How Long Until I Notice Results from Feldenkrais® Sessions?
When people are considering working with me, one of the first things they want to know is HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
When people are considering working privately with me with Feldenkrais, one of the first things they want to know is HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
Of course the answer depends on several variables — your specific concerns and history, how long you’ve had the particular issue(s), your consistency in coming as recommended, your commitment to practicing the “homework,” and so on.
A good place to begin is as follows: if your quality of life is being impacted by whatever physical or stress-related issue you’re experiencing, and the outcome you want is to eliminate chronic pain. For more information about how often to schedule your sessions, click here.
Having said this, here is my general recommendation:
Phase 1 - Introduction
(once or twice/week for 4-6 weeks)
This work is cumulative. In your first few sessions, we’ll begin with small, gentle movements and teach you to sense your own comfort. In this way, we’re actually working with your nervous system to identify and begin to release the first layer of unconsciously held muscle tension patterns.
Ideally, sessions are fairly close together so that the old, unhealthy patterns of tension don’t have a chance to take hold again.
If you’ve been holding these tension patterns in your body for years, then it takes a bit of time to let them go. But because we’re working with your brain and nervous system, as long as we reinforce the new neural pathways that are created each session, the old patterns won’t have a chance to go back to their old ways.
These private sessions are effective both in person and on-line.
Phase 2 - Reinforcement
(every one - two weeks for the next 1-2 months)
By this time, you’ll know if this work is helping you. I recommend that as you begin to spread the in-person sessions out, you add in a home practice. There are several options for this:
practicing short movement sequences a few minutes each day that you learn from our sessions together
class recordings I can share with you
attending weekly group in person or online classes
The idea is to reinforce what we’re doing together in your private sessions, at home. The intention is to gradually move the responsibility for your wellbeing back into your own hands and give you tools to empower you.
Phase 3 - Maintenance
(once/month or whenever you feel it’s needed)
Once you’re through the first two phases of this work, you’ll find that you’re moving more freely and your chronic pain is gone or much less. Your nervous system is much more regulated. This means that you don’t react to stress as dramatically as before, you feel less anxious, you can begin to add things back into your life that you had to give up because of pain, exhaustion and feeling too overwhelmed, like walking and hiking, cycling, working out, yoga, and so on.
By now, you’ve realized the amazing benefits of this method and are either taking weekly group classes or practicing recordings on your own a couple of times each week to complement our in- person sessions together.
The key is to provide the environment for your brain cells to continue to wire together in a healthy way and not slip into old patterns. It took you many years of practice to get where you are now — it may time several months to practice and reinforce the new patterns. To learn more about how Feldenkrais works, click here.
Photo Credit: © 2005, Rosalie O'Connor. Used with permission of the Feldenkrais Guild® of North America.
4 Guidelines to Get the Most from Your Feldenkrais Method® Online Class
Feldenkrais is different from so many activities or therapies we’ve encountered before. It’s got a strange name, for sure, which doesn’t help.
Awareness Through Movement® classes, or the group class aspect of The Feldenkrais Method®, is different from so many activities or therapies we’ve encountered before.
People often ask if it’s a form of physical therapy or massage? It is not.
Or they wonder if it’s like Reiki or yoga. Not at all.
In fact, it doesn’t involve stretching or any type of manipulative therapeutics.
It does involve small, slow movements that have been sequenced based on early human development. But even this is misleading because the movements themselves are not what produce the sometimes almost magical outcomes — it’s a persons’ focused attention on the quality of the sensation they feel AS they perform these tiny movements.
See my blog post on how Feldenkrais works.
The best way to understand Feldenkrais is to experience it. And the best way to get the most from the experience is to follow these four guidelines during class. Of course, you’ll be reminded of these often during your class, but here they are with a bit of explanation.
Go slowly.
Do each movement slowly. When you move slowly, you can sense and feel yourself more easily and become aware of any unnecessary muscular effort throughout your body.
Make very small movements.
The idea is to use as little muscular effort as possible. If you feel any stretching, strain, or discomfort or effort, make the movement even smaller — sometimes moving 1/32nd of an inch is enough and will make a huge improvement in your brain (i.e., muscles let go quickly and easily).
Only do what’s completely comfortable.
Avoid all stretching, strain, muscular effort or force. The entire range of each movement should be equally easeful and comfortable. We’re used to thinking in terms of “no pain, no gain.” This is the complete opposite of the Feldenkrais philosophy!
Rest often.
We rest between each movement so that each movement is separate and fresh from the one before it and the one after it. We also rest whenever we finish a sequence of movements. And we encourage resting whenever you feel tired, confused, frustrated, irritated, or whey you lose focus. This gives your brain time to absorb the sensory information and lay down new more efficient neural pathways.
Feldenkrais is a paradox.
In most activities we participate in, doing more and doing things faster or bigger is the goal. We stretch more, we push ourselves harder, we do more repetitions, we do it faster….
But in Awareness Through Movement® classes, the group class aspect of Feldenkrais®, the number of movements you do does not matter. Making the movement bigger is actually not helpful. You small, slow movements with your focus on the sensation that you feel as you do the movement.
In fact, the emphasis is purely on HOW you do the movement that counts, not how many times you repeat them. By “how,” I mean, does it feel easy, is it comfortable, is it smooth or do I feel resistance? For example, do you feel yourself engaging your muscles to force your head to turn or does it turn smoothly and easily in both directions without any effort? The brain doesn’t care how big the turning movement it — it cares how easy and comfortable it is.
By focusing on the quality of the sensation, and eliminating any stretching, strain, discomfort or muscular force, the ease of doing the movement will spontaneously become easy, smooth, and pleasurable. The brain is always working in our best interest, looking for the most efficient way to do a movement and as we feed the brain sensory information during a class or session, the brain overrides old neural pathways (of muscle tension) and replaces them with new, more efficient neural pathways (of ease and comfort).
Photo credit: © 2005, Rosalie O'Connor. Used with permission of the Feldenkrais Guild® of North America.
How to Set Yourself Up for Success in Your Online Group Class
If you’ve been thinking about joining a group online class, but feel a little nervous about what to expect, here are some tips so that you’ll feel more comfortable!
If you’ve been thinking about joining a group online Feldenkrais® class, but feel a little nervous about what to expect, here are some tips so that you’ll feel more comfortable!
Zoom!
For those of you who made it through your professional years without having to participate in online meetings, welcome to Zoom!
But please don’t let Zoom deter you. If you don’t understand the technology, email me. We can set up a time where I can walk you through the set up. You’ll be a master after your first class and the benefits of the class will be so worth the effort!
For those of you who spend TOO much time on Zoom, please know that you won’t be sitting in front of your screen. Your camera will be set up on your while you’re lying on your mat. Your only job will be to follow the verbal instructions I give to you as well as you can. There’s literally no right or wrong so there’s no pressure to “perform!”
Will you fit in?
All classes are BEGINNER Level. The students range in age from late 20s to 80s and students are super friendly and welcoming to newcomers.
Clothing
Come dressed in loose, comfortable clothing and have a sweatshirt, socks or blanket nearby in case you get cold. Remove your belt, glasses, watch or other jewelry.
Space set up
Have a comfortable space to lie on the floor or carpet and have light padding underneath you. The idea is that the surface that you’re lying on is firm enough to give you sensory feedback, but soft enough so that you’re too comfortable and fall asleep (but if you do, that’s okay).
Ideally you have some space around your mat so that you can extend both arms in a wide-T position easily, but we can work with whatever space you have.
If you can’t lie on the floor, your bed will be fine. But move your pillows out of your way so you can lie flat.
