Headaches, sciatica and back pain
I am now almost 60 and have been a reasonably fit but inflexible person most of my life. Headaches, sciatica and back pain have been regular companions. I have tried pilates and the gym but seemed to always cause more problems and pain.
I began working with David and learning about Feldenkrais at least 5 years ago and have made huge progress in finding a more relaxed, flexible body to live with. I have become curious in finding ways to be more comfortable and confident.
I love finding myself able to do things I thought I never could. I love that it is about slowing down, not trying but connecting my body and mind. David has been highly skilled, patient and wise in working with me and teaching me ways I can help manage my own body and its challenges. I would highly recommend him.
- Sara Rishworth
Recovery from Hip Replacement
"I am an active and energetic woman who recently went through hip replacement surgery. My recovery was amazingly quick and wonderfully successful because of the specific and individualised programme used by David Sullivan.
The Feldenkrais Method re-programmed the muscles around my new hip joint and was a calming and gentle process. It was a perfect treatment for my rapid recovery because of its slow and precise movement sequences. I strongly recommend the Faldenkrais Method of treatment. It was a huge success in my complete recovery and I am now enjoying my active life again."
- Judi Paape
Avoided surgery
"David's gentle and reflective sessions over 6 months helped me to stop fighting against an injury I thought could only be fixed by an operation, and instead helped me to accept it, work with it and adjust the way I move. In many respects I function better than I did before my injury and I am a lot more aware of my whole body too."
- Robert Limb
Chronic back pain and bad posture
I have been a client of David Sullivan for 3 years. I initially went to David for chronic back pain, brought about by poor posture and long periods of sitting/working at a computer. Over a series of lessons and through gentle movements , I rediscovered parts of my body which I had forgotten existed.
Through David I rediscovered my shoulder blades and he taught me ways to maintain my posture while sitting/walking. My posture has improved and my back straightened. I no longer have chronic back pain. I have a series of David’s audio tapes that I often refer to and practice when I am feeling tightness in my back. All movements are gentle and make you become aware of your body.
- Sharon S
Recovery from massive stroke
Through a perfect storm of complications, misdiagnoses and mistreatment Tristan had a stroke and an undiagnosed blockage to his left carotid artery for 24 hours which effectively killed the left side of his brain. When Tristan first saw David, he had no control over the right side of his body and could not speak intelligibly.
Tristan has made incredible progress since seeing David. The slow gentle movements allowed Tristan’s system to calm down and tap into the brain’s ability to grow new neural pathways and literally heal itself.
He’s now walking pretty effectively is almost independent in daily care, has a much larger vocabulary and new snippets of his old personality keep revealing themselves. All in all a much, much better prognosis than anyone expected!
- Janine for Tristan
Sports performance
A few years ago my right shoulder got really sore. I’m a tennis player, I was on the court when I first noticed it I thought my shoulder would come right with time.
Well, it didn’t. I tolerated the discomfort for months and would possibly still be tolerating it if it weren’t for my wife. She didn’t tolerate me regularly waking her up in the middle of the night in pain.
Who knows what caused this “frozen shoulder”. It might have been stress, posture, hours slumped in front of a computer screen, hedge trimming, tennis. I knew the treatment was working when one day I was driving along and felt the need to drop my right hand off the steering wheel. In other words, the tension that had been in my shoulder was dissipating and I could now truly relax it.
Now I’m am a convert to the Feldenkrais method. And the best thing about it all? Now I’m serving harder than ever.
- Michael Turner
Music performance
The Feldenkrais method has been extremely valuable for me as a performer. It has helped me develop my alignment, enabled me to optimise the use of my entire body when playing the piano and has been instrumental in preventing me from developing stiffness and pain. David is a skillful, professional, sensible and sensitive practitioner. I would strongly recommend Move to Improve for musicians of any level and age.
- Tom McGrath, pianist
Celebrity Endorsements for the Feldenkrais Method
"I can't say enough good things about the Feldenkrais Method. I believe it's made the difference between continuing my competitive running career and retiring prematurely."
- Chris Boyd, U.S. track and field champion
"For a year or more, I stopped walking because my feet were hurting. At a doctor's advice, I tried wearing special inserts in my shoes, but they threw off my balance. Eventually I learned from...a Feldenkrais practitioner...that bad posture was putting a lot of strain on my feet. It's amazing what you can learn when you step outside the realm of people who are selling you something and into the realm of people who treat the body, not the symptom."
- Neil Young, from his autobiography "Waging Heavy Peace".
"Feldenkrais represents a revolution in human health."
- Smithsonian Magazine
"[Feldenkrais] is not just pushing muscles around, but changing things in the brain itself so that the person can gradually adjust . . . to what we call a normal image . . ."
- Karl Pribham, MD, PhD, Neuroscientist
