Treat ADHD, Dyslexia & CAPD Naturally with the Learning Breakthrough Programme

In a recent video, Dr. Edward Hallowell—a leading psychiatrist and best-selling author—endorsed the Learning Breakthrough Program as a highly promising non-medication treatment for neurodiverse individuals. Here’s why this matters for families just like yours.

Are you looking for safe, natural, and effective ways to help a child or adult with ADHD, dyslexia, or CAPD (Central Auditory Processing Disorder)? At Performance Breakthrough, we specialise in movement-based therapy, and it’s exciting to see world-renowned experts echo what we’ve been doing for years.

What Is the Learning Breakthrough Programme?

Origins of the Learning Breakthrough Programme

The Learning Breakthrough Programme, developed by Dr. Frank Belgau in the early 1980s, was designed as a multi-sensory exercise regimen aimed at enhancing brain function. By engaging users in balance and coordination activities, the program sought to improve cognitive processes related to learning and attention. Over the years, it gained recognition for its effectiveness in addressing challenges associated with ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning difficulties. ​

Transition to Performance Breakthrough

Building upon the foundational principles of the Learning Breakthrough Programme, Performance Breakthrough was established to offer a more tailored and holistic approach to individuals facing learning, emotional, and behavioural challenges. Susan Steele, inspired by her own personal experiences with her children’s learning difficulties, trained under Dr. Belgau and expanded the programme’s methodologies. Her initiative aimed to make these interventions more accessible and customised to meet the unique needs of each individual. ​

Enhanced Focus and Accessibility

Performance Breakthrough emphasises personalised programmes that incorporate balance, coordination, and spatial awareness exercises. These are designed to help individuals process information more efficiently and automatically. The transition from the original Learning Breakthrough framework to Performance Breakthrough reflects a commitment to evolving and adapting strategies to better serve clients, ensuring that interventions are not only based on established methodologies but also tailored to the specific challenges and goals of each participant. ​

In essence, while the core principles of the Learning Breakthrough Programme remain integral, Performance Breakthrough represents an evolution aimed at providing more individualised support, building upon a legacy of enhancing cognitive and learning capabilities through targeted physical exercises.

The Learning Breakthrough Programme is a movement-based, non-invasive intervention designed to stimulate the brain through targeted physical exercises. The goal? Improve focus, coordination, emotional regulation, and learning capacity, naturally.

Dr. Hallowell refers to this as “cerebellar stimulation,” which taps into the brain’s ability to change itself—a concept known as neuroplasticity.

Why the Cerebellum Matters in Learning & Attention

The cerebellum is involved in balance, coordination, and even aspects of cognition. Stimulating this area with structured movement helps “rewire” the brain—boosting concentration, reading fluency, memory, and more.

This is not just theory. It’s what we see every day at Performance Breakthrough.

Benefits of Treating ADHD and Dyslexia with Movement

Dr. Hallowell makes it clear: targeted physical exercise is more than just “helpful”—it can be transformative.

✔ Improves focus and concentration
✔ Enhances reading ability
✔ Boosts coordination and self-regulation
✔ Completely safe with no side effects
✔ Effective across all ages—children, teens, and adults

In his words: “When it works, it’s pretty dramatic.”

A Natural Alternative to Medication

Not every family is comfortable with stimulant medication. And not every child responds well to it.

That’s where programmes like Learning Breakthrough come in. Dr. Hallowell encourages starting with lifestyle-based interventions like movement, structure, diet, and sleep. For those wanting a more specialised, non-pharmaceutical option, Learning Breakthrough belongs at the top of the list.

As he says, “These complementary treatments don’t have the research backing yet, but they certainly have tremendous merit.”

What If You’ve Tried Everything Else?

Dr. Hallowell used this exact programme with his own son, and saw tremendous results.

He acknowledges that while gold-standard research is limited (due to lack of pharmaceutical funding), the anecdotal evidence is strong. And the programme is completely safe, so there’s nothing to lose by trying.

“If your child isn’t getting the results they need from traditional interventions,” he says, “this is absolutely worth exploring.”

Is This the Right Fit for Your Family?

If you’re a parent looking for a drug-free ADHD treatment, or a teacher working with a child who struggles with dyslexia or auditory processing issues, the Performance Breakthrough Programme may be exactly what you’ve been searching for.

At Performance Breakthrough, we guide families through this step-by-step. You don’t need to figure it out alone.

Interested in learning more?
Book a Discovery Call or join our next Webinar to discover how our programme will work for you.