Recommendation

My three and a half year old daughter has an undiagnosed walking problem. She has begun walking with no support at the rather-late-age of 27 months. While her walking gradually stabilizes—and she is able to run and jump more freely—she is still not entirely stable, falling on occasion, and she has to support herself while going up and down the stairs, for example. With time, her feet position improves, yet there is still an occasion collapse of the ankles. We had taken our daughter to physiotherapy since she was two years old, in addition to hydrotherapy and Kinesio-Taping, amongst other forms of treatment we had tried.

I approached Eytan following a positive experience we had had with Chava Shelhav’s therapeutic method which originates in the Feldenkrais method. With Eytan as my child’s therapist, I was able to find both a therapeutic method I admire and positive results. Eytan does not focus on the child’s difficulty or inability. On the contrary, the child, in so many ways, “leads” the session while Eytan, confidently and assuredly,  gently offers new movement possibilities. The results of positive learning are instantaneous: ever since my daughter has begun working with Eytan, she has embraced new movements which support an upright posture that is more free and relaxed. My daughter is also glad to attend the sessions, and this, for me, is highly significant.

In contrast to our past experience with other therapists, who usually focus on the legs in order to treat the problem, Eytan approached the source of the problem: the ways the brain organizes the body in preparation for walking. I was able to see how Eytan brings consciousness to her lower back, pelvic and all the other elements which enable free and complacent walking.

Sincerely,

Dear Eytan,

We thank you for helping our son, Ido, in overcoming his developmental delays in such short period of time.

After seven months of physiotherapy, when Ido still preferred to lie mostly on his back, refusing to spend any time on his stomach, we started therapy sessions with you. Within just two months, Ido was crawling on all fours throughout the house, standing and walking around the table.

We want to emphasize our great appreciation for the tolerance you demonstrated towards us whenever we expressed our concerns about the therapy. You, who have the experience and knowledge, were able to calm us down; you listened and explained what else needs to be done in order to bring Ido to an optimal state. Thank you for the remarkable outcomes and for showing interest in Ido’s state and progression, a month after had finished our sessions.

Until our next follow-up session,

Michal Navon,

Life Insurance Referent

Eytan,

We wanted to thank you for your help in assisting out daughter who suffered from congenital hip problem and hyperflexibility that were both expressed in delay in walking.

After we had experienced disappointment with conventional physiotherapy treatments, we approached Eytan and received the most devoted and highly professional care. Eytan was attentive and pleasant in attending the root of the problem and our daughter was delighted to attend each and every one of the therapeutic sessions.

After two and a half months of treatments with Eytan, our daughter started walking.

Many thanks for your help,

Eran and Meirav

We came to see Eytan when Dor was 8 months old, not rolling to his back or belly and, obviously, not crawling. Within just couple of weeks, Dor began rolling freely, and our last session, after three months of therapy, had ended with Dor energetically crawling outside to the staircase.
While his inability to roll and crawl were the formal reasons that led us to seek Eytan’s help, in fact, we felt that our baby was frustrated and “stuck” and that his movement was stiff, having no ability to find his own solutions. That was the true focus of Dor’s sessions with Eytan. While results were apparent in no time, Eytan wasn’t interestd in achieving immediate outcomes. Rather, he was interestd in finding the route of the problem and teaching Dor how to achieve lighter and freer movement. Throughout each session, Eytan worked relentlessly to accommodate and respond to Dor’s needs and difficulties – even when those seemed less reasonable, “popular” or convenient at the time.

 

To whom it may concern,

We are Michael’s parents. Michael, now 24 months old, is a healthy and developed child, and yet as he began crawling—during the first year of his life—he got used to a crawling position that created asymmetry in both his movement and posture. Experts with whom we had consulted warned us from potential developmental problem and recommended physiotherapy.

For several months, once or twice a week, Michael had sessions with a physiotherapist. Her work with Michael evoked great resent on Michael’s part and all sessions were accompanied with crying and persuasion. While it seemed that change is indeed taking place, we felt that we should seek some other treatment, one that will evoke less objections from Michael. At the end of a long search, we reached Eytan who treated Michael by employing the Feldenkrais method.

In essence, Eytan’s work with Michael was completely different. Eytan believes in therapy that stems from the child’s behavior while adjusting the therapist’s movement to the natural movement of the child. First, it is worthy of mentioning that Eytan’s work with Michael never evoked any objections from Michael. On the contrary, we were impressed with the way Eytan was attentive—both on a physical and psychological level—to Michael. More importantly, we felt and saw Michael’s progression with each session. Each session greatly improved Michael’s confidence in his posture and movement.

After six months of sessions, we have agreed (mostly at Eytan’s own initiative) that Michael had learned how to independently deal with his former posture and movement difficulties and that he no longer needs external support.

In light of our personal experience, we highly recommend Eytan Lerner as a therapist for children. We would love to provide additional details in a conversation, if necessary,

Sincerely,

Dear Eytan,

We wanted to thank you for your devotion in treating our daughter.

When we first arrive, our daughter was 9 months old and was unable to roll over or sit and had troubles crawling. I was very stressed, mainly in light of past experience we have had. Already over the phone, I heard that you were attentive to my daughter’s needs, and that there is no such thing as “making her do something” – everything you do is with good spirits.

