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Discover Feldenkrais® Method
Move Better, Feel Better, Live Better

Feldenkrais® Practitioner-Laura Yedwab’s

About Laura Yedwab

I am a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner (GCFP) and would be delighted to help you move better, have less pain, and improve the quality of your life.

I discovered the Feldenkrais Method® when repeated injuries to my hamstring prevented me from playing racquetball. By using the Feldenkrais Method, I learned to move without putting unnecessary stress on my hamstrings. I was thrilled. I loved improving and refining my movements. As my movements improved, my zest for life increased.

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Book A Free Consultation

In your free 60-minute consultation with your Feldenkrais practitioner, you will explore your goals and challenges, and identify specific movement patterns that are causing you problems. You will discover how we can work together to improve your movement so that you put less stress, wear and tear on your body.

Discovering Feldenkrais® Methods for improved posture

Experience Greater Ease and Less Pain: Discover the Feldenkrais Method

The aim is to move with minimum effort and maximum efficiency, not through muscular strength, but through increased consciousness of how movement works. — Moshe Feldenkrais

As a Feldenkrais practitioner, my mission is to guide you in enhancing your ease, efficiency, and fluidity of movement — ultimately improving your well-being and vitality. The Feldenkrais® Method can help you achieve your goals, whether you’re looking to recover from injury, relieve pain, improve posture, enhance flexibility, regain balance, boost coordination, or refine your athletic or musical skills.

I’ll help you gain insight into your body’s functioning. This will lead to greater efficiency in your everyday movements, e.g. sitting at a computer, walking, hiking, climbing stairs, or getting out of a car. With more efficiency come less pain and more comfort.

Increase your Awareness and Learn to Move Better with the Feldenkrais Method

We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.
— Sheryl Sandberg, Author

Our brains are amazing. Each of us is making the very best decisions we can at every moment given our history, background, genetics, and the information we have. However, we would all like to improve. To make better decisions, we need better information. When it comes to improving movement and reducing pain, this means becoming aware of the subtle details of our movements.

I had hoped to feel a little better, but, remarkably, after just a few sessions my neck pain went away. — See Kathy’s Success Story

As an example of working with pain, consider Kathy. As with many clients who come to me with neck pain, she turned her head without much thought or awareness. Together, we significantly increased her awareness of how her spine, shoulders, pelvis, and even her legs could help in turning her head. By distributing the work across her whole body, the strain on her neck was reduced and the pain subsided.

My goal is to help bring your awareness to these details — to help you sense what your movement patterns are, and to find alternative choices. The result is that you will move with more freedom, comfort, and grace. In the lingo of neuroscience, this is called neuroplasticity and neuromuscular retraining. However, I think of it simply as our innate ability to learn.

Utilizing the principles of the Feldenkrais Method, I employ various approaches to facilitate your learning:

 

  • Slowing Down: By utilizing slow movements, we attune to the fine details, uncover hidden patterns, and discover new possibilities.
  • Embracing Variety: By exploring similar but different movements, we gain insights into what options feel more comfortable and effortless for you.
  • Guided Touch: Through gentle, non-intrusive touch, I will lead you through precise and mindful movements, deepening your connection to your body’s sensations, tensions, and movement patterns.
  • Non-Judgmental Observation: Together, we observe your movements without judgment or criticism, creating a safe space for you to explore and express yourself fully.
  • Cultivating Curiosity: Curiosity plays a crucial role in promoting awareness and learning. Embracing curiosity, we embark on a journey of exploration, questioning, and seeking understanding.
As you become more aware of your movement patterns, you gain the power to make different and better choices. These choices pave the way to reduced pain, increased ease, and greater comfort in your daily life.

Laura is fantastic. I love the collaborative nature of our work. She is fully present with me, which helps me become aware of how I’m feeling and moving. — Linda Stone

The key to the Feldenkrais Method is learning, and learning can only flourish in an atmosphere of safety, curiosity, and engagement. In our collaborative sessions you’ll experience a deep sense of caring. I’m here to create a supportive and comfortable space where you can explore and grow at your own pace. This foundation of trust and comfort is the cornerstone of effective learning and the key to unlocking the potential of the Feldenkrais Method.

Your journey of self-discovery begins by scheduling a free 55-minute, in-person consultation

Integrate Mind and Body: Embrace Holistic Well-Being with the Feldenkrais Method

I believe that the unity of mind and body is an objective reality. They are not just parts somehow related to each other, but an inseparable whole while functioning. — Moshe Feldenkrais

At the heart of the Feldenkrais Method lies the recognition that you are not merely a sum of separate parts but an interconnected and unified whole. Together, we will delve into the art of mindful movement and exploration, uncovering the vast potential within you.

