November 25, 2025
Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT)©
The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT™) is a comprehensive assessment process used to understand the profound impact of trauma and adversity of the developing brain.
What is NMT™?
NMT™ was developed by Dr Bruce D. Perry, M.D, Ph.D., who founded the Neurosequential Network and Child Trauma Academy.
It is not a therapy or a specific intervention. It is a comprehensive, developmentally sensitive, neurobiology-informed clinical assessment process that identifies the strengths and vulnerabilities of children with adverse experiences.
Integrating the core principles of neurodevelopment and trauma, it informs the implementation of appropriate support for children, their families and their wider communities to promote healing and recovery.
The science behind the approach
Developmental trauma, chaos and neglect can result in complex functional compromise in multiple domains including physiological, motor, emotional, social and cognitive.
The NMT™ assessment helps to identify and organise a child’s developmental history and current level of brain functioning, across four key areas: Sensory Integration, Self-Regulation, Relational Functioning and Cognitive Functioning.
This supports the selection and sequencing of developmentally sensitive therapeutic approaches, educational activities and enrichment experiences that match a child’s developmental age rather than chronological age.
Benefits of NMT™?
Understanding
Enhances understanding and targets support towards the impact of trauma, neglect and adversity on an child’s developing brain
Personalised
Develops a personalised plan of interventions matching a child’s individual needs and strengths, and covering all aspects of their life – home, education and community
Versatile tools
Offers a tool that can be used with all age groups
Informed
Provides an evidence-based assessment underpinned by the key principles of neurodevelopment
How can NMT™ help?
NMT™ can help children, adolescents adults and their families. The Neurosequential Model offers a new way of understanding the unfolding impacts of trauma on the developing brain, making sense of current presentations to inform a bespoke plan for therapeutic healing.
The NMT™ model is underpinned by the key principles of neurodevelopment. There are six core neuro-relational healing elements (The 6 R’s), which guide successful therapeutic outcomes.
The 6 R’s:
- Relational (safe)
- Relevant (developmentally matched to each individual)
- Repetitive (patterned)
- Rewarding (pleasurable)
- Rhythmic (resonant with neural patterns)
- Respectful (of the child, family and culture)
Our approach to therapy
Marcia Banham has completed Phase 1 of the NMT TM training. She can provide full assessments and support children, families and professionals to build bespoke treatment plans based on the findings. Psychoeducation will be provided to explain and discuss findings, outcomes and why certain suggestions are being proposed. Further assessments and monitoring of progress can also be provided by Marcia, so you can monitor, review and, when necessary, create revised treatment plans and goals as the work progresses.
Frequently asked questions
Three Stages of NMT™ assessment:
Stage 1: Assessment Process
Comprehensive assessment of early developmental history mapping key experiences of adversity and relational health.
Stage 2: Building Brain Metric
Identify and assess current level of brain functioning across four primary domains: sensory integration, self-regulation, relational and cognitive.
Stage 3: Neurosequential Treatment Planning
Detailed everyday treatment plan mapping out sequence of therapeutic interventions and educational activities for the individual, their family and connections with the wider community
https://sussexpsychology.co.uk/stg_10448/neurosequential-model-of-therapeutics-slideshow/
One of the most unique aspects of NMT™ is that it is both an ‘evidence-based’ and ‘evidence generating’ (a structured, ongoing process for collecting data) approach to clinical work across multiple settings. These include early childhood provision, various mental health settings, inpatient psychiatric care, residential and foster care, mainstream and special educational settings as well as juvenile justice systems.
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