Props
Have one or two flat, folded bath towels or a flat, folded yoga blanket to use as head support for lessons where you’ll be lying on your side. A small stack of gardening knee pads are also useful to rest your head on. You want to be able to lie on your side with your head on the support so that your neck is neither tilting downward or upward. In other words, your neck is an extension of your spine.
Camera set up
Set up your laptop or device camera approx. 5 feet away from the long side of your mat (side view of you). Bird’s eye view also works if you prefer to put your device up on a chair or table, looking down at you.
You don’t have to see me. I’m not watching you to make sure that you’re doing the movements “right or wrong,” — there is no right or wrong! Rather, I’m watching you so that I can adjust my instructions based on what I see students doing in class. Adjust your volume so that you can hear my instructions. Also, other students are not watching you!
Eliminate any distractions or noise if possible. The improvements this method offers are highly dependent on the ability of a student to pay focused attention to her own sensations during the movements. Pets are welcome (and seem to love the calming energy), but please turn off cellphones, close the door and give yourself this hour for your self care.
If you have any other questions or concerns at all, please email me: susan@restorewithawareness.com.
Once you are ready to give it a try, please try your first class for FREE! The Zoom link and schedule are posted in the weekly newsletter or you can contact me here and I’ll send you the link.
Observe how you feel afterwards. Does your spine feel more supple and do you feel more relaxed overall?
Photo credit: © 2005, Rosalie O'Connor. Used with permission of the Feldenkrais Guild® of North America.
Discover Lasting Relief for Jaw and Neck Pain with These Effective Strategies
Jaw pain, also known as Temporalmandibular Joint Disorder (TMD), is experienced by many people in some form or another. Symptoms can include minor to severe pain in the temporalmandibular joint (TMJ) itself, jaw popping, headaches, aching in the facial muscles, grinding teeth, difficulty chewing, tightness in the jaw and can be responsible for neck pain, shoulder pain, and even tinnitus (or ringing in the ears).
Jaw pain, also known as Temporalmandibular Joint Disorder (TMD), is experienced by many people in some form or another. Symptoms can include minor to severe pain in the temporalmandibular joint (TMJ) itself, jaw popping, headaches, aching in the facial muscles, grinding teeth, difficulty chewing, tightness in the jaw and can be responsible for neck pain, shoulder pain, and even tinnitus (or ringing in the ears).
And oddly, many people who experience pain in their jaw also experience pain or tightness in their lower back and pelvis and/or hips.
We are not just a bunch of parts and pieces
Here’s a simple anatomy lesson:
The jaw is not actually separate from the pelvis because the lower jaw, or mandible, is connected to the temporal bone by the temporalmandibular joint (the TMJ). The temporal bone is connected to the occiput, the back of the skull, through which the vertebrae (or bones) of the spine intersect.
If one area of the spine is not free or mobile, then every other part of the spine, and those bones attached to it, are affected because we are a whole skeleton and a whole person, not a bunch of unrelated muscles and bones.
So, if the vertebrae (or bones) of the neck are restricted, the responsibility for movement is left to the less restricted vertebrae of the spine — from the neck all the way down to the lower back.
The lower vertebrae attach to, or rather become, the sacrum (a small upside-down triangular bone that sits between the two sides of the pelvis). If there is any disruption in the spine’s ability to move freely at any part, then every part of the spine and those bones attached, is affected.
We are a whole living, connected, moving person. This is why if there is restriction in the jaw, the pelvis or low back are very likely affected as well.
But back to the jaw….
So how do we find lasting relief?
Most people who have experienced jaw pain have tried several different therapies. Some provide temporary relief for a day or two, some longer.
Sometimes people find that deep tissue or intra-oral massage is helpful to relieve the pain and tension in their jaw. As a massage therapist in my previous life, I know even relief for a day or two is better than nothing.
But attempting to relieve chronic pain at the site of the muscle is the same as if we were to look in the mirror and see dirt on our face, and try to remedy it by using Windex on the mirror.
Brain Plasticity
Muscles grip for a good reason. In fact, muscles are simply following orders given by the brain and nervous system.
The brain — the control center of the entire body — is responsible for perceiving any instability throughout the body, and then sends directions to the muscles to “hold” here or “let go” there, based on that instability. The brain is ALWAYS working for the benefit of the whole person.
When practiced consistently, these unconscious muscular tension patterns become habitual. In other words, some chronic jaw tension patterns can go on for years or decades.
The good news is that it doesn’t matter how long a tension pattern has been in place— chronic pain and tension can still be released by working with the brain because of something called “Brain Plasticity” or “Neuro Plasticity,” the ability for the neurons (brain cells) to form new neural connections.
This means that chronic jaw tension (or any chronic musculoskeletal tension) can be relieved permanently— sometimes this even happens immediately, and then it can be reinforced over time — creating new neural pathways. And the new pathways then become the dominant ones. The old tension pattern is overridden for a new, healthier more efficient musculoskeletal pattern.
The Feldenkrais Method®
The Feldenkrais Method® is an effective way to identify and release these chronic unconscious muscular tension patterns. Read more about The Feldenkrais Method® here.
A person doesn’t have to understand or believe in this method for it to work. But it does help to have an open mind and give the process some time to allow the brain to do it’s magic!
Click here for a FREE lesson that is designed to relieve your jaw and neck muscles in 20 minutes!
Did You Know You Can Rewire Your Brain to Relieve Muscle Tension?
If you’re like me, you’ve tried many different practitioners and therapies in an attempt to relieve muscle tension and chronic neck, shoulder or back pain. You may have felt better and relaxed for a few days after a massage or relief from a physical therapy or chiropractic session.
If you’re like me, you’ve tried many different practitioners and therapies in an attempt to relieve muscle tension and chronic neck, shoulder or back pain. You may have felt better and relaxed for a few days after a massage or relief from a physical therapy or chiropractic session.
But here is THE reason manipulations involving soft tissue (muscles) never seem to last: because the “issue” — whether it’s neck and shoulder tension, jaw tension, lower back or hip or even legs and feet pain — is not being treated at the source, but at the level of the symptoms (i.e., tense muscles).
The brain is the controller
What is the “source” then? The brain is the controller of the entire body. The brain tells up when to breathe in and out and how much oxygen we need at any given moment. The brain tells our organs how and when to function.
And the brain monitors our muscle tension — when to contract and when to let go. We can apply pressure to or stretch the muscles and they’ll release, but within a short timeframe, they go right back to their habitual “patterns” of contraction.
The brain is ALWAYS working for your benefit
These unconscious habitual patterns of “holding” or contraction were put into place by your brain when your brain perceived that there was some instability in you as a whole — perhaps you experienced a period of extreme stress, perhaps there was some injury somewhere else in your body, maybe while healing, part of you was immobilized to mend, perhaps you practiced some repetitive movement or posture so often that certain muscles became the stabilizers while others didn’t carry their weight.
Every single person’s circumstances and history are unique.
We don’t have to understand WHY, only HOW
But when we work with the brain, the interesting thing is we don’t have to definitively understand WHY certain muscles are contracted, or the exact path of what caused what, when. We only need to recognize the patterns that are presenting themselves.
In the Feldenkrais Method® we don’t work at the site of the muscles — we work with the brain, the master controller of the entire body!
So… this is why this method is very likely different from anything you’ve tried before.
And this is why there’s so much hope for you to find relief for most muscle tension or chronic pain.
I’ve seen it with my clients over and over again. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve had muscle tension or where it is.
It doesn’t even matter whether you completely understand the details of how this works or even believe what I’m telling you.
When we work in person, you’re moved gently and slowly in a range that is completely comfortable and where there is no resistance. We don’t push through pain or force or strain you. The same holds true for when you participate in online lessons — you make small, slow movements in a comfortable range and rest often. During the rests the sensory information you took in by sensing and feeling yourself as you move is fed to your brain and it’s almost as if this information is “processed” by your brain and muscles spontaneously release on your behalf.
