A Feldenkrais Blog

Dear Students:
One of my students in California asked if I could share a short lesson that he could do at home.  I decided that all of you could benefit so I am including it here.  During this lesson move gently without forcing or stretching.  Focus on how you do the movement as well as on how you return each time. After each movement sit back in your chair and rest before going to the next one.  Let your curiosity guide you.  Add any variations that you can think of, to this mini-lesson.  Have fun and enjoy this exploration!   ~Donna

1)  Sit on the edge of your chair with your feet on the ground and with approximately a 90 degree bend in your knees and hip joints.  Place the palms of your hands on each knee with your elbows long.  Imagine that your hands are glued to your knees and that your elbows can’t bend.  Keeping the constraint of the hands and arms as I just described, turn and look over each shoulder.  Turn as far as you can comfortably.  Notice the quality of movement and how far you can go easily.

2)  In the same starting position as in movement #1, keep your head looking forward at the the wall in front of you and turn left and right from your pelvis.  Keep the feet on the floor without sliding them and sense if one knee becomes longer than the other. Invite your knees to do this a little bit more.  (pause)  Now let your head follow the movement of your pelvis.

3)  Do movement #1, and feel if the quality of movement has improved.

4)  Place your right hand on your left knee and let your left arm hang down by your side.  Keeping your right arm long and the hand in place on the knee, move your right knee to become longer than the left knee and than shorter.  Notice the turning of your pelvis and how your shoulders and head respond to the movement.  Move your head and eyes a little bit more with your pelvis.   (pause)  Now do the same movement and gently turn your head the opposite direction that your pelvis is turning.

5)  Do movement #1 and notice what side can you turn to with more ease and with less effort?

6)  Do movement #4 on the other side.  Feel if this side is easier or harder.  What is it that you do to make it harder or easier?  Do you hold your breath or do you breath without interrupting the flow of air?  Do you have tension in your hands or feet?  Is your jaw, mouth and tongue doing anything that is unnecessary?  Do you move your eyes differently on this side?

7)  Do movement #1 and feel what has changed since the first time you explored this movement today.

Private Sessions with Donna:  By Appointment 

“Donna is bright, receptive and skilled- she hears my concern and directs our session to my specific need. I am amazed at the results.  Improving through Movement has improved my work life, home life and even my sleeping habits!” ~ Lisa Kernic, Doctor of Osteopathy

 “Several private sessions with Donna, have greatly reduced problems I’ve had most of my life in my neck and back.  ~Debra Burton, Wellness Coordinator

“As a wrestling coach, I have experienced major pain in my back and neck as well as sciatic nerve pain.  I no longer have any of these problems because of “hands on” sessions with Donna.” ~ Greg Bervinchak, Physical Ed. Teacher

“Doctors gave me pills, Donna gave me pain relief.”  ~Jude Bervinchak

“We weren’t sure what to expect in results from these sessions (with Donna), but have found them to be so purposeful and are amazed at the changes our daughter, born 12 weeks premature, has made already!”  ~Jenn Hollinger, Mother of 23 month old daughter 

Classes:  Wednesdays @ 6:30 p.m.  (www.reachcorewellness.com)

“I use classes to maintain my homeostasis.” ~ Greg Bervinchak

“Before class, I was experiencing some lower back pain and afterwards I felt a lot better!”  ~ Steve Tuck

” I have a very stressful job and sit at a computer all day. During class I was actually able to relax, which is usually very hard for me.” ~ Debra Burton

“I could have fallen asleep on the floor during the class.  I never have been able to sit or lie on the floor before.”  ~Sharon Almond

“The class was very moving in both mind and body.” ~ Kay Acuazzo

“I experienced a change in my movement that seems more free, light, authentic, and real.” ~ Jo Ellen Wisnosky

“The movements made me feel very good and relaxed – like a massage.” ~Wanda Nikolaus

“It was relaxing, enjoyable and certainly educational.” ~ Lisa Douglas

How did I learn to wash the dishes without hurting myself?  This might seem silly but I used to get terrible leg pain every time I stood to do the dishes!  This was years ago but I want to share with you how I turned an unfavorite, daily activity into a pain-free & sometimes enjoyable one.

