Learning with Feeling, Moving for Life

THE FELDENKRAIS®METHOD

&

BREATHING PROBLEMS

SESSIONS FOR CHILDREN & ADULTS

MME PEFF MODELSKI

GUILD CERTIFIED FELDENRKAIS®PRACTITIONER

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

52 STERLING CIRCLE #205

WHEATON, IL 60189

AND

11 BELL OAK LANE

LEMONT, IL

630-690-2140

PEFFDANCE@AOL.COM

WWW.MOVEMENTPROCESSFORLIVING.COM

An article by Shai Silberbusch, Feldenkrais®Teacher

Children with breathing problems

Many parents are helpless in the face of the severe asthma attacks that their children suffer. Most forms of treatment and help available consist of medication and first aid, primarily given in hospitals and emergency rooms. The Feldenkrais®Method has the knowledge and tools that enable the children themselves, or together with their parents, to attain improved functioning and better breathing.

During the sessions, the breathing function improves, the frequency of attacks decrease and become less intensive, the ability to fall asleep, as well as the quality and depth of sleep, change without recognition.

At the same time, there is a marked improvement in the capacity for movement. Children begin playing and running around without fearing further attacks and problems, and so their self-confidence and self-esteem rise. 

As a result of an attack, or a pattern of frequent attacks, the muscles become constantly clenched and they function inefficiently - the capacity to move and breathe is impaired.

Generally, following breathing difficulties, the muscles used in breathing are forced to work beyond their capacity, and become rigid and fixed. In asthmatic children we can see a rigid chest, shoulders that are raised and pull backwards, clenched stomach muscles and a diaphragm which functions poorly.

With the narrowing of the breathing passages, the skeletal muscles are forced to work beyond their capability to ensure that enough air enters for reasonable function.

With time, these muscles shorten and thicken, and significant muscular rigidity and tension occurs.

There is a change in the natural organization of all components of the skeleton that play a role in breathing: they function in a 'distress' format. These changes affect posture and balance;, they can also influence movement function in walking and running.

To sum up, during an asthmatic attack, the mechanical organization of the chest and the entire skeleton changes and is harmed. 

The sessions restore maximally efficient mechanical organization, corrects movement-related problems, and all the muscles which retain and move the skeleton now start to relax. In this situation, the muscles can once again assist in breathing function, the muscular tension and tonus of the bronchia decreases, and the air-passages expand remarkably.

MME PEFF MODELSKI GCFP, SSS, RDE.

As a lifelong professional performer with severe asthma, I have learned what it is like to pay attention to every breath, how exhausted, panicky and uncomfortable one can be before, during and in between attacks. One lives in a constant state of alert worry wondering when the next uncalled for attack will come. Sleep and health are both in jeopardy

The beautiful description above by Shai Silberbusch, Feldenkrais Teacher, is accurate and informative. Feldenkrais®practitioners understand these mechanisms and can , by gentle touch bring a new feeling of ease.

Several sessions provide the foundation for learning how to take command of each negative habitual asthma pattern as they show up, and how to change them.

The Feldenkrais®Method allowed me to draw breath when I thought there was no more, to increase my capacity for fuller deeper breathing and helped me to learn to lessen the attack and its effects.

I am so grateful to the medical community for providing us with the research to create the drugs which ease the bronchial spasms and eventually heal the lungs. Something to lean on when I could not try anymore.

The Feldenkrais®Method is the other banister on which to lean because it allows the body and mind to retrain the patterns of easy, efficient breathing back to normal without extensive effort. The practitioner does the work, supporting, guiding and helping the changes which bring relief. Often the attacks become less.