Robbin Phelps Member Since 2004

Q1: How did you first hear about Trager^®?
I came to Trager (and bodywork) as a second career, after studying music in college, supporting myself for seventeen years as an IBM mainframe computer programmer, and getting a Master’s Degree in Social Work. To paraphrase Milton, all our experiences are always part of us, and contribute to who we are today.

Q2: What interested you and made you decide to pursue theTrager Certification Program?
I was very slow to realize that Trager was my path, spending eight years being a student in Roger Tolle’s workshops and having sessions from Judy Rose Seibert before taking a level one class. I only took that class to learn a bit about this work, since I could not help bringing it into my massage work. Two years later I couldn’t stay out of a level 2 class, and shortly after that, the realization got through that this was me. It’s in my bones.

Q3: How do you currently use Trager in your private practice – what kinds of clients, what kind of office environment, etc?
I have an office which I share with a massage therapist/holistic OT who has a deep appreciation for Trager. I also have regular clients whom I see in their homes. My clients include Trager students in the area, folks who are healthy/functional, and folks with issues like MS, and paralysis from brain trauma. I love them all, and find those with physical challenges are the most exciting.

Q4: What have you learned? What is exciting to you? What is challenging?
The joy of feeling the tissue . . .  the client’s joy of being met . . .  how to move my hands, shape my hands, move and shape my mind to hear/see/feel more . . .  that fun is therapeutic . . .  that we learn ‘moves’ to be a servant or helpmate to feeling/joy/awareness . . . that feeling brings more aliveness to all concerned . . .
I am learning what it is to be in a body, to have a body, to be a body, and to be a mind/spirit/body. “Every day a new awakening” (Rumi)

Another exciting aspect of Trager life now, is getting to be on the planning committee for the USTA 2015 Conference. Creating, working, laughing, being present in ease and possibility, and calling ourselves back when we stray too far. Spending time with the talented, smart and dedicated people on the committee: Roger Tolle, Aleen Seidel, and Judy Rose Seibert. Seeing how we care for one another, respectfully disagree, and work out better answers together than any of us could do alone. Having my IT background finally come in handy. And, the trades – what could be better!

Q5: What are you thinking about for the future with this work?
I am looking forward to Trager being more and more widely known. I see us coming out of the far corner with the upcoming conference, with engagement on social media, with new students who bring in enthusiasm and new ideas and dedication, and with the beautiful wisdom of my Tragerelders.

Q6: If you could describe your experience with the Trager^® Approach in one word what would it be?
It changes!  Today – JOY

Q7: Can you recall how you feel you most helped someone receiving your Trager abilities?
I had the great honor to work with a woman who was born with “a different kind of body” as she puts it, with multiple birth defects as most others would say. She is tender and incredibly strong in spirit. Trager principles provided a framework for me to approach this very different body with ease and acceptance, honoring the way her body moved, communicating with her about what was working for her. Trager helped ease some of her discomfort that came from dealing with gravity without having a structure so well designed to navigate in gravity. It touched her and helped her find her body in a new way, I think.