Change what you will, will what you change

The Neuroplastic Functional Institute’s director, Lauryn Maloney-Gepfert, LMT, MFA, PA-C, has been developing NFT since 1977.

NFT is the effective integration of a lifetime of experience in movement, the healing arts, and an eclectic education. Early movement forms, such as the martial arts, yoga, and Tai Chi as well as undergraduate studies in art therapy, psychology, and music have contributed to NFT.

The Functional Technique is the life work of a woman who has spent her whole career teaching people how to love, heal, and acquire freedom.

In 1984, Maloney-Gepfert entered the MFA program in dance and choreography at the University of Utah (UOU) to understand the link between healing and kinesiology. Lauryn received stellar training from renowned instructors and was introduced to structural integration techniques, such as the Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais, Pilates, and kinesiological conditioning. As the department bodywork specialist, Maloney-Gepfert was able to treat some of the best athletes in the country. After completing her MFA, Lauryn continued studying an additional two years as a protégé with celebrated kinesiologist, Sally Sevey Fitt, Ph.D. 

In 1992, further education included the Yale University School of Medicine. Lauryn completed the Yale Physician Associate program and afterward added medical disciplines such as: internal medicine, occupational medicine, ergonomics, and physical medicine and rehabilitation. Committed to combining holistic and allopathic (traditional) medicine, Lauryn attempted to integrate these healthcare models. At the time, these two approaches were distinct, polarized camps and they were not willing to cross bridges. Alternatively, Lauryn chose to be a liaison and opened a multidisciplinary physical therapy and wellness practice in 1998 called Cross Therapy.  In 2007, she chose to return Cross Therapy to a solo practice and for the next ten years, she continued to develop NFT.

Norman Doidge, MD, author of, The Brain That Changes Itself, and The Brain's Way of Healing, became central to Lauryn's exploration of neuroplasticity. Dr. Doidge reinforced and expanded Lauryn's understanding regarding the principles of neuroplasticity. His exploration of a nervous system that is not hardwired or fixed helped Lauryn to facilitate the development of techniques that would allow people to change themselves. These successes were proven via the Healing Out Loud Institute’s, CONNECT program. This four week, Neuroplastic Functional Technique, immersion program yielded significant functional improvement for four extreme athletes with SCI and long term paralysis.

NFT is a powerful way for people to independently change themselves. It has been shown that the development and practice of these neuroplastic functional skill-sets create an opportunity for advancement in many areas of a person’s life. Currently, NFI is seeing promising results from training people who are healing from Cancer. We are embarking on more research to determine the extent to which NFT increases life expectancy and decreases cancer recurrence. Additionally, people with long-term orthopedic issues, such as back problems and adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder) have been consistently helped. People with etiologies such as addiction, depression and anxiety are also finding relief. The exploration of NFT and its application is endless.