It’s About Questions … and more questions
One of the questions I am often asked is how my work differs from – you name it – Pilates, yoga, traditional physical therapy and the list continues. Of course depending on the specific approach the conversation will vary. Since I have a little or a lot of personal experience as a participant or provider in many of the approaches I am asked about, I usually can come up with plenty to say.
Still I often sit with the question – is there anything fundamentally different in the way I work that distinguishes it from the majority of other approaches? One I have mentioned before is that I am always thinking about how our brains are directing movement and postural habits as opposed to thinking about specific muscles.
Another one I would like to share today is that as a Feldenkrais and Anat Baniel Method practitioner, rather than assuming once I know a person’s reason for seeing me- and I gather some basic information- that there is some sort of protocol/an answer for addressing it- I continue to ask myself questions. If someone is moving in a certain way, what does that suggest may be going on and how might it relate to the reason they are working with me?
And as our process together unfolds more questions emerge. When I work with someone, I share my questions and path and they learn to ask themselves questions that lead to more informed self-care. When we are no longer working regularly together they know how to be their own best experts.