Feel and Function Better
INTEGRATED BODY WORK
Author: Judit Baptiste, Ph.D.
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What may one gain from being received an Integrated Body-work session? It came into being by realizing the need to deal with all four aspects of the Being, namely with the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects.
Our bodies are healthy when everything (blood, lymph, neurons along the nervous system and our energy) is in a constant, balanced flow within and through the whole body. This balanced flow of everything reduces stress, creates health and enable the Being to be able to cope with life on a better, more pleasant level.
On the other hand, as everything flows through the skeletal-muscular system of the body when our bodies are tight, nothing can freely flow and this condition can create over flooded and under supplied areas. Both conditions can cause disease, eventually.
Body-work modalities of different kinds can provide options for openings and release, hence helping to heal those conditions. This is how, massage and other kinds of body-work modalities can be considered as preventing measures, even one might call them as preventative “medicine”…
These are, among others, massage, stretches, energy work (Reiki), the Bone structure Alignment Technique, the Cranio-sacral Therapy and the Lymphatic Drainage Therapy treatments, which are part of my repertoire. These keep the body open, therefore everything flowing within freely.
Their main purpose is to help to release and ease aches and pains from the physical body, but at the same time to create a better flow of everything through the body and with that to create an overall well-being for the individual, in one, combined session.
The Cranio-sacral treatment takes care of the interface between the energy system and the physical body. Stretches and the Bone structure alignment deal mostly with the physical aspects, but as how they still create a better flow for the energy through the physical body, they again, deal with the energetic/physical interface within the body too, besides the physical aspect.
Reiki and working with the meridians and chakras are more purely energy-related subjects. However, their well-working functionality is needed greatly for the physical well-being of the body, too.
Lymphatic drainage deals with the elimination issues, which one might want to, call a more physical issue. The same way, as a massage, especially the deep tissue, pain releasing variety, deals again more with the physicality of the body. However, again, as these last two modalities are also still affecting the energy flow through their domain too, they can’t be called just purely physical.
The discovery and realization of all these interactions between the results of the energetic/physical aspects of these treatment methods had brought the realization for me, to use all these combined together, in order to be able to take care of as much of an individual’s need as possible in one, overall session at the same time.
Hence, the Integrated Body-work had born, where within a 2 – 2 ½ hours long, session; a personified combination from the above-mentioned body-work modalities is carried out, on the base of intuitive direction from within the therapist. They, separately, will be explained further, addressed under their own, individual name, title.
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PRINCIPAL CRITERIONS FOR TECHNIQUES USED
Always strive to find out the cause(s) of pain, discomfort or problems within the client’s body/mind/soul continuum.
Treat any problem from a holistic point of view (deal with them being in the body, and not just with the body).Meaning that, as body/mind and spirit, we are a spiritual being housed in the physical body, which makes us the Human Being, who has four aspects to exists in: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.
Release pain and discomfort from the physical body, as much as possible during the treatment and give home treatment suggestions for the client to follow up. (A less painful and happier client is more likely to return)
Provide individual treatments according to the client’s need in that moment of time, however, knowing and taking into consideration, that needs are prone to change, hence treatments need to adjust accordingly too.
Everybody is different and so are their needs. Even the same person’s needs are changing constantly. This is why following only routines isn’t enough! You must also build your INTUITIVE skills. Routine is the foundation, INTUITION is the key!
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF STRETCHES
Stretching creates overall benefits and immediate, positive effect on the elasticity of the body. Stretches of the limbs warm up the tissue, loosen the joints and set the stage for a more effective work on the body, afterward.
In effect, stretches create deeper results of any other work done and increases the effectiveness of any other modality used after the stretches. Stretches illuminate structural imbalances within the body; hence the practitioner receives important information about the client’s body condition.
Stretches cannot be ever too painful, as when any stretching is implemented, the stretch needs to be stopped before the pain would result. This means, that the practitioner needs to stay below the threshold of the pain level of the individual, on whom the stretch is carried out.
A person to be stretched needs to be able freely and comfortably exhale while being stretched. So the pressure applied to create stretch can be only that much, with what the client is easily still can breathe, which state is even before the client will/would feel pain or at least only that much discomfort with what it is still possible to breathe easily.
