FAQs

What is the SENSE Method?

The SENSE Method^SM is an easy-to-learn, natural approach that empowers people to create healing relationships with their animals.

The SENSE Method uses gentle touch, movement and a heart-centered connection to help animals release tension, move more freely, recover from injury and minimize age-related changes. It can cultivate a deeper bond, create a calm state and reduce stress for both animal and human. It was developed by Mary Debono, who incorporated many of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais’ teachings into her work.

What are some of the benefits of the SENSE Method?

• Easier, more comfortable movement, even when arthritis is present
• Stiffness and aches and pains can be reduced or eliminated
• Can facilitate a full recovery after injury or surgery
• Minimizes problems associated with aging
• Promotes long-term soundness and vitality
• Anxiety is replaced with confidence
• Supports end of life transitions
• Deepens the animal-human bond
• Can relieve sore backs and tight muscles
• Improved stride length and enhanced performance
• Improves communication between horse and human
• Provides a wonderful way to give back to your horse
• Makes tacking up a pleasant experience even for “cinchy” horses
• Improved body awareness can make training easy and fun!

SENSE Method benefits horses of all ages and levels of fitness, from improving the performance of an Olympic-level equine athlete to helping an arthritic gelding move more freely. The SENSE Method maximizes the potential of all animals, enhancing the healing process and reducing the risk of injury and degenerative disease. Well-being and comfort are increased.

How does the SENSE Method work?

The SENSE Method uses techniques that include lifting, holding, sliding, rocking and circling different parts of an animal. These movements help release tension while they wake up areas that have been “turned off” due to previous injury or imbalance. With this hands-on help, the animal experiences movement that is balanced and unrestricted. Since the new movement is also pleasurable, the animal’s nervous system will be more likely to integrate it, thus creating improvement in the animal’s comfort, functioning and well-being. The gentleness of SENSE makes it appropriate for virtually all ages and physical conditions.

The non-habitual SENSE movements also increase the human’s ability to be in the moment and “tune into” the animal. Communication between human and animal is taken to a new level and a deeper bond is forged. Some experience telepathic feelings or dreams about their animals after doing SENSE work.

Since being attentive to your own comfort and movement habits will increase your ability to help your animal, we incorporate Awareness Through Movement^® lessons from the Feldenkrais Method^®, a system of somatic education that improves human functioning. The Feldenkrais Method can improve people’s ease of movement, posture, flexibility and balance, while reducing their aches and pains. SENSE is indeed a win-win for animal and human!

What makes the SENSE Method unique?

The SENSE Method is designed to simultaneously improve the functioning and well-being of both the human and the equine. SENSE helps you to tap into the healing power of connection to generate well-being and vitality in both yourself and your horse.

Difficulty and deterioration are not inevitable for yourself or for your animals. Empower yourself by learning how you can easily improve your health and harmony and that of your horses!

What kinds of workshops, products, and services do you offer?

• Horse and Rider Workshops
• Canine Workshops
• Feldenkrais Method^® Workshops
• Products to improve posture and relieve back pain
• Private Feldenkrais^® sessions for humans in my office in Encinitas, California
• Group clinics may be arranged for horses, dogs, and their people in other locations

For horse lovers, Mary Debono leads horse and rider workshops. Participants learn how to effectively use SENSE Method concepts to improve the well-being and performance of horses, while they improve their own body awareness (and thus their riding) through the use of Feldenkrais^® Awareness Through Movement^® exercises.

Mary teaches Feldenkrais Method Workshops to help people improve their ease of movement, balance, posture and coordination.

For dog lovers, Mary leads canine workshops. Participants learn how to improve the well-being, comfort, and movement of their animal friends. Participants also use Awareness Through Movement exercises to improve their own body awareness and comfort.

SENSE products include our unique Rollercise^™ Package that instantly eliminates back and shoulder tension while improving posture.

Based out of her office in Encinitas, California (USA), Mary maintains a busy private practice for people. She has been very successful at helping equestrians improve their riding skills effortlessly. Mary is occasionally available to work one-on-one with horses or dogs in her geographic area. Group clinics may be arranged for those outside the North County San Diego, California area. Please email her at mary@sensemethod.com or call 858.842.4006 for appointment information.

How can I organize a workshop in my area?

