Author: Donna

Dear Students:

I highly recommend Dr. Norman Doidge’s book, The Brain’s Way of Healing for anyone that wants to learn how to heal, through natural ways without toxic medicines or invasive surgeries.  I wish I could put this book in the hands of every parent with a child with special needs and every person suffering from brain injury, chronic pain or disease.

Each alternative therapy mentioned in this book encourages neuroplastic learning much like the Feldenkrais Method® does.  I think you will find the book easy to read because of your own understanding of how the brain learns through your experiences with classes and sessions.  I hope that I can inspire you to read the entire book in this short review.

Chapter 1:  Physician Hurt, Then Heal Thyself, Michael Moskowitz Discovers That Chronic Pain Can Be Unlearned

This chapter is for anyone dealing with chronic pain.  Dr. Michael Moskowitz, a pain specialist used the knowledge he discovered when recovering from his own injuries to teach people how to “unlearn chronic pain”.  Continue reading Book Review: The Brain’s Way of Healing

HI Students:
Following is a favorite excerpt of mine from Dr. Norman Doidge’s, latest book about the brain’s ability to heal itself.

“According to Feldenkrais, these attempts to leapfrog through development are a huge error because no one ever learned to walk by walking. Other skills have to be in place for a child to walk—skills adults don’t think about or remember learning, such as the ability to arch the back and lift the head. Only when all these pieces are in place will a child learn to walk, spontaneously.”  ~“The Brain’s Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries From the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity” by Norman Doidge

This statement applies to everyone, no matter the problem one is dealing with. Whether I am helping a baby that missed crawling; an adult with a back injury; a person suffering from a stroke; or a child with special needs- teaching them the movements a baby learns in the first year of life creates & restores functioning. This may look like a baby rolling for the first time; a person dealing with a stroke speaking more clearly; or a teenager figuring out a math problem more easily.

A baby is born without curves in the spine.  The curves develop as the baby’s curiosity invites them to do movements such as rolling onto the belly and lifting the head to see something in their environment. Crawling, sitting and walking are discovered in much the same way.  Allowing a baby to go through these motions supports brain development. An adult re-visiting these movements can create new pathways in the brain and reshape the curves in their vertebral column.  All of this will improve balance and functioning no matter one’s age!

Attend a Feldenkrais class or workshop soon so you can continue to grow and heal. The workshop I taught in March sold out so I recommend signing up early for the workshop, Taking the Weight Off Your Shoulders on May 2nd.

~Donna

Hi Students:
Inside every one is a beautiful dancer that can be expressed in many unique and individual ways.

One of the things I love most about my job as a Feldenkrais® Practitioner is that I enjoy watching the dancer from within my students, emerge.  The following quotes express how this woman pictured to the left could go about finding her dancer through the Feldenkrais Method®.

“Health is measured not by the capacity to stay standing but by the ability to be knocked down and then return to standing.”~Moshe Feldenkrais

“It follows that any posture is acceptable in itself as long as it does not conflict with the law of nature, which is that the skeletal structure should counteract the pull of gravity, leaving the muscles free for movement.” ~Moshe Feldenkrais

When a student says to me, “I am getting old and was told that I shouldn’t do this or that anymore…” I kindly remind them not to give their power and dreams away and if they want they can learn to do “this and that”.

When you witness without judgement, how you move, behave and imagine yourself to be in the world, you can initiate change.  Change can happen by learning to become aware through enjoyable movements that may bring to light personal details about yourself you never knew.

“Without learning to know ourselves as intimately as we possibly can, we limit our choices.  Life is not very sweet without freedom of choice.” ~Moshe Feldenkrais

How much time & energy do you want to commit to finding your inner dancer? Remember you are worth every second.  Imagine your loved ones interacting with you, the dancer, right now.  What do you see?~Donna

HI Students!
“What I love most about Feldenkrais is that after a class or private session the “chatter” inside my head comes to a standstill,” a student shares.

When the fear of the unknown future or when the compulsive thinking stops, you are living in the present moment. Feldenkrais® helps us to get there and I appreciate this wonderful gift we can achieve even when not in class.   To live in the present moment, is as simple and elusive as becoming aware, using any of your 5 senses.

Take a moment and feel your feet on the floor; hear the sounds around you; smell the fragrance of the room; look at the vastness of the sky; or truly taste your food when eating. The present moment allows a person to find peace when being. Living in the past and/or future, can create physical, emotional and mental stress.

Aknowledge your thoughts and let them go as you come to the present.  Remember your thoughts / emotions are not you.  And when in a crisis, living in the present moment will allow you to make the best decisions based on what is currently happening and not based on a fear of what could happen.

