An Introduction to The Trager Approach for Somatic Professionals with Michael Lear
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Course Description:
Explore the essential principles of Dr. Milton Trager’s Psychophysical Integration and their applications to some of the most common clinical, musculoskeletal pathologies. Through this unique self-care approach founded on a mindful presence and specific body mechanics, you’ll learn to transform touch into a language to dialogue with the nervous system to facilitate lasting neuromuscular change. And you’ll feel great doing it! This system of dynamic mindful movement, Dr. Trager termed Mentastics® forms the basis for your self-care at the table, the foundation of the hands-on table work and informs the very exercises you can teach to your clients to elicit similar muscular responses on their own. Applications of Dr. Trager’s work to address Trauma (PTSD) related conditions, sciatica, low back and neck pain, fibromyalgia and conditions like frozen will be covered. Student’s are welcome to ask about other applications via the chat window.
Objectives:
When you finish this course, you will be able to:
• Perform self-care exercises to relieve, neck, shoulder, low back and hip pain within your own body and to avoid your own pain and burnout utilizing body mechanics at the table.
• Guide Clients through Self-Care movements to care for themselves and to leverage the gains of the sessions.
• Describe and apply specific skills required to effectively work with the nervous system as it presents in trauma, sciatica, frozen shoulder and other musculoskeletal conditions to facilitate the release of unconscious holding patterns.
• Cite research on components of the gamma motor system that may contribute to pain and fatigue associated with Fibromyalgia and other musculoskeletal conditions.
• Describe the basic neurophysiology of Trauma
• Describe the components of Non-Violent Communication and how this applies to touch and neuromuscular release
• Describe what weight tells us about muscular tension or holding.
• Execute the concept of action at a distance through traction and the creation of fluid movements within the body.
As course summary and examination will be provided for those who are not attending all the sessions in person who wish to receive CE credit for the course.
Michael Lear:
Michael Lear is an internationally-recognized Trager® Instructor, senior practitioner and Ashtanga Yoga Instructor with a client base spanning five continents and including a few Academy, Grammy and Emmy Award winners as well as many figures prominent in business and industry.
For over 30 years, Lear has been at the forefront of mind-body medicine, yoga and meditation. He has studied yoga with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois during his New York visits as well as with many of Ashtanga's foremost instructors. Holding a Yoga Alliance E-RYT 500 Certification, he teaches Yoga Anatomy for Yoga Alliance Teacher Certification courses and conducts workshops internationally. Lear is also a seasoned Vipassana meditator in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Kin as taught by S. N. Goenka.
In addition to being retained by some of the top resorts and fitness centers in the world, he has had extensive experience in international health care sector development having worked with many UN agencies, the World Health Organization, and many international NGOs. He has also worked extensively in the criminal justice system developing trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness programs for incarcerated adults and youth and as a lead trainer for trauma-informed yoga instructors.
As a lifetime professional drummer currently active with his band ITO and the Moonlight Hippies, he has created a web-based yoga program for drummers - www.yoga4drummers.com. Michael also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and International Management and in earlier lifetimes has worked for many years in the corporate world. Presently, Michael is the center lead for Mindfulness and Movement with an active practice at Nu-house (nu-house.com) in Easton, PA.