Awareness, Mindfulness, Self-Care, Activism
Amy Ward Brimmer
This is Why We Train

We may have delusions about our ability to prevail against dark forces seeking to undermine all our good, hard work but the reality is that we can only use the skills and wisdom we possess. If we don’t have a reliable foundation to draw on during difficult times, we will be thrown on our behinds. You can only use the tools you’ve got at hand, only use them in the ways you have developed.

This is Why We Train
Alexander Technique, Everyday Movement
Amy Ward Brimmer
From Point A to Point B

From the moment you arise in the morning until you rest your head on the pillow at night, you probably do quite a lot. We do so much that we have to consciously choose "down time” to give ourselves rest.

But what about the time in between those daily tasks? The transitions from Point A to Point B go by unnoticed, because we are busy getting to whatever is next.

From Point A to Point B
Bodymind Experiment, Awareness, Alexander Technique, Everyday Movement, Spirituality, Walking
Amy Ward Brimmer
The Screaming Baby

Are you the owner of your body?

This is a fundamental question that reveals perspectives on the body and how yourelate to it. And depending on how you relate to your body, you will inevitably move according to the nature of that relationship. Along with your mind, this is your most intimate relationship. Yet attitudes about the physical self go largely unnoticed.

The Screaming Baby
Amy Ward Brimmer
3 Reasons to Take Alexander Lessons

A 3-minute video about the 3 most common reasons people come for Alexander Technique lessons.

3 Reasons to Take Alexander Lessons
Awareness, Mindfulness
Amy Ward Brimmer
Fear is Not the Enemy

I learned a long time ago that I don't have to be afraid of fear. It's an energy, and a rather unpleasant one -- unless you're choosing a scary book or film as entertainment. It can be mild and continuous or sudden and strong, but as emotions go, it's one of the easiest to recognize. And one of the hardest to bear.

Fear is Not the Enemy

What is Somatic Release?

One of the services available at Way Opens Center will be Somatic Release sessions.  Few people are familiar with the name "Somatic Release", because it is an approach that evolved out of my 20+ years of Alexander work, my decade of experience as a labor doula, and my own personal journey of healing.  I created the name for this form, but the fundamentals of Somatic Release are rooted in the Alexander Technique as taught by my mentor Alan Katz. I also incorporate elements of Therapeutic Touch, Reflexology, Feldenkrais, Hypnotherapy, and intuitive common sense.

How is Somatic Release different from the Alexander Technique? Alexander lessons are by definition an active period of intentional learning between teacher and student. Although therapeutically beneficial, the AT is not a series of treatments or exercises.

By contrast, Somatic Release sessions are therapeutic treatments, a time for deep relaxation. Fully clothed and lying on a bodywork table, you will experience safe, supportive touch and positive, encouraging words that help you let go of tension. Depending on what the situation calls for, I use my hands in ways that are somewhat different from Alexander lessons. I sometimes use more specific pressure point techniques, for example, or work with the subtle energy field off the body, with very little direct touch. Some movement of limbs and opening of joints may be incorporated, and perhaps various breathing patterns might be explored. Improved energetic flow is the goal.

Alexander work asks you to actively participate as you learn about yourself; Somatic Release does not.  During a session you might be asked to make a mental or visual connection, but for the most part, clients find themselves drifting into a deeply relaxed state of being, thoroughly refreshed and at ease as a result.

Somatic Release is especially useful for individuals recovering from physical or emotional trauma, for those with mobility issues, and as a supplement to healing from surgery. It is also great for times when one is just plain exhausted and wants a little tender loving care.  If you are feeling overwhelmed, a Somatic Release session might be just the thing.

What is the Alexander Technique?

When I talk about what I do, the inevitable question arises: The Alexander Technique? What's that?

Alexander work changed my life (maybe even saved it), and enhances my daily living in ways that continually surprise me. It can sometimes be difficult to find words to describe it, both because it is so unlike other modalities and because it is something that truly needs to be experienced to be understood.

But I want others to know about this incredible path to freedom, so here goes:

It's simple. How we use ourselves affects how we experience life. Alexander Technique reveals how unconscious habits of excess tension and inefficient ways of moving interfere with your natural ability to live your life with ease and enjoyment. When you recognize your habits, you become free to make simple changes that heal and restore your body-mind balance. You wake up to yourself.

It's powerful. Guided by the teacher's light, supportive touch and verbal cues, you'll explore how you are designed to move and begin some new ways of thinking in activity. This is not a treatment, it's a way of mindful learning. You'll gain skills that grow stronger the more you practice. What you learn is unique to you, and can be applied any time, anywhere. You're in charge.

It's proven. This is not a quick fix or the latest fad. The technique evolved more than a century ago from the pioneering work of F. M. Alexander, whose discoveries about human psycho-physical functioning are tried and true. The work has undergone rigorous research, its benefits reported in medical journals, doctoral dissertations, and even a Nobel prize acceptance speech. It is endorsed by doctors, therapists, performing artists and entertainers, ergonomics experts, and a wide range of individuals around the world. People with chronic pain, depression, respiratory problems, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) credit Alexander lessons as a key component in their recovery.

Alexander Technique
Simple. Powerful. Proven.