Kfir Kol

I have been an athlete my entire life and started playing water polo at age 10. As an adult, I have found a balance between bodywork and different mind-body healing treatments and therapy. I am trained in hydrotherapy and when my (now 17-year-old) daughter was born I started observing and learning babies’ movement in the water. Currently I make a living working with babies in the water. I am also trained in Water Dance, Watsu, Healing Dance, Shiatsu, Thai massage, Yoga and Pilates.

Let´s talk?

“The silence inside the bubble is one of the most intense impacts for anyone receiving an aquatic therapy, as it allows you to hear the heart impulses, combined with relaxation of the nervous system and a unique invitation to inhabit a specific and exclusive brain frequency, similar to the one we have waking up from sleep. In this article, we wanted to explore ways in which the receiver can open a window of conversation. This allows us, as facilitators, to invite talking during a hydrotherapy session.”

This is how Ofer Rosenthal, creator of Fly Deeper, begins a text in which he talks about the possibility of leaving an open door to conversation. The somatic experience in water allows “the mind and thoughts to be in a precious ‘vacation’ state”, which is why hydrotherapy is often approached as a moment of silence. However, verbal communication can bring benefits. Ofer points out which ones.

“One of the most common issues: when staying in the water for a long time, the need/urgency to pee arises, for some it will be easier to avoid it, for others it will be difficult to stay the whole session without draining liquids, due to various physical and emotional conditions, many of them related to the session, such as pregnancy, for example. A simple glass of water that was offered before the session or a smoothie that was drunk before coming with a light stomach and not hungry can change the conditions.”

“The urge to pee takes the recipients’ minds back to their bodies and needs, was stuck on the topic of inconvenience for the rest of the session and, for some, can trigger strong memories of shame and guilt; from an early age, when urinating in the bed or in the pants, which is very common in many children or even in adulthood for various reasons.”

“Even as a facilitator, I have experienced many times the need to interrupt a session for a urination break. I had the clock before my eyes to know how long I need to wait and the opportunity to have a break to take care of my needs. Hence this article it is also to remind us facilitators of this fact.”

“When touching on the primordial concept of basic needs, it must be remembered that also the “number 2″ can appear while all the organs are enjoying weightlessness, emotional release and a hydrodynamic massage.”

Pain perception

“Another common reason to invite those receiving a session to feel more comfortable talking is that there will usually be an awakening of important and relevant personal issues that were not addressed during the initial conversation, such as a neck injury or tenderness in certain parts of the body. This forgetfulness can have several reasons – it can happen because it takes some time to gain confidence or simply because people don’t remember these topics, they were well hidden by the subconscious.”

 

“When we are in a deep, special and moving session, it is almost certain that something will change and that we will no longer be in that “place” where we were. It is essential for the facilitator to be updated, to allow sharing the same page and, above all, to understand. Any session has the potential to heal or overlook these issues.

Not afraid to speak

“To take a broader view of compassion, we must remember that most people are not high-level meditators. Being in total silence for 45 minutes or more can be demanding for some people and intimidating for others. If we know that the doors to a conversation are open, everything can change smoothly and allow authentic and precious expressions to emerge in this encounter, raw and without pretense.”

 

“Water therapy has the privilege of touching deeply on many of these primordial topics, one after the other – we are able to touch the story behind the stories. As our skills grow beyond basic movements and gestures, we see the bigger picture and lead recipients to disassociate the concepts of “no control” or “helplessness”. Even without knowing what will happen, they are invited to express themselves.”

 

“A session has the potential to invoke, awaken and deconstruct strong pillars of self-perception created by society, such as intimacy, tolerance, acceptance and trust.”

Flothetta

flothetta

Flothetta’s story and the establishment of Float Therapy

The idea of Flothetta (www.flothetta.com) was conceived in the year 2012 by Unnur Valdís, a Product Designer with a special interest in health and wellbeing. The birthplace of the design – Iceland – is a land of wealth when it comes to thermal pools, due to the geological location of the country. The original design consists of a set of leg floats and one head piece, designed to support independent floating in any water as a way to relax, reduce muscle and skeleton stress, letting go of emotional and mental stress and improve overall body-spirit connection. Now Flothetta’s product line offers variety of high quality products for individuals and Aquatic Therapists.

Flothetta is a story of a design project that has given birth to nourishing water wellness culture. The vision of the project was, from the very beginning, been to make healing water activities accessible for all to enjoy. Since the design became available it has opened up a world of healing togetherness in the water, forming little communities where people meet up to enjoy nourishing experiences together in the water.

In 2017 Unnur started collaboration with Omer Shenar, Aquatic Bodyworker specialized in Rehabilitation Hydrotherapy and with skills on many aquatic bodywork techniques. Together they developed “Float Therapy”, which is a deeply relaxing and therapeutic group activity with a training program alongside it. Together they blend experience, skills and passion into a very compact and thoughtful training program that brings quality and high standard approach into the needs of participants and holds space for a beautiful group activity in the water.

Baby Swim

Baby Swim

Created by Kfir Kol in 2005, this technique was developed while observing and working with his own newborn babies in the water. Over the years, he has perfected not only the movements, but also the cognitive, ergonomic and sensorial knowledge of the baby, becoming the biggest expertise in the field. For babies, the experience provides the activation of recent womb memories, the return to freedom of movement and to a natural and protected aquatic environment.

