Katherina and Tina Tribe, Feldenkrais Practitioners
The Feldenkrais method is an approach for improving both physical and mental functioning
developed over many years by scientific analysis of the ways by which we move by
Dr M.Feldenkrais (1904-84). Persons are instructed as to the best way to use
themselves with whatever capacities they have. It is always positive.
For persons who have a certain disabling illness they may retain rather few capacities
by contrast with a normal healthy person, yet there are always sufficient ways to
permit substantial improvement in their well being. The brain has an innate
capacity for learning and potential for lifelong development which is rarely fully
appreciated, but of which the Feldenkrais method makes continual use. Feldenkrais
consists of a series of lessons rather than a system of treatment and the Feldenkrais
Practitioner is more a teacher then therapist. Lessons are imparted in two
ways, as Awareness Through Movement (ATM) and as Functional Integration (FI).
During Awareness Through Movement lessons, participants are led verbally through
a series of carefully designed movement sequences. These lessons are mainly
taught to groups, but lend themselves equally well to an individual. In Functional
Integration however, the needs of the individual person are provided by specifically
designed lessons with hands on interaction. The quality of touch is not invasive
but interactive. Both ways use movement as the means to promote changes in
patterns of moving, thinking, sensing, feeling, and interacting with others.
Those who suffer form encephalitis are affected in different ways according to where
the brain is damaged. Sometimes there is a period of coma. The Feldenkrais
Method is unique in its approach to each individual's needs. Kate (28) was
said to be in a "permanent vegetative state". Her parents unfailingly
believed that this verdict did not apply to their daughter and searched for ways
to help. The Feldenkrais Method is based on child development. A baby
cannot stand before it can sit, cannot sit before it can roll over and cannot roll
over before lifting its head. We start our work with people from the stage
they are. As Feldenkrais Teachers we KNOW, that however hopeless a situation
seems to be, there is ALWAYS SOMETHING we can improve.
When we first met Kate, she sat hunched and barely able to look up. Her whole
body was spastic. She could not eat, or speak or move much. Therefore
we would work with her as though she was newly born. But of equal importance
to us in each lesson is to ask: "What is it YOU want to improve today?"
Kate complained of pain in her right shoulder and wanted to reduce its stiffness.
The first essential thing to do was to help her to sit more upright, breathe with
more ease and: ease her right shoulder. By lifting it gently, holding it for
a while in the lifted position, and then letting it slowly come down, her muscles
learnt that they could let go. This immediately eased her pain. Kate
suffered an extreme fear of falling. The cause was not clear. Her need
therefore was to be shown, in time, that she could manage to move herself in safety
and not fall. In order to sit straight, people need to be able to bend first.
Babies play with their toes. Kate learnt to pull her knees to her chest and
discovered – by herself and was able to point it out on her speechboard –
that when she pulled her knees towards her, the small of her back moved downward
and when she let her knees go away, the small of her back curved up. This
made Kate sit much more upright. Easing her neck through many different approaches
and relaxing her facial muscles finally got rid of the enormous spasticity in her
neck and her face became more animated and extremely beautiful. We were elated!
Gaining her trust, we were able to teach her that new and seemingly threatening
situations could be joyful events. Learning with pleasure and joy is one of
our main issues. Nothing we teach is enforced, but will eventually happen
spontaneously and therefore becomes our students' own response.
Essential in all of this were Kate's parents. We gave each a Feldenkrais lesson
so they could understand what it is all about. Feldenkrais has to be experienced
in order to understand it. Kate's parents were once told that exercise would
bring nothing in Kate's case. But learning to lift Kate's shoulder, easing
Kate's muscles, stimulating Kate's whole body and a hundred other things, brought
Kate to where she is now: Kate the painter, Kate the baker, Kate the gardener, Kate
in charge of her electric wheelchair. We see a future of much more improvement.
We don't know where too. There will be areas we might not be able to improve.
But we will be able to show a way that Kate can function at her optimal potential.
With Vicki, our work also embraced what was essential to her. Mostly we gave
her Awareness Through Movement lessons which were tailor made for her own needs
as well as Functional Integration lessons. Of great importance is the participation
of our students. Vicki does her lessons, plays around with them, improvises,
improves, thinks about them……and thus it has brought wonderful results.
And the step by step improvements are a joy both for our students and ourselves.
Further information: The Feldenkrais Guild UK, PO Box 370, London
N10 3XA. Tel: 07000-785 506.
Email:enquiries@feldenkrais.co.uk
www.feldenkrais.co.uk
Personal Stories
I had ADEM Encephalitis and my immune system attacked my mid brain stem.
I can't say how much Feldenkrais has helped me. In my confidence, my mental
strength and my physical strength. Katherina and Tina Tribe my Feldenkrais
Teachers, helped my right arm the first time I saw them. The saying 'no pain
no gain' is total rubbish, in fact I believe Hospital Physiotherapy did me more
harm then good. Hospital Physiotherapy was painful and made me very afraid.
They did not listen to me when I tried to tell them how much it was hurting.
I am now so much more confident with the help I get from Feldenkrais and Katherina
and Tina helped my mum too. I could go on forever about how good it is and
how bad my experience of Hospital Physiotherapy was for me. It was too violent
and painful. Feldenkrais is very gentle and never painful, neither physically
nor mentally. I am looking forward to the future and I will always have Feldenkrais.
Kate Bainbridge
"My daughter had spent two years in hospital recovering form ADEM Encephalitis.
She was very disabled and frail, but worse was her anger and depression. Feldenkrais
has been one of the biggest contributions to her recovery. From the start
the emphasis was on what she could do and the gentle stimulation of all her muscles.
In the last two years her confidence has grown and her anger is slowly subsiding.
Her cognitive powers have increased and she now loves listening to CDs, watches
TV, and best of all she can hold a book and read. The care that has been given to
us through Feldenkrais has been wonderful and I am so grateful for all the support
and encouragement. My daughter continues to improve both physically and mentally.
She always looks forward to her two sessions of Feldenkrais every week. She
would hate to miss them. The last two years have changed her form a frail
girl propped up on pillows unable to do much for herself, to someone who sits up
in her wheelchair and has good body movement."
Gillian Bainbridge
Feldenkrais is helping me enormously. The class is geared towards
my level, and unlike other therapies, whereby I often feel I am the 'patient' having
things 'done to me', Feldenkrais has empowered me by given me many ideas and structured
exercises I can carry out for myself at home. I feel I am involved in a learning
process about my body and the benefits have included increased mental and physical
functioning, less pain and stiffness, better balance and co-ordination and improved
energy levels. Before I embarked on Feldenkrais my confidence was very poor,
but my confidence about my body has grown as I begin to function better. Since
I began Feldenkrais, I have started driving short distances, playing the piano again,
and I have just finished a Masters degree, which I was mid-way through before the
onset of my illness."
Last modified: October 2004