mindfulbody
mindfulbody was established in 2004, arising from Julia’s collaborative engagement with her colleague, David Isaac in delivering classes and workshops. The name reflects the spirit of their shared commitment to helping people rediscover their potential through developing awareness. Both David and Julia are based in Melbourne, VIC.
Julia Broome
As a Feldenkrais practitioner, physiotherapist and experienced meditation practitioner, the interrelationship of mind and body is central to Julia’s approach to helping individuals recover function and improve ability. Julia engages an educative approach and is especially interested in supporting people to actively engage in their own recovery process. She has particular skills in working with people with neurological difficulties, chronic pain and anxiety. She also works with those involved in creative pursuits who wish to develop their capacity to perform, and with people who simply wish to develop self-awareness and become more adept, comfortable and at ease in their work and everyday life.
While primarily employing the Feldenkrais Method, Julia’s diverse experience as a physiotherapist over the last forty years directly informs her work. Her career spans work in acute care, primary and tertiary rehabilitation, private practice and teaching.
Julia completed her Feldenkrais training in 1997 and is a Certified Feldenkrais practitioner. She has a private practice in Melbourne specialising in the Feldenkrais Method. This is based at the Abbotsford Convent in Abbotsford, a community-based Arts and Cultural precinct.
The Feldenkrais Method
The Feldenkrais Method is a form of somatic education designed to improve your ability through effecting change in unconscious habits that limit your potential.
In Feldenkrais lessons we use gentle movement and directed attention to improve movement and enhance ability. In a lesson, attention to sensory feedback stimulates organic learning and new movement possibilities and enhances awareness. Feldenkrais is useful for improving one’s capacity, skill and ease in any activity one wishes to improve.
This approach to creating positive change is really valuable for people with back pain, musculo-skeletal challenges, chronic pain, anxiety and for those with neurological limitations such as multiple sclerosis, stroke or cerebral palsy. It is also helpful for people who simply want to feel more in touch and at ease in their body, improve their performance or minimize effects of specific demands they place on their body.
Feldenkrais lessons tap into the enormous capacity of our nervous system to learn new ways of functioning – the neuroplasticity of our brain. The discoveries Moshe Feldenkrais made through his personal experience and study of how to change the brain to improve one’s capacity to act in the world are now supported by more recent scientific studies.
Learning in the Feldenkrais Method occurs in two forms, individual lessons, called Functional Integration (FI) and in group classes – Awareness Through Movement (ATM).
Moshe Feldenkrais
Moshe Feldenkrais was an exceptional innovator who brought together ideas from many different disciplines to create the Feldenkrais Method, a unique approach to living life to the fullest.
Feldenkrais travelled an intriguing path through life. With a background in engineering, a Doctorate in physics and a high level of skill in martial arts, especially Judo, Moshe was passionate in his endeavour to understand the human being in totality and particularly interested in movement.
He is renowned for his success working with children with developmental difficulties and people with neurological impairment. He developed this method through applying his exceptional intelligence and insight to his own process of self-enquiry and exploration and subsequently using his knowledge and awareness to help others.
Recent findings and current scientific studies demonstrate that Feldenkrais was way ahead of his time. His work in developing the Feldenkrais Method is recognised and valued by many respected neuroscientists and neuropsychologists including Norman Doidge and Karl Pibram.
Short biography – Moshe Feldenkrais…
