Protected: Rounding and Arching in Sitting

As a preschool teacher who occassionally straps an autoharp or a banjo to her shoulder, I had been experiencing some discomfort in my lower back, neck and shoulders. After a few sessions with Jacqueline I began my usual end-of-summer activities feeling good and strong. My body happily made it through a week of classroom set-up (which occasionally involved some heavy or awkward lifting), a long Labor Day weekend music festival (which involved camping out on the ground, playing my instruments, helping the festival's Green Team haul lots of recycling and compost bags around), and a week of back-to-school teaching (which always requires lots of sitting on little chairs and getting up and down from the floor). My nervous system definitely learned some lessons from Jacqueline about moving more efficiently and therefore with less pain!

I am amazed by how huge a difference can be made from such a subtle technique! Feldenkrais has helped loosen my tight hamstrings, alleviate my lower back pain, and even boost my emotional state. After each session with Jacqueline I am literally taller, and I can sense a shift in my entire skeleton, from toes to forehead, that enables me to move more freely. Feldenkrais helps me ‘unlock’ in many senses of the word.

After a session with Jacqueline, I always have a very clear sense of center. My right side is the same as my left. One side is not bigger or slower. I am even. Before I started seeing Jacqueline, I didn't even know how to put this lopsided feeling into words. Now I understand it and am beginning to understand how to even myself out. I also feel like it is so much easier to stand. When I am at work, I feel that I am always tense and holding myself up. After a session with Jacqueline, I feel comfortable, like I can just stand here. No effort is needed. And everything just stops hurting. I have all these little spots that are usually painful, but after I see Jacqueline, they all go away. And I notice a shift in my mood, in my life really. It is just so nice to go slow. It is so comfortable to exist here and now. Even though I know I need to go home and do things, I don't feel anxious. It is enjoyable to just be in space and time here. It is interesting that this skeletal-body work makes my mind feel so calm and life feel so pleasant and easy.

I’m a cellist, and I spend several hours a day sitting and playing my instrument. As a result, I’ve had recurring back and hip pain for the past couple of years. My work with Jacqueline has significantly alleviated this pain and has made me more aware of the way in which my body interacts with my cello. I am learning to have patience and understand that even the most seemingly subtle changes in the way I carry myself can have a profound effect on my well-being. Jacqueline is a gentle, intuitive, perceptive, caring and kind teacher, and I’m very grateful to be working with her.

I was really moved by Jacqueline's work and how much passion I felt from her hands!

Jacqueline is extremely knowledgeable and confident in her field. Our sessions are usually one hour long and during this time I completely relax and trust in Jacqueline to move me in a gentle and non-judgmental way. When our sessions are over, I notice not only does my body feel completely connected but my mind becomes sharp and clear. I have also observed that over time I have gained more mobility in my neck and shoulder areas and find it easier to do the things I love: backpacking, yoga and art.

Every time I leave a session with Jacqueline, I feel like a new woman. I generally feel more relaxed, comfortable, and flexible during and after our work together. With other types of body work, I become frustrated by how quickly my body reverts back to its old ways. With the Feldenkrais Method, however, I’ve noticed that the feeling of comfort that I have during the lesson tends to stay in my body for days or sometimes weeks afterwards. I find myself being more conscious of the way I use my body in my everyday life.