Reinforcing new neural pathways
You may notice some relief from pain the first time you have a session or practice a lesson. But remember, you’ve been “practicing” old tension patterns for a long time. So it might take several sessions to reinforce the new healthier neural pathways. I usually recommend to begin with 6 session scheduled a week apart. For more information about how often to schedule sessions, click here.
If you’d like more information about what your pain is telling you, you may like to read “The Hidden Messages in Your Pain: Why You Should Pay Attention.”
Think about when you learned your multiplication tables. (The 6s were always a challenge for me.) I could remember them for a few hours but if I didn’t practice them every day for at least a week, I would forget them and have to look. But after awhile, they became second nature to me — the neural pathways were reinforced often enough that it became permanent. And now, if I forget them for a moment from not “firing those specific neural pathways,” I only have to remind myself and they come right back to me.
Because we’re working with your brain to release muscular contractions and creating new, more comfortable muscle tone, it’s the same idea. The muscle tension that has been part of your life for months or years will let go as new sensory information is received by your brain.
New healthier neural pathways override the old, unconscious, habitual pathways and when these movements are practiced with attention, and reinforced for a period of time, the old muscle tension is permanently gone.
How Often Should I Schedule Feldenkrais Sessions to See Results?
My clients often ask me “how often should I receive a session?” There is not a one-size fits all answer, but here are some questions to ask yourself when deciding how often to schedule.
My clients often ask me “how often should I receive a session?”
There is not a one-size fits all answer, but here are some questions to ask yourself when deciding how often to schedule.
1. Why are you coming in?
Do you have an injury, recovering from surgery?
Are you holding relentless tension in your body that is making life uncomfortable?
Have you experienced a stressful life event and you find it impossible to relax and let go of stress and anxiety?
Is your nervous system dysregulated? Do you feel anxious, stressed, irritable or have physical symptoms of stress and anxiety?
Do you feel dissociated from your physical body and physical sensations?
Do you have chronic jaw pain, frequent migraines, or other stress-related physical chronic tension and pain from which you’d like permanent relief?
Are you looking to improve your function in athletics — like running, cycling, playing tennis, golf, or even fishing and you’d like to be able to use your body more efficiently and without pain?
Do you spend 8+ hours sitting or standing at a desk all day and feel back, neck or shoulder pain?
Are you pregnant (or not pregnant) and have chronic sciatica, lower back pain, leg pain or some other lower body discomfort?
Are you nursing and have chronic neck and shoulder pain that’s impacting how you feel while you’re stepping into this new role as a mother?
Or do you generally feel good and you just want to relax and restore and have a physical or nervous system tune-up?
2. How long has this “issue” been part of your life?
Do you have a recent injury or you’ve noticed this issue in the past several weeks/months?
Are you experiencing physical symptoms of anxiety and stress?
Has this issue been with you for as long as you can remember?
Somewhere inbetween?
3. What is the impact of this issue?
Is it a minor nuisance, but you still live your life to the fullest?
Is it causing you to have to modify your activities or you find yourself pushing through the pain, but it’s taking it’s toll?
Can you no longer do the things you love?
Are you in constant discomfort or pain and can’t think about anything else?
Is it taking too much of your energy to “hover above” the physical discomfort or symptoms of anxiety?
4. What makes sense for your schedule?
You’re fine with quick relief for a few days once in awhile.
You can commit to a monthly session plus daily at-home practices.
You can commit to weekly sessions for a period of time, plus at-home practices.
You are super serious and will do whatever it takes to get your life back permanently, as long as you believe you’ll move toward your desired outcome.
5. What do you want to budget for this work?
Do you consider Feldenkrais to be part of your health and wellness program or is it purely for relaxation? There is no wrong answer, but understanding the value of this work to you will help you feel clear about how often to receive the work. I trust that each person knows what’s right for them. Learn more about how Feldenkrais® works to relieve chronic pain here.
Besides in-person private work, I also offer weekly group classes on Zoom as well in online private sessions. Any of these options will benefit you greatly.
Beginning the work:
I suggest you schedule your first session and see how your body and nervous system responds. The work is subtle, but you WILL notice a shift during or after the first session. See how you feel, and if you feel it’s something you want to invest your time, energy and money in. I trust that each person has their own body wisdom and you’ll know after one session if this resonates with you. For more information about the 3 phases of treatment, click here.
If any or all of the above resonates with you, and you are interested in making significant changes in your body and nervous system, then let’s have a discussion about partnering together and coming up with a treatment plan that works for your schedule and budget. You can schedule a FREE 15 minute phone or video consultation here or contact me at susan@restorewithawareness.com .
© 2005, Rosalie O'Connor. Used with permission of the Feldenkrais Guild® of North America.
Finding Confidence in Your Feet and Ankles: A Journey to Better Mobility Part 2
This is a simple exercise you can do at home to give you more mobility in your feet and ankles. You may notice a difference immediately when you stand up to walk afterwards, or it might take a few times.
In Part 1 of “Finding confidence in your feet and ankles,” we explored the relationship between mobility in our ankles, feet and other leg joints and the functionality we need to be able to confidently navigate uneven terrain. Whether you’re on a walk, hike, walking down a city sidewalk, or on vacation, traversing over cobblestones and bricks, when your joints are all able to bend and flex easily, you subconsciously feel confident in your ability to handle yourself.
Below is a simple Feldenkrais® exercise you can do at home to give you more mobility in your feet and ankles. You may notice a difference immediately when you stand up to walk afterwards, or it might take a few times.
In this lesson, you’ll be working with your brain and nervous system to release unconsciously contracted muscles in order to have freedom and ease in your walking!
Remember this is different from what you may have done in the past — stretching or physical therapy.
Follow these helpful guidelines to get the most improvement. In this method, doing more, bigger, and faster are NOT helpful.
Guidelines for lesson:
Make sure you do the movements very slowly, make the movements very small. Don’t stretch your feet or ankles — do only the movement that feels easy and comfortable.
Mini Lesson for ankles and feet:
Take off your shoes and walk around your room to get a sense of how free your ankles and feet feel. What is the progression of each step you take? Heel to toe, toe to heel, middle of your foot first?
And now stand still and notice where the weight is on your feet? Is it centered, more to the inside, more to the outside?
Now, please lie on your back and bend your knees and stand your feet about hips distance apart.
Very gently lift the front of your right foot away from the floor, just the tiny little bit that’s comfortable. (I guarantee you, you’re lifting it too much. Let it be TINY.)
Then put it down and take a breath. Do this 3-4 times slowly. The more slowly you do this the better the improvement will be.
Then rest for a moment with the sole of your foot on the floor.
And now lift your heel away from the floor several times, resting between each movement.
Again, make it as small and slow movement as you can. Notice if you feel anything in the right side of your pelvis as you do this. Don’t worry if you don’t notice anything!
And now alternate, 3 or 4 times, first lifing the front of your foot away from the floor gently, and lowering it, and then lifting your heel away from the floor and lowering it. Really go slowly.
And now rest again. You can lengthen you leg to rest if you like.
And now, stand your feet again and very gently lift the outside edge of your foot away from the floor.
Do this 3-4 times and rest between each time you do it. Pay attention to whether it’s comfortable to do this and make the movement smaller and slower.
And now lift the inside edge of your foot away from the floor a few times, slowly, resting for a breath after each time you do this.
And now alternate, first lifting the inside and pausing in the middle, then lifting the outside.
And now lengthen your legs and rest.
Before repeating this entire sequence with your left foot, stand up and walk around and see if you notice a difference at all?
When you’ve completed this on both sides, stand up and notice how you’re standing on your feet now. Then, walk slowly around the room and see if anything has changed with the contact or progression that your feet make with the floor as you walk.
