Hi, everyone --
I apologize for taking so long to file further remarks on Feldenkrais, and
the important question Mike raised about its ability to help with fine motor
skills.
I'm no Feldie expert, but I've worked with an advanced teacher for a dozen
years and influenced my daughter to become a Feldie teacher, so that
establishes some level of commitment.
I agree wholeheartedly with Mag's characterization:
it is a gentle-touch by the teacher, or group class where you get verbal
instructions of gentle exercises that retrain your brain, through mind-body
connections.
Still, there are limits to what can be achieved, and they vary from teacher
to teacher and student to student. It also depends on what kind of
Feldenkrais treatment you receive, and at what stage of development. I think
my own teacher has worked primarily with two people with cerebral palsy --
myself and an adolescent boy whose CP was far more involved than mine. She
also has worked with several people who have had strokes, where some
similar issues arise.
Here's what she wrote me:
"Probably the most difficult thing to know is how profound is the condition
for each individual? The range is broad, from mild to moderate and severe.
Most of the videos I've seen of Feldenkrais at work w/ clients who have CP
are with children. I have seen amazing learning take place and am reminded
that he saw those clients sometimes 4 days a week or more at a very plastic
time in their development.
I think the fine motor work is possible but it has to be placed in the
context of the person's life. In the hierarchy of needs, fine motor skills
are not as important (especially when you have a dominant hand that works
quite well) as say, balancing and weight shifting."
Here's my own thought on this. If you can gather a few people who have
comparable issues with CP, I think it would be great to approach a skilled
Feldenkrais teacher and ask her or him to prepare a series of classes
addressing the issues that are most common to your group. Themed classes are
not uncommon. For instance, here in the Northwest we have seen classes that
address workplace ergonomics, running, walking and bicycling. If your group
can give specific feedback, you could have a great, expanding relationship
with your teacher. If at all possible, it would be great to have individual
sessions with the teacher to focus on particular issues that have arisen in
the classes. But that could be a problem, as many practitioners are not
covered by insurance.
You can look for practitioners at http://www.feldenkrais.com/
Before choosing one, you should interview candidates to find out how
cerebral palsy fits into their experience and interests.
Now I hope this exhausts my need to comment on this subject. But no
promises!
Karl Thunemann
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kendall D. Corbett" <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.c-palsy
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 11:57 AM
Subject: Re: A self introduction
Karl, Welcome back! My wife (dystonic quad CP) tried Feldenkrais, and
enjoyed it, but the nearest practitioner was over an hour away, and
insurance wouldn't cover it.
On Tue, Dec 29, 2009 at 10:42 AM, KARL THUNEMANN <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> Thanks to everyone who has replied so far to my introductory post.
>
> Particular thanks to Meir Weis who provided a link to the Feldenkrais
> page. Quite a number of Feldenkrais teachers are also physical or
> occupational therapists, which makes it likely that treatment by them
> would be covered by health insurance. My own daughter is a Feldenkrais
> teacher and a licensed clinical social worker.
> My own teacher is not covered by insurance, but I am perfectly happy to
> pay her out of pocket. She was a professional dancer who came to
> Feldenkrais after debilitating knee and spine injuries. At the outset, she
> made clear that she connected with me as a disabled person -- which was
> hard for me to accept because she seemed so lithe. Over the years, as I
> got to know her better and we both continue to age, I could see the
> connection.
>
> Here's the heart of what I've learned from 12 years of Feldenkrais,
> relative to cerebral palsy:
>
> -- I learned to see my body differently. What I had always disparaged as
> symptoms of CP could also be viewed as manifestations of strategies to
> maintain my balance. They weren't perfect strategies, of course, so
> they've been tweaked and augmented over the years.
> -- I stopped being self-conscious about my body -- neither on ordinary
> public occasions nor in presenting performance art, one of my particular
> interests.
> -- One day I understood the essence of CP. It was in a class, where we
> were lying on the floor, atop rolled-up blankets that were aligned with
> our spines. In the darkness I suddenly had a sense of total insecurity --
> I was out of balance and feared I might fall -- even though I was lying on
> the floor! This was such a revelation, to realize the depth of my fear of
> falling or losing control. Rationally, I wanted to dismiss it -- I just
> have a mild case, right? Over time, this experience has led me to regard
> my own anxiety with more compassion.
>
> Of course, Feldenkrais has given me other benefits as well, but they're
> not the topic of conversation here.
>
> Karl
>
>
>
>
> "Tamar Raine" <[log in to unmask]> wrote in message
> news:109571.7786.qm@web62205.mail.re1.yahoo.com...
>> Hi Karl,
>>
>> Welcome back. I too have done Feldenkrais for many years. I used to get
>> chiropractic done also. But my neck has gotten to the point where it's
>> too delicate for chiro. At the moment, I am in PT for a very sore arm,
>> and also to begin using my new hip, so they have me on exercise machines.
>> I have found that feldenkrais does wonders for walking issues. I am 53
>> and have suffered intense leg and hip pain for a long time; finally
>> realized it must be joint damage, and sure enough my hip xrays showed
>> extremely worn down, bone on bone - nothing that feldenkraid could fix.
>> last year I had my right hip replaced, and then in oct 09 i had the other
>> hip replaced. freedom from pain is great!
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Tamar
>>
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>> Tamar Mag Raine
>>
>> To see my newest articles:
>>
>> http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Tamar%20Mag-Raine-6019/
>>
>> [log in to unmask]
>> http://www.zazzle.com/TamarMag*
>> www.cafepress.com/tamarmag
>>
>> Retired Commissioner, MCPD
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>> From: KARL THUNEMANN <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Sent: Mon, December 28, 2009 12:03:25 PM
>> Subject: A self-introduction
>>
>> Hello, everyone --
>>
>> I am a new subscriber to C-Palsy. I subscribed for a time several years
>> ago, but never posted. This time will be different. Here's a profile of
>> me.
>>
>> I'm 65 years old. I have a mild case of spastic hemiplegic that affects
>> my left side. For the most part I have been able to lead a normal life.
>> I'm married, have two grown children, worked for 26 years as a journalist
>> and five for the Alzheimer's Assn. Special steps I take to manage my
>> cerebral palsy include regular chiropractic treatments, Feldenkrais
>> treatments and the study and practice of tai chi. For the past few months
>> I have been working with a physical therapist on balance, falling and
>> walking issues.
>> For many years I've been frustrated by the lack of good information about
>> CP as it relates both to aging and to people with my level of
>> involvement. Over the next few weeks I'll share my main issues. I look
>> forward to hearing your responses, and replying to you as well.
>>
>> Karl Thunemann
>> Redmond, WA
>>
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--
Kendall
An unreasonable man (but my wife says that's redundant!)
The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one
persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all
progress depends on the unreasonable man.
-George Bernard Shaw 1856-1950
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