FGNA and the Annual Federation MBS Meeting in Chicago |
FGNA participated in the Federation MBS annual meeting in March. The Federation MBS (Federation of Therapeutic Massage, Bodywork and Somatic Practice Organizations) includes: American Massage Therapy Association® (AMTA), American Society for the Alexander Technique (AmSAT), Dr. Ida Rolf Institute (DIRI), Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy Association of NA (BCTANA), American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia (AOBTA®), American Polarity Therapy Association (ATPA), International Association of Structural Integrators®(IASI), International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association (ISMETA), Society of Ortho-Bionomy International (SOBI), United States Trager® Association (USTA), and Feldenkrais Guild® of North America (FGNA).
Together we have approximately 150,000 people who work together to further government relations and to monitor the legislation to preserve the right to practice our work without being inappropriately regulated. This year in the week prior to our meeting, Georgia ALMOST passed legislation that would have removed exemptions for movement education from the massage therapy licensure requirements. These organizations worked diligently, sending messages to the local practitioners to contact their legislators, using calls and letters to share that the work we do is not massage and the exemptions are important.
When you are called by our FGNA team, please respond as quickly and effectively as possible. It is imperative to continue to be vigilant and maintain our position as somatic educators who should be exempted from massage therapy licensure requirements.
If you have interest in working in this important area of volunteering, please contact Andrea Wiener at andrea.wiener@feldenkraisguild.com.
Other important dialogues included the new terminology being adopted by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). We all agree that we are not medical providers. We are not appropriately licensed, and this is not within our scope of work.
The new language that is coming forward is “Whole Person Health”. This incorporates the work that all of us do with our students to find clearer pathways to their healthiest possibilities. All of the Federation MBS organizations agree that we are capable of joining a movement of Whole Person Health. We are listening to the communications that will be forthcoming about the programs being developed to assess if they meet our Standards of Practice and our policies.
These conversations may lead to many possibilities for practitioners and ATM® Lesson teachers who would like to expand their practices and see a broader range of students. As we have more information, we will be sharing this with everyone in our organization.
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Northwest Region Advanced Training |
Title: Northwest Region Advanced Training Class: An Act of Imagination
Date: Thursday, April 18, 2024, 7:00-8:30 pm PDT
Instructor/Speaker: Sheri Cohen, Trainer Candidate
Description: Let’s improve our online and even our in-person teaching through some guided experiences that help activate our imagination to reach into virtual space. Online teaching can be both fascinating and frustrating because it reaches broad audiences but squeezes three-dimensional humans into dancing pixels of light. We’ll do some ATM® lessons, play with our vision, and improve our imagination for teaching virtually and in person.
Location: Online
Host: NW Region
Contact: Sheri Cohen, shericohenmovement@gmail.com; 206.941.4161
Cost: Free to FGNA members
Registration Link: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14836229&appointmentType=60758245
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A Path to Steadiness: Finding stability in challenging times |
Title: NW Region Public Event—A Path to Steadiness: Finding stability in challenging times
Date: Saturday, May 18, 2024; 9:30 am – 5:00 pm, PDT
Instructor/Speaker: Dr. Jeff Haller, Feldenkrais® Movement Trainer
Description: The dominant culture tells us to push through when times are hard, to manage the inevitable challenges life hands us. But there’s an easier, gentler way. This event will introduce the Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education to members of the public in the Seattle area, seeking new students for ATM® classes and FI® sessions. Participants will experience the Method's slow, peaceful, mind-body practice to help them release tension, enhance mobility, quiet thoughts, and connect with their bodies. The day will include a group ATM class, discussions, FI lesson demonstration, and half-hour FI sessions for each participant with local practitioners. Please contact your family and friends in the Seattle area to recommend this introduction to our method.
Location: Greenwood Masonic Lodge, 7910 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle, WA
Host: NW Region
Contact: Yuka Iwamoto, awareness.through.life2019@gmail.com, 425.341.3465
Cost: $65 single entry; $99 for two entries
Registration Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-path-to-steadiness-finding-stability-in-challenging-times-tickets-659699497957
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FGNA 2024 Annual Conference Series Call for Presenters |
Thanks to an alert from our allies in the Federation of Therapeutic Massage, Bodywork and Somatic Practice Organizations, we learned that an amendment to remove movement education exemptions from massage therapy licensure requirements had been snuck into an unrelated bill. The bill had already passed the House without any public hearing on the amendment, and was speeding its way through the Senate.
Feldenkrais® movement practitioners in Georgia and many of our allies quickly stepped up to the plate. We all owe appreciation to Allyson Ford, Aruna Padmanabhan, Nancy-Laurel Pettersen, Ravi Prabhakar, Sandi Goldring and others who called and wrote legislators in opposition to the bill. Thanks to their speedy action, the amendment was removed, keeping the exemptions intact.
Please give special thanks to Ravi Prabhakar and Sandi Goldring, who prepared extensively to testify against the amendment. The strong testimony of Feldenkrais® movement teachers has been essential to our record of success in preventing inappropriate legislation.
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FGNA has been protecting your right to practice for over thirty years. This is only possible with the dedicated work of volunteers. To find out how you can participate, contact Government Relations Administrator Andrea Wiener: andrea.wiener@feldenkraisguild.com.
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Wanted: Ethics Resources for Feldenkrais® Movement Teachers |
Do you know of books, articles or other resources that would be useful for Feldenkrais® movement teachers? Please let the Ethics Committee know: ethics@feldenkraisguild.com. The committee is researching resources to share with members.
If you have questions about FGNA’s Ethics program, or the process set forth in the Grievance Protocol, please contact the Ethics Committee Chair: ethics@feldenkraisguild.com
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There are 2 sets of service marks. One for those residing and practicing in the USA and a different set for those residing and practicing in Canada. Please refer to the Service Mark Guidelines for your use of service marks. https://www.feldenkraisguild.com/page/service-mark-use
Use of Service Marks requires certification or authorization from FGNA.
To renew certification or authorization, please Email servicemarks@feldenkraisguild.com or call 781-876-8935.'
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Do you know someone who would like to learn about becoming a Feldenkrais® Movement Practitioner? |
Our website has helpful information about Feldenkrais® movement professional training programs, including:
- links to training programs that are currently open for enrollment or in process
- what participants will learn in a Feldenkrais movement training program
- what Feldenkrais Movement Practitioners know and are able to do...
- and more!
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