Tellington Touch - a new
way to teach awareness

A member of the Tellington Touch team with a happy client.

THE Tellington Touch Every Animal Method (TTouch) is a holistic teaching method for animals that incorporates body work and ground exercises to help improve co-ordination, balance, and athletic ability whilst deepening further communication and understanding between the animal and its owner/carer.

Developed by Canadian born Linda Tellington-Jones, TTEAM is used widely in many countries across the world by Olympic dressage riders, pleasure riders, animal trainers, zoos, veterinarians, therapists and pet owners.

With its roots in the Feldenkrais method of Awareness Through Movement, TTEAM techniques gently guide the animal through non-habitual exercises that can alter existing habitual patterns. As posture affects behaviour, many owners and carers note that unwanted behaviour diminishes as the animal's posture improves.

TTEAM teaches the animal to act, rather than simply react.

TTEAM blends well with many other modalities and training methods. It is not necessary to adopt the whole TTEAM philosophy in order to make a difference to an animal. Learning just a few of the simple body TTouches and movements can help make a difference to an animal's life.

A veterinarian defines TTEAM
Tom Beckett DVM has been practising veterinary medicine for over 20 years at his Camino Viego Equine Clinic in Austin, Texas. His assistant, Marnie Reeder, is a TTEAM practitioner. Both are actively involved with the Humane Society of Austin-Travis County in Texas and treat animals for the Humane Society in a veterinary capacity. The following is an excerpt taken from the Tellington Touch for cats, dogs and humans workbook for practitioners.

* TTEAM reduces the physical and mental stress created by human contact, handling, environment and other sub-optimum environmental conditions. It reduces chronic pain and poor functioning, which also cause stress.

* When pain or impaired nerve or muscle function disables a part of the body, TTEAM induces the animal to activate any available alternate neuromuscular pathways to restore function. The awareness it brings often relieves associated pain.

* Injuries often leave a holding pattern of pain and impaired function in the injured area. This pattern persists below awareness, long after healing is complete, blocks aware use of that body part and thereby creates stress on distant areas, which must overwork to compensate. Such chronic distress affects general health, mood and behaviour. TTEAM uses TTOUCH to bring these patterns to awareness and exercises, which guide the organisation of more healthful, balanced movement.

* With continued exposure to TTEAM, animals develop more ability to operate in a calm, focused mode. Responses to new situations become less automatic and more considered. The animal learns to learn. This along with more body awareness and awareness of environment yields more adaptability, more appropriate action.

Learn more about the TTouch. Send a s.a.e or email to this office to find out about:
* Contacting your local practitioner to arrange a one-to-one session with you and your animal.
* Attending a one, two or three-day workshop.
* Joining the practitioner training programme.
* Purchasing TTouch books and videos.

Log on to the TTouch website at: www.lindatellingtonjones.com (UK Website under construction), Tilley Farm, Timsbury Road, Farmborough, Bath, Somerset BA2 7AB. E-mail sarahfisher@ttouch.co.uk

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