I used to dread doing the dishes.  And because of this when I stood in front of the sink to do them, I would hold my breath and squeeze my buttocks. This caused me to stand on only the outside edges of my feet.  Today it is quite obvious why doing the dishes back then, was such an unpleasant experience for me.

During a weekend when my best friend was visiting she volunteered to do the dishes with excitement in her voice.  I was perplexed and I asked her if she enjoyed doing the dishes.  She exclaimed, “Of course I do, how can warming up your hands and playing with suds not be fun!”  I thought she was crazy but after a weekend of watching her, I decided to change my attention while doing this familiar task she seemed to appreciate.

To my great pleasure when I concentrated on the sensation of hot water running over my cold hands the next morning, I didn’t hold my breath and I didn’t create my leg pain!  My awareness let me know how I was creating my pain and my change in focus helped me to have a better time being a dish washer!  Today I don’t get leg pain and this is one of the ways that I maintain my new and better way of standing.

What daily activity can you improve upon and enjoy a little bit more?  Email me your story, I would love to hear about it.

Donna

Dear Students:
After living in San Francisco, California for over two decades I am happy to bring the skills I learned to Lancaster county to share with all of you.  On April 2nd I opened my Improving Through Movement studio in the Silver Springs Center at 3543 Marietta Ave. in West Hempfield area.

I am open to serve you through private, individual sessions, private group classes and workshops.  I specialize in helping adults recover from back pain & leg injuries; and babies & children with developmental challenges to reach milestones.  My approach is very gentle and educational.

Beginning on Wednesday, April 18th at 6:30 p.m. I will be teaching an on-going Awareness Through Movement® class at the CORE Wellness Movement studio in the Hempfield shopping center.  Come join me for your first class complimentary at this studio.  For more information visit:  www.reachcorewellness.com .

Call me at my studio at 717.285.0399, to schedule a consultation at a reduced price or to ask any questions that you may have.

Donna

Dear San Francisco, Feldenkrais Students,

With a very heavy heart I write to inform you that I had to move out of San Francisco because of the harmful effects wireless SmartMeters has had on my health. I hope to one day return to a SmartMeter-free San Francisco but until then I will be starting a practice in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

If you would like to help get SmartMeters removed please sign my petition at: http://www.change.org/petitions/pge-governor-jerry-brown-cpuc-president-obama-remove-and-ban-all-smartmeters-from-the-state-of-ca-and-the-entire-usa

Thank you for being wonderful students, I had the time of my life teaching you and learning from all of you! I will miss you dearly.

Until we meet again,
Donna

HI Students:
Following is an Occupational Therapist’s celebration story about how she learned to enjoy her athletic adventures again without pain.  Enjoy reading!
~Donna
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“I saw Donna for a total of 10 individual sessions and complimented with a couple of weekend Awareness Through Movement classes.  Overall, it was truly amazing. Within 2 sessions, my lower back was basically completely better and has stayed that way for about 2 months now.  We moved on to work on my shoulders and feet a lot which is where more of the trouble seemed to be.  It all seemed totally counter intuitive and in opposition to most of what I have learned throughout my life playing sports and using my body, but at the same time makes so much sense to me intellectually and, obviously, physically as well. I tended to think about tensing and using the “right” muscles in the “right” way all the time.

Donna had me focus more on using my muscles only when I needed them trusting that I have the neurological intelligence to move correctly when I am not in pain; then relying on the skeleton to do the work of support and give my muscles reprieve when they are not truly needed.

I would walk away from the sessions feeling somewhat dazed, and very “loosy-goosy” in my body–at first that was scary because I had been doing so much holding and tensing to feel secure.  After a few sessions it just felt good, such a relief.  Abandoning my patterns, such as holding my abs in tightly and my shoulders back firmly, was something of an emotional process.That was something else great about Donna, she demanded candidness with her questions and calm nature.  The work was letting go of not only the physical but the emotional and intellectual as well. I gained physical as well as mental flexibility in the process!  I am not sure if that is unique to the practitioner that she is, or part of the Feldenkrais package.  I suspect a bit of both?”

