Feldenkrais® 
Inclusion 
Initiative 

Our Purpose: To make Feldenkrais classes accessible to communities who have not had the opportunity to experience this work, including, but not limited to, younger and more diverse people. The transformative aspects of the Feldenkrais Method, which include improving self-awareness and finding a sense of well-being and empowerment, are the birthright of all people and should be shared as widely as possible.

Our  page at Feldenkrais Legacy Forum: https://feldenkraislegacyforum.org/younger-more-diverse/’

FOUNDING TEACHERS

Peggi Honig offers 57 Free ATM lessons on her YouTube channel.

Website:

thepeggiexperience.com

Discussion Board ~ a place for notes about the class

https://feldenkraisinclusioninitiative.org/paris-kern/

Website

joycelu.com

Awareness Through Movement® Teacher

Website:

rachelrudansky.com

GCFP

https://www.chrishkresge.com/

CGFP

Website:

sunrisewalkers.com

Website:

feldenkraislearningmatters.com

Feldenkrais Practitioner
Jun 2008 – Present · 13 yrs 10 mos
United Latino Students Association
Washington State Bar Association
Feb 1980 – Present

Jaclyn Boone LinkedIn

https://feldenkraislegacyforum.org/transformation-of-trainings/

Jaclyn Boone Interviews with 13 Trainers – September 2023

To capture their accumulated experience and wisdom, this past year the Transformation of Trainings (ToT) springboard group of the Feldenkrais Legacy Forum (FLF) interviewed 13 of the most experienced Feldenkrais Trainers within the North American Guild.  (6 San Francisco, 5 Amherst, 2 Other)

  • Each was asked the same four questions.
  • Verbatim interview transcripts were prepared for each question, compiling all 13 responses.
  • The focus was on the ideas- therefore trainers were not identified by name.
  • Themes or common ideas were identified to aid in access.

The four questions

  1. What are the essential qualities and characteristics of the Feldenkrais® work – without which it would not be Feldenkrais work and what distinguishes the Feldenkrais work from other professions?
  2. What is essential to consider and do in Feldenkrais training to balance personal experience of the work with the development of professional competence in the work?
  3. Where do you see the Feldenkrais work going?
  4. Does training need to evolve to support that? If so, how?

The Legacy group has deep gratitude for the Trainers’ willingness to share their thoughts as part of the effort to preserve Moshe Feldenkrais’s work.

Each Trainer brought their perspective as it had evolved and was still evolving in their own journey. Their perspectives were often varied on the same idea. They were reflecting, not endeavoring to impose their truths on the community. They gave a gift to the community and to each individual to use in their own journey and their own reflections.

Executive summary of project, including questions and themes.

Question 1 with themes and transcripts

Question 2 with themes and transcripts

Questions 3 and 4 with themes and transcripts

PowerPoint from Sept 24, 2023 presentation to the Canadian Region

Click on the image to view all slides.

Recording from Sept 24, 2023 presentation – 45 min presentation, 30 min Q&A

Interviews with 13 Trainers on the Essence of the Feldenkrais Method, and Reflections on Training Programs from Feldenkrais Guild North America on Vimeo.

CURRENT CLASSES

Please click on a teacher’s name below to sign up for a class ~ we hope to see you soon!
Awareness Through Movement® Class ‘no charge’ or ‘pay what you can’

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Katarina Halm
Tuesday
7:00 am Pacific
Fritha Pengelly
Wednesday
6 am Pacific
Fritha Pengelly
Thursday
6 am Pacific
Jaclyn Boone 
Friday
7:00 am Pacific
Alice Friedman
Monday
9 am Pacific
Liza Weaver Brickey
Friday
9 am Pacific
Peggi Honig
Saturday
9 am  Pacific
Dianna Dryden
Monday
9 am Pacific
Jeff Haller
Wednesday
10 am Pacific
Bobbie Ueunten
Saturday
10 am Pacific
Rachel Rudansky
Monday
11 am Pacific
Peggi Honig
Tuesday
Noon  Pacific
Peggi Honig
Wednesday
10:30 am Pacific
Peggi Honig
Friday
Noon  Pacific
Bobbie Ueunten
Mon & Wed
1 pm Pacific
Bobbie Ueunten
Mon & Wed
1 pm Pacific
Katarina Halm
Saturday
3:00 pm Pacific
Paris Kern
Tuesday
3 pm Pacific
Alice Friedman
Wednesday
5 pm Pacific
Jeff Haller
Thursday
pm Pacific

Interviews with 13 Feldenkrais Trainers 

To capture their accumulated experience and wisdom, this past year the Transformation of Trainings (ToT) springboard group of the Feldenkrais Legacy Forum (FLF) interviewed 13 of the most experienced Feldenkrais Trainers within the North American Guild.  (6 San Francisco, 5 Amherst, 2 Other)

  • Each was asked the same four questions.
  • Verbatim interview transcripts were prepared for each question, compiling all 13 responses.
  • The focus was on the ideas- therefore trainers were not identified by name.
  • Themes or common ideas were identified to aid in access.

