more than a conventional therapy, rather it’s a real hope for children with neurodevelopmental conditions.
Getting to know and liaising with Jean-Pierre, means dealing with a highly experienced professional who has been treating children with neurological conditions (Cerebral Palsy) for over 25 years world-wide.
Based upon 25 years’ expert practical experience throughout his career, he has developed ‘MAES Therapy’, i.e. a highly effective method of rehabilitation that takes into consideration the whole aspects of a person: cognitive, psychological, motor and so on.
In view of the above, together with his deep knowledge of all the aspects and mechanisms of the musculoskeletal system and its relevant coordination, he’s able to offer a custom made treatment based on the child’s needs.
He’s also very instructive, always aiming to clearly explain in detail and with reason, what kind of treatment he’s applying, so that parents, therapists and everybody following the child can understand, learn and apply at their best his principles – also while at home, on an everyday basis.
Regardless of the extent of the disability, the results from the MAES Therapy show within the first treatments, together with an ongoing progression.
It is not easy to cope with somebody suffering from a disability, but Jean-Pierre adnd Thos colleagues add that human factor that helps to render your life more similar to a normal one.
We would definitely recommend MAES Therapy for those parents in our same situation, who have a child with neurological damage and it is therefore vitally important to educate and train more Therapists accordingly, in order to make it available on a wider basis, and also into our country.[:it]
[:][:en]..and the difference it has made [:]
Thanks for all your hard work[:it]
[:]Skype Consultations
We are sure that the treatment suggestions made and shown will benefit Vivaan.
Mr Vivek Kedia, Parent of patient, Kolkata, India
[:it]Skype consultation is an excellent option for consulting Jean-Pierre, if you have a good internet connection then it’s almost like being there. Thanks for this excellent option.
We are sure that the treatment suggestions made and shown will benefit Vivaan.
Mr Vivek Kedia, Parent of patient, Kolkata, India
May 2013[:]
[:en]We want to highlight the difference MAES Therapy can make compared to weekly NHS therapy[:]
JP looks at and addresses the underlying issues which were curtailing their development, and which other therapists do not address for various reasons.
We want to highlight the difference MAES Therapy can make compared to weekly NHS therapy.[:it]
[:][:en]..from the first appointment we felt confident that it offered the best available approach [:]
At MAES Therapy, not only does Douglas learn new things, but we also learn much more about Douglas in ways that help us further his progress and development. Jean-Pierre and his colleagues think hard about Douglas in a fashion and with a sophistication that we have not encountered in other therapies. They makes Douglas think hard and carefully about movement, and he makes us think carefully and very productively too. Jean-Pierre is far in advance of other practitioners in this field[:it] [:]
[:en]Every morning I wake up and look forward to going to MAES Therapy [:]
To “fight” for organising for Jean-Pierre to come to Ravenna was the best thing we ever made, the best decision we ever took….
Thank you.[:it]
'A type of service that is above and beyond anything else'

“ From the first moment that we met Jean-Pierre at MAES Therapy, we knew he could offer a type of service that is above and beyond anything else that the NHS could offer and dare I say it, any other private physiotherapist.
Myself and my wife can categorically say that our son would not have got to where he is today without Jean-Pierre’s help. As parents, the only thing we truly care about is progress and outcomes. Our son is now thriving and we are in no doubt that with the continued help of Jean-Pierre, he will continue to do so.
Jean-Pierre comes with years of experience which our son obviously benefits from, but one key thing that differentiates Jean-Pierre and MAES Therapy from other physiotherapists, is that he has the ability to translate what he is doing into a format that we as parents can understand and apply in the home setting, ultimately 7 days a week.
To be able to do this Jean-Pierre and his colleagues are patient with parents and children alike, understands the needs of each child they treat individually and tailor their physiotherapy approach directly to the child. There is no such thing as “textbook” treatment with Jean-Pierre; his strategy is built solely on what the child needs to progress and he gives just as much power to the parents to facilitate this progression.
The type of service that MAES Therapy offers is not currently available through the NHS, so it is for this reason that I strongly urge any parent looking for physiotherapy treatment for their child to get in contact with Jean-Pierre. Far more can be done and achieved this way. In my mind it’s about challenging the status quo and constantly challenging what is being offered.
As parents we strive to do the best for our children and Jean-Pierre, in our case, is part of that.
It goes without saying that I would highly recommend Jean-Pierre as a Physiotherapist and have so much to thank him for. ”
[:it]
“ From the first moment that we met Jean-Pierre, we knew he could offer a type of service that is above and beyond anything else that the NHS could offer and dare I say it, any other private physiotherapist.
