Workshops & Webinars
I can teach your team!
Throughout 2020 and 2021, I taught 18 virtual workshops to nearly 2,000 people!
Although these workshops are geared for people with spinal cord injuries, they are applicable to people of all abilities and ages (in fact I use most of these techniques myself). Thanks to Norcal SCI, these workshops are all FREE. Check them out below.
“Putting it all Together: Comprehensive Home Exercise Routine for Quadriplegics and Paraplegics”
Rach (they/them) has now taught 16 workshops over the past 16 months and it is time to put it all together into a comprehensive home workout program! Rach has covered topics including:
Mindful movement and breath work
How to safely and effectively stretch
The visual and vestibular system’s effects on movement
Bed/floor based movement to help you sit and stand taller
How to take care of and strengthen your shoulders
How to access your core and the connection between a strong neck and a strong core
How to use theratubes for an entire exercise routine
How your hands and feet affect your movement and proprioception
Self-release techniques
The role of myofascial meridians and how to work with them during movement
The importance of spinal rotation
So now what?!
We will put it all together into a comprehensive exercise program with an intentional order and flow! Rach will be teaching one full class for Quadriplegics and one full class for Paraplegics (10/26 and 10/27 respectively). They will teach the importance of order during an exercise routine and what movements you definitely want to include if you are short on time. Rach will provide multiple variations, progressions, and modifications for each exercise as needed.
Class Prep: This class will start with a short lecture followed by a full movement session. The class for Quadriplegics on 10/26 will be taught from a seated position in a wheelchair and the class for Paraplegics on 10/27 will be taught primarily from the floor. Come prepared with 2 pencils, therabands or theratubes, a half foam roller (or rolled up towel), a thick rolled up pair of socks (or small squishy ball), and a larger inflatable ball that is about 7-12” (optional).
Thoracic Rotation: The Importance of Trunk Rotation Post SCI"
Thoracic rotation is the rotation of the middle part of your spine. It is the movement that allows you to turn and look over your shoulder or reach something behind you. Improving trunk rotation is an important component of a home exercise program following a spinal cord injury. Rotation is not only useful for daily activities, but it also helps to improve overall spinal mobility and organ health. Trunk rotation is an excellent tool for maintaining good bone health in your trunk, accessing the soft tissue and musculature in between and around the ribs, and influencing the organs under and around the ribcage. So whether you have a cervical, thoracic, or lumbar SCI, trunk rotation can be beneficial for you!
In this workshop, Rach will teach:
Which part of your spine is built for rotation and the anatomy behind it
Why rotation is important regardless of your injury level
Why spinal mobility is important
How to safely rotate with hardware or a fusion
How to correctly rotate without compensating
Class prep:
This class will be a combination of lecture and a movement session. Most of the movement portion can be done in a seated position but a couple of exercises will be done on a bed/floor space. You may want a bolster or 1-2 pillows.
Myofascial Meridians: Building Connections Between Muscles After Paralysis
Myofascial meridians are lines of muscles (myo) and connective tissue (fascia) that run throughout the body that work together in patterns and shape much of our movement. The 12 meridians connect the whole body in an integrative way and establish connection and balance within the body. Following a spinal cord injury, using the myofascial meridians is an excellent method because it relies on the neural networks throughout your connective tissue and muscles as opposed to solely relying on your spinal cord to relay that information.
In this workshop, Rach will teach you about the 12 myofascial meridians including how to identify which meridians are most relevant to you and your goals. They will also teach you how to use the myofascial meridians to connect to areas of your body that you do not have a connection (or access) to. Rach will then demonstrate several exercises on how to best use the meridians when trying to connect and strengthen key areas of your body post paralysis.
Class prep: This class will be a combination of lecture and a movement session. Part of the movement portion can be done in a seated position but most of the session is best to be done on a bed/floor space. You will need a half foam roller, or a long rolled up towel and you may want someone assisting you to change positions while on the bed/floor space.
How to Strengthen the “Sleepy” Side of your Body
Following a spinal cord injury, it is very common that one side of the body is affected more than the other side. Often, the “weaker” side (or “sleepier” side as Rach likes to call it), is not only harder to connect to, it can also have decreased awareness and sensation.
How can you help wake up your “sleepy” side?
How can you bring more awareness to this area?
How can you strengthen this area?
Rach will take you through a lecture and movement session to answer these questions! They will explain several examples of how and why one side of the body can become “sleepy” and how sometimes that weakness follows different pathways throughout the body. Rach will also explain how to bring more awareness to this side of the body and will share several exercises that specifically target that side in different positions (seated and on the floor/bed).
Class prep: This class will be a combination of lecture and a movement session. The movement portion will begin in the seated position, and then will require a transfer to a bed/floor space as Rach will be demonstrating the last several exercises on the floor on their back, stomach, and hands and knees position. You may want someone assisting you to change positions while on the bed/floor space.
