Collaborating with the Yoetzet Halacha Shoshana Samuels, physical therapist Deena Elias and local occupational therapist and Feldenkrais practitioner Joyce Bendavid will be presenting to the women of the community an interactive workshop titled “Mindful Movements in Your Everyday Life: A Comprehensive Workshop to Enhance the Physical Well-Being of Women of All Ages & Stages.”
The Yoetzet Halacha Initiative takes a holistic look at women’s health and halacha. “Healthy and smart movements and being comfortable in our bodies will certainly affect taharat hamishpacha and one’s relationship with oneself, one’s spouse and our Creator,” says Samuels.
Many women go through their busy day-to-day lives and occasionally will encounter physical roadblocks, whether its back or neck pain, frequent headaches or more serious injuries that require medical attention and treatment. Often one will try to ignore these symptoms because “I don’t have time to deal with that,” and “it will probably just go away on its own.” But often those symptoms do not go away and can develop into a more serious injury down the road or can lead to chronic pain. And living life with pain can be quite disruptive to one’s mental health, interpersonal relationships and overall well-being. It is not an ideal way to live.
The goal of this workshop is to provide women with a tangible understanding of common physical and anatomical causes of pain and injury specifically in women, and to educate on ways to promote physical well-being through mindful movements, while preventing pain. The presentation will look at various stages of a woman’s life, including emerging adulthood, pregnancy and post-partum, working adults and mothers, as well as post menopause and continued free movements in older adults, to examine the physical challenges associated with each stage.
Participants will take home practical tips to improve various day-to-day activities from lifting packages to carrying a purse, from working out at the gym to working at your desk, and from texting to typing, all in a more mindful way. Small changes in these routine activities can make a big difference in our physical well-being and lives. This workshop will be a combination of lecture, demonstrations and practical audience participation.
“Mindful Movements in Your Everyday Life: A Comprehensive Workshop to Enhance the Physical Well-Being of Women of All Ages & Stages” will take place on Tuesday, February 6, at 8:00 p.m. at Rinat Yisrael, 389 West Englewood Avenue in Teaneck. For all questions please contact Deena at [email protected].
By Deena Elias and Joyce Bendavid
Deena Elias is a physical therapist from Teaneck. She graduated from Hunter College in 2011 with a doctorate in Physical Therapy and has been practicing in various adult orthopedic offices since then. She is also the owner of Personal Physical Therapy, which provides private physical therapy to people in their homes. She works with a wide range of diagnoses and most recently has been specializing in pregnancy and post-partum care.
Joyce Bendavid is an occupational therapist who has lived and worked in Teaneck for 34 years. Since graduating from Downstate Medical Center in 1977 she has worked in pediatric settings, schools, senior facilities and private homes. Joyce participated in the publication of a research article on the “Rhythmex” method, titled “The Effect of Rhythmic Exercises on the Developing Handwriting Skills of First Grade Students.” Following a personal health challenge, Joyce embraced the Feldenkrais Method as a means for facilitating her own recovery. Now as a Feldenkrais practitioner she teaches privately in her home and offers weekly classes in the community.
