THE POISE PROJECT: alexander technique for the 21st century

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THE POISE PROJECT

2022 TIMELINE OF ACTIVITIES

WE ARE PROUD OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2022 - Our seventh year of activity!

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To view our 2022 END-OF-YEAR NEWS REPORT, click here

January 2022

  • “Partnering with Poise”
    Online course for participants across the US

    • For care partners of people living with dementia. Prepared participants to manage technological issues with individual online meetings, and delivered 10 week online course for 12 care partners. Course was originally funded by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

  • Alexander Technique Liberation Project

    • Undoing White Supremacy in the Alexander Technique meetings over the next eight months.

  • “Poised for Parkinson’s”
    Online course for participants in North & South Carolina

    • Conducted University of Idaho IRB-approved pilot study 6 month post-course physical assessments via Zoom with the help of care partners in the homes of 6 participants of courses that had been delivered in Spring/Summer 2021. Also, we conducted subjective surveys and interviews via Zoom with 8 people living with Parkinson’s and 6 care partners. Funded by the Parkinson’s Foundation.

  • The Developing Self UK

    • Meetings during the year with international team members on the ongoing project to bring AT-related curriculum to children and youth in primary, secondary, and tertiary school settings.

  • National Advisory Council for Complementary & Integrative Health Pain Research Council Meeting

    • Participated in virtual meeting on news and updates on NCCIH’s activities, policies, and funding priorities.

  • NIH Accelerating Solutions for Commercialization and Entrepreneurial Development (ASCEND)
    Regional Hub Webinar

    • Attended interactive seminar on “What every entrepreneur should know about IP deals”.

  • Alexander Teachers of the Mountain Area

    • Monthly online meetings led by regional AT members, including Erik Bendix; Jennifer Roig-Francoli; Geordie MacMinn, faculty of UNC School of the Arts; Emmalee Hunnicutt; Luke Shaver; Charlotte Anderson; Brad Fugate; and Alison Deadman.

February 2022

  • Mountain West Research Consortium, administered through the University of Idaho
    Research Grant $24,750

    • The Poise Project managed protocol design, recruitment, course delivery, and data collection for seven courses (4 in person and 3 online) of the “Poised for Parkinson’s” course for people living with Parkinson’s and their family care partners, and 12 courses (10 in-person and 2 online) of the “Partnering with Poise” course for family care partners of people living with neurological disorders. The Poise Project and Dr. Cohen will organize and process data, and then co-author two research articles on these programs for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

  • American Center for the Alexander Technique

    • Participated in Annual Meeting in person in NYC

  • AT for Parkinson’s in France

    • Continued planning and programming support with Marie-Laure Deplaix, The Poise Project national representative in France, throughout the year.

  • AT Seminars UK
    Online professional development group

    • Participated in international AT team-building project launched by AT colleagues Rachel Stevens and Ruth Davis of STAT.

  • WNC Nonprofits Pathways

    • Participated in training course in Basic Accounting for nonprofits

  • Parkinson Association of the Carolinas

    • Participated in webinar on Hospice & Palliative Care led by Maggie Ivanic, Social Worker, UNC-Chapel Hill.

  • Tow Foundation Innovation Fund

    • Submitted grant for $100,000 funding to lead AT-based programs for African-American and Indigenous parents and children in Western NC. Proposal was not funded.

March 2022

  • NIH Accelerating Solutions for Commercialization and Entrepreneurial Development (ASCEND)
    Regional Hub Webinar

    • Attended five -week course in Multisite Commercialization.

  • Reeve Foundation

    • Submitted grant application for $15,000 Direct Effect Grant to support care partners of people living with paralysis with AT-based “Partnering with Poise” courses. Proposal was not funded.

  • American Society for the Alexander Technique (AmSAT)
    Research Grant

    • Submitted proposal for $2,500 grant to assess retention of benefits of online delivery of a group AT-based “Partnering with Poise” course for care partners of people living with dementia at 6 months post-course.to compare with retention of benefits in person delivery of the same course. Proposal was funded.

  • engAGED National Resource Center
    Webinar

    • Participated in the Partners in Social Engagement: Collaborating with Faith Communities to engage with older adults webinar.