If the client will take a shallow breath and then hold their breath, in order to be able to live through the discomfort, pain what the stretching action might cause, that is not good, that is not even a stretch, but tearing the muscles!
Stretch can only happen if both, the exhalation part of the breath and the pressure on the muscle exists and can be carried out easily and there was able to experience a release, an extending action of the muscle. No comfortable exhalation = no stretch!
Hence, a stretch attempted to implement, but without the client able to exhale, will not results in of the muscle to be able to relax and to be able to get extended. This means, that when the muscle was not been able to be stretched at all! Although, discomfort was felt without result, so it is not even worth to go there, and besides it is dangerous!
The practitioner needs to pay attention to the client’s facial expressions and/or body movements, like “jerks”, in order to pick up, whether is he under or over the client’s threshold of pain.
This observation is necessary even if the practitioner did ask the client to say, indicate that whether the stretch attempt was too much for them to bear or not?! As, not everybody is a good observer of their own system and feelings, or they just “want to sit it out”…, although there is no such thing, because as long, there is no comfortable exhalation part of the breath in the process, there is no result from the applied pressure to the limb, hence there was/is no stretch, hence no result!
And where and when there is no result, no release of the muscle/joint tension was able to achieve, it is not that it is not worth to go there, but because by being achieved damage instead of a positive achievement of what a good stretch would provide otherwise, it is not only not worth to go there, but it is downright damaging to do so!
The home treatment protocol is given too, by first demonstrating, showing the different stretches and as for how to implement them. The client is thought as to how they may do these stretches for their own self alone, at home.
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STRUCTURAL AND ENERGETICALLY ALIGNMENT OF THE BONE STRUCTURE AND JOINTS
Structural out of alignment of the skeleton (bone structure and joints) is created due to a condition, of where one leg is shorter than the other. 99% of people are like this.
Once the structural out-of alignment exists, nothing can freely flow through the body, causing aches and pains, the possibility for pinched nerves, spinal problems, lack of energy and tightness in the chest preventing and/or hindering proper blood/lymph/energy flows.
Besides getting an ACAT treatment, which provides a permanent solution to the structural out-of-alignment, the structural and energetic alignment of the bone structure and joints may give interim results and/or solution. However, after when one puts down the shorter leg, the individual’s bone structure, without ACAT treatment, will eventually go out-of-alignment, again, no matter what…. It is just a matter of time, as when…? And definitely NOT if?
Implementation of a Structural/Energetic Alignment of the Bone Structure of the body needs to be carried out, in order to create a better energy flow through the whole physical body and to help the person to feel better physically, however, even mental/emotionally too.
The treatment procedure is done while lying on the back, after the initial assessments and usually before the Cranio-sacral treatment, although this order is reversible according to personal needs. It carried out by pulling/pushing fulcrums (=vertical lifts holding the bones in suspended state for a few seconds, till their alignments, able to come into being) into joints, ribs and other bones, to help that the out of aligned bone structure moves and after it’s been aligned, the energy flow through the whole body able to become unobstructed.
Hence, the now created freely flowing energy through the whole body creates an increase in the person’s well-being feeling. It either makes them sleepy or feeling fully energized, according to what their individual system needed.
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CRANIO-SACRAL TREATMENT
A cranio-sacral treatment is carried out by lying face-up on a massage table. It can be done fully clothes too, although around the pelvic area loose clothing is advisable, in order to be able to manipulate the pelvic bones in the lower part, in the hip works of the treatment. However, if it is carried out as part of the Integrated Body-work, the client is undressed to suits the later works needing to be able to carry out.
During the whole treatment procedure only a very light force of 5mg pressure will be used, as only this very light touch of pull or push is able to mobilize the bones on the outside of the system and ability to create the so-called Still Point in the CSR rhythm, which then helps to open up blocks within the system, which was not able to be helped manually, but what then creates possibility to bring back and regulate the Cranio-sacral rhythm to its well-being, which then creates a better nerve supply to the whole physical body and in actuality to the whole being. Due to using only this very small force to manipulate the body, a Cranio-sacral treatment is not an invasive technique to use.
And still due to as its results are enormous, the application of this treatment is life-giving and well-being supporting.
