2007 Training Summary: An Introduction to The Trager® Approach
Navajeevana Rehabilitation Center, Tangalle, Sri LankaThe purpose of this follow up training was to introduce the Trager Approach to new members of Navajeevana's Physical Therapy staff and members of surrounding rehabilitation centers, further the understanding and skill level of therapists that trained last year and evaluate other applications of this work in both clinical and community/ village settings. We had originally scheduled for a 76 hour program over the course of the month, comprised of two 16 hour trainings, 32 clinic hours for sessions, application review and 12 hrs of technical review sessions.
Navajeevana's March clinic load was the busiest of the year with over 400 treated, so we modified the program support this activity. In addition, the Sri Lankan New Year is celebrated in mid April, which limited the weekends available for workshops and Navajeevana was closed for 9 days during this celebration. In spite of these constraints, we optimized our time by conducting shorter weekend training adding more clinical application instruction during active clinic hours, and offering private sessions. in total, we completed 67 hours of training and clinical activity including 10 hours of funding meetings and administrative activity as well as a 5 week case study.
(Please note that 35 hours of clinical sessions and 20 hours of administrative support for Real Medicine were also provided during this same time frame.)
Activity Verifications:
Navajeevana Activity Verification Document
As I mentioned, the short notice of my arrival limited the number of therapist who were able to attend, however this more intimate group enabled me to thoroughly review the fundamentals of the work with those present and anchor the importance of the Mentastics Self Care movement component as the core of Dr. Trager's approach. As a result of years of technical training, participants are often interested in the tablework, "the moves," but in my experience, it is the embodiment of the "movement" principles and the process of self exploration using these principles, inquiry, weighing, elongating, shimmering, pausing, listening that gives meaning to "the moves" and elevates this approach to a language of touch rather than a technique of tissue manipulation, and results in in lasting neuromuscular change
An Introduction to The Trager® Approach - March 25th and 26th, 2007The first workshop was attended by Mr. Arun, Mr. Samantha, Mr. Indrajith, Mr. Gamani as well as writer Kelly Prentice, photographer Jen Stickel and Mira El a part time resident of Sri Lanka and a supporter of this initiative.
We opened with a lengthy discussion on healthy lifestyles and the importance of maintaining a natural diet to avoid the trappings of the SAD (standard american diet) which is already having an impact on the Sri Lankan people. Heart disease and diabetes are the two leading major ailments treated at the hospital. In a land abundant with fresh organic fruits and vegetables as well as king coconuts, this is hard to believe. However, many of the local shops sell confections and Fanta sodas loaded with refined sugars.
We then discussed the importance of comfort while working with clients as our movement and feeling state are central to the efficacy of the work. I began demonstrating ways to use movement to deepen self awareness, increase presence and release muscle tension and led the group through their own movement explorations. Immediately everyone began to smile as they playfully explored what movement possibilities existed for them that were out of the box of socialized or habituated movement patterning.
Using, images, attitudes, and inquiry we all achieved a relaxed yet energetic and present state. After reviewing how to lead a patient in self inquiry and movement, we were ready to explore these principles at the table in the context of a session.
It was rewarding to see how much information Mr. Arun the head PT and Mr. Samantha a long time PT assistant, retained from last year. Mr. Arun had come from Jaffna in March of 2006, to attend and later applied the Trager principles on a hemipalegic patient who suffered from painful muscle spasms. His patient experienced signigicant improvement. Mr. Samantha has been utilized Trager successfully in the clinic over the past year on various conditions. Both Mr. Indrajith, Navajeevana's new Physical Therapist, and Occupational Therapist and wheel chair technician, Mr. Gamani, picked up easily on the fundementals as well.
Themes for the table work included exploration of the movement principles in the models body, playing weight, finding rhythm, elongation, pauses and looking for "What is Soft", intact. Giving them the feeling of movement and at times mirroring and sharing my movement to transmit this feeling was an integral part of the instruction. In addition to instruction in mobilization approaches, I would spend time working with their body mechanics, encouraging Mentastic® at the table to maintain comfort, ease and softness. Of course the tables are not adjustable and either too high or too low which presents some challenges, but everyone took frequent pauses to free any accumulated
tension. Interestingly, Samantha commented that, "Last year after the training, I thought this table was a good height for me. But now after experiencing even more freedom in my body and having greater awareness, I realized it is too high and my shoulders always become tense. "
These same themes carried over to the second training and subsequent private sessions. I was delighted to have Mr. Lakmal (pictured below on the table) attend my second workshop. He had been a PT assistant for Navajeevana last year and worked closely with Mr. Samantha each day after those workshops but moved to Kandy to pursue a degree in Radiography.
MORE UPDATES COMING SOON.
click here to go to Navajeevana Case Study.
click here to go to Real Medicine Foundation Activity Summary