  • Dance for PD

    • Met with Executive Director, David Leventhal, in NYC for mentoring to discuss ways to grow The Poise Project’s grassroots efforts.

April 2022

  • Women’s Health Awareness Conference

    • Participated in the Transforming Communities by Enhancing Women’s Health virtual conference hosted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Clinical Research Branch, Office of Human Research Compliance Co-Sponsors: Durham Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Durham Alumnae Delta House Inc., and North Carolina Central University Department of Public Health Education.

  • International Somatic Movement Education & Therapy Association (ISMETA)
    “Professional Pathways in Somatic Movement:  Building Knowledge, Skills & Practices” conference

    • Participated in three-day international conference with somatic movement educators and therapists.

May 2022

  • Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Care Connection
    Webinar

    • Mindfulness & Self Care - Participated in one-hour webinar on Mindfulness & Self Care for care partners of people living with dementia.

  • “Partnering with Poise”
    Online course for participants across the US

    • Collected 6 month post-course subjective data from 5 care partner participants, including additional executive function assessments and semi-structured interviews, from a course that was delivered in Fall 2021. Also, collected subjective data and executive function assessments from 4 control group participants. Course was originally funded by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

  • ACRM International Networking Group
    Refugee Empowerment Taskforce

    • Led 90 minute presentation with Q&A on the role for AT & AT specialists in refugee and asylee programing.

  • “Prêt pour Parkinson”

    • Two-day AT-based workshop on Balance, Walking & “Freezing” delivered online in France.

  • National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC)
    2022 World Carers Conference

    • Participated in one-day summit on care giver issues worldwide.

  • 4th International Parkinson’s Disease & Movement Disorders Society Pan-American Conference
    Miami FL, May 26-28, 2022

    • Attended in person conference. Presented research poster “Adapting an in-person cognitive embodiment course to online delivery for people living with Parkinson’s disease and their care partners”. Exhibited at nonprofit table for The Poise Project with a team made up of three AT professionals and one Mind in Movement Lab research assistant from the University of Idaho. Conference was attended by 575 delegates from 25 countries. Made valuable connections with movement disorder specialists, allied health professionals, researchers, pharmaceutical company funders, and nonprofit representatives in the field.
      YOU CAN VIEW OUR RESEARCH POSTER BY CLICKING HERE.
      YOU CAN VIEW A SHORT NARRATIVE VIDEO ABOUT OUR POSTER BY CLICKING HERE.

June 2022

  • National Institutes of Health (NIH)
    Pain Consortium Symposium

    • Participated in virtual two-day symposium on overview of current research on pain.

  • “Partnering with Poise”
    Online course for participants across the US

    • Collected 6 month post-course subjective data from 8 care partner participants, and additional executive function assessments and semi-structured interviews from 7 of the care partner participants, from a course that was delivered in Fall 2021. Also, we collected subjective data and executive function assessments from 4 control group participants. Course was originally funded by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

  • What’s Next Longevity Venture Summit
    Virtual

    • Participated in three-day virtual conference with networking opportunities at one of the most significant, gathering of venture capitalists, angel investors, entrepreneurs, and corporate executives focused on the longevity economy.

  • Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières
    Online event series: Moving Forward

    • Attended a webinar on refugee work being done by DWB/MSF.


July 2022

  • Alzheimer’s Association International Conference
    San Diego CA, July 31 - August 4, 2022

    • Participated in five-day conference in San Diego. Presented a research poster “‘Partnering with Poise’: Alexander technique online group classes are a promising intervention to decrease loss-of-self and increase agency for care partners of people living with dementia”. Over 10,000 delegates attended this hybrid conference. Successful networking included making positive connections with public health professionals in the Southeast focused on addressing health disparities in marginalized communities in the US.
      YOU CAN VIEW OUR RESEARCH POSTER BY CLICKING HERE.
      YOU CAN VIEW A SHORT NARRATIVE VIDEO ABOUT OUR POSTER BY CLICKING HERE.

August 2022

  • International Congress for the F.M. Alexander Technique
    Berlin Germany, August 22-28, 2022

September 2022

  • International Parkinson’s Disease & Movement Disorders International Conference
    Madrid Spain, September 15-18, 2022

  • Medical Rehabilitation Research Resources Network (MR3)
    Conference

    • Participated in two-day virtual conference. Abstract published in MR3 conference papers: “Centering Patient and Care Partner Dyads in Rehabilitation Research and Practice”.

