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.
–– A project of the Feldenkrais Legacy Forum (FLF) which is a part of the Feldenkrais Educational Foundation of North America (FEFNA)
Our page at Feldenkrais Legacy Forum: Expansion & Diversification
CURRENT CALENDAR Calendar Feldenkrais® Inclusion Initiative Winter 2024-2025
Appreciation to Anita Bueno; Joyce Lu, Ph.D; Bobbie Ueunten
FOUNDING TEACHERS
Jeff Haller
Katarina Halm
Peggi Honig
Bobbie Ueunten
Paris Kern
♡ 9 classes April 2 to May 28, 2024 ♡
Discussion Board ~ a place for notes about the class
https://feldenkraisinclusioninitiative.org/paris-kern/
Nick Strauss-Klein~Resources
Website
Joyce Lu
Website
Rachel Rudansky
Chrish Kresge~Resources
GCFP
https://www.chrishkresge.com/
Anita Bueno~resources
Website
Liza Weaver Brickey
Alice Friedman
Website:
feldenkraislearningmatters.com
Dianna Dryden
Feldenkrais Practitioner
Jun 2008 – Present · 13 yrs 10 mos
United Latino Students Association
Washington State Bar Association
Feb 1980 – Present
Fritha Pengelly
sign up link for Fritha Pengelly
Website: https://www.feldenkraisandmovementarts.com/aboutfritha/fritha-pengelly/
Jaclyn Boone
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
- 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?
- 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?
- Where do you see the Feldenkrais work going?
- 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
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
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Please click on a teacher’s name below to sign up for a class ~ we hope to see you soon! Calendar Feldenkrais® Inclusion Initiative Winter 2024-2025
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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 |
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| Alice Friedman Monday 9 am Pacific |
Peggi Honig Saturday 9 am Pacific |
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| Dianna Dryden Monday 9 am Pacific |
Jeff Haller Wednesday 10 am Pacific |
Bobbie Ueunten Saturday 10 am Pacific |
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| Rachel Rudansky Monday 11 am Pacific |
Peggi Honig Tuesday Noon Pacific |
Peggi Honig Wednesday 10:30 am Pacific |
Peggi Honig Friday Noon Pacific |
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| Bobbie Ueunten Mon & Wed 1 pm Pacific |
Bobbie Ueunten Mon & Wed 1 pm Pacific |
Katarina Halm Saturday 3:00 pm Pacific |
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| Paris Kern Tuesday 3 pm Pacific |
Alice Friedman Wednesday 5 pm Pacific |
Jeff Haller Thursday pm Pacific |
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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
- 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?
- 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?
- Where do you see the Feldenkrais work going?
- 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
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.
Credentials and Contact for James Stephens PT, PhD, GCP Principal Investigator and author for correspondence and reprint requests
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]
© 1999 James Stephens PT, PhD, GCP Case Reports
James Stephens PT, PhD
© 2002 James Stephens PhD, PT, CFP The Story of Louise in the publication In Touch May Issue ( developed from 1999 Case Reports)
The Story of Louise In Touch May 2002
© 2005 James Stephens PT, PhD Learning to Improve Mobility and Quality of Life in a Well Elderly Population: The Benefits of Awareness Through Movement
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
© 2020 Stephens & Hillier Evidence for the Effectiveness of the Feldenkrais Method in Kinesiology Review
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
© 2000 James Stephens PT, PhD, GCP Feldenkrais® Method Background Research and Orthopaedic Case Studies.
Please click for the entire article … Ortho PT Clin 2000
© 2001 James Stephens PT, PhD, GCP Neuro Report
Resources
"The Sum of Us” A Community Conversation
“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
Common questions: