The Work
Based on neuroscience and physiological research, this work is based on the teachings of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais and further refined and developed by Mia Segal and Leora Gaster of Mind Body Studies MBS Academy.
The Mind Body Studies MBS work is centered around simple movement - thought exercises designed to help people create new mind-body connections and patterns that improve physical, cognitive and emotional wellness.
In addition to the physical benefits, the approach enhances your thinking, emotional regulation and level of resilience.
By expanding your self-awareness and perception, you will become more aware of your behavioural habits and develop more refined ways of moving and being.
While being able to move with freedom is wonderful, this work goes further than physical movement. One is able to apply the principles of this work in life. It is an ever-giving, ever-teaching fountain.
Mia Segal
Mia Segal was a pioneering figure in the development of the Feldenkrais Method, one of the most profound somatic practices in the world today. Mia’s work and deep partnership with Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais helped shape the Method in its early years.
As a gifted practitioner and a keen observer of human movement, Mia often acted as Moshe’s closest collaborator, providing insights and feedback that shaped the direction of the work.
Notably, she worked directly with Moshe for 16 years before the Method was taught in the United States, providing invaluable contributions to the evolution of the practice.
She had an intuitive understanding of the work, often delving deeper into the subtleties of movement and the mind-body connection, bringing a special sensitivity to her teaching.
Her legacy is carried on by her daughter, Leora Gaster, and her dedicated students, who continue to teach in a way that stays true to Mia’s vision—pure and uncompromising.
How well do you know yourself?
When we understand how we are constructed, we can use it more efficiently and intelligently. We need to think of how we distribute the work throughout the system, so the structure, the function and the goal all match together.
- Do you know how many joints do you have in each finger?
- How many ball and socket joints do you have in your body?
- Did you know that each foot has 26 bones and each hand has 27 bones?
Here is a video by Leora Gaster of MBS Academy, sharing the overview of the skeletal structure.
The Work Affects 8 Behavioral Components Simultaneously
Movement
Cognitive
Technique
Sensing
Enhancing and improving the movement of self and others
Experiential learning of our bodies is abilities and connections
Developing simultaneous attention on multiple levels
Understanding principles and patterns of thought and movement
Beliefs
Values
Self Image
Identity
Experientially re-examining existing beliefs about self and motivation
Revisiting culturally instilled goals and achievements
Checking subjective experiences in our environment
Connecting with innermost identity and center of self
“When you know what you do,
then you can do what you want.”
- Moshe Feldenkrais
About Us
Overview of MBS Academy’s History and Feldenkrais Qualifications
Leora Gaster and Mia Segal created their Mind Body Studies (MBS) Academy in 1987 to pursue their promise to Moshe Feldenkrais to carry forward the full scope of their work with him to the public and to new generations of trainers and practitioners. Mia Segal and Leora Gaster had the most direct, extensive, and intensive trainings and experiences with Moshe, exploring all aspects and influences of their work and life together over 25 years. Mia Segal and Leora Gaster have the distinction of being fully qualified as Professional Trainers and Practitioners by Moshe Feldenkrais himself. Mia and Leora also studied connections to Judo with Moshe and then earned their black belts at the Kodokan in Tokyo. Altogether, the MBS Team strives to achieve the goal Moshe didn’t have time to reach himself: how to refine the work so that people are better able to take what they learn in a lesson out into their lives.
Background
In 1957, Moshe Feldenkrais selected Mia to be his only associate. In 1958, Moshe personally authorized Mia to practice with clients on her own. They worked side by side in the same studio on the same clients and Moshe handed over to Mia some of his most prized clients, such as the then Prime Minister of Israel, David Ben Gurion. Moshe authorized Mia as a Feldenkrais Trainer in the 1960s, to conduct trainings with him and on her own. Mia became more than Moshe’s first authorized Practitioner and Trainer — he chose Mia to introduce the method around the world. Thus, they launched trainings in Switzerland in early 1972, then in the Netherlands and finally in the USA in 1975. Moshe Feldenkrais asked Mia to continue the international trainings on her own.
Leora Gaster was essentially the youngest student and beneficiary of Moshe Feldenkrais’s work. Leora, Mia’s daughter, grew up experimenting together with Moshe and Mia’s as they made discoveries and developed the work as part of family life in the Segal home, as well as in Moshe’s small studio and in the large Alexander Yanai classes. Leora was Moshe’s model in demonstrating the effectiveness of his method, connecting movement to awareness and to internal resilience as part of life. Interested in understanding the science behind this, Leora studied the interconnections between the brain and behavior at Stanford Unversity, earning her B.S. in Human Biology. With the invention of fMRI’s, she pursued advanced studies at Stanford in neuroscience, focusing on brain plasticity and its interconnection with movement and thought. Leora continued to develop her Feldenkrais teaching and qualified as an NLP trainer, enhancing the Feldenkrais work. She joined Mia in teaching internationally as a Qualified Feldenkrais Trainer in 1980.