Maybe you notice a difference and maybe it will take a few times. Either way, please shoot me an email to tell me what, if anything, you’ve noticed!
If you’re interested in exploring this further with a full length lesson, join our online weekly classes. Here’s a link for more information. If you’re local, you can schedule a private session here.
Finding Confidence in Your Feet and Ankles: A Journey to Better Mobility Part 1
Do you find something is keeping you from hiking in nature or taking long walks this summer? When we lack confidence in our feet or ankles, it’s common to find ourselves avoiding putting ourselves in situations where we might risk tripping or falling.
Do you find something is keeping you from hiking in nature or taking long walks this summer? If you’re lacking confidence in our feet or ankles, it’s common to find yourself avoiding putting yourself in situations where you risk tripping or falling.
Sometimes either a foot or ankle injury or even a simple of lack of mobility in the bones of your feet or ankles can cause you to be fearful about walking on uneven terrain. You might find that you don’t have confidence that you can navigate the stones, tree roots or even bricks and cobblestones of some streets when you travel.
But you may not realize you don’t have mobility because your feet and ankles feel “normal” or familiar to you. You might notice that when you wake up in the morning, during your first steps, your feet, calves or hips feel stiff. But you probably don’t really think about it as being an issue you can do anything about — anything easy, that is.
These signs that you’ve lost some flexibility in your feet or ankles not only affects your ability to walk comfortably and feel safe in certain environments, but it also affects your entire posture and ability of your spine, shoulders and neck to move freely.
What does less mobility in ankles mean for the rest of your body?
When there is less mobility in one joint, like for example, the ankles, it puts more responsibility on the other joints of the legs — the knees and hip joints. If the bones of the feet are not mobile, then it means that the ankles, knees and hips have to make up for their lack of flexibility. In other words, there is a significant relationship between the feet, ankles, knees and hips. And it doesn’t stop there — your whole body is affected.
For example, if your nervous system perceives instability in the feet or lack of mobility in the ankles, then you will automatically keep your eyes on the ground, where your feet are stepping. Your entire body will organize itself around where your eyes are looking (in this case, downward). So this means your spine is rounded, your neck is tense, your jaw juts out. And it follows that your chest and ribcage are compressed, hence your breathing will be shallow, your abdomen will be contracted unnecessarily, and your pelvis will likely be tucked under, causing lower back tension or chronic pain.
The good news is, when the bones in your feet are mobile, and your ankles, knees and hips are all working together, the responsibility for movement is shared. And when the weight is evenly distributed over both legs, then your pelvis can relax, your shoulders are relaxed, and your eyes can look along the horizon as you walk, enjoying the scenery. Your spine will organize around where you’re looking and your posture can be relaxed. As your posture improves, your belly relaxes and your breathing improves.
Simple way to release tension in your feet and ankles!
Rather than stretching or forcing our muscles, there is a way to find mobility and freedom in your joints by working with your brain and nervous system to eliminate these old unconscious muscular patterns of holding tension. One way to change these old muscle tension patterns is with The Feldenkrais Method®.
We’ve been conditioned to think that our problem is that we’re not stretching our achilles tendon or calves enough or we need to get a massage on our feet to fix this issue. I mean, sure, go get a massage because it feels good, but this will not change anything about your tight calves, ankles and inflexible feet long term.
When you work with your brain and nervous system, chronic muscular tension patterns release. It might take a series of sessions to change the chronic tension pattern, especially if you’ve been experiencing this for awhile. The process of replacing unhealthy muscle tension patterns with more efficient, healthier patterns will benefit your entire body.
There’s no need to miss out on enjoying summer hikes, walks, and traveling in the coming months. Your confidence will increase as the stability in your legs, ankles and feet increases.
Check out my foot and ankle mini lesson here and let me know what you think! And those of you who are locals, go here to schedule a session and we’ll have you confidently on the trails in no time!
How I Restored Myself with The Feldenkrais Method®
In 2015, I had moved from Denver to Washington, DC to be with someone with whom I had fallen in love. But within weeks of arriving, red flags began to appear. I made excuses for each thing because I loved this man and believed he was the person with whom I would spend the rest of my life.
In 2015, I had moved from Denver to Washington, DC to be with someone with whom I had fallen in love. But within weeks of arriving, red flags began to appear. I made excuses for each thing that happened because I really believed he was the person with whom I would spend the rest of my life. I'd jumped through hoops to make this move — I'd sold my home, left my friends, and heartbroken, left my son who had decided last minute to take a gap year before college. I'd started a new business in this new city and I believed we could make it work.
But within a couple of months of relocating, it became clear to me I was in a toxic, abusive relationship. I felt anxious and fearful that anything I might say or do would set off my partner into a rage — putting flatware in the dishwasher facing the wrong direction, hanging pots on the pot hanger in the wrong order, leaving my water bottle on the dining room table.
Essentially, my nervous system was responding as if I was living in a war zone, waiting for the next surprise attack of yelling and name calling or silent treatment.
My attention was not on myself, but on my environment, my partner's facial expressions, constantly scanning for clues of what was to come, being hypervigilant to say and do things "right" — to not cause an outburst. It was as if I was like living in a minefield and existing in the ancient limbic part of my brain — in survival.
On April 13, 2017, while riding on the back of his motorcycle at Joshua Tree National Park— a "vacation" my intuition warned me to avoid, we T-boned a car that was doing a U-turn in the middle of the road.
It was as if I was literally stopped in my tracks.
And although the accident resulted in me breaking my foot, a finger, and a rib, it was this accident that also saved my life.
I spent the next few days at my ex’s friend’s house in Palm Springs on pain meds before flying back to DC. When I returned, I cleared my work schedule. My abusive partner was suddenly attentive, kind and loving and I was all too ready to forget the past and believe he’d had a change of heart. I allowed myself to enjoy his attention and trust him… for two glorious weeks, until the abusive behavior started again.
We were getting ready to go to his country house in Virginia for the weekend and he asked me to pack the cooler while he took care of some business. I did my best with limited use of my arms and foot, and in the hurry to beat rush hour traffic, I forgot to pack the milk. And he was enraged. I forgot to pack the milk and now we’d have to stop on the way. He couldn’t count on me for anything — everything is always on his shoulders. He raged for miles and then refused to talk to me, and I felt myself afraid again. I was confused — was he right about me? Was everything always on his shoulders?
The cognitive dissonance and confusion and brain fog was muddying my ability to see clearly. The anxiety and depression from feeling that I couldn’t trust my own gut was back with a vengeance. Read this article for more symptoms of narcissistic abuse.
My recovery
When we returned to the city, I scheduled two Feldenkrais® sessions each week with a nearby practitioner for the next 3 months. I knew I needed to become physically self-sufficient as quickly as possible, to get solidly back on my feet and not be dependent on him. To learn more about how The Feldenkrais Method® works, click here.
Some sessions were almost magical — I felt such increased mobility and lack of pain that I had to pinch myself to believe the improvement I felt was possible. Each session was different from the one before, and I had varying results. But cumulatively, the improvements steadily continued.
By the end of July I was no longer in pain and had recovered much of my flexibility and function. Gradually, I was able to see my usual client load. I continued with weekly sessons and for another month and I kept improving physically.
the most surprising effect
But the most surprising effect was that I no longer felt I was completely focused outside of myself, scanning the horizon for danger every moment. I had embarked on Feldenkrais® sessions in order to improve my physical function and release pain. How could release of mental and emotional tension be a result of a this method as well?
Regardless of whether I understood mentally what was happening or whether I believed it was possible, the thing I knew for sure was that it was happening. I was feeling physically stronger and better and I was mentally and emotionally clearer, calmer and more grounded.
