Martha Eddy, CMA, Ed.D., is the director of the Center for Kinesthetic Education and a long-time East Harlem resident. Dr. Eddy has been involved in numerous programs throughout Harlem involving kinesthetic education. Here she tells us what kinesthetic education is and why it caught her interest.

Q: What is kinesthetic education?

A: The word "kinesthetic" refers to how a person relates to everything around them through the use of the body. Everyone uses their senses to see, taste, touch, smell and hear; but it's rare that a person has learned about this other sense-being aware of our own movement. Schools don't teach this information; therefore, few people truly understand their ability to have more control over what is going on inside and around them. "Kine-" means movement and "aesthetic" means awareness, so together "kinesthetic" refers to awareness of the movement we make to cope with the world around us. It's a type of self-awareness. Kinesthetic education focuses on bringing attention to our bodies so we can make healthier choices. It is based on the idea that if people pay more attention to their bodies and the sensations they feel, they can hopefully detect imbalances and avoid injuries and illnesses by making healthier lifestyle choices earlier.

Q: How did you become interested in kinesthetic education?

A: Growing up I was a dancer and a science student (Stuyvesant High School). When I went to college I studied social sciences and continued to study dance and dance education. Being exposed to kinesthetic education, while I was a dancer in college, made me become more aware of my body. At that time, I was introduced to a field called somatic education. "Soma-" means "the living body," so through this field I learned that it is very important to pay close attention to my body in order to stay healthy. I studied with two women who inspired me to go to school for my doctorate in movement science: One was a physical therapist; and the other was an occupational therapist. They were also dancers who began somatic education systems. Movement science and knowledge from a physical therapist and an occupational therapist helped me to understand the body's movements and gave me the research techniques that strengthened my career with kinesthetic education. I continue to design programs to help people improve their ability to become more aware of their bodies as they deal with the challenges of different diseases such as muscle and bone injury, arthritis, asthma, poor self-image, and unhealthy weight loss.

For more information on kinesthetic education and programs the Dr. Eddy offers you can visit www.wellnessCKE.net or www.MovingOnAerobics.org. You can also contact Dr. Eddy at MarthaEddy@wellnessCKE.net

Harlem Word is a series of interviews with community health experts written by HHPC and approved by our Health Advisory Board.