“Alexander technique for Parkinson's disease” BASIC TRAINING

Please join our International AT for Parkinson’s team!

The Poise Project is committed to training AT teachers & trainees to meet the demand we are creating for new jobs to work with the growing worldwide population of people living with Parkinson’s disease and their families.

The Poise Project, a charity based in the United States, has been growing an international grassroots project to bring individual and group Alexander classes to people living with Parkinson’s disease and their family care partners around the globe. We are offering in depth training for AT teachers in this complex disease, and then partnering with them to find ways to connect teachers to our growing international network of neurologists, allied health professionals, and community partners.

To learn more about The Poise Project and all of our international activities since 2016, please visit our TPP Timelines pages:
https://www.thepoiseproject.org/2023-timeline

How can AT Teachers and Trainees Join The Poise Project’s AT for Parkinson’s International Global Project to improve the quality of life for people living with Parkinson’s disease at different stages of progression?

The first step for AT teachers and trainees is to be educated about the complexities of Parkinson’s disease, and the daily challenges of people living with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s. We offer practical information on how to more effectively teach this population in your private, in person practices, and then invite you to follow up by training in our “Poised for Parkinson’s” workshop and full course curriculum. Trainees are included in all trainings to prepare them to work with this population once they are certified as AT teachers.

The second step for Alexander Techniques teachers is to train in our specialized workshop and full course curriculum developed by the Poise Project that is specifically targeted to people living with Parkinson's disease and their families and is evidence-based, replicable and effective. We have scheduled a number or workshop curriculum trainings in 2024. Please scroll down for links to those trainings.

If you are interested in taking the first step to bring the AT principles to improve the quality of life for people living with this challenging disease by gaining in depth information, The Poise Project offers foundational training via four recordings from one of our 2023 online trainings. There are a total of 13 hours of recorded training, and you can access them in the following languages:

In English

In Spanish

In French


After viewing the recordings, an additional 4 hours of live Zoom meetings are arranged so that all participants have the opportunity to share their own perspective and insights, and also have a chance to ask the instructor any questions they might have after having absorbed the training information.

Did you know that:

§  Parkinson's disease is the 2nd most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide after Alzheimer’s disease?

§  Parkinson’s is now considered to be the most complex human disease?

§  8,500,000 people are currently living with Parkinson’s disease worldwide?

§  Parkinson’s is now considered to be growing at epidemic rates?

§  Parkinson’s has no cure?

§  Parkinson’s disease is severely disabling in many parts of the world because of late diagnosis and poor treatment?

§  Many people living with Parkinson’s lack trustworthy self management, lifestyle, and disease education due to false information and “cure” scams, social stigmas?

§  Many people living with Parkinson’s have much higher risks of social isolation, inactivity, and depression that can lead to more rapid disease advancement?

§  Many countries don’t have exercise and multidisciplinary programs for people living with Parkinson’s disease that can them help prevent the progression of this disabling disease?

§  More health professionals need training in Parkinson’s disease?

§  Alexander technique is an evidence-based intervention for improving the quality of life and management of symptoms for people living with Parkinson’s?

Training includes:

·       The definition of Parkinson’s disease and other related Parkinsonisms

·       Stages of progression of Parkinson’s disease

·       Types of Parkinson’s diagnoses

·       Causes of Parkinson’s

·       Current medications and treatments for Parkinson’s, and how they impact how you teach AT to this population

·       Specific difficulties and challenges unique to teaching AT to this population, and how to be better prepared for them in order to be effective

·       Understanding the many symptoms of Parkinson’s, both motor symptoms and non-motor symptoms, with video examples, and with experiential options

·       Some best practices that will help you address specific symptoms in AT sessions

Resources include:

·       Materials on the stages, causes, and symptoms of Parkinson’s

·       Video examples of symptoms of Parkinson's disease

·       Video examples from AT for Parkinson’s classes

·       Published research supporting AT for Parkinson’s, including the research done by The Poise Project

·       Research handouts

·       AT for Parkinson’s materials to use as handouts

·       Guidelines for speaking to medical and allied health professionals about AT

·       Intake forms with questions you might ask prior to your client’s first session to understand what stage they are in and what symptoms they have

·       Sample evaluation forms to get feedback from your participants after a course of lessons to support the effectiveness of your trainings

TRAINING DETAILS

13 hours of recorded trainings

4 hours of live Zoom follow up

Access to a folder of numerous materials and supportive content

COST* US$275 (Trainees: US$200)

*All fees are used to fund and sustain the work of The Poise Project, cover our travel and fee expenses to advocate for AT at international conferences, and to continue to offer follow-up support for teachers.

