ATM & FI

Awareness Through Movement® (ATM) and Functional Integration® (FI)
share the same conceptual basis. They are parallel approaches to use the nervous system's ability to self-organize towards more effective and intelligent action.
The Feldenkrais Method evokes, respects and makes accessible each student's inherent and wide ranging intelligence.

Awareness Through Movement® (ATM)    Group lessons

You are verbally guided through a sequence of exploratory movements in various positions and orientations. These sequences are designed to help you become more aware of how you move and to discover new and more efficient patterns of action. You are guided to use your attention, perception and imagination to discover more efficient and effective ways of being.

Many lessons are based on developmental movements and others explore patterns of action inherent in our potential movement. Utilizing novel learning strategies that enhance the functioning of our nervous system, you become aware of unconscious habits and optimise yourself for new ways of being and acting in your daily life.
Other lessons explore in a more abstract way the amazing capacities of our nervous system for change and learning. Strategies such as engaging one’s imagination, exploring movements on one side, exploring specific relationships within the human frame, working with the dominant hand or facilitating improved organization of our postural organization to name a few.

There is a huge variety of lessons, from simple to complex, minimal to dynamic. Surprisingly for most people - comfort, ease, and quality of movement are the primary criteria for developing greater awareness. Knowing what you are doing, and how you are doing it, provides your nervous system with perceptions necessary for changing action. Through learning how to move in new ways, you enhance your abilities, moving with elegance and skill rather than strength and will power. 

The lessons are precisely structured movement explorations that involve thinking, sensing, moving, and imagining.

Functional Integration® (FI)     Individual lessons

These one to one lessons are specifically designed by the practitioner in response to the student's individual needs. The practitioner guides the student with their hands in gentle, non-invasive ways, usually while lying or sitting. The student/client has the benefit of the practitioner's insight - learned through professional training and experience - to discover deep-seated habits that may be hard to perceive for oneself in a group situation. Students become aware of their habitual ways of moving and reorganize their movements and actions, integrating that learning into actions in everyday life.

Like group lessons, these tailored sessions help improve how you move, think, feel, sense, and act. Again, comfort, ease, and quality of movement are key. In addition, a deeply satisfying sense of relaxation emerges – a great side effect!