The message of The Feldenkrais Method® is very simple. You can be a lot more comfortable in your body, and you can be a lot more effective in your life. Gritting our teeth and taking the "no pain, no gain"  attitude can numb us to our need for balance and greater ease in our lives.   Although our mental and physical efficiency can actually increase under moderate amounts of stress ("challenge") there are definite limits. Too much stress for too long, causes mental and physical efficiency to deteriorate. We experience (and usually ignore) excessive physical tension and physical pain. The chronic release of stress hormones can actually cause physiological damage as well as discomfort. We need a way to calm our nervous systems and reset and reorient them.  

The Feldenkrais Method works with a persons ability to regulate and coordinate their movements. Complementing chiropractic sessions that adjust bones or massage therapy that works with muscles, the Feldenkrais method uses awareness as the primary tool to identify and adjust ineffective movements.  

This one-to-one learning process is the most direct way of experiencing results with The Feldenkrais Method. Using gentle touch and verbal guidance, the practitioner provides an opportunity for those with chronic pain or physical limitations to discover new ways to organize their movement,  often relieving pain and improving function. In these private sessions the person is lying down comfortably clothed on a low padded table. Through gentle, supportive, and precise movements the practitioner helps  one to regain flexibility, coordination and freedom in movement. Each session is custom tailored to the individual. It's especially useful for people who want to learn to overcome limitations brought on by stress, misuse, accident or illness. And it's equally beneficial for people who just want to perform better and feel better physically and mentally. The Feldenkrais Method  does not require weeks or months to show results. You may notice changes after (or even during) your first session.  

Michael came complaining of chronic pain and fatigue. He had been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and had been given a daily regimen of regular exercise. Although he tried, Michael found the stretching difficult and painful. He could barely walk, his body had become stiff in fearful anticipation of each painful step. His pain spread and he grew progressively weaker. Only a year before he had been healthy and active with an important job at a large corporation. Now his life had come to a standstill.  

His chiropractor recommended that he try the Feldenkrais approach. Through a series of Functional Integration lessons Michael began to learn the feeling of comfort, to move more efficiently and  to regain satisfaction from simple day-to-day activities. He began to take walks again and to sleep more comfortably.  

What is interesting about Michael's experience is that there wasn't an attempt to focus on pain relief. Using the Feldenkrais Method he learned to experience pleasure from ordinary movements such as turning, lifting and bending without discomfort.  In essence Michael learned how to move again, and improve his ability to function. He is beginning to feel better and plans to return to work.  
 

Personal Histories 

Sarah was involved in a car accident. Before that she had been without pain and living a normal life. Her back was injured and she suffered from whiplash. The pain was unbearable and so she had surgical spinal fusion and rods inserted in her lower back.

She came  complaining of lingering pains in the back and hip and stiffness in the shoulders and neck. Through ongoing Functional Integration lessons she has learned to move again with ease. It's amazing to see how gracefully she turns from side to side. The pains in her back are gone, her neck and shoulders are without tension and she has resumed gardening and works full time at a very demanding job." I'm a long term project" Eleanor says, "my weekly Feldenkrais sessions keep my body balanced and relaxed as I recover from the accident.  

The Feldenkrais method can make everyone feel better. With improved breathing, circulation and greater flexibility, life always improves. Recent studies and our own experience has shown that gentle movement in a nurturing environment  can be especially helpful for:

• Repetitive strain injuries

• Relief of upper and lower back pain

• Ease of chronic pain and discomfort

• Sports injuries

• Poor posture

• Stress relief

• Joint pain and stiffness

• Arthritis

Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais (1904-1984) began developing this Method in the 1940's as a solution to his own knee troubles. After finding a way to walk without pain, he became fascinated with the human body, human awareness, and learning. He drew upon his knowledge of Judo, his engineering background, his studies in child development, psychology, yoga and many other sources to develop his unique Method. The principles of the Feldenkrais Method incorporate  a thorough understanding of the physical mechanics of the body as well as the human capacity for learning. The Method is now taught in more than 30 countries by almost 5,000 certified practitioners.  A growing population, from professional athletes and musicians, to persons with disabilities, have benefited from the  Feldenkrais Method.

One of Feldenkrais' major contributions in the health field is the notion that human beings can always learn and improve, no matter what our age or state of health. We can learn to move our bodies in ways that feel better and are more effective. Thus we are not doomed to pain and stiffness as we age, nor are we stuck with old problematic habits.  

You can: 

• Relieve stress and  reduce pain

• Increase concentration and restful sleep

• Recover more quickly from injuries

• Create new options in yourself and your life

• Discover flexibility, pleasure and precision in movement

 Andrew Weil MD, author of 'Spontaneous Healing' and 'Natural Health, Natural Medicine' states,

"I have long been intrigued by this subtle form of retraining the nervous system,  which I recommend to patients  whose movement has been restricted by injury, cerebral palsy, stroke, fibromyalgia, or chronic pain. I find it (The Feldenkrais Method) to be much more useful than standard physical therapy.  I also believe that the Feldenkrais Method can help older people achieve greater range of motion and flexibility, and help all of us feel more comfortable in our bodies".

www.ellengordon.com
719 Crown St.
Brooklyn, NY 11213

347-967-7790
ellen@ellengordon.com

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