I felt connected to my own body. I could breath normally. I could sleep, after months of insomnia. I was developing the ability to feel myself, and the clarity to trust my thoughts and to leave a situation that would certainly have killed me.
If you or someone you know have experienced a relentless experience that has left you with physical symptoms of stress, anxiety and overwhelm, please consider The Feldenkrais Method® to help you find relief physical and nervous system relief. To learn more about the physical symptoms of stress and anxiety, click here.
Schedule your FREE 15 minute phone or video consultation here.
Here's Why Compensation Patterns Happen in the Body
When we injure a part of ourselves, we usually see a specialist. When we have a broken bone, first the broken bone is immobilized by an orthopedic specialist, and then we see a physical therapist who focuses specifically on that body part, showing us exercises to strengthen or stretch that specific area.
When we injure a part of ourselves, we usually see a specialist. When we have a broken bone, first the broken bone is immobilized by an orthopedic specialist, and then we see a physical therapist who focuses specifically on that body part, showing us exercises to strengthen or stretch that specific area.
We’re fortunate to have such experts at our disposal.
And yet, my experience has been that once a bone heals, then that injured foot or wrist which was immobilized for a number of weeks, is left on its own to reintegrate with the rest of the self as best it can. After spending two months in a cast, the ankle seems to have forgotten how to move normally. Once the cast is off, we practice stretching and strengthening the foot, and most movement seems to come back, but it isn’t actually reintegrated into the moving whole of ourselves. It adjusts while many of the compensating musclular patterns still remain and it feels “normal” to us.
Because our brain is always working for our benefit, when a part of us is injured, our brain directs our muscles to “hold” the unstable bones in place or make up for other muscles that are temporarily unable to do their job.
Compensating muscular contraction patterns are put into effect, and stay in effect, until they’re no longer needed. And years later, the imbalances that our brain is managing, begin to appear as neck pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, and so on, depending on each person.
We don’t connect the pain we now feel to that old compensation pattern from years ago.
We seek out therapeutic relief for the specific areas where we feel discomfort, but the relief is not lasting because we’re dealing with it on a muscular level, not at the level of the brain—the control center of the body.
This thinking in terms of “fixing parts” is called segmental thinking and it’s a common way of thinking in the West.
As a massage therapist for many years, when a client came to me with pain between their shoulder blades, they would request deep work on that specific area to give them relief. This is completely understandable—we all want relief!
And yet, we are not a bunch of segmented pieces of muscles and bones. We are a living, moving whole organism.
As my teacher David Zemach-Bersin writes,“Your shoulder blades don’t live separately from your whole self…there is not one part of you that lives separately or distinctly from the entirety of yourself.
The Feldenkrais Method
The Feldenkrais Method®, a somatic movement method, includes the whole person. To learn more about The Feldenkrais Method®, click here.
Whether someone is lying on the table for a private in-person session, or lying on the floor for an online group Somatic Movement class, the intention is to connect the dots so that the person can feel their wholeness and become aware of how she’s connected—from their pinky toe to their head, from their sacrum to their jaw, from their hurt wrist to their ribcage.
I’ve experienced significant improvement in the range of motion of my neck from tilting my pelvis in a certain way. I’ve seen my students find relief from tinnitus after a pelvis/jaw lesson. My plantar fasciitis went away over time after connecting small movements from my head and neck to my ribcage and pelvis.
Sometimes there is immediate improvement, and other times it takes several months. Natural healing takes time and it’s not generally a linear progression.
When we let go of the muscular tension that has been preventing this ease, and begin to move as an integrated whole person, we are free from the habitual chronic tension and tightness that we may have been living with for years.
If you’d like more information about what options are available to release your chronic muscle tension and pain, schedule a FREE 20-minute consultation and we can discuss the best plan for you.
You’re welcome to join your first live weekly online classes for FREE to experience this for yourself. Click here for more information about schedule and pricing.
And if you’d like to experience how the method works, download this FREE audio lesson and see what you observe! You might notice your back muscles feel supple and you feel calmer overall after only a few minutes!
Sleep Like a Baby: One Simple Practice For Better Sleep
If anyone has ever experienced a period of time when sleep has been elusive, you know firsthand the benefits of a good night’s sleep!
If anyone has ever experienced a period of time when sleep has been elusive, you know firsthand the benefits of a good night’s sleep!
The benefits of sleep include:
• better concentration, brain function, and productivity;
• better health and lower weight gain;
• higher immune function;
• health benefits, including lower risk of heart disease;
• lower inflammation; and
• better athletic performance and stamina.
Many factors can cause a person to be unable to sleep. If this is your issue, no doubt you’ve already done some research yourself: sleep apnea, nutritional deficiencies, alcohol or caffeine, lack of exercise, dehydration, screen time before bedtime, physical pain, hormonal imbalance, etc. (Of course, it’s recommended that if you experience lack of sleep for an ongoing period of time, you should consult with your medical practitioner.)
For many people, a side effect of holding emotional, mental, and physical stress in their bodies is not being able to fall asleep and/or not staying asleep.
This can be true whether you’ve experienced a life event that has left you holding relentless tension in your body, such as going through a contentious divorce, which leaves you constantly on edge; a narcissistically abusive relationship, where you’re waiting for the next attack, caring for a loved one who is ill, where you’re never sure when the next health crisis might happen; or if you’ve recently lost a spouse, leaving you feeling alone and afraid.
And whether you’re suffering from life stress, work stress, or emotional stress, when you hold this stress and tension in your body, your brain and nervous system send the message to the rest of our body that it’s not safe to let go.
When we’re under stress or emotional tension, our anti-gravity muscles go into overtime.
When upright, we must constantly use certain muscles to support ourselves against the force of gravity. We call these muscles the “antigravity muscles,” and they include the calf muscles, quadricep muscles (muscles group on top of the thighs), the big muscles along the front and back of the spine—the quadratus lumborum (QLs) in the back and the psoas in the front, and even the jaw and the eyelids.
When these muscles are engaged, the nervous system says “It’s not sleep time,” making it harder for the brain to shut down.
The Feldenkrais Method® offers a possibility for relief from this constant holding of muscular and mental tension. Through slow, small, gentle movements, you are guided to sense and feel the comfort of each movement, and as this sensory information is processed by your brain, almost spontaneously, these unnecessary unconscious muscular contractions let go. To learn more about how The Feldenkrais Method® works to release unconsciously-held muscle tension that keeps you from being able to down-regulate and sleep, click here.
Throughout a lesson, you’ll notice an overall feeling of relaxation throughout your entire body. There is a letting go of muscle contractions overall and students often find themselves breathing more freely and easily, as well as having a sense of calm and well-being. The parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) kicks in, and most people report a good night’s sleep after just one lesson.
Feldenkrais® can be done either in private in person sessions or in group settings — either on line or in person. To learn more about weekly classes offered on line, click here.
4 Better Posture Practices for Sitting at a Desk All Day
Sitting at a desk and staring at a computer is a common activity for so many of us these days. Now, more than ever, your work station set up is so critical to your own and your family's comfort and health.
Sitting at a desk and staring at a computer is a common activity for so many of us these days. Your work station set up is so critical to your comfort and health.
The position we place ourselves in for many hours each day has a significant impact on our bodies and one hour of yoga or stretching or working out doesn't magically reverse the damage we do to our spines during 8 hours of slumping and rounding and rolling backward on our pelvic bones.
Here are some tips for ensuring an ergonomically sound set up for your workday:
1. Start with your eyes. Your entire musculoskeletal system will organize around where you are looking, so set up your computer screen directly in front of where you will be looking the majority of the time. In other words, as you sit slouched on your sofa with your laptop on your lap (as I'm doing as I write this now), or at the dining table, notice that you have to look downwards. Just notice what you do with your eyes, neck and spine.
