FI for Special Needs | Movement Wisdom

FUNCTIONAL INTEGRATION INDIVIDUAL LESSONS FOR CHILDREN

Functional Integration lessons are the form of the Feldenkrais Method that can be used to work with individuals with special needs.

Who Can Benefit?

A parent might bring their child to a Feldenkrais® practitioner because their child has:

- Cerebral palsy
- Autism
- Scoliosis
- Brain injury
- Genetic movement disorders
- Trauma
- Learning difficulties/ADHD/dyslexia
- Difficult births and restless infants
- Developmental delays and slow progress
- Performance anxiety (in arts and sports)
- Balance issues
- Eye problems
- Foot and walking problems
- Hip dysplasia
- Low muscle tone

"My aim is to enable people to become truly free beings with genuine choices, to express their individual creativity and emotions, to free their bodies from habitual tensions and ingrained behavior patterns, so they can respond to their desires without hindrance."

Moshe Feldenkrais

How Are Functional Integration Lessons Conducted?

Dr. Feldenkrais spent much of his time and energy working with infants and children with neurological and developmental disorders. Whether a baby or child was born with special needs or something occurred after birth, he understood the importance of creating a rich learning environment filled with healthy movement variations and developmental patterns.

The Feldenkrais Method® takes a holistic approach to growth and development, considering the person as a whole, regardless of age. The practitioner may use fun, developmental, or specific movement sequences while paying attention to the process of learning and curiosity. This opens up a space where personal development can occur, and it is a wonderful experience to witness this in every child. The practitioner may choose to work from a neurological, biological, or developmental perspective. Additionally, they can focus on the emotional and social aspects of movement and development, considering the entire family in the process.

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Discover Your Potential!

According to Feldenkrais, every child has a unique opportunity to live a fulfilling and rich life, filled with enhanced abilities, beyond just achieving goals. He believed that children should discover, grow, and develop their own potential.

The Feldenkrais method emphasizes the importance of children being healthily organized and gaining a better understanding of their bodies and minds. This method allows children to develop by uncovering their natural abilities, providing them with the opportunity to grow in an environment where they can cultivate their unique talents and interests. Feldenkrais believed that every child is valuable and deserves support in realizing their full potential.

COMMENTS

"My daughter is 8 years old. I can see her whole body relax during Feldenkrais lessons, and I watch with great joy as her eyes light up when she starts to learn something new. The difference between how she walks when coming to the lesson and the confident steps she takes when leaving is a visible miracle."

N.U., Rett Syndrome

“For the first time, I felt like every part of my body started doing its job. (9 years old)”

G.Ö., CEREBRAL PALSY

"I feel like the strings in my leg can lengthen and shorten. I guess I no longer need Botox."