FINALLY, I have time to share my incredible Gokhale experience, thanks to my instructor, AURELIA VAICEKAUSKAS. I chose the one-on-one teaching methodology (over the group or online), because I know what kind of student I am: I ask a lot of questions. I absolutely chose wisely.
Aurelia's belief in the effectiveness of the Gokhale Method permeates all that she shares in her lessons. From the start, she explained EVERYTHING about the program, in general, and its goals, very clearly and slowly. When we began to implement each specific point, re: sitting, standing, sleeping, etc., she modeled and then had me, the student, follow suit. When I needed corrections or modifications, Aurelia took care of these immediately. As she explained the "why" for these changes, she also included the importance of/benefit in the revision and its effect on a person's body mechanics. Whenever I had a question (which was all the time!), she answered each time with knowledge, reinforcement, and positivism. She ALWAYS encouraged--NEVER criticized.
Photographing the student in "before-and-after" pictures was "eye-openingly" remarkable and shockingly enlightening.
Clarity is one of Aurelia's hallmarks. As she evaluated me, personal details she observed about my body's longtime posture tendencies predominated; she instantly customized her approach to the overall method FOR ME. She ALWAYS adapted and/or modified the program, so that it would be more accessible to me, given my long-term, orthopedic issues. She also addressed my chronic pain barriers and personally adjusted anything related to joint and nerve complications that could potentially become bothersome. AND--all the while, everything she said and did reassured me that she cares deeply about her students and their consistent and continual improvement. (I expressed to her how I especially appreciated the visuals that she used throughout, i.e., the hand held models, as well as illustrations, pictures and diagrams on the computer, once she discovered that I am a visual learner. Those things made such a difference for me.) Additionally, because she is aware of how "daily living" can affect the progress of a student, she took a little time, at the beginning of each session, to get to know me a little better and learn some details about the happenings in my life, since our previous time together. She truly cares about the WHOLE person and not just the program she is teaching/promoting.
I felt that I had viable goals from week to week and had achieved success with a good many of them. Other points still needed more delineation and practice from me, in order to bring the Gokhale strategies into my daily life, without my having to give conscious special attention to implementing them. In other words, MY muscle memory still needed work! But I ABSOLUTELY was walking and sleeping better already!
I did buy the Gokhale book for the class, so that I could always have a handy reference to what we covered in our sessions, once I was back at home by myself. I also purchased 2 Gokhale back supports, which I continue to use (and which really help my back a lot) when I'm either driving or riding in a car or plane.
I hope to add one of the short, refresher courses to my schedule at some point and will DEFINITELY want to return to Aurelia for her re-evaluations of my progress and my personal applications of the Gokhale Method--functionally--into my day 'n' night activities.
Working with Aurelia was, indeed, an uplifting, productive, and satisfying, learning and adoptive experience. I NEVER got the feeling that this was her "JOB"! This is her "PASSION"! I can recommend her with the utmost confidence, especially for . . . her contagious trust in the Gokhale Method and its life-changing strategies, her day-brightening friendliness, her comprehensive expertise, her personal support, her customized approach to teaching, and her undying concern for the "whole" me.'
Mary Ann Beatty; Wauconda, IL