Bodywork is a general term that encompasses a wide variety of complementary medicine. It includes manual interventions like massage, chiropractic, and some physical therapy. In addition, it includes other treatment modalities such as breathwork, Reiki, and some acupuncture.
For some people, bodywork is a helpful adjunct to traditional medical care. For others, it is an invaluable part of a wellness and self-care routine.
What is nervous system-centered bodywork?
Our nervous system has two priorities: to breathe and to move.
The foundation of nervous system-centered bodywork is the truth that any change in how we feel reflects a change in our nervous system. Where other bodywork modalities certainly do affect the nervous system, they do so as an afterthought. Nervous system-centered bodywork takes a direct approach.
Nervous system-centered bodywork is an efficient solution to pain and movement limitations. It enhances sport and athletic performance and improves your overall well-being. The structure of the work allows you to immediately integrate any changes into your movement and other meaningful activities.
What makes nervous system-centered bodywork so revolutionary?
Unlike most other bodywork modalities, nervous system-centered bodywork starts with the nervous system.
When we try to consciously change how our body moves, it’s like walking into a dark room and changing the light bulb. The bulb may need changing, but we should probably start by testing the electricity – in other words, by flipping the light switch.
Our nervous system is our body and mind’s electricity.
The light switches we use in nervous system-centered bodywork are developmental reflexes throughout your body. When we activate these reflexes, our nervous system responds immediately, resulting in deep, systemic relaxation, which is evident in instant improvements in strength, in range of movement, and in pain reduction.
Nervous system-centered bodywork works like this:
- Using simple tests for muscle strength or range of motion, we determine how your brain organizes your body to move.
- Next, we activate the appropriate reflexes. It’s like asking your nervous system if it would like a more efficient option for movement.
- Then we check our work. If we’ve activated the right reflex, there will be an immediate improvement in strength or range of motion. This step is crucial so that we can eliminate the guesswork and know what made the difference for you!
- If there is improvement, you’ll get off the table, walk around, and begin to integrate these new movement options into your life.
- If there’s no change, no big deal, we just try something else!
The results can be dramatic.
What are typical results for nervous system-centered bodywork?
- My clients experience lasting – and often instant – relief from issues that other providers have been unable to treat. Issues like long-term lower-back pain to frozen shoulders, from chronically tight hamstrings to tennis elbow.
- They feel a freedom and ease of movement that lets them excel at their typically active lives.
- They find a deep and profound sense of calm that they’ve never experienced before.
- They develop a connection between their mind and body.
They leave each session with the tools to maintain this progress – tools that are literally at their fingertips.
Nervous system-centered bodywork is for you if you are currently experiencing back, neck, hip, knee, or shoulder pain. This type of bodywork can help if you experience anxiety or have trouble relaxing or concentrating. It can also help if you have recently gone through a major change in your body like childbirth, significant weight loss, or significant weight gain.
Schedule a free online intro here.
Location for Bodywork Services
My office is just outside of Boston, in Arlington, Massachusetts. In addition to those, my clients travel from the communities of Winchester, Belmont, Cambridge, Somerville, Woburn, Lexington, and Lowell.