Essentially what’s happening is that your heavy head pulls your spine along behind it. One or two hours, here and there, is okay. But 8+ hours each day, 5 days/week will have an effect on your overall well-being.
2. Find a chair with a firm flat seat that allows you to sit with your thighs parallel to the floor and your feet flat on the floor directly under your knees. The firm seat will allow you to sense and feel your contact with your pelvic bones. Try rolling your pelvis a little bit backwards and feel how you round your spine—and notice how this affects your neck. When you roll your pelvis backwards so that you’re sitting on the back of your sitting bones, your head and chin are forced to jut forward in order to see your screen.
Now, roll your pelvis slightly forward until you notice a natural arch occurring in your spine.
And now, find the place somewhere between the two extremes where you can have a slight arch in your lower back and you feel centered on your pelvic bones. This position allows your shoulders to stack on top of your pelvis and your head to sit lightly on top of your neck. When your bones are stacked on top of one another, you won't need to use so much muscular energy to hold yourself up.
3. Allow your belly to be soft as you slightly arch your lower back and feel how much easier you can breathe when your belly is relaxed, than when you "engage your stomach muscles."
I know that conventional fitness coaching wisdom tells us that we have to "engage our abdomen to protect our lower back," but I beg to differ. Contracting your abdominal muscles might be useful when you're lifting something heavy or working out, but is not helpful or necessary during the day or for healthy sitting posture and constant contracting inhibits easy, flowing breathing.
4. Allow your arms to hang in a relaxed manner from your shoulders and bend 90 degrees at the elbow. Your wrists and forearms are resting on the desk surface. Muscular tension is not necessary in your arms, wrists and hands.
How the Feldenkrais Method® Helps to Alleviate Stress and Chronic Pain
The Feldenkrais method is a process that helps a person shift out of old patterns for good. It helps you identify and change habits that might be causing you pain and discomfort in exchange for long-term healing and relief.
The Feldenkrais method
When a person has experienced a stressful life event that has left them holding relentless tension in their body, chronic musculoskeletal pain and chronic anxiety often result. We think the only way to relieve this tension is to stretch or get deep massage. What we don’t understand is that the brain is responsible for directing all bodily functions, including directing our muscles to tense and “hold” our bones when it perceives instability or a lack of mobility.
In addition, when we’re in a sympathetic state of fight, flight or freeze, our nervous system dysregulates and we might feel constant anxiety and/or disconnect from our body. We try to meditate or rest as we’re told to do, but it’s almost painful to be still. We lose connection with ourselves, physically and mentally and our emotions can be all over the place.
Emotional tension = physical tension.
The Feldenkrais method is a process that helps a person reconnect to themself by identifying and changing chronic tension patterns, and shift out of them for good. To learn more about Feldenkrais®, click here.
This method helps a person identify and change habits that might be causing pain and discomfort in exchange for long-term healing and relief.
Feldenkrais® is a method of "learning" for the brain and nervous system that uses physical movement to help identify and then permanently change a person's musculoskeletal patterns or biases that cause chronic discomfort or pain.
This allows permanent relief for chronic pain and tension so that a person can move more freely and with ease, breathe more deeply, and regulate emotionally when stress arises. Feldenkrais gives a person back her life so that she can begin to participate in activities that she thought were out of reach and that make life worth living!
There are two aspects to the Feldenkrais method:
group classes
"Awareness Through Movement®” (ATM) classes are practiced in a room or on Zoom with other participants, similar to a yoga class, often lying on a mat while led through a series of movements by the instructor. These classes are cost effective and help empower individuals by giving them tools they can apply in their every day lives to make changes little by little.
Unlike other types of activities most of us are used to, in these classes students do the movements very slowly, make them very small, and avoid any and all discomfort. There is no stretching, forcing, straining or doing lots of repetitions. In fact, improvements happen after only two or three movements done with focused attention on ones’ own comfort. It’s a paradox — the smoother and easier a person makes a movement, even if they’re barely moving, the quicker and bigger transformation they experience!
Private in-person sessions
The other aspect of Feldenkrais is private sessions (called "Functional Integration"), that are done on a table, similar to a massage table. But that’s where the similarity to massage ends!
During these sessions, the practitioner moves the client very slowly into movement patterns that have been intelligently sequenced based on human physical development. We never force, stretch or impose any agenda on a person. In fact, as patterns of tension emerge in each person, we follow their body, and in a sense, do the work of their muscles for them so that these chronic unconscious musculoskeletal patterns of stress and tension unwind on their own.
I often suggest beginning with one session to see if it’s a good fit, and then move on to a series of ten sessions done fairly closely together so that the unwinding of these unconscious habitual muscular patterns and the creation of new, healthier neural pathways can be reinforced. Each person responds differently, which is why each person will have a unique treatment plan for the desired outcome. For more information about how to determine how often to schedule sessions, click here.
Your Guide to Self Care: How Often Should I Schedule Massage Therapy?
The question my clients most frequently as is “how often should I receive a massage?” There is not a one-size fits all answer, but here are some questions to ask yourself when deciding how often to schedule.
The question my clients most frequently as is “how often should I receive a massage?” There is not a one-size fits all answer, but here are some questions to ask yourself when deciding how often to schedule.
1. What are you coming in for?
Do you have an injury, frequent migraines, recovering from surgery, chronic muscle pain or tension, stress from work or are you pregnant or nursing? Or do you generally feel good and you just want to relax and restore?
If you’re dealing with chronic pain, I suggest considering The Feldenkrais Method® as a method that can work with chronic pain in a more permanent way. To learn more about Feldenkrais® and how it works with unconsciously held muscle tension , click here.
2. What makes sense for your schedule?
3. What do you want to budget for bodywork?
Do you consider massage therapy to be part of your health and wellness program or is it purely for relaxation? There is no wrong answer, but understanding the value of massage to you will help you feel clear about how often to receive the work.
Here’s a rule of thumb I suggest:
Once/month or every two months
Come once a month or every two months if you’re generally content with how you manage your mental and physical stress level, if you feel you’ve got physical muscle tension and/or pain under control, and you are coming for massage purely for relaxation.
Once/month
If you are generally managing well, but find yourself stressed with muscular tension a few weeks after your last massage, then schedule a monthly session. Are you a runner, cyclist, or have a regular work out or yoga practice? Do you use your body regularly and feel fairly “well-oiled,” but need a “reset” every once in awhile, then once/month is for you.
If you’re pregnant, then I recommend scheduling one 60-minute massage/month until around the 30th week, and then once every two weeks until you deliver. And remember to schedule your partner, who may be beginning to feel the pressure about this huge life transition as well!
More frequent and then taper off to once/month
More frequent sessions may be better for you at first if you have a demanding or stressful job or life, and this stress is manifesting as jaw, neck, shoulder, or back tension or pain; if you have migraines; if you’re recovering from an injury; if you’ve had chronic muscle pain for more than 3-6 months; if you have sciatica; and so on. If you are living with any kind of pain or discomfort, I suggest scheduling more frequent sessions for the first couple of months, and then taper them off to once/month.
If you’re in this category and are dealing with chronic pain, I suggest considering a more lasting approach that works with the root cause of the issue. This method is called The Feldenkrais Method®. You can learn more about Feldenkrais® here.
The length of time it takes to train your tissue into a new pattern depends, of course, on several variables, including how long you’ve been suffering with the tension or pain, how frequently you are able to receive massage at first, whether you’re able to practice certain techniques at home, and whether adjustments can be made to influences that caused the patterns to begin with (for example, not slouching at your desk or finding the right size pillow for your neck at night).
