WHO I AM
I am a bilingual somatic coach who relearned how to function after a severe reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine.
As an Authorized Awareness Through Movement instructor (Feldenkrais Method®) and a Certified Bones For Life™ teacher, I’m passionate about learning and movement-based practices. They are what help me, and what I can share with you.
I like sensing - through touch, sound, smell, taste, sight…and I love plants and animals!
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Ten years in consulting (HRM/executive search/training/sales)
Ten years of music study (piano/voice)
Eighteen years of practicing moving meditation, somatic dance and the NIA technique
Seventeen years of being a first-generation immigrant
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Somatic practices for rehabilitation and self-care
Embodied cognition and bilingual language processing
Sensitivity, sensuality and the art of healing
MY STORY
Shortly after a COVID vaccine booster I developed debilitating symptoms that quickly got worse. They resulted in four ER visits and two hospital admissions. An avid hiker and a dancer, I struggled to move around the house and couldn't go for regular walks or drive a car. For months my legs were wobbly and weak. I had balance problems, experienced tingling, twitching, and shaking, was severely fatigued 24/7, and covered in very itchy hives. Despite countless tests and numerous doctors’ visits, there was no explanation for my condition and no treatment plan.
A physical challenge is almost always accompanied by emotional difficulties. I was no exception. Six months later, a medical provider diagnosed me with a vaccine induced Long COVID.
By that time I had already spent weeks on the floor, doing what I’m trained to do: reeducate the mind/body system in order to improve daily functioning and overall wellbeing. I repeated tiny, simple movements over and over again. There were only a few that I could tolerate in the beginning. From that entry point, I challenged my challenge, determined to achieve bigger goals:
to reset the nervous system
to rewire neural pathways that were affected
to relearn how to function
MY APPROACH
I offer private and group somatic classes that are based on the Feldenkrais Method®, Bones For Life™ program and years of my own practice of moving meditation. The pace is slow, the movements are small, the effect is long lasting. During our time together:
your body will feel respected as there are clear boundaries
your nervous system will sense safety as there are no judgments or grades
your daily functioning will improve as you become aware of the choices which can be applied to your regular activities
you can practice in the comfort of your home as we meet via Zoom
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A highly effective method of somatic education that was created by a gifted scientist, engineer and immigrant, Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais.
While the main inquiry is around movement, you also practice noticing your breathing, feeling and thinking habits. The first step is to become aware. The second, to master distinguishing between the effective, easy patterns and those that hold you back and are better let go of. Thirdly, to make choices and “repattern” your habitual ways of moving and being.
Feldenkrais class participants often report:
a decrease in pain and stiffness
improvement of balance/coordination and daily functioning
a reduction in stress levels
moving with ease in general
What distinguishes this practice from other somatic modalities?
The Feldenkrais Method doesn’t aim for you to achieve some “ideal” position or way of moving. Feldenkrais teachers don’t demonstrate movements/sequences/poses and VERY rarely interrupt your process.
This provides a gentle entrance into somatic exploration - you learn about yourself in a safe, peaceful environment, guided by an instructor’s voice (Awareness Through Movement, ATM classes) or hands (Functional Integration, FI lessons). The Feldenkrais Method taps into the intelligence of your system. Regular practice increases the chance for spontaneous improvement.
A typical ATM class is about 45-55 minutes, lying on the floor, and doesn't require any preparation except to be present.
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Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais trained several talented students who brought his work to a new level. One of them was Ruthy Alon, a renowned teacher from Israel.
Her Bones For Life™ program addresses efficient and effective functioning in the “vertical plane”. You get familiar with basic principals of body mechanics via your personal exploration.
According to Ruthy, the focus of this modality is “a coordination of all body parts into a consistent alignment of the posture” - because a well-aligned posture is a basic condition for building bones, stimulating their health and delaying the onset of osteoporosis.
Like FM, BFL is a form of an experiential learning. Many lessons are done standing/sitting and are shorter (5-30min).