The four questions

  1. What are the essential qualities and characteristics of the Feldenkrais® work – without which it would not be Feldenkrais work and what distinguishes the Feldenkrais work from other professions?
  2. What is essential to consider and do in Feldenkrais training to balance personal experience of the work with the development of professional competence in the work?
  3. Where do you see the Feldenkrais work going?
  4. Does training need to evolve to support that? If so, how?

The Legacy group has deep gratitude for the Trainers’ willingness to share their thoughts as part of the effort to preserve Moshé Feldenkrais’s work.

Each Trainer brought their perspective as it had evolved and was still evolving in their own journey. Their perspectives were often varied on the same idea. They were reflecting, not endeavoring to impose their truths on the community. They gave a gift to the community and to each individual to use in their own journey and their own reflections.

Executive summary of project, including questions and themes.

Question 1 with themes and transcripts

Question 2 with themes and transcripts

Questions 3 and 4 with themes and transcripts

PowerPoint from Sept 24, 2023 presentation to the Canadian Region

Click on the image to view all slides.

Recording from Sept 24, 2023 presentation – 45 min presentation, 30 min Q&A

Interviews with 13 Trainers on the Essence of the Feldenkrais Method, and Reflections on Training Programs from Feldenkrais Guild North America on Vimeo.

DISCUSSION

Creating Knowledge, Expanding Practices.

We would like to hear from you.  Your thoughts and suggestions are important to the project.

You could use the comment button on this page!

(Please stay tuned for the updated discussion forum)

FIND A CLASS!

Click on a teacher’s name to sign up for a class ~ we hope to see you soon!
Awareness Through Movement® Class ‘no charge’ or ‘pay what you can’

OUTREACH

For  Feldenkrais Practitioners

If you are interested in widening the reach of the Feldenkrais Method® and  ATM® classes:
please use the form on this page and stay tuned to an updated link for our discussion board!

CONTACT

* Email: [email protected]
* Telephone: 1 604 263 9123 (Canada)
* Discussion board: https://feldenkrais-inclusion-initiative.mn.co/

Project developed by Katarina Halm, MA, CFT, GCFP, and Jim Stephens, Ph.D., PT, GCFP

Katarina Halm, MA, CFT, GCFP  received her M.A. degree from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology with a thesis on Resonance and Dissonance in the Learning Process. She graduated from Jeff Haller’s Victoria Feldenkrais Training in 2007. Katarina has a wide range of experience in the field of somatic practices and has written several articles. Her studio website is  thinkinginmovement.ca.  Katarina is active with several working groups of the Feldenkrais Legacy Forum Committee.

Jim Stephens, Ph.D., PT, GCFP   lives outside Philadelphia, PA. He received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Temple University in 1981 and a Physical Therapy degree from Hahnemann University in 1983, and graduated from the Toronto Feldenkrais Training in 1987. He is an organizer of The Ester Thelen Fund, has published original research on Feldenkrais Method, and has written several review articles and book chapters. You can find this work on PubMed or Google Scholar. Jim is active with the Younger More Diverse working group of the Feldenkrais Legacy Forum Committee.

Feldenkrais Contributions to Public Well-being

Research papers substantiating Moshé Feldenkrais’s contributions to the field of Public Well-being. James Stephens PT, PhD, GCP Principal Investigator and Author.

Included is the Story of Louise, a short follow-up about a woman with MS who participated in the project discussed in the Case Reports paper from 1999.  This heartening report illustrates the potential of Feldenkrais to enhance Public Well-being.

