Somatic Bodywork Therapy
Chronic pain and limited mobility can make you feel trapped and powerless. Traditional approaches only offer temporary relief, leaving you feeling discouraged and searching for a solution that will truly make a difference. Somatic therapy offers a comprehensive and effective approach to alleviating pain and limited mobility. Whether you are seeking to address chronic pain, improve your posture, or increase your mobility, somatic therapy can help you unlock your body's full potential so you can live life to the fullest. It's time to say goodbye to pain and hello to freedom.
Functional Integration*
Functional Integration* (FI) is the individual hands-on sessions of the Feldenkrais Method* (there are also classes). The client is fully clothed and usually lies on a low table, though sitting, standing and other options are frequently used. The practitioner uses gentle touch and movement to assist clients in becoming aware of tension and posturing. It is through this awareness that new and more efficient ways of moving are discovered. The result is a heightened sense of self, improved alignment, and an increased sense of ease and efficiency. FI is the crux of helping someone out of habituated patterns that have developed over time from injuries, poor posture, anxiety and more. It is the central approach I use with all of my clients that are looking for profound change and permanent relief.
*The terms Feldenkrais Method of Somatic Education, Functional Integration, Awareness Through Movement, Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner are trademarked.
The Feldenkrais MethodĀ®
The Feldenkrais MethodĀ® of somatic education is a practice, a process, and a system for self-improvement. It is a form of āsomatic education,ā which means it uses movement and real-time awareness of your own body sensations to guide you toward the positive changes you seek.
āI recommend the Feldenkrais Method to patients whose movement has been restricted by injury, cerebral palsy, stroke, fibromyalgia or chronic painā¦ I also believe the Feldenkrais Method can help all of us feel more comfortable in our bodies.ā Andrew Weil, MD, bestselling author of Spontaneous Healing
Neuromuscular Therapy & Myofascial Release
These are soft-tissue techniques used to deactivate trigger points and release adhesions, both of which cause strain within the soft tissue resulting in pain and fatigue. These techniques are the front-line choices used to rehab sports and other injuries such as whiplash, back problems, and over-use strains - tendonitis, TMJ dysfunction, carpel tunnel syndrome, etc. Once the tissue is restored to a healthier condition, then Functional Integration is used to help develop healthy movement patterns and use-of-self, thereby preventing similar injuries in the future.
StrongPostureĀ® Exercise
Strong Posture exercises assess the mechanics of how your body is organized for balance. With that information, we will work with you to create a customized treatment plan. You'll then be taught exercises to improve your posture. The StrongPostureĀ® protocols are certified to teach and systematically strengthen posture by working on all three elements of posture: balance, alignment and motion. We will focus on one element at a time to build awareness and increase your ability to control that element. Building a virtuous spiral of postural strength and improving posture has been shown to relieve pain and joint stress, while also improving balance, energy levels, functional movement, flexibility, breathing, appearance, confidence and athletic performance. Subtle changes in posture spread to all your daily habits, which is why the StrongPostureĀ® exercise protocols we teach have helped thousands to look, feel and perform at their best while minimizing postural and joint stress.
Testimonials
"Arnoldās work was a turning point for helping me get back function in my neck and shoulder. I highly recommend him as a therapist in cases of chronic musculoskeletal pain."
Ron P.
PhD
"Before I met Arnold I was in constant pain. He showed me how to understand my body and the patterns I had gotten into. He taught me how to respond in new ways. I am very grateful to him, first because the pain never came back, the bad headaches. And second, because he taught me how to care for myself at home. Thank you so much Arnold."
Nicole F.
Teacher / Mother
"Heās done more for my hip and balance than anyone. He knows what heās doing."
Jack W.
Retired CEO
Benefits of Somatic Therapy
Chronic pain and limited mobility can make you feel trapped and powerless. Traditional approaches only offer temporary relief, leaving you feeling discouraged and searching for a solution that will truly make a difference. Somatic therapy offers a comprehensive and effective approach to alleviating pain and limited mobility.
Somatic Solutions is a hands-on and movement-based therapy that is about solving problems. Whether itās debilitating pain, poor mobility, balance issues, or not performing at your best, finding the path to recovery is essential. Somatic Solutions is about reclaiming your health and vitality for life. The success of the work is hinged on awareness and movement re-education. When we learn how we move, we can choose how we move. Take a continuing education course, or bring the course to your city and start offering the following benefits to your community:
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Pain Relief
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Expanded Breathing
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Increased Flexibility and Strength
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Ease of Movement
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Reduced Stress
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Improved Athletic Performance
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Improved Posture
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Rehabilitation
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Increased Body Awareness
HELLO!
Arnold Askew, LMT, GCFP
Therapist - Speaker - Instructor
"There is always room to be healthier and more comfortable, even in the midst of a chaotic and stressful world."
Arnold Askew, LMT, GCFP teaches continuing education courses to help massage therapists and bodywork practitioners better understand and address the issues of chronic pain through Somatic therapy. He also provides seminars and additional training for those who want to learn and implement the principles and techniques of Somatic Therapy in their practices. In addition to continuing education, Arnold continues to provide Somatic Therapy to patients at his Northport, Alabama practice, as well as online movement courses for those interested in learning more about how Somatic therapy can help them improve their posture, mobility, and alleviate chronic pain issues.
Arnold has more than 30 years of bodywork and movement education. He was on staff at the Doleys Pain Clinic in Birmingham, AL from 1992 to 2009, teaching movement classes and seeing patients individually. During that time, he co-founded and was senior instructor at Red Mountain Institute for the Healing Arts, where he taught Neuromuscular Therapy, anatomy and pathology. Arnold, AL Lic. #8, is a past member of the Alabama Board of Massage Therapy and a founding member of the Federation of State Massage Therapy Board. For the past ten years, he has been studying the degenerative conditions and pain that are associated with aging.
Arnold has extensive training in both manual and movement therapies and is Guild Certified in the Feldenkrais Method of Somatic Education.* The emphasis of his work is helping people experience improvements that spark their curiosity in how to reproduce these results independently. It is his strong belief that there is always room to be healthier and more comfortable, even in the midst of a chaotic and stressful world. When not at work, Arnold enjoys gardening with his wife Mary and their dog Lula.
*The terms Feldenkrais Method of Somatic Education, Functional Integration, Awareness Through Movement
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