The Feldenkrais Method is more than a therapy; it’s an exploration of self-awareness and a reconnection with your body.

I feel taller, more self-confident, stronger, and more able to meet whatever is happening at the moment. — Mary Bolton

My goal as a Feldenkrais practitioner is to empower you to become resilient in a world of constant change. Through our sessions, you will rediscover your physical integrity and learn to thrive amidst the complexity of daily life.
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Success Stories

Hear, in their own words, how I helped Jeanine and V. with back pain, Kathy recover from neck pain and breast cancer, Zeke and Joanne with knee pain, and Kate with Achilles tendon pain

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Holistic movement therapy: Feldenkrais® Methods

Feldenkrais in Seattle

We all have an innate ability to learn, grow, and adapt. My job is to help you use that ability to increase
the ease, efficiency, and fluidity of your movement

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Client Testimonials

I was suffering from shoulder pain for about a month. The pain would flare up every time I started working in front of a computer. It made it difficult to concentrate and took over my life since, for most of my waking hours, my focus was on reducing the pain. My naturopathic doctor recommended that I investigate Feldenkrais. I was fortunate to have found Laura. During the first introductory session and each subsequent sessions, I learned about my posture, how my body functions, and how to pay close attention to what my body is telling me. Each session built on the last. Laura is very observant and adjusted her approach to suit my needs, even though we had to conduct the sessions over Zoom. I am grateful that Laura played an instrumental role in my recovery. Today I have been able to function normally with no pain. I was new to Feldenkrais but am now a believer that it plays a critical part in my wellbeing. Thank you Laura for all your teachings.
– Chin Seah
Our functional integration session yesterday was really terrific. I continued to apply the lesson in the pool, since I recognized raising my arm during the lesson, with how it felt when I was doing the backstroke. I tried focusing on connecting my arm with my sacrum, to get the sensation of movement up my spine and it worked great! In the middle of the night, something clicked deep in my shoulder and today I feel great — better than in over a month! Thank you so much.
– Elizabeth Strauss
I saw Laura when I had a severely inflamed knee joint. We looked at how I could support the knee from below by walking consciously and with awareness, especially in regards to how I move on my feet. It sounds simple but there are many more points of contact than I was aware of. She also gently moved all the bones in my feet and legs – a very relaxing experience – that seemed to helped me establish new patterns of movement. In addition, Laura taught me how to move from sitting to standing effortlessly. After three sessions the pain in my knee was immensely diminished and I am able to bike, dance, garden and walk much more easily. I found Laura’s calm approach reassuring. I would highly recommend her and the Feldenkrais method.
– Peggy Frank
Laura helped me re-learn how to do the most basic thing possible: walk. Since childhood, I got pain in my side running and walking at a fast pace. What I didn’t know is that something could be done about it, without drugs or surgery. Laura patiently increased my awareness of how my body works. We all have bad habits; we’re just aware of some of them more than others. With patience, warmth, and deep analytical knowledge, Laura taught me how to use my whole body as I walked. She taught me how awareness of my body mechanics could break my bad habits incurred through years of not thinking about something as simple as taking a single step. She also taught me other ways to move my body more efficiently in other daily movements, to lower the long-term stress I put on my joints. I now can walk long distances at a fast pace without pain. I know that my cardiovascular shape might limit me, but not the way I take each stride!
- Chris Rebholz
I am a physician and so skeptical of most ‘alternative’ treatments, but Laura’s approach to body mechanics, movement, and injury seemed very reasonable so I opted to try working with her. I found her to be very knowledgeable and smart, but most importantly, she took the time to listen to my concerns, look at my body and the way I walked and sat, answered my questions in a straightforward manner, proposed changes that were doable, and kept checking back in with me to see how things were going. Our work relieved my back pain while sitting and improved my posture. I feel more alert and uplifted when I stand or walk and this has had a definite impact on my mood. I can feel the difference when I stand up: I feel taller, more self-confident, stronger, and more able to meet whatever is happening at the moment. I recommend her highly and plan to continue to work with her.
– Mary Bolton
Laura gave me wonderful insights into how to move in a healthier way. I came to her with knee pain when I walked up stairs. Her gentle, thoughtful teaching helped me so much that I was soon pain-free! Laura helped me to be more centered in myself, as well as centered over my feet. It was a very holistic body-mind lesson that led me to greater integration on many levels.
– Virginia Howlett, Artist
Working with Laura was incredibly helpful! Our sessions were fun, relaxing, and empowering, and helped me achieve a new understanding of how my body works.
– Gin Hammond, Actor
Laura is fantastic. I love the collaborative nature of our work. She is fully present with me which helps me to be aware of how I’m feeling and moving. My drive home is always interesting after a session. I notice how I’m moving when I check traffic to merge, how I sit, and how I turn my head. I pay more attention to how my feet relate to the floor when I sit or stand and then notice how my posture shifts with that. Laura is uniquely talented and I’m grateful to be able to work with her.
– Linda Stone
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Feldenkrais Method?

