128: Neurology Is The Missing Link In Movement Education with Missy Bunch
The brain and the nervous system play a HUGE role in how we integrate sensory information, experience pain and create movement patterns but this topic is not often covered in foundational yoga teacher trainings. That is why I’m so excited to introduce you to Missy Bunch (she/her), a multi-certified movement therapist who has been educating and coaching for over 14 years.
As a young professional dancer, she battled many injuries over her career and one day she found someone who studied neurology (the study of the brain and nervous system). After one session with this person, her 4-year knee pain was completely gone. She knew she wanted to teach this approach to the world.
The importance of brain function and using the nervous system to rapidly “debug” movement patterns, decrease pain and increase performance, has led her to teach and create lightning-fast improvements with people from all walks of life. Her specialties include injury prevention, injury rehabilitation, joint mobility and decreasing pain, holistically.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
a deep dive into assessments, including how to cue them and what are we looking for when we reassess
what it means to move into a shape “reflexively”
how can we work with the brain to decrease pain
the role of the nervous system in integrating inputs and creating motor output
all about the opposing joint theory and how to use it with 1x1 students
an overview of cranial nerves and how and why to stimulate them
Resources Mentioned:
OfferingTree is a proud sponsor of this episode and I am honored to be an affiliate. Visit OfferingTree at www.offeringtree.com/mentorand you’ll get 50% off your first three months (or 15% off any annual plan). OfferingTree supports me with each sign-up and I’m proud to be supported by a public benefit company whose mission is to further wellness access and education for everyone.
Being a yoga teacher, heck being a PERSON, is TOUGH right now. But having a job that requires presence and vulnerability and groundedness all the time requires we pour into ourselves so we have something to give.
I LOVE hearing the behind the scenes details of people’s lives and routines. And I’m so happy to say that after a pretty stressful few years, I have my self care routines DIALED IN right now! In today’s episode of the podcast I am sharing the daily, weekly + monthly routines that make me the teacher I want to be.
It might sound kind of silly, but I treat being a full-time yoga teacher and parent as a high performance job and it is WORKING for me!