No More Knots (Part 2): Back and Hip Self-Release Techniques
Rach is back to teach part 2 of the self-release workshop series! This workshop will focus on self-release techniques for your back and hips, a hot spot for people with spinal cord injuries. Rach will explain the specific areas of the back and hips that become the most restricted and compressed from sitting in a wheelchair. They will also discuss how this restriction can affect other areas of the body (like your organs, diaphragm, and neck!).
Rach will then take you through a full upper, middle, and lower back release as well as a release for the front of the hip to help decompress and lengthen the most restricted areas. They will give you a couple of hip stretches you can perform in bed or on the floor that are a great way to start or end your day.
Class prep: This class will be a combination of lecture and hands-on self-release techniques. Come prepared with a thick rolled up pair of socks (a tennis ball may also work), and a bolster or half-foam roller (pillows will work also). You can either remain seated or transfer to a bed/floor space as Rach will be demonstrating most of these release techniques on the floor on her stomach and back. You may also want someone assisting you to change positions while on the bed/floor space.
No More Knots: Self-Release Techniques
Do your muscles ever feel tight or restricted?
Do you feel like your neck or shoulders have a limited range of motion?
Do you like massages?!
Then this workshop is for you! Join Rachel to learn how you can use self-release techniques to calm your nervous system, release tension in your body, increase the range of motion of your joints, and move with more ease and freedom! This class is designed for people with spinal cord injuries so most of these techniques will be demonstrated from a seated position.
In this workshop, Rachel will explain the physiological and neurological benefits of various self-release techniques. She’ll share her favorite types of equipment and explain why less is always more when it comes to pressure! Rachel will then take you through a full head, neck, chest, shoulder, and trunk self-release session.
Class prep: This class will be a combination of lecture and hands-on self-release techniques. Come prepared with a slightly squishy ball preferably with some grip to it (this one works great). For the last 20 minutes, you can either remain seated or transfer to a bed/floor space as Rachel will be demonstrating some release techniques on the floor on her stomach, side, and back.
Get Grounded: How Your Hands and Feet Affect Movement
This workshop is about caring for, mobilizing, and strengthening the hands and feet following a spinal cord injury. Whether or not you have sensation in your hands and feet, focusing on these areas can enhance your movement, improve your proprioception and balance, and help you feel more grounded. With over 100,000 nerve receptors in each hand and 7,000 nerve receptors in each foot, your nervous system can be retrained to use your hands and feet to your advantage during exercise and daily activities.
In this workshop, Rachel will explain:
Why the hands and feet are important and how they affect full-body movement (regardless of whether you have sensation there or not)
How to improve the sensory awareness of your hands and feet (or how to desensitize if you are hypersensitive)
How to “ground” your feet for better seated or standing balance and how to “ground” your hands to improve your proprioception
How to mobilize and strengthen your hands and feet
Class prep: This class will be a combination of lecture and movement so come ready in a position where your bare hands and feet will be accessible to you or someone assisting you.
Full Upper Body and Core Resistance-Band Class: for Quadriplegics and Paraplegics (3/16 and 3/18)
Are you looking for a full upper body and core workout from your wheelchair without all the fuss or fancy equipment? Then this class is for you! A simple set of resistance bands can go a long way. Rachel will be teaching one full class for Quadriplegics and one full class for Paraplegics (3/16 and 3/18 respectively). She will teach 15-20 exercises EACH class with multiple variations, progressions, and modifications.
Rachel will explain which exercises target certain muscles including your deep core muscles, abdominals, shoulders, chest, and back. This class will be a great foundation for a home program you can do with minimal equipment from a seated position. Pick and choose which exercises are appropriate for you or try them all.
Class Prep: Most of this class will be movement-based so come ready with a set of resistance bands or check out this set here (this is a great set because it includes a door anchor and arm cuffs if handles are hard to grip). You may also need someone assisting you to switch out the bands.
Strong Neck, Strong Core
The neck is quite an important structure in our body. It holds up our head (all 10 pounds!), it connects our skull to our body, and it contains many important structures (nerves, vasculature, and our airway). Following a spinal cord injury, regardless of the level, the neck is usually significantly or somewhat affected. And yet, we often don’t pay much attention to it’s everyday positioning, strength, or mobility. You may be asking yourself...but how do I strengthen my neck? Is that even safe!? What if I have hardware in my neck?
In this FREE workshop hosted by NorCal SCI, Rachel will discuss the important structures in the neck, areas and movements to be mindful of (especially if you have cervical hardware), and how to safely strengthen your neck. She will then discuss how strengthening and stabilizing the neck can play a big role in connecting to and strengthening the core.
Class Prep: For exercises covered in the movement portion, you can either remain seated or transfer to a bed/floor space. Optional equipment includes an inflatable 7-12” ball.
