The Feldenkrais Method® focuses on utilizing the potential of the brain and the nervous system to learn new patterns of movement while at the same time releasing old patterns that may be causing dysfunction, pain or discomfort.

It is named after the physicist, mechanical engineer and Judo expert, Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, D.Sc.( 1904-1984), who developed the method as a means of recovery after being told his knees were so damaged after a lifetime of injuries that he would likely never walk again. Decades before neuroplasticity was even a word, Moshe understood that human beings are capable of learning and changing throughout their lives. He applied a principle of physics, “The Law of Just Noticeable Difference” to the human body to learn how to walk and fully function despite his past injuries. This principle is why the Feldenkrais method, unlike other forms of exercise, asks you to do less rather than more. The systematic movements that are the basis of this method are designed to give our brains the information it needs in order to develop new pathways that allow us to become more flexible, pain free and to have many more options for what we can do with our bodies and our lives.

There are two formats of the Feldenkrais Method®. Individual lessons are referred to as Functional Integration®, while group lessons are called Awareness Through Movement®.

“Awareness Through Movement and Functional Integration have helped me tremendously in recovery both physically and emotionally after a severe automobile accident.” - Tom Casciero, Certified Movement Analyst

The Two Formats

There are two formats of the Feldenkrais Method®.  Individual lessons are referred to as Functional Integration®, while group lessons are called Awareness Through Movement®.

 Children

When I first meet with a parent of a special needs child, they often begin by telling me what their child cannot do. My first step in helping the child is to help his or her parent see what they can do. Recognizing seemingly insignificant abilities is crucial because something as simple as being able to lift her arm over her head may be the skill upon which we build the ability to dress herself or succeed in meeting other developmental milestones that have long been delayed.

Beginning with a child’s innate abilities and emphasizing what they can do not only changes the perspective of the parent, but creates a sense of joy within the child. This is often shocking for parents who have become accustomed to tears and resistance during more traditional treatment approaches. When you take into consideration the potential of neuroplasticity, particularly in children, it is easy to stop seeing a child as a collection of statistics based on their

A few of the situations I have worked with in children include:

• Tortocollis – age 6 weeks

• Delay in walking – 18 months

• Delays due to Down Syndrome- 2 years

• Brain injury after birth due to spinal meningistis – 2 years

• Microcephaly -18 months

• Stroke In Utero -4 years

• Asperger’s/Autism – 12 and 18 years

• Sports and Dance Injuries 11,15 ,22 years