If this resonates with you, and you are interested in making significant changes in your body, then let’s have a discussion about partnering together and coming up with a plan that works for your schedule and budget to gently train your tissue into a new pattern and release existing tension so that your daily experience in your body is one of ease and mobility. Schedule a FREE 15-minute phone or video consultation or email me here.
Mastering Peace: A 10-Minute Breathing Exercise for Stress Relief
This simple 10 minute breathing exercise can be done from your office chair, your bed or the couch. It’s most helpful if you develop a routine time to practice each day to establish a habit.
This simple 10 minute breathing exercise can be done from your office chair, your bed or the couch. It’s most helpful if you develop a routine time to practice each day to establish a habit. This breathing technique, called “4-part Breathing,” also known as “Box Breathing,” is helpful in calming stress and anxiety. It’s especially effective before bed and can help you sleep because it helps take your mind off those racing thoughts.
Technique:
Sit or lie down comfortably. Close your eyes.
Begin by inhaling through your nose and into your belly for a count of 4.
Hold the breath for a count of 4.
Exhale through your nose (or mouth if that feels more natural) for a count of 4.
Pause for a count of 4.
Repeat.
Don’t try too hard!
Why this helps:
The “fight or flight” response is what the body does when it prepares to confront or avoid danger, but problems arise when this response is constantly provoked by less significant events like money fears, traffic, job worries, relationship problems, and sitting on hold with AT&T, and so on. We can’t avoid all the stresses in our lives, but we can develop healthier ways to respond to them and one of these ways is to learn to invoke the “relaxation response,” and the first step to this is deep breathing.
According to Harvard Health Publications, “Shallow breathing limits the diaphragm's range of motion. The lowest part of the lungs doesn't get a full share of oxygenated air. That can make you feel short of breath and anxious. Deep abdominal breathing encourages full oxygen exchange — that is, the beneficial trade of incoming oxygen for outgoing carbon dioxide. Not surprisingly, it can slow the heartbeat and lower or stabilize blood pressure.”
If you find this breathing practice activating or too fast, you can slow down your counts or hold each aspect of the breath for 6 counts.
Self care practices are critical for learning to regulate your nervous system, boosting your immune system, keeping your mind and body healthy, and finding relief from physical symptoms of anxiety and stress. To learn more about how to find your own, personalized self care practices that feel authentic to you, read “What Is Self Care? How to Prioritize Your Wellbeing in Daily Life.”
Prenatal Massage: The Benefits of Massage Therapy During Pregnancy
Most women will agree that there’s nothing more relaxing and provides more relief during pregnancy than a prenatal massage. Besides the obvious relaxation benefits, there are many physiological, mental and emotional benefits as well.
Most women will agree that there’s nothing more relaxing and provides more relief during pregnancy than a prenatal massage. Besides the obvious relaxation benefits, there are many physiological, mental and emotional benefits as well.
During pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes numerous changes in a short amount of time, which can sometimes cause pain or discomfort. Massage is a wonderful way to alleviate this discomfort, while promoting a sense of well-being.
At Restore with Awareness, we utilize a comfortable and secure side-lying position where the new mother is completely supported by pillows, keeping her top hip, knee and ankle on the same level to avoid pulling on the sacroiliac joint, and to maximize blood and lymph circulation. Gentle Swedish, deep tissue in the gluteal area, range of motion and gentle stretching, abdominal massage (after the first trimester), acupressure, reflexology techniques, as well as craniosacral therapy are integrated into the treatment.
Some of the techniques we use include:
Gentle range-of-motion and stretching movements to relieve pressure through neck, shoulders, rib cage, lower back and hips, and to promote greater strength flexibility and balance
Integrated deep tissue work in the hip and gluteal area to help alleviate chronic lower back and hip pain and sciatic pain
Abdominal massage for round ligament pain, to support digestion, increased circulation to the placenta and baby and increase awareness of the baby. The baby will feel and benefit from the massage
Lymph drainage strokes to reduce pregnancy induced edema
Craniosacral Therapy for physical/psychological/emotional/spiritual centering
Acupressure and reflexology techniques shown to be effective in treating many common pregnancy related complaints
Besides relaxation, tension release and increased circulation, prenatal massage can help to improve digestion. It helps reduce swelling and it can alleviate the stress on weight-bearing joints, like the knees, which are impacted by the extra weight of a growing baby. There are also studies that have been done that indicate that regular and routine massages may lead to a decreased labor time.
Some other benefits of Prenatal massage include:
Helps the new mother prioritize a self care practice, which will benefit both mom and baby both during the pregnancy after the birth
Helps control blood pressure
Strengthens the immune system
Directly affects the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress and its consequences for mother and baby
Helps mother and baby bond through relaxation and breathing
Alleviates anxiety and depression
Strengthens muscles in preparation for labor and delivery
Allows for deeper breathing and a better night's sleep
Helps keep skin supple to help prevent stretch marks
Maintains body posture and balance
Enhances self image
Reduces postpartum depression
*As with all treatments during pregnancy, we recommend that each new mother checks with her health care provider before receiving massage, especially in the first trimester, or if her pregnancy is considered “high risk.”
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How to Relax Your Back and Relieve Stress with Blanket Roll Practice
This is a daily practice to help release all the muscles along your spine, as well as head and neck. It balances working out, sitting at a desk for hours, standing, being stressed and holding tension in neck, shoulders, and lower back.
This is a daily practice to help release all the muscles along your spine, as well as your head and neck, pelvis and legs. It balances working out, sitting at a desk for hours, standing, being stressed and holding tension in neck, shoulders, and lower back.
If you suffer from chronic pain that includes back, neck, shoulders, jaw, pelvis… this simple self care practice is designed to help you! To learn more about how to personalize your own self care practice, click here.
During this practice, I recommend that you give your arms, hands and eyes a rest from scrolling on your phone. Listen to your favorite relaxing podcast or music, or simply clear your mind. Use the time to relax.
Try it each evening for 15 minutes for 3 weeks and see what you notice. You can use this during the day to restore yourself or at home before bed.
Roll a dense blanket up so that it is the length of your head/torso and lay it on the floor perpendicular to a chair or couch. Make certain your entire head and pelvis fit on the roll. (The roll does not have to be large. It is simply a reference point for your spine. Do NOT use a foam roller. A yoga blanket is perfect.)
Place two bed pillows on the floor close to blanket roll for your arms and shoulders.
Lie down on the roll so that your head and tailbone are on the roll. Rest your lower legs (calves) on the couch or a chair. (Your knees should be at a 90 degree angle, parallel to the sofa; your feet are neither lower or higher than your knees.)
Rest your shoulders and arms on the pillows. Push the pillows close to your spine/the blanket roll so that your shoulders are fully supported.
Optional: place a small rolled up wash cloth underneath your neck (not as a pillow, but as a support for your cervical spine only). The towel roll should “kiss” your neck, not lift it— simply touch it so that your neck muscles can relax and feel supported.
Imagine that all the muscles of your entire back body are "draped" over the blanket roll.
When you are ready to come out of this resting pose, roll to the side and remove the blanket roll, then lie flat for a few minutes on the floor and notice the how your back feels on the floor. Do you feel flatter? Wider? Does your back feel as if it’s “spreading” onto the floor?
This is the feeling of relaxed muscles that are not in contraction.
The more you practice this, you will prime your brain. And the more quickly your muscles will release.
Enjoy!
How to Soothe Aching Feet at Home in 5 Minutes
Do your feet need some loving care between massages? This is a quick and easy tip for runners or anyone who has tired, achy feet!
Do your feet need some loving care? This is a quick and easy tip for walkers, runners or anyone who has tired, achy feet!
Firstly, have the attitude of “less is more!”
