REVIEWS
On this page you can read reviews from participants
Olga Vyshegorodtseva, Moscow, 30.07.2020
Oksana Budnik, Moscow, 01.26.2020
By chance, I came across a link to a seminar titled "Jaw Release Using the Feldenkrais Method" last fall. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend, but I started digging into the topic and looking for people who could teach me. That’s how I found Ekaterina.
The first session was probably the most incredible experience I’ve had in recent years!))) I must admit, I’ve never had a strong connection with my body and have always struggled to understand what’s happening with it and why. Physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, and qigong—none of it helped me improve that understanding.
Then, during the first session, I suddenly became aware of how tight my pelvis was and how difficult it was for it to move. The left side of my body wasn’t participating at all, as if it were asleep. When my pelvis finally started moving and even "breathing," it was an unbelievable sensation—a feeling of freedom and lightness.
Even my usual "duck-like" walk began to change, becoming more fluid and springy.
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Alexander Grebnev, Moscow, 12.01.2020
I’ve been practicing lessons from the facial workshop 1–2 times a week. After each session, something changes. Initially, it felt like entire layers were shifting after every session.
Physically, my whole face smoothed out. The nasolabial folds almost completely disappeared. The areas under my eyes became smoother. Under even lighting, my face looks even and smooth. My face, in general, feels so much freer now.
I’ve also developed an awareness of tension in my face—when it arises, I can immediately relax it!
The most fascinating part is the psychological changes. After the lessons, I’ve been experiencing intriguing things in my dreams.
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Oksana Yashina, Moscow, 08.12.2019
I’ve completed several somatics courses with Katya. The topics varied, but the result was always the same: a feeling of a more harmonious body. My back, neck, and head bother me much less, I fall asleep faster, and I’ve learned to relax better.
I enjoy both the sessions themselves and how I feel afterward. It’s amazing how small, very small movements, done without tension or effort, can significantly improve the quality of life.
And each session is an hour of focused attention on myself, a chance to turn inward.
As a bonus, all participants of the group sessions leave with clear, calm eyes.
Maxim Sablev, Moscow, 08.12.2019
My interest in movement awareness and its culture led me to explore body-oriented practices. I came across a truly remarkable and motivating book that I highly recommend—Thomas Hanna’s "Somatics: Reawakening the Mind’s Control of Movement, Flexibility, and Health." The book explores the reasons behind the loss of mobility as we age.
As we accumulate emotional and physical trauma throughout life, we stop noticing tension in our bodies and forget how to release it. Thomas Hanna refers to this phenomenon as sensorimotor amnesia. Simple commands like, "Drop your shoulders, straighten your back, and exhale!" won’t solve this issue. However, tools to restore the mind’s control over sensitivity and movement do exist, and one of them is somatic practice.
There are many online videos of somatic exercises, but they can’t replace practicing with a teacher. While searching for group somatics classes in Moscow, I found Ekaterina Zilbershtein, a certified Hanna Somatics instructor. In 2019, I participated in several of her courses.
The goal of one course was to provide a foundation for independent practice, focusing on minimal theory and maximum practical exercises. Another course was dedicated to somatic work on a specific region of the body—its center—where unresolved emotional experiences manifest as tension that restricts breathing and movement. These sessions included more theory while maintaining a strong emphasis on practice.
Thanks to Katya’s classes, I was introduced to somatic practice and gained a toolkit of effective exercises. All participants receive recordings of the sessions, allowing us to revisit the material at any time. And even if something is forgotten, Katya’s students have access to a WhatsApp group where we can ask questions and receive her guidance.
In today’s fast-paced world, where we’re constantly engaged with streams of information and events that pull us away from our inner experiences, it’s crucial to have a practice that brings our attention back to ourselves. Somatic practice can be that anchor.
Tatyana, Moscow, 02.12.2019
I attended individual sessions with Katya, a group seminar ("Pelvic Floor"), and recently completed the group course "The Myth of Aging" (8 lessons over 4 weeks).
Each format has its own advantages. However, in the group setting, I felt more attuned to my own work and sensations. During individual sessions, some changes felt like miracles created by Katya’s hands 😉. Perhaps this was because it was my first introduction to somatics, and becoming aware of my body was challenging at the time. A year later, in the group format, under Katya’s gentle and calm guidance, it became easier for me to focus on the micro-movements and listen to myself.
Both Katyas (Katya Pylaeva assisted during the sessions) always helped us adjust our movements, making them smoother and more effective. They noticed if anyone struggled with a movement and would gently guide us with their hands, giving us time to feel and understand the motion. Katya often reminded us of the importance of breathing and relaxation at just the right moment, which was sometimes even more crucial than the movement itself.
And, of course, I must mention the visual and mental imagery Katya uses during the lessons: a bowling ball, scooping ice cream, a footprint in the sand... and many other unexpected metaphors that also help create an emotional connection to the movement.
Katya, thank you for your gentle guidance in the process of self-discovery through the body. Thank you for the opportunity to dive deeper into myself and emerge renewed.
Ekaterina, Moscow, 01/23/2019
I learned about somatics from an osteopath and found Katya by chance on the Internet. Katya's approach immediately attracted me - from psychology (soul) and massage (body) she came to combining care for the soul and body in one - somatics.
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Nadezhda Loginovich, Minsk 01/23/2019
I realized that something was wrong with my jaw towards the end of February, just when I was on a raw food diet. My emotions were off the charts, but it was unclear where they were coming from and what to do with them. I had worked on my jaw before with a trainer on somatics (an aging myth), but not purposefully.
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This course was my first practical introduction to somatics, and I approached it with a mixture of excitement and a slight sense of trepidation. I wasn’t exactly expecting a miracle, but I did anticipate something extraordinary. The reason for this anticipation was that just two weeks before the course, I had stumbled upon a text by Thomas Hanna about the Red Light Reflex and sensorimotor amnesia. That text became a turning point in my long struggle with chronic headaches and tension in my neck and shoulders.
For two months, almost since the beginning of quarantine, I had been experiencing continuous headaches along with severe tension in my neck and shoulders. I attributed it to psychosomatic causes and patiently waited for the pain to subside naturally. But it didn’t. I tried a rehabilitation massage, which had helped me in the past, but it had no effect this time. My neck would return to its usual tense state. I also practiced yoga specifically targeted at the neck and shoulders, but it only provided temporary relief. That’s when I realized my muscles were reverting to their habitual tone, and my body was holding onto a deeply ingrained pattern.
It turned out to be an ancient pattern of fear response. Inspired by the concept of retraining the body, I started taking private lessons in the Feldenkrais Method. Seeing the wonderful healing effects, I wanted to reinforce and build upon them. In addition to seeking healing, I was genuinely fascinated by Hanna’s method, especially since the course on the chest and shoulders directly addressed my problem areas.
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Svetlana Kamasheva, Moscow, 03/04/21
I joined Katya’s first course out of curiosity about somatics. What I discovered in her online courses was the perfect combination of convenience and the opportunity to consistently “unravel” my body.
The format is incredibly convenient—I can do the lessons in a calm, relaxed environment at home, without spending any time on commuting. All I need is a mat. Katya’s approach to leading the sessions is exceptionally comfortable for me. Even when the movements are unfamiliar, Katya provides super-clear explanations. I always have a precise understanding of what needs to be done and where to focus my attention.
And then the magic happens: without any effort on my part or external intervention, my body becomes noticeably more alive, free, and breathing. This regular, self-fulfilling miracle keeps happening.