Meet The Team
The Trainers of this program were all directly trained by Mia Segal and are highly experienced Feldenkrais practitioners who have supported many students to become outstanding practitioners.
Lead Trainer
Margit Hrasdil
Born and raised in Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy, Margit Hrasdil has long been driven by a profound passion for movement. An accomplished athlete in her youth, she excelled in disciplines such as hiking, skiing, and track and field. Her deep commitment to the physical arts led her to a career in sports, where she has devoted over 20 years to teaching physical education, coaching, and contributing to the Italian Ski Federation.
In 1994, Margit’s journey took a transformative turn when she encountered the Feldenkrais Method through Moshe Feldenkrais' Awareness Through Movement. She embarked on a four-year teacher training in Lewes, UK, under the esteemed guidance of Chava Shelhav. Margit further refined her expertise through specialized training with renowned teachers, including Gabi Yaron, Ruthy Alon, and Miriam Pfeffer. In 2014, she achieved certification as a trainer under Mia Segal, Moshe Feldenkrais’ long-time associate and confidante.
Today, Margit is a Senior Trainer with the MBS Academy and the founder of a prominent Feldenkrais center in Bolzano. She offers both in-person and online classes, as well as personalized Functional Integration sessions. Having taught in three MBS training courses, Margit remains dedicated to advancing the Feldenkrais Method, sharing its profound impact with her students.
Trainer
Chris van der Hoff
Chris van der Hoff is an internationally certified MBS Feldenkrais Practitioner and Trainer, with a distinguished career in body-oriented therapies. He is the founder of the Feldenkrais Centrum in Beverwijk, Netherlands, and also practices in two shared locations in Vienna. With over three decades of experience, Chris helps clients worldwide improve posture, body awareness, and overall well-being.
Chris’s journey began with his training as a Cesar therapist (1984–1987) and specialization in Haptonomy (1999–2001), before discovering the MBS Feldenkrais Method in 2003. Under the mentorship of Mia Segal, Moshe Feldenkrais’ long-time assistant, he deepened his expertise in movement and personal development.
As a trainer and mentor, Chris educates future Feldenkrais professionals through advanced training in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, California, and South Korea. His approach emphasizes the interconnectedness of movement, perception, thinking, and feeling, with a focus on both prevention and rehabilitation.
Trainer
Max Klammerth
Max Klammerth is a certified MBS Feldenkrais Practitioner and Trainer with extensive experience in the Feldenkrais Method. His journey began at the age of 19, when chronic back pain, stemming from years of playing ice hockey. Max's introduction to the work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais came through his Uncle, Erhard Klammerth, a pioneering student of Mia Segal and the first to bring Feldenkrais teachings to Austria. Max studied under his uncle’s mentorship for many years.
Max furthered his training by studying directly with Mia Segal and Leora Gaster at the MBS Academy. Mia's teachings, both within and beyond the classroom, have deeply influenced Max, shaping his approach to teaching and his perspective of life. He graduated from the MBS Academy in 2017 and has assisted in many MBS Foundation Trainings.
Now based in Austria, Max offers both group and individual sessions, bringing a grounded, approachable style that fosters trust, engagement, and openness to learning. He remains committed to deepening his understanding of the Feldenkrais Method, continuing his studies with his Uncle.
Max is passionate about empowering his students to reach their full potential, enhancing their lives through mindful movement, curiosity, and personal growth.
Guest Trainer
Jochen Jadkowski
Jochen is a qualified social worker with extensive experience specializing in the support of children with disabilities and behavioral challenges. His journey into the work began with a three-year Feldenkrais training program under the esteemed Mia Segal in Switzerland, took place from 1989 to 1992.
Since then, he has dedicated his career to the Feldenkrais Method, offering both group classes and individual sessions (Functional Integration) to students from Germany and Internationally. He has served as an assistant in Mia Segal's Feldenkrais Training in the Netherlands, contributing his expertise to the education of future practitioners, and trained to be a trainer Mia Segal and Leora Gaster from 2009 to 2012, Additionally, he is trained in body-oriented psychotherapy, allowing him to integrate a holistic approach to his practice.
Having faced his own physical disability —being born without his left forearm and hand— The Feldenkrais work has profoundly influenced his life, allowing him to live a pain-free life without any additional restrictions, enjoying flexibility and being well-coordinated. His unique perspective enables him to guide others towards achieving similar outcomes.
He takes great joy in passing this knowledge on to others.