When you force or do this in a way that it causes pain, your tissue will contract as a protection response. So go slowly and gently and trust that your tissue will respond when your nervous system feels safe.
Racket ball acupressure:
Get a racket ball (not a golf ball, tennis ball or lacrosse ball). A racket ball is the perfect size and has just the right amount of “give” for this practice. (Golf balls are too hard.)
Imagine there are 3 vertical lines from the ball of your foot to your heel: inside (from big toe), middle, and outside (from pinky toe).
Hold onto something to support yourself (wall, chair back or counter), stabilize yourself with your standing leg, and place the ball on floor under one foot.
Begin to GENTLY press into the ball, gradually giving your weight to the ball. Do this “to tolerance.” There is no value to pressing harder and feeling pain. Slowly move the ball down the imaginary line towards your heel (about 1/4 inch) and press again. Keep doing this, pausing to breathe during each press.
Note: this is a “pressing” movement, not a “rolling” movement. There is nothing generally wrong with “rolling,” but this is different from acupressure, which is what we’re doing here.
You will find some sensitive spots* along the way. When you reach your heel, move up the next line, pausing to press and breathe, and so on.
When you complete both feet, take a moment to notice any difference. People often report their feet feel “wider”, “more alive”, “more flexible,” their legs feel more energized, and their calves feel looser.
Do this on each foot once or twice each day. It takes approximately 5 minutes. Rather than multitasking, see if you can pay attention to what sensations you’re feeling as you tune in to your body.
If you found this helpful, then perhaps you can make it a part of your own self care practice. To learn more about what “self care” actually means, and how you can personalize your own self care practices to feel appropriate for you, read this article, “What Is Self Care? How to Prioritize Your Wellbeing in Daily Life
*If you have plantar fasciitis, do not press into the area that is inflamed -- instead work around the painful areas to loosen the fascia of the entire rest of the foot. (And, of course, contact me for some therapeutic advice!)
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How to Choose the Best Massage Style for You
I offer three types of massages: Table, Thai and Prenatal. Prenatal massage speaks for itself, but here are descriptions, guidelines and benefits to help you decide whether to schedule a Table or Thai session.
I offer three types of massages: Therapeutic, Table Thai and Prenatal. Prenatal massage speaks for itself, but here are descriptions, guidelines and benefits to help you decide whether to schedule a Therapeutic or Table Thai session.
Therapeutic Massage
Description:
Done on a massage table.
Tailored to each client’s specific needs.
Combination of different styles and techniques (including some Thai stretches, muscle compression, Swedish (what most people think of as a traditional massage), myofascial (working with the fascia), trigger point therapy, range of motion (movement), reflexology, and craniosacral therapy.
Book this style if:
you have specific issues you’d like me to work with therapeutically -- for example: lower back, neck, or shoulder discomfort, “knots”
you just want to get on the table and relax and restore
you can’t go wrong with this option!
Benefits:
People report feeling rejuvenated, restored, relaxed, looser, and relieved significantly of discomfort.
Table Thai Massage
Description:
Done on a treatment table.
You wear either yoga clothes or something stretchy or loose.
This method incorporates compression of your muscles and stretching your limbs and joints Thai massage is often referred as “Lazy man’s yoga!”
Book this style if:
You have a few knots here and there, but generally want to feel looser and relaxed.
You have tight legs, tight hips, tight back
You work out a lot, don’t work out at all, sit at a desk all day, or are simply curious about it!
Benefits:
People report feeling completely relaxed and restored, and much looser than when they came in.
The Feldenkrais Method®
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that, for those who have chronic pain such as jaw, neck, shoulders, back or pelvic/hip pain, you may be best served by receiving a bodywork method called The Feldenkrais Method®. This is a somatic method that works with the wisdom of the nervous system. It works with the root of the chronic condition and the results are more permanent than a massage, whose benefits only lasts for a few days at most. To learn more about how The Feldenkrais Method® works, click here.
Whichever bodywork modality you decide is right for you, your self care routine will reduce your stress, increase your strength and productivity, increase your self esteem and boost your immunity. To read more about how to identify the best self care practices and routine for you, click here.
When practiced regularly, self care practices can help boost your immune system, reduce your stress, increase strength and/or productivity, and increase your self esteem.
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My Top 9 Tips to Make the Most of Your Massage
People often worry about basic things like how much of their clothing to remove, or what happens if they get thirsty during a session. Here are some quick answers to the most basic questions that so many people want to know.
The most important thing to remember about receiving a massage is that this time is your time -- time carved out of your busy day for you.
People often worry about basic things like how much of their clothing to remove, or what happens if they get thirsty during a session. Here are some quick answers to the most basic questions that so many people want to know:
1. Clothing
If you’re having a therapeutic massage, your therapist will likely instruct you to remove your clothing to the “degree that you feel comfortable.” This means you get to decide what you leave on and what you take off and the therapist will work around whatever you decide. If you are more comfortable leaving on your panties or briefs, then do so. Having said this, it makes sense to give the therapist access to the areas you want her to work on. For example, if you want a back massage, take off your shirt. If you have sore hamstrings, give your therapist access. The therapist will either leave the room or provide you with privacy while you undress and dress afterwards. She will maintain your modesty at all times during the massage with draping, and only uncover the part of the body she is working on. The bottom line is: this is your time and you get to choose.
For a Thai Table massage, you will be fully clothed in loose, comfortable or stretchy clothing. To learn more about the different styles of massage and other bodywork offered at Restore with Awareness, click here.
2. Eating
The best rule of thumb around eating is basically the same as when you work out or take a yoga class: allow your body enough time to digest. I recommend you have your last meal or snack approx. 2 hours prior to your massage, if possible.
3. Talking
This is your hour to use as you like. It’s up to you if you’d like to talk to the therapist, but it’s not necessary. Feel free to close your eyes and relax, which is what most people do.
Be sure to speak up if the room is too hot or cold, you experience pain, you have any questions related to the massage, or there’s anything you forgot to mention during the consultation. Remember to give feedback for pressure, speed, or anything you like or dislike.
4. Water
We all know it’s always good to be well-hydrated, but if know you’re a bit behind in your water intake, ask your therapist for a glass of water before your massage. In addition, you can ask for water anytime during your massage. And of course, stay well-hydrated after your massage in order to assist your body in flushing out toxins that have been released during your massage.
5. Bathroom
It’s a good habit to use the bathroom before your massage. If you find you need to use it during your massage, rather than lay there feeling uncomfortable and tense, let your therapist know and she will give you privacy to wrap in a sheet to take a quick break. This is your time to take care of yourself -- there’s really no point in feeling uncomfortable.
6. Tissue
It is very common for people to drool when then fall asleep or their sinuses drain when they’re face-down on the table. If you need a tissue, don’t hesitate to ask your therapist.
7. Breathing
It’s important to breathe normally during the massage. Breathing helps facilitate relaxation. People often stop or limit their breathing when they feel anxious or a sensitive area is massaged.
8. Tipping
The rule of thumb is if you are receiving a massage in a spa or hotel, a 20% gratuity is standard. In a medical or clinical setting, it is not expected, but appreciated. In a home practice, it is your decision. You can always show your appreciation by referring friends, family and co-workers to your therapist or by providing a Yelp or Google review.
9. Frequency
Be prepared to schedule several massage sessions. Massage has its greatest benefits over time. The therapeutic effects of massage are cumulative, so the more often you get a massage, the better you will feel and the more quickly your body will respond. From one session to the next, relaxation deepens as the chronic patterns of stress in the body are affected and released. If you’re getting massage to address chronic muscular tension or recovery from a soft tissue injury, more than one session is usually needed. If you’re still unsure how often to get bodywork, consult with your therapist. To learn more about how to decide on the frequency of your massages based on your physical concerns and lifestyle, click here.
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