Learning the Gokhale Method through the Gokhale Method Foundations Course has been critical to me gaining control over my posture and upper-back, shoulder and neck tension and pain. As a long-time student and someone who uses technology, it’s too easy to lose awareness of posture and fall into painful and tense postural habits. And as an actor, I’d always felt that my posture was holding me back from embodying certain characters. When directors and yoga instructors would give me notes about my posture, somehow the fixes never stuck and I couldn’t figure out why.
The Gokhale Method has surpassed every other posture-correction method I’ve attempted. This fine-tuned method has taught me to correct spine and ribcage positions I had not even known were causing my back and shoulder pain! Now, if I notice I’m hunching, or sitting or standing in a painful way, I can correct it immediately. It feels as though a great burden is lifting off of my shoulders whenever I use the techniques I learned in the course. Areas of tension in my shoulders and back fall away. The more I use the techniques, the more naturally they come. Using correct posture, I feel lighter, more energized, stronger, calmer and more able to focus. I didn’t know walking could feel so good! Or sitting, or standing! And I gained at least an inch of height over the course of the class.
This is all thanks to my teacher, Kathleen O'Donohue. She led each session with patience and persistence. Every question I had, she answered over the course of the class. Whenever I struggled with an exercise or aspect of the method, my worries and questions were handled with utmost kindness and care. She saw to it that I fully understood the techniques and was benefitting from them. Four months later, I continue to incorporate the lessons she taught me. I’m confident that Kathleen brings an uncommon level of attention and care to each student she works with. If you suffer from back pain or struggle with maintaining tall and strong posture, I strongly recommend learning the Gokhale Method from Kathleen.