Strengthening Your CORE Connection
Where the hell did my core go!?
What is core stability and why is it important?
What does it take to establish a connection to your core?
These are questions people with spinal cord injuries often ask themselves and their therapists but rarely get a straight answer. In this class, Rachel will cover all of these questions and more! She will discuss what muscles make up the core, how to access those muscles through breath and movement, and how a strong core can help with everyday activities, posture, and seated/standing balance. The first half of this workshop will be a lecture followed by a movement session.
Class Prep: For exercises covered in the movement portion, you can either remain seated or transfer to a bed/floor space. Optional equipment include a small weight, a long rolled up towel (or half of a foam roller), and an anchored theraband.
“Shoulder Shape Up“ - Maintaining Healthy Shoulders
Folks who use a wheelchair, walker, or crutches rely heavily on their shoulders to help them mobilize and to complete their daily tasks. Oftentimes, the shoulders begin to compensate while taking the brunt of this work which can lead to a lack of strength and mobility, pain, or overuse injuries.
During this session, Rachel will talk about shoulder anatomy, the importance of proper shoulder alignment, and how shoulder movement actually starts from your back and chest! She will also discuss the rotator cuff, shoulder stability versus shoulder mobility, and how to maintain healthy shoulders. Rachel will then take you through a series of exercises to help stabilize and then mobilize your shoulder.
Class Prep: The second half of this session will include exercises for your shoulders so feel free to actively participate or observe this section. For those who are participating, it may be helpful to be near a counter/tabletop for you to lean on for some of the exercises. It may also be helpful to have something easy to hold like a small hand-held ball or rolled up pair of socks.
“Getting Horizontal to Get Vertical” - (Floor/Bed-based movement)
The foundation of our movement starts horizontally. We often think of posture and strength when we are in an upright position, but our ability to sit or stand tall relies on our core muscles (our deep abdominals, back muscles, and diaphragm) to cohesively work together horizontally, before getting vertical.
Just as babies learn to first lift their heads up, then rollover, sit up, crawl, and eventually walk, people with spinal cord injuries can relearn these same movement patterns. Rachel will briefly discuss how the nervous system works to rewire a movement pattern and then she will take you through the motor development stages to prep your body for an upright position.
Class prep: Feel free to either actively participate or observe this class. The second half of class will be a dynamic movement session that can take place on your bed or from the floor. If you need assistance, have a helper nearby!
“The Vestibular System: Nervous System Training for Movement Efficiency” - Improving Movement through Sensory Input (Part 2)
Getting movement into your day-to-day routine is a powerful tool to keep you healthy and increase your strength, mobility, and independence. When you are able to combine movement with training your nervous system, your body can integrate the results in a more embodied way. One way to train your nervous system is to give your vestibular system a “workout”. Your vestibular system is a sensory system in your inner ear that tells your brain where and how your body is oriented in space. It helps with balance and head stabilization during movement.
During this session, you will explore how working on your vestibular system through head, neck, and eye movements can improve your proprioception (positional body awareness), range of motion, and even help with pain. We will take you through a handful of vestibular exercises alongside simple movements as we progress through the session. Join us in training your nervous system to create more awareness of your body and build more efficient movement patterns.
How Are Your Eyes Related to Your Movement? Improving Movement through Sensory Input (Part I)
When it comes to movement, the brain has three main jobs. It receives sensory input, decides what to do, and then creates a motor output, or movement. The visual system is one of the most important and most overlooked sensory inputs when it comes to movement. During this session, you will explore how waking up your visual system and giving your eyes a “workout” can improve your movement, range of motion, and even help with pain. We will take you through a handful of visual exercises alongside simple movements as we progress through the session so that you know which exercises are the most beneficial for you. Join us in awakening your senses, and opening your eyes!
Daily Dose of Stretching
During "Daily Dose of Stretching", we will discuss posture, spasticity, and how to perform a daily stretching routine for all injury levels. The session will cover how to find your proper alignment and positioning for the most optimal stretch. We will also discuss how to best protect your joints when working with spasticity and tone. I will then take you through various stretching positions whether you are able to stretch yourself, or if you have a caretaker to assist you. Some of these stretches will be demonstrated on the floor so if you will be participating, make sure you have enough space to lie down!
“Revitalizing Reset“ - Mindful Movement, Meditation, and Self-Release Techniques
In the first workshop of the series (presented by Norcal SCI), we will discuss how meditation and mindfulness play important roles in body awareness, addressing compensatory patterns, and everyday movement. This will include tools and tips on how to increase your body awareness and how to perform simple kinds of meditation to calm and reset your nervous system and your breath. We will also talk about the importance of self-release (a form of self massage) and how to perform simple and easy self-release techniques on yourself, especially those involving your head, neck and shoulders.