Pleasant Posture Workshops - the Art of Finding Integrity and Ease While Upright

Live workshops in Northampton MA & worldwide via Zoom

How much would you like to improve your posture?

Everyone knows good posture is good for us. Poor posture can lead to neck and back pain, issues with balance, cardiac difficulty, respiratory ailments and even self esteem problems!

But what happens when it becomes too difficult to deal with bad posture: slumping  shoulders, tipped heads or ribs and chins that jut forward?

Do you find yourself stressing out about posture or are unable to "maintain" good posture?

Our struggles with our posture are counterproductive. Yes, injuries, stress and bad habits can cause issues that impact how we sit or stand and limit the activities we participate in. But trying to force your body into a concept about posture doesn't work because posture is not a fixed position you have to attain. It's a tone, or expression of muscles and other tissue in relation to gravity.

Simply put, this means how you walk, move, and most importantly, experience your body impacts our posture to a larger degree than trying to find a static position.

If you find yourself:

  • Trying hard to stand "straight" and yet slump?
  • Developing a hump back despite attempts at correction?
  • Feeling wobbly or unbalanced
  • Struggle with drooping head or shoulders (looking at the ground)
  • Tiring from pinning back your shoulders, tucking your chin and tail.
  • Hold your breath when you stand "tall" or "straight."
  • Worry about your posture.

There is hope!

You can enjoy a healthy and functional posture by using the somatic practices I share in this workshop. You will realize that healthy posture is NOT a consequence of forcing your body to sit, stand or walk “tall”, “upright” or even “aligned”.

Good Posture is a result of the fluidity of your movement.

Our bodies are a fantastically complex arrangement of muscle, bones, connective tissue, fluids, nerve impulses and respond to all kinds of internal and external perceptions. All of these aspects of ourselves are involved with our posture. Because the interaction of the elements is so complex you can learn to cut yourself some slack - posture is changeable.

Yes, we do have a recognizable habitual postural expression. This is created by something called postural tone, which is basically a sustained, low-level tissue activity that acts within gravity. Even though postural tone creates our posture AND lets it vary as needed, we are rarely conscious of it. It is hardly ever discussed and not thought about in many exercise, fitness or rehabilitation techniques.

Somatic Embodiment offers an experience of body awareness, attention and intention, self-perception, and emotional regulation. Using these tools we can  simply and pleasurably invoke to play with the movements that "tune up" various levels of tissue. You can then understand and experience how our posture improves when we integrate our full experience and perceptions.

3 hour posture workshop: Northampton, MA or online

During this three hour workshop you will learn the foundations of healthy posture, learn to minimize the effects of stress on your posture and move in such a way that your own fluidity and feeling of weight and lightness improve your posture.

You will learn:

  • That your posture has natural fluctuations you can become comfortable with
  • Attain a healthy relaxed posture
  • Your relationship to gravity impacts how comfortable your "good" posture is.
  • Tone and fluidity of your tissue is more important than an external evaluation of posture
  • Why stress can be a positive force in your posture
  • How low emotional mood affects posture and how to work with it

Your posture coach: Donna Brooks

Donna Brooks - Yoga for Parkinson's Northampton

Meditator with 35 years experience teaching, counseling and coaching in movement and the healing arts.

Initially I started teaching  posture to Parkinson’s patients and others for whom walking difficulties are neurological.

The demand grew for classes and workshops because so many people of all ages and walks of life experience straining to correct  postural problems.

I am now passionately dedicated to sharing these gentle yet immensely powerful tools and shining a light on the conversation about pelvic floor dysfunction in our communities.

Read what some participants have had to say:

She opened my mind to a bigger picture in the difficulties I'm having; it is a view that makes me feel more empowered in helping my situation.”
 

“I appreciate the emphasis on how the pelvic floor is related to the movement of the whole body and integrated with breathing and overall ease of being.”

 “Donna's knowledge and ability to teach from her heart.”

“The stressing of fluidity in the body as well as not only focusing on the pelvic floor. I have found that such focus makes me feel more stressed about my condition.”

I love Donna. She explains well. She’s non judgmental and she gives ideas on how to move no matter what one’s limitations are.”

NOTE! If you require individual attention, a one-on-one consultation can be made. Book a private session in-person or on Zoom below.

Experience new levels of postural comfort, ease and function

I have Zoom and In-person posture workshops coming up. See Below. Or, to express an interest for other dates please contact me

For private bookings or support please review the Discovery sessions or weekly group classes.

PLEASANT POSTURE WORKSHOPS

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Somatic Movement Therapy
& Yoga Therapy

186 Northampton St
STE D. Easthampton
MA 01027