The return of the habit

You know, last week’s lesson only lasted two days and three hours?

Many of the Feldenkrais teachers I coach tell me that they hear this from their students. The combined frustration and disappointment at the fleeting effects of a lesson.

The habit returns. While a Feldenkrais® lesson can be astounding and even life-changing, ingrained ways of carrying and holding oneself can, and often do, recur.

But here’s the thing: the fact that a habit keeps coming back is not a bug; it’s a feature. It’s a sign of successful learning. Whether it’s catching a frisbee, balancing on one leg, or walking, the things we once had to focus on become second nature. What was once difficult has become routine; what required conscious attention no longer does. The autopilot has taken over.

The problem is that when the uninvited guest (the old habit) returns, students can — and do — feel disappointed and defeated. They wonder whether they aren't good, intelligent, or aware enough students, or whether the method—or the teacher—isn't all it's cracked up to be. Not exactly a shining example of the Feldenkraisian tactic known as building on success, is it?

If we do not prepare our students for the inevitable return, we are, in all likelihood, setting them up for failure.

Over two weekends next month (February 2026), I will be teaching an online course where we flip the script. This course is an opportunity to deepen your skills and build confidence in guiding your students through setbacks, all without having to travel anywhere.

You will learn how to turn a habit’s reappearance into a crucial, effective step in your student's journey. We’ll apply this promising paradigm to both ATM® classes and FI® lessons so you will be able to:

• Master the “Long Game:”
  Discover strategies that make learning last.
• Update the Autopilot:
  Understand how change depends on a specific kind of awareness
• Reframe failure:
  Transform a student’s “relapse” into a breakthrough. 
• Learn experientially:
  Apply these approaches and find out for yourself how well they work.
• Teach with confidence:
  Manage expectations constructively and increase your students’ trust in their ability to learn.

If you are ready to take the next step in your professional development, please click here to learn more and sign up.

In my final blog post of last year, I told you about the semi-private advanced training on giving FIs using rollers that I am teaching next month.

Note: Enrollment is limited to eight Feldenkrais teachers and trainees (in their third and fourth years). Early registration ends on 10 January 2026. Perhaps more importantly, only one space remains.

To participate, please apply by sending a message via the Mind in Motion Online Contact form with a brief introduction to your background & experience.

To find out more, please click here.