31-Day Blog Challenge! Day 22: Best Thing to Happen This Year
My most significant professional growth to date has been in this past year.
The BEST thing was beginning to teach at the professional level for Therapeutic Movement Seminars.
Between January 2013 and November 2014, I participated in an advanced training program under the mentorship of Gordon Browne, Physical Therapist and long-time continuing education instructor, and Julie Browne, Physical Therapist Assistant. Unbeknownst to me, Gordon and Julie were casing the group for someone to bring on as an instructor, and guess what!?!
They wanted me!
(I said yes.)
Gordon and I spent the better part of a year developing curriculum, so we could blend my expertise working with seniors with his movement and orthopedic curriculum. I traveled around assisting at his courses, studied, did my daily movement practice, and tried to quiet the inner voices saying “WHY have you agreed to something so big??”
Just weeks after graduating from my 2-year training, where I was granted a new set of initials (OMS, for Orthopedic Movement Specialist. No worries, there won’t be a quiz.), I stood in front of 40+ physical therapy and occupational therapy professionals and TAUGHT FOR 16 HOURS!!
Gordon jumped in a bunch, partly because I needed him and partly because he couldn’t help himself. Some very special friends from my 2-year class generously offered their time, love, and energy as my assistants, and WE ROCKED THAT CLASS!
Since then, I have taught Optimal Movement Strategies for Seniors to roughly 250 students in 11 cities, and have graduated from an entire support team (see below) to handling sold-out classes (25 students) all by myself, thank you very much.
I LOVE teaching this class. I learn so much with each time through, from my students and their depth and breadth of experience. As a regular course attendee, I rarely see the collaboration, friendship and self exploration that seems to go along with this curriculum; I am grateful and humbled to be a part of the experience every time.
May this never end.
The Team for my first ever class: Agnes, Gaylin (on my R), and Barb (on my L), my volunteer assistants, and my instructors/mentors Gordon and Julie Browne. Thank you all!
Tomorrow: 5 Favorite Children’s Books
Thanks — Jeni Gall