Myself and my wife can categorically say that our son would not have got to where he is today without Jean-Pierre’s help. As parents, the only thing we truly care about is progress and outcomes. Our son is now thriving and we are in no doubt that with the continued help of Jean-Pierre, he will continue to do so.
Jean-Pierre comes with years of experience which our son obviously benefits from, but one key thing that differentiates Jean-Pierre from other physiotherapists, is that he has the ability to translate what he is doing into a format that we as parents can understand and apply in the home setting, ultimately 7 days a week.
To be able to do this Jean-Pierre is patient with parents and children alike, understands the needs of each child he treats individually and tailors his physiotherapy approach directly to the child. There is no such thing as “textbook” treatment with Jean-Pierre; his strategy is built solely on what the child needs to progress and he gives just as much power to the parents to facilitate this progression.
The type of service that Jean-Pierre offers is not currently available through the NHS, so it is for this reason that I strongly urge any parent looking for physiotherapy treatment for their child to get in contact with Jean-Pierre. Far more can be done and achieved this way. In my mind it’s about challenging the status quo and constantly challenging what is being offered.
As parents we strive to do the best for our children and Jean-Pierre, in our case, is part of that.
It goes without saying that I would highly recommend Jean-Pierre as a Physiotherapist and have so much to thank him for. ”
Dr B. Eiliazadeh
Spring 2014[:]
"We just wish everyone could have this quality of therapy"
“We have been working with Jean-Pierre for over 18 months, since our son was 6 months old. Recently we have travelled from overseas to London on a quarterly basis to receive intensive therapy for a week at a time.
Axel’s progress has exceeded our and his doctors’ expectations and we credit much of this to the MAES Therapy. Most importantly, we have learnt not to accept his perceived limitations – we now know that Axel can learn new ways to move and change previously learnt patterns.
The therapy and exercises are tailored to his current challenges and difficulties, rather than to a ‘type’. Rather than accepting and building on his shortcuts and chosen (lower-quality) movement patterns, MAES Therapy sets out to change them to higher quality movements, which will enable further progress.
Every time we have been for a week of intensive treatment, we see instant changes in Axel and a leap forward, which we can continue to build on with the exercises we bring with us home on video.
An essential part for us is also the training that we get through taking an active part in the therapy sessions; we have a much greater understanding of his chosen movement patterns, key difficulties and how to continue the therapy at home. We also feel that we have really learnt to ‘listen’ to Axel’s body with our hands, which enables us to be much more responsive in our work with him.
We really cannot imagine our life without MAES Therapy and we are afraid to think what Axel’s progress would have been like had it not been recommended to us.
We are so grateful to Jean-Pierre for all that he has helped Axel achieve over these two years. We just wish everyone could have this quality of therapy.”
[:it]
“We have been working with Jean-Pierre for over 18 months, since our son was 6 months old. Recently we have travelled from overseas to London on a quarterly basis to receive intensive therapy for a week at a time.
Axel’s progress has exceeded our and his doctors’ expectations and we credit much of this to the MAES Therapy. Most importantly, we have learnt not to accept his perceived limitations – we now know that Axel can learn new ways to move and change previously learnt patterns.
The therapy and exercises are tailored to his current challenges and difficulties, rather than to a ‘type’. Rather than accepting and building on his shortcuts and chosen (lower-quality) movement patterns, MAES Therapy sets out to change them to higher quality movements, which will enable further progress.
Every time we have been for a week of intensive treatment, we see instant changes in Axel and a leap forward, which we can continue to build on with the exercises we bring with us home on video.
An essential part for us is also the training that we get through taking an active part in the therapy sessions; we have a much greater understanding of his chosen movement patterns, key difficulties and how to continue the therapy at home. We also feel that we have really learnt to ‘listen’ to Axel’s body with our hands, which enables us to be much more responsive in our work with him.
We really cannot imagine our life without MAES Therapy and we are afraid to think what Axel’s progress would have been like had it not been recommended to us.
We are so grateful to Jean-Pierre for all that he has helped Axel achieve over these two years. We just wish everyone could have this quality of therapy.”
Sara Cronlund
SWEDEN
January 2014[:]
Not Your Typical Therapy

Our son Henry is much more comfortable in his skin and we have seen him learn and develop new confidence not only in his movements, but in his thinking and play.
Jean-Pierre has also given us the confidence to think differently about cerebral palsy and the kind of therapy and support we want for Henry in other areas.
This is not your typical therapy. You will at times feel uncomfortable (and not just because at times you are sitting on the floor!) and challenged to rethink your ideas and perceptions, but it is all worth it.
