Discover a brain-centered approach to back pain relief
Pills, surgeries, stretching, exercises, and physical therapy not working?
Perhaps they did at some point, but now you’ve reached a plateau. Your knee, neck, shoulder, hip and back pain won’t go away. Your rehab is painful, has been discontinued due to lack of progress, or is no longer showing the results you want.
Maybe it's time to try a new approach, a whole-body approach to improving human function using gentle movement to access the incredible healing capacity of the brain.
Grounded in the science of neuroplasticity and based on the revolutionary work of Moshe Feldenkrais, Anat Baniel Method® NeuroMovement® is a unique methodology. It evolved from Anat’s 30+ years of studying brain plasticity and experiencing its practical application in helping thousands of her clients overcome pain, reverse signs of aging, and reach new levels of performance in seemingly impossible ways.
Research clearly shows that the brain has an astounding ability to change and make new connections at a remarkable rate, regardless of our age, gender, physical condition, or cognitive state. It just needs the right learning conditions to thrive.
The brain is an information system. It craves input to stay vibrant and healthy, and it's always seeking to learn.
The question is, "What is your brain learning?"
We learn our experiences. Whether good or bad, difficult or easy, success or failure, our experiences dictate the information the brain receives. Through negative life experiences, the brain actually learns to fail, to be in pain, and to believe that certain actions are impossible.
On the other hand, by providing information to the brain within the context of the 9 Essentials, the brain is flooded with the information it needs to create new neural networks, leading to greater freedom in moving, thinking, and feeling.
The 9 Essentials
Creating the conditions for the brain to learn and change
Move with attention
Movement is the vehicle through which the brain learns. How we move influences what we learn, the information our brain receives, and the outcomes we get. If we want to learn anything new, we must pay attention to our movement and notice how we feel as we move.
Slow
Slowing down as we move is key to catching the brain's attention. We can only do fast what we know how to do. Going slow gives us time to feel and notice changes and identify those areas that are giving us problems. When we want to learn something new, master a new skill, or overcome limitations, we must slow down first.
Variation
The brain craves new information. When we get stuck in habitual patterns, the brain operates on auto-pilot, performing movements without even thinking about it because they have been deeply ingrained in the neural circuitry. When we mix things up through play, making mistakes, or exploring different ways of doing an activity, the brain kicks into gear, creating new connections to create new solutions.
Sublety
Gentle touch and gentle movement has a profound impact on the brain. When we exert too much force or effort in the way we move, think, or act, we override the brain's ability to notice minute details and perceive differences that help it figure out ways to move and respond more freely, efficiently, and with greater sensitivity.
Enthusiasm
Enthusiasm amplifies learning. An internal sense of delight in something done well, which we generate for ourselves or those we care for, it's a powerful way to notify the brain that a significant event just occurred. Our enthusiasm helps mark the change as something important to be remembered, and it gets grooved into the brain.
Flexible goals
Goals are important because they give us targets we can shoot for and ideals we would like to reach in various aspects of our lives. The problem comes when we are rigid and hold onto them too tightly, blinding us to small victories along the way and preventing unexpected "detours" of new learning along the way. Having flexible goals keeps the door open for new, exciting, and unforeseen possibilities.
The learning switch
Let's be honest. There are times we're not ready to learn. When we're hungry, tired, sick, sad, angry, hurting, or afraid the brain isn't in a condition to learn. The learning switch is "off." The job of the brain, first and foremost, is survival. When it must attend to the body's physical and emotional needs for its well-being, it's not available for learning. For new learning to occur, the brain needs to be in a receptive, alert, and responsive mode.
Imagination/dreams
When we experience physical limitations and pain it may be difficult to imagine a future without them. But that's where the brain really shines. Through the power of imagination, we can actually visualize and feel what movement would be like without pain and difficulty. We can dream of possibilities that seem unattainable and tap into the power of our nervous system to reorganize itself as if the imagined experiences were a reality. We can move from the impossible to the possible.
Awareness
Awareness is the act of being fully alive and present. It's the ability to be in touch with our thoughts, feelings, and actions and how they impact us and the lives of those around us. When we are aware our brain is operating at its highest level. Awareness is key to reaching great heights.
