Inclusive Hydrotherapy

This text provides a comprehensive introduction to using hydrotherapy as a means of promoting autonomy and social inclusion for individuals with disabilities.

Michal Nissim is Head of the Special Education Department at David Yellin College of Education, where she founded and leads the Hydrotherapy and Rehabilitation Swimming Programme. She holds a PhD in Special Education, with a research focus on aquatic motor interventions across the lifespan. She completed postdoctoral fellowships in neuroscience and occupational therapy. Nissim's work promotes inclusive, person-centred hydrotherapy practices that foster autonomy, participation, and well-being in diverse therapeutic and educational contexts.

Introduction. Part I: Foundations: Hydrotherapy and Disability Paradigms. 1. Hydrotherapy and its Physiological Foundations. 2. Shifting Paradigms in Disability Perspectives. 3. From Medical Reductionism to Inclusive and Affirmative Hydrotherapy Frameworks. Part II: Core Framework: The Four-Dimensional Model. 4. Holistic Four-Dimensional Model for Hydrotherapy. 5. Analysing Hydrotherapy Techniques Through the Lens of the Four-Dimensional Model. Part III: Practice: Case Studies and Future Directions. 6. Case Reports Using the Four-Dimensional Model. 7. Future Directions in Hydrotherapy Practice. Afterword