Trainers

 

Jerry Karzen M.A.: is the Educational Director for the São Paulo International Training Program. In addition he will also be the primary trainer teaching roughly 50 % of the training. He is known primarily for his interpretive abilities and explanations of Dr. Feldenkrais’ Functional Integration lessons on videotape.  A number of these will be shown during the course of the program.  He is also known for his simple “bottom line” pragmatic approach, while simultaneously incorporating an open-ended “exploratory and non directive” teaching style.

"Jerry Karzen understands the deep connections that Moshe Feldenkrais achieved through touch and brings that level of awareness and sensitivity into his work."
- Jane Parsons-Fein, CSWBCD President Emeritus-Director of Training The New York Milton H. Erickson Society for Psychotherapy and Hypnosis, Inc.

 

Katrin Smithback began her studies with Moshe Feldenkrais in 1980 and has had a continuous private practice in Santa Fe, NM since then. Katrin was on the faculty at the College of Santa Fe for 17 years, teaching applied movement in the theater, dance, music and physical education departments. This ts has led her to develop and teach workshops and classes for a wide variety of groups, including athletes, actors, the disabled, therapists, the elderly, and the general public. She also teaches advanced trainings for practitioners and mentors local practitioners. Katrin teaches in professional training programs in the US, Canada, Asia and Europe.

Donna Ray, M.A., M.F.T. is an internationally known Teacher/Trainer of The Feldenkrais Method, Psychotherapist and Interpersonal Neurobiology presenter. She has been the educational director of numerous professional trainings. She imparts knowledge and experience from her 25 years of practice with tremendous vitality and insight. She has worked with creative and talented people at the highest level including; professional athletes, singers, musicians and actors. People of all ages recovering from accidents and illness, anxiety & depression benefit from her unique approach. Donna’s background in movement education, psychology, children special needs, hypnotherapy, dance, martial & expressive arts enables her to work with individuals, couples, families and groups in a variety of settings. She loves seeing people learn healthy ways of living that can transform their lives.

Aliza Stewart has been a Feldenkrais practitioner for 24 years and is now an accredited Feldenkrais Trainer, teaching in trainings in the US, Europe and Israel. She has given classes, workshops and presentations in institutions & organizations about the benefits of Feldenkrais in medical cases, the ergonomics of the workplace and the arts. The institutions include The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, The Maryland Medical and Chirurgical Society, The University of Wisconsin at Madison, The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Maryland, George Mason University,and Carroll County General Hospital. She has taught Feldenkrais classes to medical students at the University of Maryland Medical School. Originally trained as a concert pianist, at the Rubin Academy of music, Tel-Aviv University, Ms. Stewart has a great understanding for the needs and problems of performers. For fifteen years she has taught a Feldenkrais class at the Peabody Conservatory of Music and is currently teaching at the Mannes School of music. She has been in residence at the Marlboro music festival and the Yellow Barn music festival, working with internationally acclaimed musicians. Aliza has given special workshops at the Juilliard school, Manhattan school of Music, the Mannes School of Music and the University of Vienna, Austria. Ms. Stewart also applies the Method to working with children with various challenges and often works in conjunction with physicians, physical therapists and mental health professionals to coordinate the care given to a client. She has a private practice in Baltimore and in New York City.

 

Assistants

Heide Jung came to the Feldenkrais Method from a background in educational sciences. She received her degree in educational sciences from Johannes - Gutenberg University in Mainz. In 1992 she finished her Feldenkrais Training in Hamburg, Germany. Since 1994 she has a full time private practice in Mainz. She has for the past 15 years worked as a Feldenkrais practitioner as a part of the faculty in the departments of music, sports and pedagogics of Johannes-Gutenberg University.

Additionally she teaches the Feldenkrais Method at the State Theatre of Mainz and in various companies. She has more than 10 years experience in classical ballet and Aikido; and since 2004 she has worked as an Assistant Trainer in various Feldenkrais Training Programs.

She speaks Portuguese.