We do not want cost to interfere with bringing AT professionals onto this project:

  • If you need an installment payment plan, please contact us for information.

    If you live in a low-income or high-inflation country, please contact us to work out an equitable fee.

  • If you would like us to help you reach out for donations through The Poise Project to help fund your training, please let us know.

Have you already taken one of The Poise Project's in depth one-or-more days of "AT for Parkinson's'" teacher trainings? If so, please let us know, and we will share a set of these updated training recordings with you for a $75 donation, and we hope you will be interested in joining one of our future evidence-based replicable course curriculum trainings!

REGISTRATION

1)    Please send an email with “AT for Parkinson’s Basic Training Recordings” in the subject line, and note whether you would like English, Spanish, or French recordings, or a combination, to:

info@thepoiseproject.org

2)    Please make your payment to:

·      Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/thepoiseproject


PLEASE NOTE:


After you complete this foundational training, you can follow through by taking the Second Step and train in a specific evidence-based specialized AT group workshop curriculum for this population and their family care partners. The Poise Project is organizing the following curriculum in-person trainings in 2024:

POISED FOR PARKINSON’S: Balance, Walking & Freezing of Gait workshop curriculum

A specialized evidence-based workshop for people living with Parkinson’s & their families

In-person training dates:

May 22-26, 2024 – Boston MA, USA

https://www.thepoiseproject.org/events/2024/05/bostontraining-pd

 
June 5-9, 2024 – London UK

https://www.thepoiseproject.org/events/2024/06/londontraining-pd

 

August 21-25, 2024 – Asheville NC, USA

https://www.thepoiseproject.org/events/2024/07/asheville-pd

 

November 18-26, 2024 – Seattle WA, USA

https://www.thepoiseproject.org/events/2024/07/seattle-pd

QUESTIONS?

Monika Gross                       
monika.gross@thepoiseproject.org
+1 828-254-3102 WhatsApp or direct

TESTIMONIALS

‘The Alexander technique training for Parkinson’s was not just informative, but truly inspirational - a very worthwhile experience. I learned so much about all aspects of Parkinson's disease and how beautifully Alexander technique can aid in improving the quality of life of those affected by this disease. The Zoom format of this class lends well to the curriculum while also providing plenty of time for personal interactions, questions, and valuable dialogue. I left the course feeling inspired: having gained not only new information about this particular application but a renewed appreciation for being able to teach Alexander technique to my community. I fully recommend this training to any Alexander technique teacher, even if you are not currently teaching students living with Parkinson's disease. ‘

—Mary Beth Coolidge, Ohio USA

 

'I recently completed The Poise Project's first step training which taught me about the daily challenges of people living with this extremely complicated disease. It also gave me background into the varied symptoms and ways Parkinson's disease manifests. Monika's deep knowledge, experience and compassion were evident at all times. Her teaching was clear and comprehensive and I can recommend this course as a first step into educating ourselves as Alexander teachers about working with the growing population of people affected by Parkinson’s disease.’

—Raewyn Khosla, Ottawa Canda

 

‘I highly recommend taking the AT for Parkinson's training with The Poise Project. It has been highly valuable learning opportunity - the way it was organized and conducted opened whole new world of better understanding - both detailed knowledge and heightened empathy around the topic. I am also excited to dive into all of the bonus materials shared with us. People suffering from Parkinson’s disease are a grateful and motivated community and we can help them tremendously with Alexander technique. It is a great bonus to know more about the disease. Thank you, Monika!’

—Cathy Sommer, Edinburg, Scotland UK