Sophie Dingemans

Over the last ten years I have developed an international full-time practice. I work with adults and children with a range of needs, and specialise in working with children, babies and teenagers with special needs. I work throughout Europe and the Nordic countries, and on return trips to New Zealand where I was born and raised.

I am based in Vienna, Austria, where I also work in private practice at Elixier: a multi-disciplinary medical and health centre in the beautiful historic centre of the city.

Prior to moving to Vienna in 2019 I was based in Paris, France from 2011 to 2018.

I can work in English and French, and am on my way to speaking German!

How I Learnt to do This

By doing! I have extensive experience working with children and adults. I have helped many people – adults, children and their families – to learn to overcome a range of difficulties and challenges.  I have worked in many different countries and in many different cultures. 

In addition to my full time practice I participate regularly in ongoing professional development training.

I completed my four-year professional Feldenkrais Method training in Wellington, New Zealand from 2006 to 2010. 

For my work with children, I have undertaken wide-ranging postgraduate training, and individual coaching and supervision, including; Advanced Training for Feldenkrais Practitioners with Theory and Techniques from Anat Baniel Method (sm) for Children (2013-14) taught by Nancy Aberle*, and becoming a certified practitioner of the Jeremy Krauss Approach for Special Needs Children and Child Development (2014-15). Both these trainings are based on the work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais.

*I am currently the assistant teacher for the 2019-2020 Working with Children practitioner training, taught by Nancy Aberle and co-instructor Lynn Bullock. My responsibilities include directly supervising practitioners as they work with children and contributing to the development of the curriculum.

From 2012 to 2018 I worked closely with Feldenkrais Method and Anat Baniel Method for Children practitioner Lynn Bullock, in Paris and throughout Europe: both as my mentor and working in collaboration with many children.

I have also undertaken training in Clean Language (2017-18). Clean Language offers a template for directing attention and asking questions without imposing the facilitator’s own interpretations, suggestions and presuppositions on a client’s experience: allowing for their own insights and knowledge to emerge of their perceptions and behaviour.

I have been involved in helping people learn through movement since the age of 14 when I began to teach dance to adults and children. 

I read widely on my field and those that intersect it including; psychology and human development, child and family psychology, developmental learning, pedagogy, neurobiology, and philosophy of mind.