OSTEOPATHY FOR STRESS & TRAUMA
Working With The Somatic Effects Of Stress & Trauma
The mind and body are interrelated. One can’t function without it effecting or influencing the other. In my job as an osteopath I frequently see how presentations of pain and body dysfunction have an emotional componant to them and equally, I see how injury or illness can effect the mind and emotional well being.
Over the past 16 yrs of practicing and teaching osteopathy, I have formulated a way of observing, palpating (feeling) and treating holding patterns in the body created in response to stressful or traumatic events. It has become a specialist interest of mine and has become the focus of further training and development.
Responding physically and emotionally to stressful situations is a compleatly normal human process. It helps us to deal with the situation at hand, to survive and get though it. These nervous system responses are automatic and the precise way we respond is unique to us. It is often driven by a combination of past experience, beliefs, ways of being handed down from our families or caregivers and our culture. Whilst very useful in the short term for coping and survival, these patterns held over a longer period of time can create feelings of fatigue, strain and pain. Sometimes the body has forgotten that its even holding its self a certain way. Has somebody ever put their hands on your shoulders only for you to suddenly realise that you were holding them tight?!
Holding patterns refer to the way that we (often subconsciously) hold ourselves internally. This is tension created from inside our bodies that can eventually be felt as external muscular or joint pain or perhaps as headaches, IBS or a sore throat.
Over time I have come to recognise several common types of body holding patterns that can occur. It is possible to have more than one at the same time! It is also possible for you to adopt different patterns at different times in your life.
HOLDING PATTERNS
Dissociation - This can feel like the person is disconnected from their physical body with a shift forwards or outwards from themselves. There might also be a quality of ‘floatyness’ which goes with not feeling truly embodied. The person might feel empty, on high alert or separate from themselves.
Holding On - The holding of emotions as areas of tightness or compression in the body. Common areas are the throat, tummy and pelvis. This can be experienced as areas of tension, rigidity or a feeling of being blocked or stuck.
Ungrounded - When a person has shifted either their physical tension, emotion holding or spiritual outlook, upwards or outwards. All the tension is held from the diaphragm up into the head and it feels like the person has forgotten that they have legs! Teeth grinding, jaw tension, excessive thinking, scrolling, being very busy and poor breathing patterns can lead to this type of holding pattern.
Sheared - The sholders are shifted one way and the pelvis the other with an area of tension in the middle. The person may fell ‘all over the place!’, scattered, out of alignment or ‘disconbobulated’
NERVOUS SYSTEM STATES - holding patterns can be combined with more general autonomic nervous system states.
Sympathetic NS/Fight flight response - On high alert, can’t relax, anxious, buzzy, racing thoughts
ParasympatheticNS/ Freeze response - Stuck, numb, disconnected, apethetic
Whilst Psychotherapy or types of talking therapy can be effective in working with the brain and emotions (known as a ‘top down’ approach) accessing the nervous system via the body (‘bottom up’ approach) is now a useful adjunct to the therapeutic process.
The approach to treatment I use involves the following:
1 - Standing posture observation (Looking at the external presentation of how you hold yourself)
2 - Hands on palpation of the holding pattern (Feeling using light touch to assess how you hold yourself from the inside - the effects of the nervous system)
3 - Checking in with you to see what your own awareness is of your body and the holding pattern.
4 - Establishing a sense of saftey and then reminding your body that it has got stuck holding its self a certain way.
5 - Midline reorganisation. Gentley working with the body to see if it is ready to soften its holding pattern and to try another way of being.
6 - Lifestyle and self regulation advise - discussion about how you can help yourself.
I have worked with a wide range of human experiences including - shock and fear from death, loss, illness, accidents and surgical procedures. Changes in life - divorce, midlife challenges, family relationships and childhood trauma.
In the same way that it takes time to rehabilitate a twisted ankle it can take a few sessions and time to calm and reset your nervous system. Some people take years to work through particular ways of thinkings and emotional responses others just need a little guidance in the right direction and they are off! Helping to realise inner, held tension frequently helps lessen the experience of muscular skeletal pain and functional issues.
This kind of treatment is gently lead by the patients body in response to touch based enquiry, nothing is released in a dramatic way or changed if it doesn’t feel appropriate. Most patients usually feel calmer, heavier or more ‘in their bodies’ post treatment.
With some patients I use purely this approach whilst with others elements of it are integrated in to a more structural osteopathic treatment. It always depends on the person and their presenting complaint. If you are interested in this approach specifically, do mention it at the beginning of your consultation.
“I've been seeing Jo over a number of years. She is a highly skilled and sensitive osteopath who is thorough and nuanced in her approach and very effective in her treatments. I feel wholly confident in her and lucky to have found her.'“- J.C
“Jo is an absolute godsend for me. I look forward to my appointments with her, not just because she deals with all my aches and pains, but for the whole experience. Her space is welcoming, comfortable and spotless whilst having the calming feel of a spa treatment room. Jo is so warm and friendly, she really puts you at ease. I love her holistic approach, I really feel like she is tending to my mind and spirit as well as my physical issues. Jo is very intuitive, and she really listens to ensure she is getting to the root of things and providing the best treatment. I leave my appointments feeling calm and cared for, I can't recommend her enough”. - L.M