After 18 months our outlook on Henry’s future has completely changed and we look forward to sessions as an opportunity to learn with our son.”
[:it]Working with Jean-Pierre, MAES Therapy has really been a life changing experience for our family.
Our son Henry is much more comfortable in his skin and we have seen him learn and develop new confidence not only in his movements, but in his thinking and play.
Jean-Pierre has also given us the confidence to think differently about cerebral palsy and the kind of therapy and support we want for Henry in other areas.
This is not your typical therapy. You will at times feel uncomfortable (and not just because at times you are sitting on the floor!) and challenged to rethink your ideas and perceptions, but it is all worth it.
After 18 months our outlook on Henry’s future has completely changed and we look forward to sessions as an opportunity to learn with our son.”
Kate
October 2013
[:]
[:en]Fortunate to have MAES Therapy in our lives[:it]Fortunate to have JP in our lives[:]
Jean-Pierre is an excellent physiotherapist in that he understands the difficulties Henry faces and the potential pathways to overcome them. But he also excels in his ability to see Henry as an individual rather than a “type” or a “diagnosis”.
We consider ourselves fortunate to have JP and MAES Therapy in our lives and are happy to recommend him.
[:it]Henry started sessions with Jean-Pierre when he was about six months old and recently turned two. In that time Henry has made good progress – more than we could have hoped for.
Jean-Pierre is an excellent physiotherapist in that he understands the difficulties Henry faces and the potential pathways to overcome them. But he also excels in his ability to see Henry as an individual rather than a “type” or a “diagnosis”.
We consider ourselves fortunate to have JP in our lives and are happy to recommend him.
Justin
October 2013[:]
...it was like a door opening
We will always remember our first conversation with Jean-Pierre at that time, it was like a door opening; finally we could see an option, a path to try on a 360 degree level and especially someone who knew what he was talking about. We could not even imagine that something like that was somehow available for Francesca.
Now after almost 2 years of treatment we can only be grateful for all the work he has done and his commitment to her. She has been progressing so much that there is no comparison to how she was before.
Through him we have gradually learned to find our way around such an event and also help Francesca, who is very lucky to have him on one side and her sister on the other. She is constantly under ‘therapy’.
We discovered that the approach on a 360 degrees level with all his complexity is still not commonly accepted or comparable with traditional physiotherapy. MAES Therapy requires an adaptable, flexible open mind ready to view aspects from different points of view. We have been very lucky because this is exactly what we were looking for.
Getting into the MAES strategy system is not immediate, because for all of us it is purely instinctive. We do not even think about. Slowly as a parent you understand the different levels of difficulties and the full range of options and possibilities. The shortcuts taken by your child, that look normal in their appearance, are avoided and each and every movement in every combination is experienced and repeated in all its variations. The child has to build firm steps on a pyramid of difficulties, the progression is maybe slow but once obtained is not going back. It requires an involvement on your side that is repaid by every new step your child is achieving.
The fact that Jean-Pierre is sharing some of his experience and knowledge gives you more and more elements to work on. Actually he is training you and your child, trying to give you some instruments in order to be able to have almost a ‘normal’ life, learning to deal with the disability as a parent and as a patient.
Dealing with permanent disabilities conditions is exhausting on both sides, parent- child, no one is ready for and we have to find a way to live with it.
Every effort done with MAES Therapy brings you in this direction, you feel you are on the right track and that you have not missed important steps for your child.
The sooner you start the better it will be for your child.
[:it]Meeting Jean-Pierre and MAES Therapy can be associated with the first moment of light, since when we discovered that our second identical twin Francesca, at that time 7 months old, had at one point of the pregnancy an antenatal stroke and brain damage.
We will always remember our first conversation with Jean-Pierre at that time, it was like a door opening; finally we could see an option, a path to try on a 360 degree level and especially someone who knew what he was talking about. We could not even imagine that something like that was somehow available for Francesca.
Now after almost 2 years of treatment we can only be grateful for all the work he has done and his commitment to her. She has been progressing so much that there is no comparison to how she was before.
Through him we have gradually learned to find our way around such an event and also help Francesca, who is very lucky to have him on one side and her sister on the other. She is constantly under ‘therapy’.
We discovered that the approach on a 360 degrees level with all his complexity is still not commonly accepted or comparable with traditional physiotherapy. MAES Therapy requires an adaptable, flexible open mind ready to view aspects from different points of view. We have been very lucky because this is exactly what we were looking for.
