Feldenkrais Alexandria and Arlington, Moshe Feldenkrais Virginia relief from pain, stress ATM

Hi, my name is Maureen McHugh. I am a Feldenkrais Practitioner and teach the Feldenkrais Method. Thank you for visiting my site.

Are you looking for help? Is something going on in your body? For instance, do you have pain? Or, do you have a feeling of restriction in what you like to do? Or have to do? This is the problem side of life.

There is also the opportunity side. Are you looking to develop a certain aspect of yourself? A new dimension in some way?

“Yes” means that what follows will probably be interesting.

Let's begin. The first question is: "Who can benefit?" The answer is -- everyone. We begin where you are. We identify your goals and challenges. I work with you so you take your next step.

Who can benefit?
Who can benefit	Everybody. People in pain. People who want to explore something new. People who want to avoid surgery. People who want to improve their quality of life. People who want to have more self-confidence. Athletes. Musicians. Artists. Runners. Walkers. Singers. Pianists. Violin players.
What conditions can it help with?	Pain and limitations of all types. Back pain, neck pain, wrist and hand pain, knee pain, ankle and foot pain; all the pains in the muscles and joints. Poor posture. Lack of balance. Tendency to Fall. Scoliosis. Needing to become more flexible. Thoracic outlet syndrome, brachial plexus syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive stress injury, herniated disk. Spinal cord injury, ankylosing spondylitis, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, recovery from stroke, Cerebral Palsy
It helps improve	Awareness of self. Coordination. Relaxation. Efficiency of movement. Ease of movement. Balance. Breathing. Posture. Flexibility. Strength.
It helps develop	Mind-body connection. Adaptability of mind and body. Biological optimism.
For some examples	Success Stories Who Can Benefit Case Studies. My reviews on Google Maps (follow link and then type my name)

About the Feldenkrais Method
What is the Feldenkrais Method?	The Feldenkrais Method is a way for you to explore, in depth, how you move. It has two forms, individual and group. The overall aim is very broad: to help you increase your awareness of yourself, and especially of how you move, so that you can accomplish the goals that are important to you. The teaching follows several themes. You explore coordination of movement. You learn more about anatomy. You review some concepts of physics. You explore what it means to relax. And, on a wider level, which can get really interesting, you learn more about you -- about how you express yourself through your physicality.
For whom is the Feldenkrais Method good?	The Feldenkrais Method is good for everyone. But if you are like most people who seek it out, three things are true: 1) You are in pain, or feel restrictions in movement. 2) You have already tried more familiar approaches, and you have received some benefit, but not all the benefit that you believe is possible. 3) You are willing to trying something new.

Contact me
	Do you have questions? I am glad to have an introductory talk with you on the phone. 703-751-2111. Or send me an email: mmchugh@wellnessinmotion.com	<--My office is on the 2nd floor Maureen McHugh Landmark Tower 101 S. Whiting Street #207 Alexandria, VA 22304
Away dates: I will be away beginning Wednesday, August 25. I will return on Wednesday, September 1.

How to participate
You can take individual sessions or group classes, or both.

I offer Individual Sessions in my office in the Landmark section of Alexandria.	I offer Group Classes through Arlington County Parks & Recreation and BalletNOVA Center for Dance. .

Food for thought
Here are two quotes from Moshe Feldenkrais, the founder of the Feldenkrais Method. In case you are wondering how to pronounce his last name, it rhymes with "rice".
"In poor posture the muscles are doing a part of the job of the bones."
"An action becomes easy to perform and the movement becomes light when the huge muscles of the center of the body do the bulk of the work and the limbs only direct the bones to the destination of the effort."
Moshe Feldenkrais. Awareness through Movement. Page 68, page 91.

Wellness in Motion

Feeling well when you move and naturally expressing the vitality of your life in movement.