Principal Investigator and author for correspondence and reprint requests

© 2000 James Stephens PT, PhD, GCP

Physical Therapy Department

Temple University

3307 N. Broad Street

Philadelphia, PA 19140

Phone: 215-707-8085

Fax: 215-707-7500

Email: [email protected]

PT Case Reports 1999

James Stephens PT, PhD

Louise – InTouch May 2002 p12

The Story of Louise In Touch May 2002

Ortho PT Clin 2000

IFF Academy

Feldenkrais Research Journal 2 (2005)

by the author

ISSN 1817-4000

Learning to Improve Mobility and Quality of Life in a Well

Elderly Population: The Benefits of Awareness Through Movement

Abstract

Objectives: This study tested the hypothesis that an alternative movement

learning method, Awareness Through Movement, would produce improvements in

coordination, mobility, economy of movement and quality of life in older adults.

Methods: A group of 31 older adults was studied using a prospective, repeated

measures control group design. The SF-36 was used to assess health status – quality of

life. Video motion analysis was used to collect data on walking and on a floor to stand

transfer movement.

Results: Coordination of the transfer movement improved significantly in the

experimental group. Vitality and mental health scores also improved significantly in this

group. Interesting differences between young-old and old-old changes were observed.

Conclusions: Awareness Through Movement may be an additional effective

method for pursuing the objectives of Healthy People 2010.

Please click for the entire article Ortho PT Clin 2000

Stephens&Hillier_2020_Evidence of Effectiveness_KinesRev

Evidence for the Effectiveness of the Feldenkrais Method

James Stephens and Susan Hillier

The Feldenkrais method (FM) is a process that uses verbally and manually guided exploration of novel movements to

improve individuals’ self-awareness and coordination. This paper reviews recent literature evaluating the therapeutic value

of the FM for improving balance, mobility, and coordination and its effectiveness for management of chronic pain. The

authors also explore and discuss studies that have investigated some of the other bodily effects and possible mechanisms of

action, such as (a) the process of learning itself, (b) focus of attention during motor learning, (c) autonomic regulation, and

(d) body image. They found that research clearly supports the effectiveness of the FM for improvement of balance and

chronic pain management. The exploration into mechanisms of action raises interesting questions and possibilities for further

investigation.

Keywords: awareness through movement, function, functional integration, mechanism of action, pain management

Please click for the entire article Stephens&Hillier_2020_Evidence of Effectiveness_KinesRev

Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Clinics of North America
Complementary Medicine
9:3, September 2000
1059-1516/00 $15.00 + .00
Feldenkrais® Method Background Research and Orthopaedic Case Studies.

Please click for the entire article … Ortho PT Clin 2000

NeuroReport-2001

James Stephens PhD, PT, CFP 

Please click for the entire article …  NeuroReport-2001

Resources

“The Sum of Us”
A Community Conversation

RESOURCES:
a web link to resources that list informative summaries, podcasts and study guides for the conversation.
Please note that on October 24th, we added to those resources, a link to a series of podcasts, “Stories of Solidarity,” that were published by Heather McGhee between July and September, 2022. 
On Nov 5, we added a brief summary of the book, and a brief listing of the “Stories of Solidarity”.

DESCRIPTION:
The Religious Affairs Committee of the NAACP of Boulder County created an interfaith and ethical community conversation regarding our shared commitment to anti-racism and social justice.

The conversation is  based upon the book, “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together,” by Heather McGhee, as well as podcasts and other resources. The goal is to educate area congregations about the status of racism, and the objective is to engage the community in congregational conversations and calls- to action.

Moderator
Michele D. Simpson: host of KGNU’s “Black Talk”

Panelists
Glenda S. Robinson: Minister, Second Baptist Church
Dr. Thomas S. Mayes: Sr. Pastor, Living Water Christian Center Church, President of The Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance, & 3rd VP of Rocky Mountain NAACP
Dr. Sheila, Davis: Vice President, NAACP Boulder County, Director of Health Equity for the State of Colorado

ABOUT THE BOOK

“The Sum of Us,” by Heather McGhee, is a story told from an economist’s perspective of how racism affects and has affected both people of color as well as white people over the generations with a systemic “Zero Sum” philosophy (“Progress for people of color means a loss for white people.”). McGhee ends with the “Solidarity Dividend” (that benefits us all) philosophy and positive actions we can take.

“Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.”

— Buddhism, Udanavarga 5:18 (c. 600 BCE)

“What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow.”

— Babylon Talmud, Hillel the Elder (c. 110 BCE – 10 CE)

“Do to others what you want them to do to you.”

— Matthew 7:12, New International Version

“The most righteous person is the one who consents for other people what he consents for himself, and who dislikes for them what he dislikes for himself.”
— from the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad

NAACP Mission Statement
The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights for all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination

FAQ

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