Try it, I think you will like it!
~Donna

Hi Students:
I am excited to be teaching CHILD’SPACE classes, starting on Jan. 20, this year.
Please send new parents to my website if you think they would be interested in learning how to support their baby’s development through movement & touch.

I made this video, inspired by requests from students in my Feldenkrais classes. Many have difficulty remembering the lesson after class is over.  This lesson will help jog your memory.  I am confident that if you get down on the floor and explore, you will remember more.  It will also help you to make up some variations on your own.  Have fun!

May you spend lots of time in nature, exploring movement this new year!
~Donna

Happy Holidays,
As a gift to you I have created a new section on my website called, “videos”. If you click on the link you will find all of my videos in one place for your viewing. Since I will not be teaching Feldenkais classes from Dec. 25 until Jan. 1, it will be the perfect time for you to do lessons on your own and stay rejuvenated.

I am happy to announce that I will begin teaching Child’Space classes for parents & babies, in January at the Susquehanna Dance Center.  I will teach parents how to support their baby’s brain development through movement and touch.

I would appreciate it if you could hang a flyer like the one on your left, or forward this post to anyone you think would be interested in Child’Space classes.  Contact me if you want me to mail you some flyers.

Thank you for your support in 2014.  Because of you I feel very fortunate & grateful to share the Feldenkrais Method with you.
~Donna

Happy Thanksgiving!

There will be no Feldenkrais class on Thanksgiving day.  That week I will teach class on Tuesday, November 25 at 11 a.m.  I hope to see you there!

I have for your viewing two new videos: A Walking Lesson with Katherine Part 1&2. I made them with the intention of helping you to better understand what my thinking is like when I am working with a student privately.  If you have any questions please feel free to email me and I would be glad to answer them.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Thank you for supporting me! I am grateful for having such wonderful students both near and far!

I will leave you with a quote:
“The work of your heart, the work of taking time to listen, to help, is also your gift to the whole of the world.” ~Jack Kornfield

~Donna

Hi Students:

I will be teaching my last workshop of this year entitled:  Feldenkrais for a Healthy Neck at West End Yoga on Sat., Oct. 25.  Sign up by Oct. 18 to get the early bird special at 717.466.YOGA.

The video below, shows how a Feldenkrais Practitioner in Israel is helping musicians.  I think you will find it enjoyable to watch.

Currently I am working with some children with special needs who have very clever parents.   The parents, in their own unique ways, are organizing fund raising events to help pay for their child’s Feldenkrais sessions.

Because these children are able to see me on a consistent schedule their progress has been wonderful.

Here is what a Father of a teenager dealing with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, has to say:
“I was very skeptical about Donna at first.  After seeing what Donna has done with Carina in the past several weeks versus what PT at Hershey Medical Center has done for her in 6 months – hands down, Donna has my praise!”  ~Jere Flowers

If you are a parent that would like to learn how to fund raise, email me and I will get you in contact with a very resourceful mother that can help you get you started.

~Donna

 

 

 

 

Dear Students:
Improving Through Movement will be closed from August 10 -23, 2014.  There will be no classes during that time.

The video below will get you ready for the Finding Comfortable Sitting Workshop, on Saturday, Aug. 30.  For more information click here.

If you would like to support a teenager in need of Feldenkrais sessions with me, you can do this while enjoying live music at a barbecue. Join Carina and her family at the Mount Joy VFW pavilion, 125 Longenecker Rd. for a Chicken Barbecue Fundraiser on Saturday, August 9 @ noon.

Carina is in a wheelchair and has not be able to walk since developing Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, one year ago. Carina has improved tremendously since I started working with her. Your donations will help pay for more sessions since insurance does not cover my services. Another way to donate is to email Carina’s Father at:  JereFlow@embarqmail.com.  Your support will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Donna

Hi Students:
There are openings for my classes in July on Tuesdays @ 5:15 p.m. and Wednesdays @ 6:30 p.m. at my studio. Call me @ 717.285.0399 to pre-register. My on-going class in Mountville welcomes drop-ins.  And if you sign up for the workshop Feldenkrais for A Healthy Lower Back before July 5th you will get the early bird price.

I made this short video to help you learn how to get out of bed with ease so you can begin your day on a good note. I suggest that you watch the video to the end and afterwards do the movements from start to finish while listening to the instructions on the edge of your bed. Pause the video after each movement and rest as long as you need. Do the movements slowly and gently.

The movements can be modified when needed. Move at your own pace and let yourself explore and have fun. I am confident that you will feel much better through out your day when you begin moving gracefully first thing in the morning.

~ Donna