Meet Yuka

Yuka Iwamoto

Curiosity. Presence. Simplicity.
My approach. My Story. My invitation.

chronic conditions
… orthopedic-related pain
… traumatic pain
… neuropathy
… migraine
… fibromyalgia
… trigeminal neuralgia
… arthritis
… long Covid

neurological disorders
… Parkinson’s disease
… MS
… traumatic neurological injury
… stroke
… cerebral palsy
… neurodivergence

Deepening the relationship between how we move, how we think and how we feel has always been at the heart of my work. Every Feldenkrais session is informed by nearly 20 years of experience in professional movement-based practice: orthopedic rehabilitation, neurological retraining, athletic training and in-depth study of the Feldenkrais Method® …

… along with what I call my “endless journey of curiosity” — experiencing and overcoming chronic pain, the stress of perfectionism and creative blocks as a vocal performer. 

Feldenkrais® provided a path to my own well-being.

Chronic facial pain was part of my life for years.

Because my pain was intermittent, I wasn’t aware that I was living with pain. And I didn’t know whether I would need to address my pain, although I was aware of the stress of working in a demanding environment for several years. Like many, I associated personal strength and professional success with pushing through career-based difficulties. Choosing ease and comfort felt like some kind of guilty pleasure. Or, worse, a weakness.

But over time, I started to realize . . .

I needed to learn how to take care of myself if I wanted to continue to take care of others.

My self-care plan began to take shape in 2013, when I went to see Gordon Browne, a physical therapist who specializes in orthopedic movement with Feldenkrais. Through Gordon’s sessions I became aware of a habitual pattern that coincided with my worst days of facial pain. 

The change was profound. 

After 6 months of exploration with him, my pain disappeared.

And so my endless journey of curiosity began: I wanted to know exactly how private Feldenkrais sessions helped me, and others. 

I connected with Jeff Haller, an educational director of the Feldenkrais Method® who studied personally with Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, the founder of this method.

Throughout Jeff’s sessions, I began to explore the power of Less Is More to learn more refined ways to move, live and perform better myself.

“Less” because movements are intentionally slow and small, guided calmly, skillfully and patiently. “More” because the sessions bring mind and body together in a whole-person experience: deep, mindful attention improves and refines the quality of movement as well as what I was sensing, feeling and thinking.

This journey of curiosity led me to become a Feldenkrais practitioner.

A few years after I saw Jeff, I enrolled in his professional training program to become a Feldenkrais practitioner.

I offer in-person Feldenkrais sessions at my Bellevue office and in my Snohomish County home studio. Online Feldenkrais sessions are available for anyone, whether a few blocks or an ocean away. 

And Feldenkrais continues to support me, helping me move, think, sense and feel more consciously and more fully. 

My endless journey of curiosity refines and transforms my everyday life. I experience an expanding awareness when I am putting in too much effort emotionally, physically and mentally, whether I’m swimming or rock climbing, preparing a meal for entertaining guests, or working through challenging decisions or difficult emotions.

I invite you to begin your own endless journey of curiosity with me. 

I’m here for you.

If you have any questions about private Feldenkrais sessions or want to find out if they’re right for you, visit my FAQ page or contact me for a personalized 15-minute consultation. I’m happy to talk with you.

Professional Credentials
20 years in movement-based study and practice

▸ Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner
▸ Vibrational Sound Therapy Certified Practitioner
▸ Former Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant in Washington state
▸ MS in Exercise Physiology
▸ Former Certified Athletic Trainer

Addressing patterns of fear and building confidence
“Yuka’s guidance helped me build internal confidence and address fear patterns that tend to ‘block’ my brain from my body. All of these tools have contributed to help me to ground back into myself when I feel disconnected.”

— Mylan Vu, Physical Therapist
Kenmore, Washington