Feldenchrist

In addition to receiving PT and OT through state-funded California Children's Services, Drake also receives PT once a week at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, which is billed through our private insurance. A couple weeks ago his PT there informed me that they would be sponsoring and hosting a Feldenchrist conference at the hospital. She said they were looking for a couple kids to be 'models' at the conference and would Drake be interested. She thought of him because he is so easy to work with and is a total people person. I said sure, knowing nothing about Feldenchrist, but wanting to be helpful and because I was curious about the method.

We showed up to a packed conference room with a table and a woman standing in the middle (I believe her name was Anat Baniel and supposedly she is very well known for this method). The whole room was silent as they were filming the whole thing. I surveyed the scene and wondered how Drake would do being so 'on display'. But I strolled him over to the woman, who had a great way with him, and she got him comfortable on the table and started demonstrating her techniques on him. It was truly amazing to watch. I really had no idea what she was doing and she made obscure references to the power of the pelvis and various vertebrae of the spine. There was lots of slamming of hands and feet on the table for sensory input and lots of jiggling the hips back and forth. She worked with him for 45 minutes and he was great the whole time. It was like he was on a float, smiling and waving from his table to the onlookers.

After the session, she noted how he seemed to be sitting straighter through the pelvis. I could see it, too. I don't know that this is something we will pursue further, but it was neat to see a different approach. And we got a $50 gift certificate to Whole Foods for being a participant!