The Feldenkrais Method is a somatic educational approach for improving your health. The method is “educational” because it teaches you to move with more fluidity, efficiency, and grace. It is “somatic” because the focus of the education is your body and your movements. The focus of the Feldenkrais Method is on improving the movements involved in your daily activities. When you move better, you live better – with more comfort and less pain.

Who developed the Feldenkrais Method?

Dr. Moshé Feldenkrais (May 6, 1904 – July 1, 1984) developed his method drawing from his rich life experiences. As a young man and then again in England, Dr. Feldenkrais suffered horrific knee injuries that could not be cured given the level of medical care available at that time. Dr. Feldenkrais had to find a way to heal himself.

Dr. Feldenkrais was born in Russia. At 14, he emigrated on his own to Israel where he was a student, laborer, tutor, cartographer, and involved in the Jewish self-defense groups. In 1930, he went to Paris to further his education. Dr. Feldenkrais worked with Joliet Curie and received a D.Sc. in Physics from the Sorbonne. In 1936, he earned a black belt in Judo. He fled to England in 1940 as the Nazi’s invaded France. During the war, he conducted anti-submarine research. When the war ended, he moved to London and published his first book on his method: Body and Mature Behavior. In 1951, he returned to Israel, and focused on teaching his method. Dr. Feldenkrais published many books on the Feldenkrais Method and taught his method internationally.

How does the Feldenkrais Method work?
The Feldenkrais Method works by leveraging neuroplasticity, the brain’s innate learning ability. The Feldenkrais Method refines your basic movement patterns. It increases your awareness of what you are doing and how you are doing it. It teaches you better biomechanics, better posture through improved use of your skeleton, better breathing, better coordination of the eyes and head, and much more.
What can I expect in a Feldenkrais session?
A typical Feldenkrais session begins with a discussion of your goal for the session. Maybe you want to increase your balance, walk longer, climb stairs without knee pain, play the flute more fluidly, have better posture, or reduce back pain.

The session is then tailored to meet your goal by bringing awareness to the movement patterns that are interfering with your goal. We will engage in an inquiry-based process to clarify these patterns and find alternatives. Throughout the session, we will cultivate curiosity. We may also slow down the movements, try new variations, employ light touch, and use mindful observation. Should touch be used, it is always gentle and informative – never uncomfortable.

All Feldenkrais sessions steer clear of high-impact and strenuous exercise, painful manipulations, passive treatment, and medical diagnostics.

Is the Feldenkrais Method used for rehabilitation purposes?
Yes, this approach is frequently employed as an additional method in aiding rehabilitation for diverse conditions like injuries, chronic pain, and neurological problems. It can be adjusted to assist individuals in their recovery process and to avoid the emergence of compensatory movement patterns.
How long does it take to see results from practicing the Feldenkrais Method?
It is not possible to predict how many sessions you will need to achieve your long-term goals since this depends on several factors including your starting abilities, your goals, and your personal learning process. However, my commitment is that at the end of each session, you will walk away noticeably better than when you arrived.
What should I wear to a Feldenkrais Session?
Comfort is the most important factor in dressing for a Feldenkrais session. You can wear anything to a Feldenkrais session that will allow you to move easily and lie down comfortably. Clothing that you would wear to a gym, dance class, or going on a hike is ideal. Avoid formal clothing including suits, dresses, skirts, tight-fitting shirts, and jewelry.

Clients always remain fully clothed throughout the session.

How do you spell Feldenkrais?
F-E-L-D-E-N-K-R-A-I-S, named after its founder Moshe Feldenkrais. Feldenkrais is commonly miss-spelled as Feldenkris, Feldenkreis, Feldenkries, Feldenkrias, and Feldenchrist.
Can I combine the Feldenkrais Method with other forms of exercise or therapy?
Yes, many people combine the Feldenkrais Method with other modalities such as yoga, Pilates, or traditional physical therapy. It can complement various approaches to movement and wellness, providing a holistic perspective on improving overall function and comfort in daily activities.