Trager Approach
Encyclopedia
The Trager Approach is a mind-body approach to movement education. It is a system of gentle, rhythmic movement and touch aimed at facilitating deep relaxation, increased physical mobility, and promoting the body's optimal performance.
There are several aspects of the approach: one in which the client passively receives the movement work on a padded table from a Trager practitioner; and another aspect, in which the client is taught to actively explore comfortable, free movement for themselves, is called Mentastics. Underlying to the basic aim of psychophysical integration in the Trager Approach, is a form of neuromuscular re-education called Reflex Response. This aspect of Dr. Trager’s work actively involves the client in awakening the connection between mind and body.
Dr. Milton Trager's work is now carried on by Trager International and the instructors and certified practitioners of the Trager Approach.
The Trager Approach is not concerned with moving particular muscles or joints, per se, but with using motion in muscles and joints to produce particular sensory feelings—positive, pleasurable feelings which enter the central nervous system and begin to trigger tissue changes by means of the many sensory-motor feedback loops between the mind and the muscles. The effects of a Trager session are intended to penetrate below the level of conscious awareness, and by consciously integrating the felt-changes, bringing them into the daily living.
Dr. Trager noted that the immediate results of the session could be reinforced and deepened subsequently by clients exploring simple movements that recalled the bodily sensations of the session. The essence of a Trager session is the projection of a calmer, more attentive, more meditative feeling state from the sensibility of the practitioner to the sensibility of the client. Dr. Trager called this hook-up.
From gross balance issues to fine vocal articulation, Trager Reflex Response work may be used to complement medical treatments.
The certification of Trager Practitioners is administered by the national associations. Worldwide minimum core requirements are specified by Trager International, but certain national associations may have additional requirements based on local laws and regulations.
A Trager practitioner receives a minimum 406 hours of training of which 226 are supervised.
The core training includes a Level I and Level II Training (each six days), Level III Training (five days), Mentastics training (three days), and a six day Anatomy and Physiology training with a period of fieldwork and evaluations after each of the three levels of training. The fieldwork consists of giving and documenting a total of at least 90 Trager sessions without charge, and receiving at least 30 Trager sessions. There are also ongoing continuing education requirements after becoming a certified Trager practitioner.
Depending on the actual circumstances, the session will be as long as the client can actively engage in the re-education. It would make no sense in this method to fill one's cup to overflowing having the client say that it was nice but not really know what happened at all times.
Hook-up, or by lack of a more up to date word, join-up (see Monty Roberts) is the key to adjusting time to possibilities.
The client wears underwear or light, loose clothing and lies on a padded table in a comfortable environment. The practitioner makes touch-contact with the client, both as a whole and partly with individual limbs and segments. The central feature of the work is the Hook-up, the real connection of what is present (and what is not).
After getting up from the table, the client is given instruction in the use of Mentastics - simple, effortless movement sequences developed by Dr. Trager to maintain and enhance the sense of lightness, freedom, and flexibility that was instilled by the table work. This extends the effects of the lessons learned in the session and gives something useful to explore in the context of daily living.
Again, in practice some sessions do not need a table but are effectively conducted in real life environments. This makes for a very good integration and mentastics are woven into the session instead of rigidly conducted at the end."tragerus.org accessed 2011-01-29"
Beyond physical problems and experienced-limitation, competitive athletes, dancers musicians, singers, and those interested in personal growth have benefited from the awarenesses gained in Trager movement education.
There are relatively few contra-indications to the sensitive use of the Trager Approach, employing gentle, nonintrusive movements.
There are the following cautions: active thrombophlebitis (blood clots), recent surgery on joints (less than three months). It might not be advisable for a client to receive a Trager session if he/she is in a severely debilitated state, is extremely frail, or has had recent hospitalization for a severe illness.
There are several aspects of the approach: one in which the client passively receives the movement work on a padded table from a Trager practitioner; and another aspect, in which the client is taught to actively explore comfortable, free movement for themselves, is called Mentastics. Underlying to the basic aim of psychophysical integration in the Trager Approach, is a form of neuromuscular re-education called Reflex Response. This aspect of Dr. Trager’s work actively involves the client in awakening the connection between mind and body.
Development
The Trager Approach was the creation of a single individual, Milton Trager, M.D. He first encountered its principles intuitively during physical exercise, at the age of 18. He then spent the next 50 years, first as a lay practitioner and later as a medical professional, expanding and refining his approach. Dr. Trager died in 1997. Dr. Trager's first student, Betty Fuller, became the first teacher of his work and, with Dr. Trager, organized the Trager Institute in 1979.Dr. Milton Trager's work is now carried on by Trager International and the instructors and certified practitioners of the Trager Approach.
Principles and Aims
Dr. Trager's manner of manipulating the body was not a technique or a method, in the sense that there are no rigid procedures which claim to produce specific symptomatic results. Rather, it is an approach, a way of learning and of teaching movement re-education. He stressed that his clients should come to him ready to absorb a lesson, instead of simply receiving, passively, a treatment.The Trager Approach is not concerned with moving particular muscles or joints, per se, but with using motion in muscles and joints to produce particular sensory feelings—positive, pleasurable feelings which enter the central nervous system and begin to trigger tissue changes by means of the many sensory-motor feedback loops between the mind and the muscles. The effects of a Trager session are intended to penetrate below the level of conscious awareness, and by consciously integrating the felt-changes, bringing them into the daily living.
