I have a quick story to tell you. (And a free video exercise!) A young woman named Terra was suffering from pain and tension in her upper back, shoulders and neck. She often felt hunched over and uncomfortable. How I helped her may surprise you. Since Terra is an equestrian, I Continue Reading »
When Natalie was told that her three-year-old dog needed hip surgery, she was devastated. She wondered if her little terrier mix, Zoey, would ever be able to run, play and chase squirrels after femoral head ostectomy (FHO) surgery[1]. After being assured by her veterinarian and other experts that small dogs do especially well with this Continue Reading »
Resting heart rate: 53. This healthy metric is due, in large part, to my personal trainer. But why did I, a female in my 50’s, hire a buff, 22-year-old dude to help me reach my fitness goals? Well, there are the obvious reasons. For one, he’s easy on the eyes. As we run shoulder-to-shoulder, I Continue Reading »
This is a transcript from Mary’s presentation at the 2017 Feldenkrais® Festival in Los Angeles, CA on May 6, 2017 To listen to the audio version, please click the play arrow below: Mary Debono: Do you remember when you were a little kid and you couldn’t wait to get older? Maybe you were four or five, Continue Reading »
Does your back or neck ache or get stiff? Wouldn’t it be great to be limber and pain-free? Well, as surprising as it sounds, “waking up” your rib cage may be the key to more comfortable, youthful movement. The Feldenkrais® audio lesson (exercise) called “Activate Your Rib Cage to Improve Your Back and Neck” is Continue Reading »
Elaine, from the wonderful blog, “Chasing Dog Tales” helped her dog Haley recover from CCL surgery using some of the techniques in my book, “Grow Young with Your Dog.” Elaine has written a comprehensive review of my book and even included photos of herself doing some hands-on techniques with Haley. Plus, she’s offering a book Continue Reading »
Does your horse pin his ears when you tighten the girth? Does he get grumpy, swish his tail or threaten to bite or kick when you cinch him up? Does your horse seem to hold her breath (“blowing up” or “bloating”) when you’re tacking her up?1 Any of those reactions would fit the definition of Continue Reading »
Sarah, a 43-year-old brunette with the tan, toned arms of a longtime equestrian, was visibly frustrated. She had hit a disappointing roadblock in her training. Despite working with a respected dressage instructor, Sarah was beginning to feel as if her imported warmblood would never do well in dressage. Her horse, an eight-year-old Dutch warmblood named Continue Reading »
This simple meditation can bring peace and comfort during the last days of a dog’s life. It can also provide comfort and healing for the human even long after the dog has passed away. A reader, Robin, experienced that. This is what she wrote to me: “Mary, I just wanted to thank you Continue Reading »
Click to download this article as a pdf. The black and tan dog looked like an adorable cross between a Beagle and a German shepherd. Her name was Princess, and she walked with mincing steps into my office, her lower back rounded as if in pain. Princess was accompanied by Janet, a tall, blonde woman Continue Reading »