This latest installment of the Postural Respiration course in New York City was notable for several reasons. First, the group was a very large and a very diverse and dynamic group of professionals, with 29 out of the 50 in attendance being first time attendees at a live PRI course. Second, my three lab assistants for the course were fantastic in every way. Thank you to Neal Hallinan, Sean Light and Brad Gilden. You three really helped to ensure a great learning and lab experience for everyone in the course. And third, the new updated version of this Postural Respiration course material really inspires, clarifies and defines the foundational principles of the institute in a meaningful way.

This updated course manual uses tons of great references to teach the concepts of static asymmetry, dynamic respiration and patterned respiration with clarity and authority. The well established history of PRI using objective tests to monitor position and respiratory function was further enhanced with the new Posterior Mediastinum Respiratory Reach Test. The group did a great job of picking up what we were doing with this new brachial chain test, and appreciated the reproducibility of the test for patient and client utilization on their own at home. Another highlight was the time spent on and clarification of both lower trap and serratus anterior function on each side and in each respective plane in the Left AIC/Right BC Pattern. The newly updated and expanded reference titled "The Influence of Patterned Respiratory Function on the Left and Right Abdominals, Lower Trap and Serratus Anterior" was especially useful in this regard.

Another highlight was how well the lab time turned out for everybody in attendance. There were plenty of treatment rooms and treatment tables and we scheduled enough time for each lab, whether it was an assessment lab or manual technique lab, to give everyone a good experience. Again, kudos to my excellent lab assistants for giving everyone the time and attention they needed to have a meaningful experience in lab. You three are top notch professionals clearly committed to sharing what you have come to know and that commitment made this course wonderful for all in attendance. And thank you for helping to explain how important interdisciplinary integration is when it comes to working with professionals who may not be licensed to perform manual techniques developing relationships with professionals who are. We always appreciate the interactive and interdisciplinary dialogue.

And lastly, I would like to thank yoga instructor Giulia Pline for your willing help in this course as a class demo and reference for our learning. You were willing to demonstrate patterned respiration in the Left AIC/Right BC Pattern using PRI special tests and then receive the manual techniques in front of the group to help us learn how to perform the tests and techniques in the lab. You were the prototypical Left AIC/Right BC Pattern, representing the underlying pattern that exists underneath all other compensatory patterns that could show up in our lives. After your assessment, it was fun to spend the rest of the course talking about rib immobility or compensatory patterns like Superior T4 Syndrome, with the goal in mind of becoming like you, on the way to becoming neutral, whether we used manual or non-manual techniques to get there.

Who knew that following Ron’s advice many years ago to find a dentist who appreciates the influences of airway, neutral TMJ position and occlusion would take me to Vilnius, Lithuania?  I have had the privilege of working with a multidisciplinary team of dentists, Dara Chira DMD orthodontist, Jeff McClendon DMD restorative dentist, and Michael Gunson DDS, MD orthognathic surgeon for the treatment of complex TMD, Airway and Occlusal patients.  We have been invited to speak at various dental conferences on our multidisciplinary approach to care (Lips, Teeth, and Tongue to Toes).  Most recently we spoke at the Baltic Sea Community on Orthognathic Surgery and Orthodontics Spring course on “The Gravity of Temporomandibular Disorders Treatment “in Vilnius, Lithuania. 

The conference opened with dental radiologist Dania Tamimi BDS, DMSc presenting on radiographic evaluation of the TMJ.  I just about fell out of my seat when she showed a left cranial side bend and how it affects the TMJ, mandibular position and occlusion!! This made my discussion of the RTMCC so much easier for the participants to understand. There were lectures by orthodontists, and orthognathic surgeons as well.  Dr. Mariano Rocabado DPT presented arthrokinematics of the craniovertebral and craniomandibular areas with the influences of manual therapy on the cervical spine and its impact on neutral TMJ.  All the lectures and especially Dania and Dr. Rocabado's lectures were a perfect set up for our team to close the meeting with how we work together to achieve balance for our patients on so many levels.  My part was very well received as I was able to develop the PRI concepts from an Advanced Integration approach including LAIC, RBC, RTMCC, muscle chains, forward head posture, asymmetrical patterns and the importance of the diaphragm and attaining proper breathing mechanics and ZOA with its influences on temporal and mandibular position and function.  It was great fun demonstrating a balloon technique to 230 participants from 30 different countries!!! I am very excited about the feedback we got after and how open minded the group of dentists were to the idea of occlusion being more than just about the teeth!!! They really do like looking at teeth though!!!!

We were able to stay a few extra days and tour Lithuania and Latvia which included a tour of a 14^th century castle on Trakai Island, Riga, Hill of Crosses and The Rondale Palace!! The trip was absolutely extraordinary!!!

I am so grateful for all the continued education and support that Ron, Jen, Jason, RJ and many others have had over the years in helping me understand the science of PRI, the application of PRI for better patient outcomes and for helping me with spreading the word to other professionals on how important it is for patients to work with a PRI minded clinician.