Getting into the MAES strategy system is not immediate, because for all of us it is purely instinctive. We do not even think about. Slowly as a parent you understand the different levels of difficulties and the full range of options and possibilities. The shortcuts taken by your child, that look normal in their appearance, are avoided and each and every movement in every combination is experienced and repeated in all its variations. The child has to build firm steps on a pyramid of difficulties, the progression is maybe slow but once obtained is not going back. It requires an involvement on your side that is repaid by every new step your child is achieving.
The fact that Jean-Pierre is sharing some of his experience and knowledge gives you more and more elements to work on. Actually he is training you and your child, trying to give you some instruments in order to be able to have almost a ‘normal’ life, learning to deal with the disability as a parent and as a patient.
Dealing with permanent disabilities conditions is exhausting on both sides, parent- child, no one is ready for and we have to find a way to live with it.
Every effort done with MAES Therapy brings you in this direction, you feel you are on the right track and that you have not missed important steps for your child.
The sooner you start the better it will be for your child.
Valeria and Michele,
London 2013[:]
A Very Positive Focus
With Jean-Pierre and MAES Therapy you learn handling skills for the parents, in order to allow the baby/child to try new movements that they otherwise wouldn’t!
We also learnt the importance of experiencing asymmetry for helping the brain to learn (something previous Physiotherapists were not recognising or talking about).
Sessions spent with myself holding Vinny with Jean-Pierre telling me where to put my hands and what to feel… are really helpful and encouraging. I found this most difficult with Vinny when he was a few months old, as no one teaches you how to care for a baby with motor problems at NCT.
Compared to local therapy, Jean-Pierre and MAES Therapy is very hands on and doesn’t focus on what Vinny is not doing. To the contrary, the focus is on what he is doing – using the activity he has, to promote more activity and function.
[:it]
With Jean-Pierre and MAES Therapy you learn handling skills for the parents, in order to allow the child/baby to feel new movements that they otherwise wouldn’t!
We also learnt the importance of experiencing asymmetry for the learning brain (something previous Physios where not recognising or talking about).
Sessions spent with myself holding Vinny with Jean-Pierre telling me where too put my hands and what to feel… are really helpful and encouraging. I found this most difficult with Vinny when he was few months old, as no one teaches you how to care for a baby with motor problems at NCT.
Compared to local therapy, Jean-Pierre and MAES Therapy is very hands on and doesn’t focus on what Vinny is not doing. To the contrary, the focus is on what he is doing – using the activity he has, to promote more activity and function.
Lisa
August 2013
[:]Delighted With His Progress
We firmly believe that this is because he has benefitted significantly from his regular therapy with Jean-Pierre.
In the last three months he began using a K-Walker with a harness, which he no longer needs and in the last weeks has begun using crutches.
We are delighted with this.
Progress with CP is evidence based and therefore difficult to prove, especially as identical symptoms are rare. However, our boy’s high tone (stiffness) has reduced and his core strength and stamina and importantly confidence continue to increase. Jean-Pierre’s approach to therapy is like that of building a pyramid. Children with CP look for the simplest solutions to complete a motor task. However, this “short-cut” is typically low quality and restrictive in its range. We see the approach that Jean-Pierre uses, as creating a wider and more stable base of movement which creates a foundation or “pyramid” that can be built upon; as the quality of those basic movements are of high quality, they then allow the subsequent movement or progression to be of high quality too. We remain on a long journey, but are confident that our son is receiving the highest quality therapy that we could hope for, and with Jean-Pierre’s dedication and our son’s effort we remain hopeful that he will walk unaided.
[:it]Our son is now thirty months old and has progressed beyond what we were made to expect.
We firmly believe that this is because he has benefitted significantly from his regular therapy with Jean-Pierre.
In the last three months he began using a K-Walker with a harness, which he no longer needs and in the last weeks has begun using crutches.
We are delighted with this.
Progress with CP is evidence based and therefore difficult to prove, especially as identical symptoms are rare. However, our boy’s high tone (stiffness) has reduced and his core strength and stamina and importantly confidence continue to increase. Jean-Pierre’s approach to therapy is like that of building a pyramid. Children with CP look for the simplest solutions to complete a motor task. However, this “short-cut” is typically low quality and restrictive in its range. We see the approach that Jean-Pierre uses, as creating a wider and more stable base of movement which creates a foundation or “pyramid” that can be built upon; as the quality of those basic movements are of high quality, they then allow the subsequent movement or progression to be of high quality too. We remain on a long journey, but are confident that our son is receiving the highest quality therapy that we could hope for, and with Jean-Pierre’s dedication and our son’s effort we remain hopeful that he will walk unaided.
Kevin & Rebecca Sheil
London, Autumn 2011[:]