Glossary – Descriptions of Body Therapy Services

Nervous System Regulation Therapy

Nervous System Regulation Therapy uses somatic and breathing techniques to reduce the impacts of trauma, stress and fight/flight. It includes hands-on body therapy, breathing and self-care techniques to stimulate vagus nerve activity, downregulate the nervous system and promote feelings of safety and resilience.

Sessions include nervous system education, and mapping your triggers and signs of dysregulation. Depending on your specific needs they may also involve developing resources in the form of breathing exercises, movement, vocal techniques, postural and physical strengthening and grounding practices, internal and external awareness exercises, and other approaches to help stabilise and regulate your nervous system.

Nervous System Regulation Therapy is designed to increase your window of tolerance in order to both manage and move beyond trauma symptoms in the body. It draws on my extensive lived experience and trauma training, coupled with relevant body and breathwork techniques to create balance in the nervous system.

Holistic Therapeutic Massage

Massage that is grounding, calming, and effective in creating global relaxation as well as addressing specific issues. It feels good AND does good!

Holistic Therapeutic Massage works with you as a whole person, taking into account your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. It is a completely bespoke treatment that is tailored to your individual needs, whether that is addressing specific injuries and areas of discomfort, or helping to manage anxiety and stress.

You can expect a carefully selected combination of techniques that are designed to relieve tightness and tension and restore fluidity and flexibility in body and mind. These include long sweeping strokes, kneading, rocking and vibration, joint and limb mobilisation, passive and active stretching, skin massage and skin rolling, bone holds, deep massage, muscle energy techniques and trigger point therapy – whatever is right for you on the day.

Advanced Integrated Myofascial Release Therapy

Myofascial Release Therapy works with the soft tissues – namely the muscles and fascia – using gentle sustained pressure to restore movement and ease in the body. It is an excellent remedial therapy and highly recommended for treating specific issues and injuries, as well as chronic pain, fibromyalgia, TMJ or jaw problems, scars and long-term conditions.

Fascia is the network of connective tissue running through the body that connects and protects structures. Along with muscles, it also enables movement. Restrictions can arise in the myofascial system as a result of injury or postural habits. Over time this can affect flexibility, strength, and range of movement, as well as causing discomfort and pain.

Myofascial Release Therapy targets these restrictions with gentle stretching, compression and deep tissue techniques. These help to restore functional movement patterns and a sense of fluidity in the body.

This therapy is done without oil and techniques are usually held for five minutes or longer, to allow time for change to occur in the tissues.

Functional Breathwork and Breathing Therapy

Breathing can be affected by trauma, stress, injury or postural habits. Functional Breathwork supports you to re-establish healthy and functional breathing patterns. It supports you to make the changes needed to breathe comfortably and effectively, as well as learning how to use your breath to regulate your nervous system.

In sessions you will begin to understand how the breath works and your current breathing habits. You will learn how breathing affects the nervous system and practice simple but effective techniques to improve your breathing.

Functional Breathwork incorporates physical exercises, specific techniques to free up your inhale and exhale, and hands-on assistance to address any muscular tightness or holding patterns that may be contributing to your breathing problems.

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