Organizing a workshop is easy! To host a canine workshop, please call 858.842.4006 or email mary@sensemethod.com. To learn how to host an equine workshop, please click here!

What is the Feldenkrais Method^® and how does it eliminate pain and movement restrictions? Can it improve my athletic skills, too?

The Feldenkrais Method, named after its creator, Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, is a profound approach to improving human movement and maximizing potential.

The Feldenkrais Method uses sensory motor learning to ease aches and pains and enhance skills. It is an innovative approach to achieving dynamic health and well-being and reducing stress. Feldenkrais^® practitioners teach people how to discover efficient and comfortable movement patterns, freeing them from restrictions and pain.

Individuals who participate in Awareness Through Movement lessons or private sessions can expect improved performance and enjoyment of pursuits such as riding, golf, running, handling their canine companions, swimming, yoga, martial arts, tennis, walking, and weight-training.

In addition, the Feldenkrais Method has proven to be effective for people with carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive stress injuries, chronic and acute back pain, neck and shoulder tension, headaches, neuralgia, foot, knee and hip pain.

As a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner^CM, Mary’s development of SENSE Method was strongly inspired by the teaching of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais.

For further information, go to our Humans page. To find a Feldenkrais practitioner in your area, go to www.Feldenkrais.com.

What does the acronym SENSE stand for?

Strength with
Elegance through
Natural
Somatic
Education

SENSE is an acronym for Strength with Elegance through Natural Somatic Education. Strength with elegance is the ability to play or perform athletically in a graceful, relaxed way, rather than having to counteract habitual movement restrictions or tensions. The term “somatic education” is derived from the Greek word soma, meaning body. Somatic education is learning that occurs through the refinement of one’s movement and senses. The SENSE Method improves the awareness and use of the animal’s body, resulting in enhanced movement as well as a greater ability to learn.

Additionally, the SENSE Method enhances one’s ability to sense, so it’s an apt name.

What is Mary’s training?

A life-long animal lover and horse woman, Mary graduated from the four-year professional Feldenkrais^® training program in 1996, and the development of the SENSE Method was greatly informed Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais’ pioneering work for people. Prior to this, Mary’s studies have included canine and equine bio-mechanics, massage, acupressure and other energetic techniques. Mary’s husband, Gary Waskowsky, also a Certified Feldenkrais^® practitioner, is a gifted healer of mind and body and she has learned a tremendous amount from him. For the past 20 years Mary has worked full-time with equine, canine, feline and human clients, ranging in condition from severely disabled to high-performing athletes. Witnessing her clients’ improvements – many quite dramatic – has helped shape Mary’s understanding of what is possible.

How can I become a SENSE Method Practitioner for horses?

To qualify for consideration as a SENSE Method Practitioner for horses you must:

• Participate in at least five SENSE Method Equine Workshops* for a minimum of 20 training days
• Exhibit safe and compassionate horsemanship
• Demonstrate an understanding of the SENSE Method concepts
• Do the assigned Feldenkrais® Awareness Through Movement® lessons at home
• Have at least four Feldenkrais® Functional Integration® (hands-on) sessions with Mary or with another Certified Feldenkrais® Practitioner(s)
• Compile a case history file using the SENSE Method to help ten horses, with at least four SENSE sessions per horse
• Successfully complete a multiple-choice test provided by Mary
• Be able to lead people through three short movement lessons that Mary will teach you

Practitioners are entitled to:

• Practice the SENSE Method with individual horses**
• Give brief presentations on the SENSE Method free of charge to individuals and small groups

Once you are certified, you are required to participate in or assist at a SENSE Method workshop every 18 months to maintain your certification.  But if you wish to attend SENSE Method workshops without the desire to become a practitioner, that is fine too!  In that case, no at-home work would be required.

Please contact Mary if you are interested in embarking on the journey to become a SENSE Method practitioner for horses.

* No two workshops are ever the same. New material can be learned at each class, exposing you to the wide variety of SENSE Method techniques. You’ll have the opportunity to refine your hands-on work and practice creating effective SENSE Method sessions to address the particular needs of the horses at each workshop.

**Please note that becoming certified as a SENSE Method Practitioner does not guarantee you the legal right to practice.  Some countries, states or regions have laws that prohibit non-veterinarians from doing any hands-on work with other people’s animals.   It is the  practitioner’s personal responsibility to determine the legality of practicing the SENSE Method as a profession.