Yes. Thanks! I will change it. – Ryan

Feldenkrais has been great for filling in the blanks.
Mindfulness meditation ala Jon Kabat-Zinn / Full Catastrophe Living essential for me as well.
Paual Goulbourg’s The Secret of the Ring Muscles thoroughly helpful too, and here’s where I’m currently “working” / reconnecting.
I found SE useful, and it seems built on mindfulness. Paula’s work is akin to Feldenkrais with a more movement-based strategy. All four seems to connect precision and subtlety as catalysts for lasting change, both in content and process.

Thanks for your response Ryan. I realised when I read it that I perhaps should clarify for the sake of any trauma survivors reading – Wholebody Focusing is a form of somatic psychotherapy, akin to Ogden’s work but with a little different approach. I didn’t mean to in any way imply in my comment that I wasn’t being supported by a psychotherapist in the journey, that for me has been key. I am working with a trauma therapist who works in a somatic way through Focusing and have introduced him to Feldenkrais as a complementary practice.

I think it’s so important that we each find ways that work, and that more trauma survivors and therapists begin to understand that these somatic practices like Feldenkrais are not “just a bit of relaxation” with the “real work” being in therapy, that they are complementary and super important, as researchers/doctors like Bessel van der Kolk are now showing. I’m only with my therapist one hour a week, I can draw on Feldenkrais any time I need it to relax my nervous system, and the more I work with it the more I’m able to relax and open up into the therapy process too.

Best wishes,

Betty

Hi Betty – Thanks for sharing that in such detail. Some of my own trauma from abuse as a child and drug and alcohol later was almost magically released from my Feldenkrais journeys. But other trauma “stuff” I need some additional help with via some body psychotherapy such as that practice by Pat Ogden. We each have our own path.

I am glad that you are continuing to explore and are benefitting from Feldenkrais (and my TMJ program).

Be well!

Ryan