Sessions.

Most people come to me because they have something in their lives that they want to change. It may involve the desire to stop an unwanted behaviour pattern, reach a particular goal, increase energy, reduce stress or simply learn to relax; or to manage pain due to physical trauma or chronic conditions. Whatever your focus may be, the basic aim of this work is to bring your attention from your mind to your body, which, given the chance, will handle what life throws at it with intelligence and efficiency. My job is to teach you to get out of your own way. This happens in a series of one-on-one, 60-minute sessions involving touch, breath work, movement and description, in which you are an active participant rather than passively receiving a treatment. Together we will work to create the best conditions for you to be free, aware and powerful.

Body-Mind Learning.

Managing pain.

Events Workshops Breathing Grinberg Elaine Konopka

Events and Workshops.

Write & Breathe.

A regular meetup featuring two powerful practices: writing for wellbeing and conscious breathing.

Writing about important emotional subjects has been shown to improve mental and physical wellbeing, affecting everything from stress levels to immune function. In our meetings, you’ll use writing as a tool to dig deep, examine your life, recall the important stories of your existence, identify patterns, and imagine alternatives. Come if you’d like to:

– put your thoughts on the page without censoring yourself

– learn from your experience

– name your struggles, face your fears, and rediscover your strengths

– make decisions and plan action

– take responsibility for yourself

– find meaning in your life

– see the wonder in life and celebrate your existence

– have fun writing with other people

Conscious breathing has been shown to affect heart rate, blood pressure, muscular tension, stamina, the production of “stress hormones” such as cortisol and adrenaline, and the ability to manage pain, concentrate, and relax. It’s the perfect complement to the act of writing, keeping it full and physical.

No Events

Breath Lab.

A workshop dedicated to the exploration of many different ways of breathing. Its simple but potent exercises will make conscious breathing a pleasurable, interesting, and more natural part of your daily life. You’ll learn practical tools you can use in everyday situations (a sleepless night, a stubborn headache, a stressful situation, a low-energy day), as well as techniques to practice and experiment with in a deeper way.

No Events

The sessions were most helpful in preparing me for surgery. We also did an in-hospital session immediately following the surgery, which was fantastic.
Christine, Paris
I learned, among other things, that going through fear and pain is necessary and is inevitably part of life.
Mano, Paris
There were many discoveries: confidence in myself, my body, my friends, my ideas…feeling that I’m strong enough to accomplish my desires.
Carolin, Paris/New York/Berlin
She went right into the core of the pain.... One session with Elaine was enough to experience great relief in my hip and lower back.
Francis, Los Angeles
I breathe more fully, gained a lot of self-confidence and have much more energy than before.
Maël, Paris
In each session I learned something new about myself.
Margaux, Montreuil
Within a few sessions, the pain was entirely relieved (and never came back)... Very, very highly recommended!!
Nadine, Los Angeles

About Me.

Like the proverbial cat, I have had several lives. My first love was dance – classical, then contemporary – and I spent many years as a dancer, movement teacher and choreographer. I also studied and taught literature and worked as a journalist. For over a decade I dedicated myself to the practice of Zen Buddhism. There was much joy in these experiences, but something was missing. I realized I could be fully immersed in a physical discipline and still not be well in my body; that a life lived wholly in the mind is a life half-lived in reality; and that silence and stillness are sometimes necessary, but stifling as a steady diet.

I decided to become a Grinberg Method practitioner because I am a pragmatist at heart; life is short, and when it comes to learning to live well, this method works. Since my first session as a client in 2007, I have muzzled my migraines, unknotted my ulcers and enormously increased my level of energy. I was also able to recognize and stop certain behaviors that were damaging to me and those around me. Most importantly, I learned – and continue to learn – to handle what life throws at me with more honesty, grace and guts.

Being able to teach this to other people, and to see concrete results in their lives, is a very satisfying way to live. I have been happily working with clients for five years now, and continue to learn and improve my skills through the post-graduate courses offered by the Method. In 2011, I opened a new center on the rue Oberkampf in Paris, where I give sessions in learning processes as well as recovery processes for people dealing with surgery, accidents and other physical trauma.

A long-time urbanite, I’ve loved the cities where I’ve lived and worked: New York, Boston, Santa Fe, Montreal, Paris. Teaching clients to better deal with the challenges that come with city life is one of the things I particularly enjoy about my work. Another is working with dancers, writers, actors and other artists on issues such as self-expression, confidence and clarity. But in the end, each client’s fight to survive and flourish is interesting to me, and anyone who truly wants to get back a piece of himself is welcome on my table.

~~ Elaine Konopka

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Incentive for the attentive

The Attentive Body blog by Elaine Konopka

When the Year is New No More

Posted in - Life
on January 23rd, 2020 6 Comments

There was a stretch of time when I spent every New Year at a Zen Buddhist temple in central France. The annual winter retreat was cradled in what the Germans call “the days between the …

Best Wishes

Posted in - Life
on December 14th, 2019 8 Comments

I have a school memory that has banged up against my subconcious so consistently that it has busted its way into my dreams. I’m in my school uniform, sitting at my desk with the groove …

Back Home

Posted in - Life
on November 10th, 2019 10 Comments

At the western edge of the New Jersey town where I grew up, a lovely park spread from the boulevard down to the bay, with generous hills for rolling in autumn leaves or winter snow, …

Claire Buisson

Posted in - Body Talks
on October 12th, 2019 4 Comments

Researcher, choreographer, and teacher, Claire Buisson is the Director of Artistic and Cultural Education at the National Center for Dance (CND) in Pantin, France. Since 2017, she has been coordinating IMAGINE, a program for women …

The Rounding

Posted in - Life
on September 3rd, 2019 22 Comments

I was once engaged to a man who loved animals. His devotion to his cats and dogs was utter and complete.

I loved animals as well, but lacked the immersive, day-in-day-out experience of taking care of …

Luck

Posted in - Life
on June 30th, 2019 8 Comments

My parents were hard workers. Day after day they rose early, turned on the radio and made coffee in the silver percolator (my father), set out my breakfast and my bagged lunch (my mother), and …