Dr. Trager noted that the immediate results of the session could be reinforced and deepened subsequently by clients exploring simple movements that recalled the bodily sensations of the session. The essence of a Trager session is the projection of a calmer, more attentive, more meditative feeling state from the sensibility of the practitioner to the sensibility of the client. Dr. Trager called this hook-up.
Reflex Response
The Reflex Response aspect of the Trager Approach was an integral part of all the work that Dr. Trager did. It was only separated out as advanced work when the Trager training became more formalized. In the current training, Reflex Response principles are integrated throughout the certification program. Much of Milton Trager’s early work was with young people who had polio and cerebral palsy—re-awaking or developing new coordinated movement possibilities where neurological connections were dormant, damaged, or deadened. Through prompt and response, R&R activates and balances neuromuscular connections engaging the client/patient in their own healing. At one extreme, Reflex Response is used to stimulate the body’s spinal reflexes in a frozen or paralyzed limb; and at the other extreme, lesser stimulation can refine the coordination patterns required for smoother hand-arm movement in a Parkinson’s patient or a competitive athlete.From gross balance issues to fine vocal articulation, Trager Reflex Response work may be used to complement medical treatments.
Practitioner certification
Since the incorporation of The Trager Institute in 1980, nearly 2000 practitioners have been trained. In 2001, the Trager Institute became Trager International, an organization and identity change, embracing a worldwide mission of coordination of 13 national associations and the educational oversight of Trager training. The national associations are: Association Québécoise de Trager Inc (Quebec, Canada), Associazione Trager Italia (Italy), Israeli Trager Association, Mouvement Trager France, Suomen Trager-yhdistys ry (Finland), Svenska Tragerföreningen (Sweden), Trager Canada, Trager Nederland (Netherlands), Trager UK (United Kingdom), Trager Verband Deutschland (Germany), Trager-Verband Schweiz (Switzerland), Trager-Verein Österreich (Austria), and the United States Trager Association including the following countries: United States of America, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Namibia, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Thailand.The certification of Trager Practitioners is administered by the national associations. Worldwide minimum core requirements are specified by Trager International, but certain national associations may have additional requirements based on local laws and regulations.
A Trager practitioner receives a minimum 406 hours of training of which 226 are supervised.
The core training includes a Level I and Level II Training (each six days), Level III Training (five days), Mentastics training (three days), and a six day Anatomy and Physiology training with a period of fieldwork and evaluations after each of the three levels of training. The fieldwork consists of giving and documenting a total of at least 90 Trager sessions without charge, and receiving at least 30 Trager sessions. There are also ongoing continuing education requirements after becoming a certified Trager practitioner.
Typical session
A session typically is 60 to 90 minutes. In advanced work you will have a change in this almost rigid hour to an hour and a half, which stems from basic education.Depending on the actual circumstances, the session will be as long as the client can actively engage in the re-education. It would make no sense in this method to fill one's cup to overflowing having the client say that it was nice but not really know what happened at all times.
Hook-up, or by lack of a more up to date word, join-up (see Monty Roberts) is the key to adjusting time to possibilities.
The client wears underwear or light, loose clothing and lies on a padded table in a comfortable environment. The practitioner makes touch-contact with the client, both as a whole and partly with individual limbs and segments. The central feature of the work is the Hook-up, the real connection of what is present (and what is not).
After getting up from the table, the client is given instruction in the use of Mentastics - simple, effortless movement sequences developed by Dr. Trager to maintain and enhance the sense of lightness, freedom, and flexibility that was instilled by the table work. This extends the effects of the lessons learned in the session and gives something useful to explore in the context of daily living.
Again, in practice some sessions do not need a table but are effectively conducted in real life environments. This makes for a very good integration and mentastics are woven into the session instead of rigidly conducted at the end."tragerus.org accessed 2011-01-29"
Benefits and Cautions
The Trager Approach is reported to help release or re-balance physical and mental patterning, to facilitate deep relaxation, and to increase physical mobility and functional awareness. The Trager Approach has been reported to ease or help manage a wide range of conditions including: stress, back and neck pain, limited movement, muscle spasms, headaches, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, post-polio syndrome, cerebral palsy, physical/emotional trauma, sports and other injuries.Beyond physical problems and experienced-limitation, competitive athletes, dancers musicians, singers, and those interested in personal growth have benefited from the awarenesses gained in Trager movement education.
There are relatively few contra-indications to the sensitive use of the Trager Approach, employing gentle, nonintrusive movements.
There are the following cautions: active thrombophlebitis (blood clots), recent surgery on joints (less than three months). It might not be advisable for a client to receive a Trager session if he/she is in a severely debilitated state, is extremely frail, or has had recent hospitalization for a severe illness.