He gives workshops for parents who wish to develops skills to work with their babies in water and to aquatic bodywork students wishing to specialize in BabySwim.

When in Portugal, he regularly works with us at the LiquidZome.

Omer Shenar

Therapist – Trainer


Watsu – Jahara – Water Dance – Aguahara – Aqua Stretch – Bad Ragaz – Pilates
Shiatsu – Craniosacral – Animo-Tuina – Myofascial Release

Omer combines the best of both worlds: he integrates conventional western physical therapy principles
with holistic methods of care more known in the East. His training as a hydrotherapist (in
Wingate Institute in Israel) was directed towards rehabilitation which he practiced intensely for the last seven years., working 

at the Sheba medical center in Tel Aviv, ranked as one of the best
hospitals in the world. The experience he gained led him to understand that each person has
its own needs and that there are no hard lines in the healing and treatment processes. This is his
philosophy: to find balance in working the body, mind and spirit as
a whole, without forcing anyone into uncomfortable situations.
As a therapist, Omer brings together several strands and chooses those that best adapt to
each person. He is a connoisseur of human anatomy and physiology with immense experience in physical and traumatic rehabilitation. 

With the evolution of his knowledge and development of a partnership with Flothetta (a line of specifically designed accessories for aquatic sessions, created by Unnur Valdís) , he created ‘Float Therapy’, a deeply meditative technique that he teaches in trainings all over the world.

When in Portugal, he regularly works with us at the LiquidZome. 


www.omershenar.com
Instagram: omer_shenar
Facebook: /omer.shenar.7

Shira Maim Haim

Walking the path of water healing since 2012, Shira is a certified Hydrotherapist with rich experience. Shira is certified with the leading coursework on the approaches to water therapy including Watsu, Waterdance, Fluid Presence and additional therapeutic methods. She has developed groundbreaking programs that develop a love of water in children. Combining a holistic and spiritual approach with hundreds of hours of coursework.
Shira has carried out aquatic bodywork sessions for thousands of clients around the globe.

My sessions immerse you in a tranquil water setting where fear and pain can bubble to the surface, yielding profound healing and transformation.

Tiago Paraíso

Flydeeper – Aquatic Healing Arts

Water therapies are his passion.

The “road” of life has brought him to this path. After a serious injury that left him limited in the movement of his back, only with the practice of aquatic therapies was he able to heal. This process was so transforming in his life, that since then he has been connected in his training and transmission of this knowledge and presence.

He has training in therapies such as Flydeeper, Watsu, Liquid Touch and others, in addition to his Masters in Psychology and a Post Graduation in Biostatistics.
Tiago is one of the aquatic facilitators at LiquidZome and believes that every being has a deep desire to be heard. He loves to listen. Allow him to hear you through the water.

Hugo Paulino

Hugo is a holistic therapist who sees the human being as a whole in their emotional, social, spiritual, cognitive, and somatic ecosystem. He believes that commitment, trust, and cooperation are the foundations of a therapeutic relationship capable of elevating the individual experience.

His work in water emerges from his formative experience in Watsu, Water Dance, Prenatal Journey, and Shiatsu, alongside his studies in Anatomy, Physiology, Neuroscience, and Psychology. In session, he combines massage techniques and coordinated movement patterns with breathing, in total or partial immersion of the body.

The temperature (34°C) and the natural properties of water create the perfect environment for moments of deep relaxation, promoting motor and emotional release. Aquatic Therapy enhances a more regulated psychophysiological state, creating conditions to deal with stress, anxiety, (chronic) pain, and muscular tension.

This work can be seen as a therapeutic process, as a form of personal development, or as a recreational moment.

Rita Maldonado

Aguahara – Flydeeper

She grew up by the sea and always felt surrounded by its strength. She studied Biology and developed a perpetual curiosity about the human body and the elements that make up life. She became a researcher, looking for the mysteries of anatomy and physiology. She discovered that “there are many ways to cure physical illnesses”, and “that the cure goes beyond drugs.” Her encounter with water therapies was a kind of fusion of childhood roots with a thirst for knowledge about well-being and what makes us better.

“I went back to basics. I returned to my great passion”, she says. She has traveled the world, from Nepal to Ecuador, always in a learning process. Her talent is also directed towards doula work, providing support during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. One aspect of this follow-up is to combine the doula experience with aquatic therapies. About LiquidZome she says it is “the temple of water. A place to flow, to dive into the true essence, to transform ourselves into the best version of ourselves.”

 

Book here a session with Rita Maldonado

Marjorie Sá

Water Doula – Reflexology – Ayurvedic – Thai Massage

Marjorie has a true vocation for understanding the magical process of pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood. Her sessions with mothers or mothers-to-be are like a balm to calm tensions, relax and create harmony. However, Marjorie applies her massages to anyone, not just pregnant women and postpartum families. With a background in body therapies, women’s health and traditional midwifery, Marjorie has fused her knowledge of massage, meditation and dance into her work on aquatic therapies. Her methods range from Watsu, Thai massage, Reflexology, Herbal medicine, Taoism and Ayurvedic practices. She is one of the founders of WaterDoulas and author of the book “O Sagrado no Parto” (“The Sacred in Labour”),a pearl of wisdom and inspiration for any pregnant woman.