- What do you do?
I’m an exercise scientist / physiologist and Feldenkrais teacher. That means I help people who want to perform better, get out of pain and generally enjoy their lives more fully. Click HERE for more details
- What is Feldenkrais?
Feldenkrais is an educational method that looks at the interaction between sensing, feeling and thinking and how these combine to affect action. You can get a more indepth explanation by clicking HERE
- Felden-christ?
Nope. It’s pronounced Fell-den-krice. And it has absolutely nothing to do with any kind of religious movement.
- That’s kind of a mouthful. How come it’s called that?
The method was named after the founder – Dr Moshe Feldenkrais. Dr Feldenkrais was a Russian Jewish engineer and physicist (as well as being one of the first non Japanese judo blackbelts). Before turning his attention to improving human functioning, Feldenkrais worked on atomic research with Marie Curie, helped the British detect German submarines during World War two and fought as a guerilla.
Moshe was a polymath who lead a rich life. You can read more about him HERE
- C’mon, be honest with me. Is this just more new age, woo woo?
Not even a little. Although the Feldenkrais Method is a fairly new profession, it has a growing body of scientific evidence to back it up. Don’t believe me, however. Check out THIS collection of peer reviewed research articles or THIS blog post. Or do a Google scholar search. New research comes out every day.
- What happens during a session?
Feldenkrais is taught in two ways. During group classes (called Awareness Through Movement lessons – or ATM for short), 8-15 participants are verbally guided through a series of gentle, pain free, explorative movements in order to discover novel solutions to a given task. At all times you work within you capacities. There are plenty of rests. It’s less of an exercise class and more of a ‘thinking man’s/woman’s yoga’.
The second means (called Functional Integration – FI for short) is one-on-one instruction. The student lays or sits comfortably, fully clothed, on a low padded table. By skillful, painless, hands on interaction, the student and the teacher find new and better ways of doing what the student would like to do.
Wanna see what it looks like and hear what other people have to say? Click HERE
- Will I have to undress? Will I be embarrassed?
The only thing you have to remove is your shoes. Maybe your glasses and watch.
That’s it.
Embarrassment wise – you will never, ever be goaded, cajoled, pushed or verbally humiliated in either FI or ATM. Feldenkrais is not boot camp. It’s a physical and mental Rubix cube.
- So classes (ATM) are like Yoga or Pilates?
No, not really. There is no stretching or conditioning involved. Feldenkrais is much more interested in improving how your brain and nervous system work, than trying to ‘tone’ your body. (And don’t even get me started on ‘toning’, ‘core strength’ or other trendy buzz words that are popular right now). This point cannot be overstated – Feldenkrais is not exercise (though it can help you perform your exercises in a more fluid and intelligent way).
- So hands on work (FI) is like chiropractic, massage etc?
Having been a massage therapist for almost a decade and a chiropractic student, I can speak definitively on this. The answer is a resounding NO. As a Feldenkrais teacher, I am not directly interested in massaging your muscles or manipulating your joints. I am however very interested in helping you find a better way to do the things you do. Not by working on you but by working with you. In a world filled with doctors and therapists, this approach may sound a little … unusual.
The Feldenkrais motto? ‘More brain – less pain’. (Or as I prefer – ‘using your brain – cheating to win’)
- How long does a group class run for (ATM)? What about the hands on (FI)?
ATM classes run for around an hour. Ditto FI.
- Who are you? What are you’re qualifications? Why should I trust you?
Excellent questions. You’ll find answers HERE and HERE. Or just contact me HERE
- How much does it cost?
My fee structure is listed HERE
- How often do I have to come to lessons?
Generally speaking, in hands on work, I recommend a series of 2-3 lesson before assessing what to do next.
For group lessons, I recommend attending at least a block of classes (anywhere from 4-10).
In the end, it’s up to you – I can’t predict before hand how and where our journey will take us.
One thing I can promise you – I am not out to bilk you with never ending consultations. My goal is to help you help yourself. That might take 1 lesson or it might take 20. It’s up to you.
- Do you treat…?
Feldenkrais is not a medical intervention but rather an educational approach. While it has a wide range of applications to conditions such as back and neck pain, post surgical rehabilitation, RSI, fibromyalgia, stroke, cerebral palsy and arthritis – and others – it is NOT a therapy or a treatment.
This may seem like semantics, but as a Feldenkrais teacher, I want you to understand that I don’t treat conditions: I help people who have those conditions find a better quality of life. In the course of that, the condition is often alleviated.
- Is it for me?
Maybe.
While I think it’s the best thing since sliced bread (and I’ve eaten a lot of different bread over the years), I’m going to be frank and tell you that Feldenkrais isn’t for everyone. It requires a person who is genuinely self motivated to learn a new way of doing something – and is looking for a guide.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for something else (for example, a nice, soothing massage, structural body work, chiropractic, getting ‘fixed’) then I can recommend some excellent practitioners.
Me? I can neither walk on water nor raise the dead. But I can work with you, if you’ll work with me.
Want to find out more? Contact me HERE
