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How Feldenkrais helps

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How Feldenkrais can help children with development challenges

  • Improve motor function, coordination and dexterity, so they move more smoothly, strongly and comfortably.
  • Improve self-confidence.
  • Enhance mental processes, including concentration and focus.
  • Reduce or eliminate chronic pain.

Helping Challenged Children Make Progress

What goes through your mind when you meet a child who has unusual challenges with speech, facial expression, coordination, walking, manipulating objects, general movement, etc …? What if this is a child that’s close to you,

It might be the effects of a premature birth, debilitating disease, congenital condition, developmental delays or trauma that leave the child and their caregivers with unusual challenges. Sometimes our hopes and dreams of what might happen for a child seem like they have been horribly dashed when we find ourselves dealing with unexpected outcomes. But these circumstances can become the foundation for discovering new possibilities that we never knew existed before.

One of the fantastic things about the way our bodies are made is that they have so much possibility and resilience built in. Our bodies are tremendously clever at healing wounds, rebuilding from damage, constructing workarounds and new neural pathways to function at our fullest capacity. One of my joys in life has been to experience the possibilities of improvement through educational movement.

The Feldenkrais Method®: Facilitating Healing

The work that has changed my life and the life of so many others is called the Feldenkrais Method of somatic education. Through this work I’ve seen and heard so many stories of children developing and succeeding in ways that some had thought impossible. Children with cerebral palsy, premature birth issues, birth “defects” and many other conditions can have improved movement and overall developmental capacity. Here’s a link to a brief video about one of the beautiful stories: Elizabeth’s miracle

Normally children develop their full potential for themselves through moving and exploring the world on their own and interaction with others. When something is interfering with that process, working with a Feldenkrais Practitioner can help to expand the possibilities. My wish is for every child to have the opportunity to move as freely as possible, to be able to continue to learn and develop themselves and to live with dignity and self-respect, no matter what challenges they live with.

If you’d like to talk with me about your child’s situation and how this work may benefit them, please contact me

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How Feldenkrais can help the Health Professional

  • Reduce or eliminate many sources of chronic pain
  • Improve motor function and related work performance, including dexterity and stamina.
  • Enhance concentration and focus.
  • Improve overall sense of well-being, reducing barriers between you and your patient/client.

Are you giving to your patients ‘til it hurts?

Enjoy more ease, more joy in your day!

When you spend your day giving of yourself to help others with their health and well being, how do you keep yourself feeling at strong fresh, alert and comfortable and at ease? If you’re like me, it’s easy to get focused on the people you’re helping and the work you’re doing – at some cost to yourself.

How do you feel when you start your day – and when you get to the end of it? We all find ways of coping – how are your coping strategies working for you? What would it be worth to you to be able to feel more at ease all through your day, right to the end?

The start of a negative cycle

When working to help others, do you find it easy to temporarily ignore or mask the discomforts that come from working in awkward positions, lifting, supporting, working with specialized equipment that is perhaps less than ergonomically designed for you? It’s all too easy to say “I’ll take a rest later” or “This really isn’t THAT uncomfortable – I’ll be able to handle it.” Later it all seems to add up to some serious discomfort or even pain!

It’s all too common that people who help others will delay dealing with such problems, hoping it will work out on its own or just go away. Instead, we actually get used to feeling uncomfortable, even though we don’t like feeling that way. Then we start accommodating the discomfort so that it actually becomes part of our self-image.

That can affect your work and relationships in negative ways, too, because most people pick up on the discomfort & pain of people they interact with closely – that’s “kinesthetic identification.”

Of course you’d really rather be able to feel good, enjoy working with your clients and move through your day with ease. The great news is that you have within you a powerful capacity to discover and learn how to do just that! And the people you help will feel the difference – and benefit from how much more you’re at ease.

Feldenkrais helps you be more in control, and more relaxed

How does this work? The Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education provides you with the tools you need to find your own unique path to more ease throughout your day. The power of this approach is that your mind coupled with your nervous system has a tremendous ability to develop new awareness and connections.

These are the same resources that enable a young child to discover how to coordinate large and small movements. With guided attention to awareness of how we do what we do and where we put effort we can discover new options and combinations. Sometimes a very small shift in where the effort is directed can make a major improvement to increase ease and reduce strain.

Would you like to discover more ease for yourself through individual or group sessions? Do you know others in your profession who struggle with discomforts related to work challenges? When would you be able to attend a series of classes for colleagues who do similar work? To find out more and schedule a free consultation please call me or write me. I look forward to hearing from you.

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Testimonials

Thank you very much for the lesson. I felt great – very even-keel – afterwards, and was so impressed by both its effects and the experience overall. You’re clearly a talented practitioner!

Wendy Harrington Sidekick Communications

I know I have healed in so many ways. When I first started last year, I was stumbling over my feet and broke my arm. Today I’m walking, talking and even skipping for joy!

Ruth Hamilton Expressive Arts Counselor Arts Can Heal

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After knowing Robert for several years I still really did not understand the dynamics surrounding Feldenkrais. One day I took a session with him and I was blown away. I was amazed at the Feldenkrais process. My legs did not seem attached to my body. Robert was so gentle and professional. There is no way to describe it. Feeling is believing.

Marilyn Shannon Life Coach Dialogue Inc.

I value working with Bob Boyd because he is a good listener. He is thoughtful, patient, and willing to try various methods to help me achieve my session goals.

K. J.