Carla Montagno
Trager® Reflex Response Therapy Applied to Animals
Please Note:
Not a non-profit.
Donations are not
tax deductible.
About Carla
“The hands-on therapy developed by Dr. Milton Trager used in clinics for people is the identical technique I practice on animals.”
Carla Montagno lives in California's southern Sierra foothills surrounded in nature and wildlife with her family of animals and humans.
Carla's extensive background in movement started while living in Pakistan where she studied Indian dance as a seven year old, and travelled the world with her parents.
She went on to study and become the lead of a mime-theater troupe in Paris, and teach at the Paris Ballet Company. After leaving Paris, Carla performed and taught in Toronto, Boston, and New York City.
Carla’s devotion to rehabilitation started with a very personal journey. Carla’s son Arlyn was born with dramatic delays with speech and movement; in fact she was told he would never walk or talk. To help him, she started studying Trager® therapy and applying it to him. Arlyn started walking at four, and within five years he was able to hike miles, proving the doctors wrong.
Then when Arlyn was 35, he fell, hit his head and became a quadriplegic. After extensive conventional rehabilitation, he was still wheelchair-bound and told he would most likely never walk again. Using Trager Reflex Response therapy, six months later Arlyn was hiking three miles a day with minimal assistance.
Carla has been a Trager practitioner for over 40 years and a teacher for Trager® Reflex Response for animals.
For 25 years Carla has been a wildlife rehabber and Trager teacher with Fresno Wildlife Rehabilitation in Fresno, California, specializing in possums. Fresno Wildlife gave Carla her start in working with neurologically impaired animals.
Before & AfterVideo
The animals in this video were paralyzed from the mid-section down before treatment.
This demonstrates how quickly Trager® Reflex Response therapy can trigger a response in some animals, allowing them to go on to live normal, full lives.
(Attempting this technique without proper training can result in permanent damage)
Success Stories
Pretzel Born with Crossed Legs
Pretzel came to us when a rehabber touring a local shelter had one of the staffers pull him aside, presenting a newborn kitten born with his legs crossed. The shelter didn’t have the time or resources to search for a solution; his litter mate had already passed and his prospects onsite weren’t good. Having no experience with such things he finished the tour and with 'Pretzel' in hand, set about finding a team who might be able to get the little kitty on his feet. Introduced to Sarah, Cassie and Carla, they collaborated on a treatment plan for Pretzel
Within two sessions of Trager® Reflex Response therapy, Carla was able to release muscle groups responsible for the contracted pose. Then Sarah and Cassie made a homemade customized brace crafted from a shoe insole. A few weeks later, Cassie forwarded a video of Pretzel prancing about without his brace—After a few more weeks of therapy, neutering and vaccines, the trio deemed this little rogue fit for adoption. He bonded with a couple looking for love and started purring when they picked him up—and after assurances of ongoing treatment if needed, they welcomed Pretzel into their home, full of a life worth looking forward to.
Testimonials
“Carla Montagno has been a true gift to our organization because of her ability to promote movement in animals when there may have been little to none before Carla’s unique intervention and care.”
Cathy Garner
Founder & Executive Director
Fresno Wildlife Rehabilitation
“Carla Montagno’s level of expertise is unparalleled. Her heart and dedication
to use her skills to help animals and people inspire all of us. Carla clearly gives
understandable applications and teaches the intentions masterfully. What she teaches works!”
Fawn Christianson
Trager® Approach Instructor
“As a 37-year wildlife rehabber specializing in opossums, I take in so many each season with nerve damage. Most are bitten across the neck, shoulder area or spine causing the loss of use in the back legs. It wasn't until I took Carla Montagno's class that I finally had hope of seeing them walk again. I can't encourage everyone enough to take her
class! Allow her to help you help the animals!!”
Beth Sparks, Founder
The Opossum's Pouch Sanctuary
Rescue and Rehab
“Carla’s hands-on class was wonderful. Having Carla demonstrate the technique on me, allowed me to understand nuances that might have been difficult to otherwise fully get. Her commitment to the well-being of paralyzed animals is evident in the success stories she has achieved.”
Pam Engebretson
Animal Advocate (Completed class in 2025)
“I have know Carla for many years, and she has often volunteered to assist in the rehabilitation work. I have always found Carla to be compassionate, friendly, and she is an excellent teacher. I am please to recommend Carla’s class to anyone who has an interest in learning to care for and help rehabilitate animals with spinal an/or neurological injuries.”
Lynea Lattanzio
Founder and Director
Cat House on the Kings
Classes
Why Trager® Reflex Response Therapy?
Animals with paralysis, spinal cord injury, head injury, stroke, broken backs, broken limbs and crippling metabolic bone disease have been helped using Trager® Reflex Response therapy. It's been been used with cats, dogs, squirrels, possums, an eagle, a goat and even a porcupine! Quality of life is often dramatically restored with some of these animals being successfully released back into the wild, animals who otherwise would have been destroyed because they were seen as “permanently damaged”.
This 4-hour class involves watching case-study videos together with in-the-moment narration, personalized interactive discussion, plenty of time to address questions and technique demonstration with animal proxies (stuffed animals). This happens before touching live animals, when possible.
This class has successfully been taught to animal rehabbers without bodywork training.
In my Home
You are more than welcome to set up a class with me in my home.
Maximum of 6 people.
Please call for details.
Zoom (8 People)
I offer Zoom classes in cases when a face-to-face class is not practical.
Contact
Please leave a note in the message area below stating whether you're a veterinarian, rehabber, or lay person interested in learning Trager for animals, and a brief description of what we'll be discussing; thank you.
