Enhancing Mental and Emotional Wellness with the Feldenkrais Method & Applied Neurology
In today’s fast-paced world, mental and emotional well-being is essential for both children and adults. Two powerful, body-based approaches—the Feldenkrais Method and Applied Neurology—offer gentle, science-backed ways to reduce stress, improve emotional regulation, and build greater resilience from the inside out.
What is the Feldenkrais Method?
The Feldenkrais Method is a somatic education system that uses gentle movement and directed attention to help people learn new patterns of physical and mental behavior. Developed by Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, this method is based on principles of neuroscience, motor learning, and biomechanics.
Benefits for Mental and Emotional Wellness:
Reduces chronic stress by calming the nervous system through mindful movement.
Improves self-awareness, which enhances emotional regulation and decision-making.
Builds resilience by teaching the brain more efficient movement and thought patterns.
Supports trauma recovery by gently reconnecting the mind and body in a safe, controlled way.
What is Applied Neurology?
Applied Neurology focuses on training the brain and nervous system to function more efficiently through targeted exercises and sensory inputs. Using the brains sensory systems-especially the visual and vestibular systems. It helps to improve movement, balance, and overall performance. When your brain gets clear, accurate input from your eyes and inner ear, it feels more stable and safe. But if that input is confusing or inconsistent (even subtly), your nervous system may go on high alert, leading to symptoms like fear, anxiety, irritability, or even complete shut down.
Benefits for Mental and Emotional Wellness:
Helps regulate the nervous system, decreases anxiety, and emotional reactivity.
Improves cognitive performance such as focus, memory, and clarity.
Supports healing from trauma by integrating the body’s responses with the brain’s signals.
Increases emotional stability by creating safety and adaptability in the nervous system.
How These Methods Help Adults
Adults often carry layers of physical and emotional tension due to years of stress, trauma, or repetitive habits. Feldenkrais and Applied Neurology help peel back those layers by:
Promoting deeper self-connection and body awareness.
Learn how to shift out of “survival mode “and into a more grounded, present state
Providing tools to handle stress and improve emotional intelligence.
Gain practical strategies to support your nervous system
Empowering individuals with movement-based practices that can be used daily.
How These Methods Help Children
Children may experience anxiety, sensory challenges, or difficulties with emotional regulation. These methods are gentle, playful, and adaptable for young nervous systems.
Support sensory integration and coordination, and calm overactive nervous systems
Help manage anxiety and ADHD-like symptoms through movement and brain-based tools.
Support emotional regulation, focus, and behavior.
Teach kids how to feel safe in their own bodies, building confidence and self-trust.
How These Methods Help People On The Autism Spectrum
Many individuals on the autism spectrum experience extra challenges with sensory processing, motor coordination, and nervous system regulation. These methods can support these areas in a gentle, non-invasive way.
Research shows that movement-based approaches like Feldenkrais can improve body awareness, reduce sensory overload, and support self regulation by promoting neuroplasticity-the brain’s ability to adapt and form new connections.
Sessions are always approached with an emphasis on play and curiosity. These different elements can create a sense of safety and engagement that can help the nervous system learn more effectively. Play invites experimentation without any fear of failure, while curiosity opens the door to new patterns and possibilities.
Most importantly, this work, as Anat Baniel (author of “Kids Beyond Limits”) states is about “moving from fixing, to connecting.” Connecting with ourselves, connecting with each other, and with our nervous system‘s natural ability to be able to grow and adapt. That mindset shift from fixing to connecting is often where the deepest changes begin.
Why Movement-Based Methods Work
The brain and body are deeply connected. When we improve how we move, we change how we think, feel, and respond to the world. Both the Feldenkrais Method and Applied Neurology use this mind-body connection to:
Create lasting changes in the brain through neuroplasticity.
Offer non-verbal ways to process emotions and trauma.
Help people of all ages feel more calm, present, and capable.
Both methods create a foundation of safety that is essential for learning and emotional growth.
Getting Started
Whether you’re looking to support your child’s emotional development or improve your own resilience and peace of mind, incorporating these practices into your life can be transformational. Sessions can be done in-person or online.
In person sessions can be scheduled at Happy Hooves Wellness in Dexter, Mi.
“Combining Leah's work with Equine Facilitated Learning on the farm has been so powerful for the people I work with. I have watched the horses respond with more softness and trust. I’ve seen kids become more balanced and less worried using simple brain-based tools, and adults release tension, which in turn helps the horses relax and move with greater ease. One of the most beautiful things is watching the horses yawn or let down as someone’s nervous system begins to feel safe. I have also benefited by feeling more grounded in my own body, experiencing less pain, and being better able to manage stress.
The connection between brain, body, and animals is real—and it’s life changing.”
- Crystal Birchmeier (Owner Happy Hooves Wellness)
For online Zoom sessions please contact me for scheduling or with any questions.