October 2022

  • Integrative Medicine for the Underserved (IM4US)
    12th Annual Conference: Decolonizing Medicine - Centering and Rebuilding Grounded Approaches to Healthcare, October 6-8, 2022

    • Participated in three-day virtual conference. Presented 60 minute pre-recorded session, “Alexander Technique in 2022: Removing Barriers & Centering Diversity, Equity & Inclusion” in collaboration with Alexander Technique Liberation Project colleagues Kris Mozeiko and Renee Schneider. Exhibited at virtual live nonprofit booth for The Poise Project and the Alexander Liberation Project with a team made up of the two AT colleagues and Nina Reed, a care partner of a person living with dementia and participant in our “Partnering with Poise” course.
      YOU CAN VIEW A RECORDING OF OUR PRESENTATION BY CLICKING HERE.

  • AT for Parkinson’s Online Teacher Training

    • Led 90-minute training for an AT teacher in UK.

  • Parkinson’s Disease & Movement Disorders Alliance All In! Conference
    Washington DC, October 22-25, 2022

    • Attended in person conference in Washington DC hosted by the PMD Alliance. Community and support group leaders and allies from around the country gathered, convening prospective leaders, newbies, and veterans to connect and collaborate in the larger Parkinson’s national community. Many important grassroots connections were made for future collaborations.


November 2022

  • 99th American Congress for Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) Conference
    Chicago IL, November 6-11, 2022

    • Attended in person conference in Chicago. Led a four-hour Instructional Course, “Alexander Technique: A Novel Integrative Cognitive Embodiment Approach to Complement and Enhance Clinical Rehabilitation Practice”, in the Pre-Conference assisted by AT colleague Sarah Mayhan. Presented a research poster, “Poised for Parkinson's: Retention of benefits 6-7 months after Alexander technique synchronous online group course”. Helped prepare and present four 90-minute panel symposiums: “Centering Care Partners as Key Members of the Rehabilitation Team for Persons with Neurogenic Disorders”; “Beyond Therapy: Real Life Stories From Patients and Care Partners After Arts-based Parkinson's Movement Programs”; “Community-Engaged Refugee Rehabilitation Programming Across the Globe”; “Rehabilitation’s Role in Supporting Those with Post Acute Sequelae of Sars-CoV-2 (PASC)”; and “A glimpse into Parkinson’s disease through arts”.
      YOU CAN VIEW OUR RESEARCH POSTER BY CLICKING HERE.

December 2022

  • “Partnering with Poise”
    Online course for participants across the US

    • Conducted IRB-approved pilot study 12 month post-course subjective surveys, executive function assessments, and semi-structured interviews with 7 care partner participants from courses that were delivered in Fall 2021. Also, we collected subjective data from 4 control group participants, and executive function assessments from 3 of the control group participants. Course was funded by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

2022 - Monthly Activity

  • American Congress for Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) Special Interest, Networking, & Taskforce Groups

    • Monika Gross was an active participant in ACRM special interest groups, representing Alexander technique to allied health professionals involved in clinical rehab research and practice:

      • Neurodegenerative Diseases NG

      • Neurodegenerative Diseases NG Parkinsonism & Related Movement Disorders TF

      • Neurodegenerative Diseases NG Alzheimer’s Disease TF

      • Aging Research & Geriatric Rehabilitation NG

      • Aging Research & Geriatric Rehabilitation NG Cognition in Aging TF

      • Athlete Development & Sports Rehab NG

      • Arts & Neuroscience NG Movement TF

      • International NG - Refugee Empowerment TF

      • Stroke ISIG Movement Interventions TF

      • Stroke ISIG Aphasia & Communications Disorders TF

      • Brain Injury Interdisciplinary SIG Cognitive Rehabilitation TF

      • Military-Veterans Affairs NG Brain Injury Focus on Behavioral Health TF

    • Monika was awarded two Service Commendation certificates:

      • 2022 Aging Research and Geriatric Rehabilitation Networking Group, Patient/Caregiver/Community Engagement Liaison

      • 2022 Complementary Integrative Rehabilitation Medicine Networking Group, Member-At-Large