Stories of change: Adults in individual lessons

I am deeply grateful to Lidia (Popi) Seroussi and her Anat Baniel practice for restoring my ability to walk without pain at a time that I thought major surgery was my only option. Working with Popi, I was able regain my leg mobility through gentle exercises, and without surgery or pain.

I was diagnosed with arthritis at the age of 27, and my treatment at that time provided some relief but didn’t cure my condition. Many years later, when I was in my 60s, my condition deteriorated, and I couldn’t walk. The Stanford medical specialist I was referred to told me my only option was major surgery to fuse my bones.

Fortunately, I met Popi who uses the Anat Baniel Method Method to treat various types of conditions. When I started working with her, I couldn’t put any weight on my leg. Popi designed lessons suited to my needs. She guided me on how I needed to walk and move, and created exercises of gentle movements and visualizations which engaged both body and brain. Her approach was gentle and absolutely painless, and within a few months of private and group lessons, I could already feel a significant improvement. Working with Popi I regained full mobility of my legs and feet in particular without requiring surgery and having to tolerate any pain.

I recommend Popi and her practice for anyone with a serious arthritis condition or other injuries. Popi I am so thankful to you and all you have done for me.

Zuzanna P.

Pharmacist

When I was in my mid fifties, during a bicycle riding accident I suffered severe brain injury . I was in a coma for five weeks in the hospital. I stayed a couple of months going through rehab in a second location closer to home slowly improving in my general condition. When I was finally released home, I was in a wheelchair and in need of full time support and assistance.

Through a family friendship my family became aware of the benefits the ABM method can have for people that suffered brain injury. Lidia-Popi started to work intensively with me inmediately after getting home helping me make significant improvement from the beginning. I felt I was being reborn, had to relearn things since my memory was failing me, relearn walking, talking..... I was married, I had three adult kids and had a difficult time remembering their names at times.

Initially, Popi was able to assist me in standing up off the wheelchair and taking my first steps. After a period of time, integrating my brain's body control, I was able to regain movement in my legs and control the movement of my arms. I slowly began to improve my coordination and would start doing what I wanted to do with more freedom.

Not only did I experience changes and new learning, however my family benefited from my new independence as well. The progressing reduction for individual support greatly improved the quality of life for all. I greatly hope to continue Popi's lessons until my pre-injury capabilities are, if feasible, fully reinstated.

Jeff Sohn

From a family member of Jeff Sohn's:

Lidia, aka Popi, Seroussi is a top notch ABM practitioner. Popi has a solid skillset which she consistently uses in sessions with her patients. She is creative, resourceful, insightful, intuitive, open-minded and her ego never factors into her decision making. Popi also has an insatiable thirst for knowledge, is always honing her skills and is very well prepared.

Over a period of more than two years, Popi treated my brother-in-law, who suffered a severe traumatic brain injury. Popi succeeded in getting him to orient his own body so that he could sit up straight in a chair and later walk and even go through a doorway without clinging to the door frame or walking lop-sided, a side effect of his brain injury that made him constantly feel as if he was going to fall over.

Popi constantly evaluates the effectiveness of her approach and specific exercises and makes adjustments as necessary. She has a gentle, yet firm and direct style in dealing with her patients.

It is very clear that Popi had a significant impact on the recovery process and I'm happy to report that the patient has regained virtually all of his physical capabilities, to the extent that he is now able to hike, garden, paint and create ceramic pieces.

I am enormously grateful to Popi for her expertise, empathy and patience, all of which contributed to my brother-in-law's advanced level of functioning.

JB