“Donna recommended that I take a break from my normal exercise routine so that my body would have a chance to integrate the new learning without old patterns taking over. That was a bit of a bummer to feel like I was getting out of shape for almost 6 weeks, but I was pain free and comfortable for the first time in months! I was certainly nervous to reintroduce activities.  Not to worry!”

“We arrived in Idaho for the start of our trip a week and a half ago; and since we have been home I’ve been tele and cross-country skiing, hiking, to many yoga classes, this gravity training workout class my sister does and even a Kettle-bell class.  I am sore, but in my muscles (some that I haven’t been able to feel for years–like my hamstrings!!) and no pain or aching in my back. I am kind of blown away, but SO grateful I figured it out before our big trip! There is always more to learn and necessary maintenance, of course, but I feel SO much better, it’s awesome!”

“I asked Donna lots of questions and liked to discuss what was going on during the sessions.  She was very tolerant of that, and what knowledge I gained, makes so much sense to me and has changed the way I think about my body in each of the activities that I do!”

Rene Thomas Smey,
Occupational Therapist

Rejuvenate Your Hip Joints By Re-visiting Crawling
Sunday, January 29, 2012
12 noon – 3:30 p.m.
$60.00 (registering by Jan. 15)
$75.00 (registering after Jan. 15)

Crawling is a very important developmental movement stage for human beings. When you were a baby, bearing weight through the hands and knees allowed you to gain strength, stability and flexibility within your hip joints. This dynamic time in your life prepared you for walking and standing on two feet. Exploring crawling as an adult will be a rejuvenating experience, not only for your hips and legs, but for your general well being. During the Awareness Through Movement® lessons we will explore you will discover how playing with instability in different crawling situations will improve your balance and coordination when you are upright and engaging in your life’s activities.

Donna Bervinchak will teach this workshop at the Alonzo King LINES Dance Center at 26 Seventh St. in San Francisco, CA. To sign up call the dance center at 415.863.3040×221. 

Happy Holiday Season, Everyone!
I had a wonderful continuing education experience in Evanston, Illinois and wanted to share with you a picture of me at the Chicago Art Institute. As you can see I am standing between two famous art pieces and they both speak loudly about movement. I felt like a little kid in a candy store! Enjoy!

On another note, Club One at the Fillmore Center, where I teach my Wednesday class, is closed for renovation. My Wednesday class will not take place until they open again. They are expected to open on Dec. 12 if all goes as planned. Call, Club One at 415.749.1010 to make sure that they are open on Wed. Dec. 14 for my class, or contact me.

Enjoy the season,
Donna

Dear Students:
Following is Janet’s celebration story.  She is one of my most dedicated students and it is a joy to watch her grow!
~Donna
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Janet Westphal came to me for help with her leg and shoulder injuries as a result of two separate falls she had over the past few years. Recently she did six private sessions with me over two weeks and at the end of one of the sessions she shared with me the following story.

When Janet was cleaning out her late Mother’s house she was desperately searching for a music box that played the song “The Impossible Dream” and was disappointed when she could not find it.

She said with tears in her eyes, “I wanted it because I feel like it holds significance for me. It represents how my life has changed since working with you.  I feel like I am living “My Impossible Dream”.  I am learning to do things that I thought I would never be capable of doing. I can’t believe how much I am growing and changing. I wish everyone in my life could understand that change is possible for them too!”

Janet is very committed to learning how to continue to discover and live her dreams so she consistently attends one of my classes each week.

“Every class is a surprise and I am always excited to find out what we are going to learn before each one.  At the beginning of class I feel like a child getting ready to open a present,” she explains with a charming smile on her face.

Do you realize the curves in your back, that you know as an adult, were not formed when you were born? During the first 18 months of life, they developed as you became interested in the environment around you. The curve in your neck formed from lifting your head repeatedly (while lying on your belly), to see around you. Your intentions to move led to rolling, crawling, sitting, standing and walking which eventually shaped the curve in your lower back area. Re-visiting these types of developmental movements with the curiosity of a mature person will help to improve your postural alignment and understanding of how you learned to move in the world.