No Gain with Pain: Feldenkrais, a Kind Approach to Physical Therapy
Before we begin, imagine a friend, loved one, or child coming to you and saying they are in pain. How would you respond? Take a moment to consider this.
Chances are, most of us would listen, validate their feelings, and offer compassion, empathy, and kindness. Unless you are a medical professional with the skills to directly help, it’s unlikely you’d jump straight into diagnosing, criticising, or telling them all the things they “should” do differently — or what they “should have done” in the past to avoid the problem in the first place.
So why then do we often fail to show the same patience and compassion for ourselves when we’re dealing with pain or discomfort?
I often meet clients who say things like:
“I know I’m carrying too much weight.”
“I know I shouldn’t play these sports.”
“I know I carry too many heavy bags from the shops.”
Or the most common: “I’m sure it will sort itself out.”
These conversations we have with ourselves tend to dismiss the issue, belittle it, or load it with shame and guilt. The result? Our recovery or healing process feels like punishment — full of effort, hardship, financial strain, or long NHS waitlists — as if we somehow deserve it for getting into difficulty in the first place.
We would never dream of saying to a friend or loved one:
“You need to lose weight.”
“You should give up the sport you love.”
“You ought to take taxis from the shops instead.”
“It’s your own fault — now you have to pay for it or endure a gruelling waitlist.”
Or worst of all: “Just get on with it — I’m sure it will sort itself out.”
Where is the compassion and kindness in that?
What if I told you there’s another way of looking at your pain or injury — one that allows you to use it as a springboard for growth and discovery?
Learn about yourself, your habits, and the way you move
Awareness and learning are the first steps to managing pain. Pain is the body’s way of asking for change — its way of signalling that something needs attention. Unfortunately, it rarely gives us a clear description of what or how. By paying closer attention, you can begin to understand your movement habits — the ones that help you and the ones that may hold you back. This non-judgemental awareness is the foundation of lasting change.
Like any learning process, we begin by not knowing what we don’t know. Guilt and shame don’t help — if we had known what the problem was, we wouldn’t have deliberately put ourselves in harm’s way. By slowly paying attention to how we move and noticing where strain arises, we can begin to create new, more connected ways of doing things. These not only help us feel better but can also be surprisingly enjoyable.
Feel easier, happier, and more comfortable in your body — regardless of your weight
Movement and wellbeing aren’t measured on the scales. Through gentle exploration, you can discover new ways of feeling more at home in your body, moving with less effort and greater ease. This often comes from aligning yourself with the forces that work with and against gravity. In lessons we actively explore how to use weight and support from the ground upwards. By finding healthy anchor points in the body, we begin to feel lighter in our joints and longer in our spines - no matter our size or shape. Comfort often brings with it a natural sense of happiness and confidence.
Use the time as an opportunity for self-care
Rather than pushing through pain or ignoring it, you can view it as an invitation to pause and care for yourself. Taking time to listen, rest, and explore small changes can be both restorative and deeply empowering.
Improve your mood and boost your confidence
Movement and mood are closely connected. When you find ways of moving that feel good, you not only reduce discomfort but also lift your spirits. This sense of progress can build confidence and spill over into many areas of daily life.
Find healthy strategies to move with less pain — and even improve performance
Addressing pain doesn’t have to mean giving up the sports or activities you love. By discovering healthier movement strategies, you can often reduce discomfort and enhance your overall performance, making what you enjoy more sustainable and rewarding.
A different philosophy: learning through comfort
In a Feldenkrais lesson, the guiding principle is comfort first. Movements are slowed down, simplified, and explored with curiosity. When the body feels safe, the brain is free to learn new options. Even the smallest, gentlest adjustments can unlock surprising improvements in flexibility, balance, and ease.
Rather than “training” muscles, we’re retraining the brain. And when the brain discovers an easier way, the whole body benefits.
What does this look like in practice?
In Awareness Through Movement® classes, you’ll be guided through sequences of simple, often unusual movements. The aim isn’t to stretch or strengthen, but to notice differences, experiment, and find comfort. Students are often surprised by how much lighter and freer they feel after a lesson.
In Functional Integration® (private lessons), the same principles are applied one-to-one, using gentle touch to guide the body into new possibilities. This is especially helpful for anyone who finds it difficult not to over-effort in a group class situation.
Kindness as a path to lasting change
Real improvement doesn’t have to hurt. In fact, the most profound changes often come from kindness, patience, and gentle attention. By replacing “no pain, no gain” with curiosity and awareness, the Feldenkrais Method helps you rediscover how good it can feel to move.
Want to experience it for yourself?
Weekly Awareness Through Movement classes in Norwich start again in September.
Private Functional Integration lessons are available by appointment.
For more information or to book, visit www.feldenkraiswithjames.com or email james@feldenkraiswithjames.com.