Current highlights
Arlington County Online Registration	Here is the Fall 2010 Group Class Schedule. There is an Intro class on Tuesday, September 14 at 7:20 pm. I am offering four classes a week: Tuesday evening at 5:10 and 7:20, Thursday afternoon at 1 pm, and Saturday morning at 11 am. Series classes begin on Tuesday, September 21.
BalletNOVA Center for Dance.	In teaching Feldenkrais at BalletNOVA I bring lessons that address the needs and opportunities of dancers. You can register for the series or drop-in for $20.
	The Summer class is on Saturday mornings from 9 am to 10 am. You will find registration details here: BalletNOVA Summer Class Schedule The last class was scheduled to be on August 28. I will be away that day. So the last Summer class is rescheduled for September 11.
	In the Fall I switch to a new time: Friday evenings from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. These classes begin Friday, September 10 and end Friday, February 4, 2011. Registration details are here: BalletNOVA Fall Class Schedule
Monthly Intro Class in my office	I offer a Monthly Intro Class in my office at Landmark Tower on Saturday afternoon at 1 pm. Space is limited. Please register with me in advance. The next Intro Class is Saturday, September 11

Some readings
	My Fall 2010 Essay is titled "What is needed is an unfamiliar sensation." I talk about how new possibilities depend on the arising of new sensations.

Marek Wyszynski	One of my colleagues, Marek Wyszynski, PT, GCFP, has written a paper that has just been published in The Pain Practitioner, the quarterly magazine of the American Academy of Pain Management, based in California. "The Feldenkrais Method for People with Chronic Pain" is a brief, clear, warm-hearted overview of the Feldenkrais Method as applied to relieving pain. You will find it through the above link on pages 56 - 61. Congratulations, Marek.
	One of my colleagues in New Zealand, Cindy Allison, has written a 32 page booklet about how the Feldenkrais Method is helping people recover from Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). Her booklet is clear, thorough and inspiring. Improving Sensory Motor Function after a Spinal Cord Injury
Paper on balance	In July 2009 I wrote a paper on the Mechanics of balance. In seven pages, with many pictures, I show how I look at movement and balance. The fundamental idea is that there are three axes of rotation. We move within these circles. In any gesture, to be in balance the circles have to counterbalance each other.

How the Feldenkrais Method is new

1) Recently created. It was created in the past century by Moshe Feldenkrais. He lived from 1904 - 1984 and was a pioneer in thought, action and education. (His last name rhymes with "rice".)

2) Only slowly becoming known. The Method is hard to explain and, so, does not lend itself well to advertising. Instead, it grows by word of mouth.

3) Training, rather than treatment. It is not a treatment method, where the professional is active and the client passive, but a training method, where the responsibility for progress is shared.

4) A systems view. It takes a whole-person, systems-level approach. In particular, it is based on a deep understanding of how the body parts coordinate to create a whole action.

5) A search for progressive improvement. Progress comes about by progressively refining how you move.

6) A vista that always enlarges. For many people, participation in the Method is a way to first recover from discomfort and then progress to higher levels of functioning.

7) The big power is awareness. The Method demonstrates that cultivating awareness is the high road to growth.

About Moshe Feldenkrais
The Feldenkrais Method^® has strong scientific roots. Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, originator of the work, studied human movement and development using his knowledge in mechanical and electrical engineering. He received his doctorate in physics. It was a severe knee injury that inspired him to understand more about human movement and neurophysiology. He studied other disciplines: biology, anthropology, cybernetics, systems and learning theory to develop his understanding of the relationship between body and mind. In addition to his involvement with science he was a master in Judo. He was a passionate human being who used all that he knew to develop a unique way of knowing and working with people. Finally, he talked about his work as a way for people to actualize their potential, put their intentions into action and live their dreams. Moshe Feldenkrais lived from 1904-1984 and made an inspiring contribution to the study of human consciousness.
	"Without learning to know ourselves as intimately as we possibly can, we limit our choice. Life is not very sweet without freedom of choice." -Moshe Feldenkrais