From the very first session, a bond of trust was formed with our daughter (we thank Punch the cat) and, after the second meeting, she began crawling reciprocally.

Without putting any unnecessary labels, with great professionalism, a smile and lots of love, the child got the right diagnosis and the appropriate stimulations. As a result, she was happy to attend any session and didn’t want to go when the time came to leave.

Today, after 3-4 months, I’m more relaxed, the child remarkably crawls, sits, stands and mumbles.

It was a great privilege knowing you. We have received training that far supersedes mere movement.

May you will be able to help many other children,

Noam, R’s mother

Dear Eytan,

We wanted to thank you for your devotion in treating our daughter.

When we first arrive, our daughter was 9 months old and was unable to roll over or sit and had troubles crawling. I was very stressed, mainly in light of past experience we have had. Already over the phone, I heard that you were attentive to my daughter’s needs, and that there is no such thing as “making her do something” – everything you do is with good spirits.

From the very first session, a bond of trust was formed with our daughter (we thank Punch the cat) and, after the second meeting, she began crawling reciprocally.

Without putting any unnecessary labels, with great professionalism, a smile and lots of love, the child got the right diagnosis and the appropriate stimulations. As a result, she was happy to attend any session and didn’t want to go when the time came to leave.

Today, after 3-4 months, I’m more relaxed, the child remarkably crawls, sits, stands and mumbles.

It was a great privilege knowing you. We have received training that far supersedes mere movement.

May you will be able to help many other children,

Noam, R’s mother

From a Facebook post by a mother to a little girl who is diagnosed for Autism Spectrum Disorder, following our first session.

 I’ve wanted to write you all day, yet I didn’t have the time. I have had an amazing day. So many new words and even word combinations – each was used to communicate and in direct association to the things she was doing and the objects she held: she played with a horse and said “horse”; played with my fingers and said “ten fingers”; asked for water and said “cup”; asked to open the door; turned off the lights, and when I asked her to turn them on, she did; I sang her a lullaby and she pretended to sleep – not since she was tired, but as a game; and, when I put her to sleep, she brought her teddy-bear and laid it in her bed. She was verbal without using any clues or insinuations to make herself clear to me; she was wakefulness and cooperated with myself and with others in our surroundings.

For the first time, since her diagnosis, we went to occupational therapy with a new therapist. My daughter created eye contact from the very beginning and throughout the session. She was very cooperative, and, whenever she would start rocking from side to side, she would stop merely after few seconds, as though she doesn’t need it no more.

In short, I feel as though we have met a magician, not a therapist. I was utterly excited throughout the entire day. Her brother even mentioned that he believes “it will simply pass” (referring to her diagnosis). Thinking today about the content of her diagnosis, written only 8 months ago, and comparing it to her behavior today, I feel as though I’m thinking about two different children. Thank you Eytan! I have no words to describe what I’m feeling. My optimism undoubtedly climbed to 100% today!

Dear Eytan.

I wanted to thank you and write down my daughter’s first response after she had a first session with you. My daughter, Hila, is  two and a half years old and has Down syndrome. She develops nicely and I always feel she has immense potential. Due to worsening Strabismus, Hila wears glasses since she was 12 months old.

First, I would like to state how impressed I was with Hila’s response to you, Eytan, watching how she responds to you and to herself. During the session, Hila was able to stay focused for 40 minutes, although usually she is only able to stay focused for 20 minutes. Hila was fully cooperative, and, she would usually fall asleep immediately after the sessions, suggesting that “work” has indeed been done. As soon as Hila would wake up, it was apparent that there is a substantial change in her level of Strabismus. It was such a significant change that, too often, I thought I was imagining it. My other children, however, would confirm my observation, asking me: “Mom, what happened to Hila’s eyes?” Apart from this change, Hila became more active. Often, when Hila wanted something, she would simply wait for someone to understand, and, if that did not work, she would start using some simply words but give up quite quickly and move on to something else. Coming back from the sessions, Hila started asking for things, such as eat, drink, calling her brother in her own language, asking to watch a particular movie, etc. All these immediate changes gave me plenty to look forward to, and I was filled with admiration.

Thank you so much and see you soon,

Dear Eytan,

We thank you for your devotion in treating our daughter.

As our daughter was couple months old, we realized she needs some help in order to become more familiar with her own body, alongside some additional help with her motor development.

We then set out on a journey to find the appropriate approach. We stumbled upon different methods, each taking a different course and direction. Often, frustration was mentioned as an integral part of development and growth, and yet, our hearts disagreed. And so, we searched for someone who will treat our little girl with tenderness and gentleness – as one should treat a baby.

Meeting you, Eytan, was an important part of our journey as parents. We learned that it was possible to find a professional whose therapeutic approach accords with ours, instead of adjusting ourselves to someone else’ while apologizing for our “misguided” perceptions. Meeting you and becoming familiar with your work, we have realized that it is not only the “way” but also the person teaching it that matters. You are not only a Feldenkrais instructor but a sensitive and conscientious person who has ample knowledge on all matters involving child rearing. Not only did our daughter opened up to the world, becoming more active, but we, as parents, felt our own growth and development.

Thank you for all you have given us.

All the very best,

Yuval and Edna   

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