S3NSE Blog: Stronger Together

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”

~ Helen Keller

S3NSE is a story of a group of Feldenkrais® practitioners working together to create a stronger practice.  The seeds of S3NSE were planted by Beth Sidlow Mann.  Beth was the South Bay Feldenkrais Johny Appleseed.  She started  programs in quite a few schools, community and senior centers.  Beth, a longtime Guild representative and Feldenkrais Trainer, somehow found the time to create study groups for her fellow practitioners.  It was at one of Beth’s Amherst study groups that Vicki Kramer, Tom Rankin, Michele Westlaken and Virginia Yao first met as a group.

When the Amherst study group ended, Vicki, Tom, Michele and Virginia decided to start one of their own.  They met at Vicki’s house on Thursday afternoons.  They would do classic Awareness Through Movements (ATM) lessons, practice “hands on” Functional Integration (FI) techniques and discuss how to build successful practices. Unfortunately, the group lost a key member when Virginia moved to New Mexico for a new job.  But another generation of Feldenkrais practitioners were on the way.  

Melonie Brophy, Janet Lee and Bobbie Uneuten were all enrolled in Professional Feldenkrais Training Programs and also taking Michele and Vicki’s ATM classes.  All three joined the study group and, together with the older members, started planning workshops.  An experienced practitioner teamed up with a newer one to teach two related ATMs.  After the movement lessons, “hands on” FI sessions would be available at a discounted price.  Janet Lee found the perfect place for the workshops at the West Hope Church.  

The workshops were a success and soon Michele was carrying a bunch of cash around like a gangster.  So it was time to go legit:  think of a name, incorporate and set up a bank account.   Michele came up with South Bay Network of Somatic Education (S3NSE) and used her art background to create the logo.  Melonie single handedly worked through the complex process to make S3NSE a non-profit corporation.  The members of the Study Groups became the S3NSE Board. 

The group enjoyed working together so much that they decided to expand operations.  Through contacts, S3NSE found its home inside Peak Physical Therapy in Cupertino.   Now S3NSE could offer ATM classes during the week and have a place for the practitioners to do individual FI lessons.  When board member Janet Lee resigned, one of the S3NSE students, Martha Moorehouse, stepped up to take her place.

S3NSE continues to grow and adapt as the years go by.  The board meets regularly to keep track of finances, update the website, plan the monthly themes and workshops and discuss the long running Thursday study group.  The board members also teach ATM classes online and/or in person. 

Helen Keller was right: we can do so much more together than apart.  Join the S3NSE team (www.s3nse.org) and discover how strength in numbers makes you a stronger individual.