The Cranio-sacral system is the most inner, pressure system of the body, where the brain and the spinal nerve column are covered together with a 3 layered, semi-permeable tissue, the “Dura Matter”like they would be sitting in a long “balloon”.
The “balloon” is liquid filled, due to the Cerebro-Spinal fluid produce from the brain, creating the so-called Cranio-sacral rhythm. The rhythm is created by the constant repetition of contractions and expansions’ flowing through the Cranio-sacral system of the body, as there is a constant outflow of this liquid from the system, besides an intermittent in-flow. More liquid comes in than what flows out, hence an expansion is happening within the CSR system. Then, when no more expansion can happen, the “in-flow” stops, when then due to the constant “outflow”, everything will (shrink), contract. When the Cranio-sacral rhythm is healthy, one should feel at least one-one expansion and contraction within 10-15 seconds observation time.
There are three body parts, (the head, the upper body, and the lower body), in which the Cranio-sacral rhythm needs to be the same, in order to create a continuous, balanced flow of the Cerebro-spinal fluid through the whole Cranio-sacral system of the body. This rhythm needs to be felt over all three major body parts, in order to be able to determine the person’s condition. This rhythm needs to have a good beat, strength, and amplitude, and the practitioner needs to be able to observe at least one contraction and one expansion within at least 10-15 seconds.
However, if this do not exists, the person needs a Cranio-sacral treatment, because otherwise due to the too much stress experienced, the Cranio-sacral system’s function is reduced in strength, beat and stamina, causing headaches, aches and pains, tiredness, listlessness, problems with sleeping and maybe even some other problems too.
By observing the presence and the quality of the Cranio-sacral rhythm will help you, as the therapist, to able to decide, whether will the person need a Cranio-sacral treatment? The administration of a Cranio-sacral treatment will assist and help the individual feel better and function well.
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SOMATO-EMOTIONAL RELEASE
During a Cranio-sacral treatment deep-seated, past emotional traumas might open up and ‘ask” for release during the Cranio-sacral treatment. However, it will happen, when it will happen… when the individual treated, is ready for the release and not before. Hence, it cannot be forced. It cannot be brought up to happen artificially.
However, when it happens, aiding it and allow the client to go through the process of it fully, can and will help the client’s well-being to be improved greatly.
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REIKI AND ENERGY WORK
Hands-on healing technique (Reiki) is utilized throughout the whole body to help the energy part of the individual. It is flowing, happening automatically during a session, as the “intent of help” starts the Reiki energy to flow to the person, treated right away. And as there is no difference in “intent of help”, the practitioner intent to help their client, when starting a session, starts the flow of Reiki energy too, automatically towards the person to be treated. At least, as far as, if the practitioner is Reiki initiated. And as I am a Reiki Master, there is no question in my case for this process.
However, if and when there is a need shows up, a special, directly applied energy treatment will be carried out as well. During the treatment of the energy transfer, Reiki will be carried out by applying a series of light touches to the person’s body.
The chakra system is checked and if needed to be opened and helped to stimulate to increase its energy flow. Chakra balancing and an energy level increase within their system may be carried out for the person by working with their chakras, as well. The person will be helped, guided to lift up, to increase their energy level by a guided visualization process. During the guiding, the person will work together with the practitioner, to lift-up, increase their frequencies, by starting from and with the root chakra’s energies first,which is the lowest frequency, to bring up their energy to the crown chakra, which is the highest frequency. The guided visualization process works with colors, as each coloris equal to a specific frequency.
The physical body will benefit, together with the emotional/mental/spiritual aspects of the individual. He/she will feel better, more energized, i.e. “alive”, by being treated with a Reiki treatment, as well as through and by their chakra system and/or meridians.
Where in certain cases, the person’s energy flow may be further can be stimulated and create to become even better, helped to develop into a more purposefully directed flow, by working one’s energy system by or along their meridian lines. The meridians are theoretical lines connecting acupuncture points. They are showing, in which way, along what path and into which direction does the energy flow in them. The practitioner is able to stimulate, create a better, more direct and stronger energy flow for the person by working alongside and with the movements of their energy along these meridian lines.
For the overall well-being of an individual,it is essential that they have a good direct connection, i.e. they are grounded to the Earth. Their body/mind/soul continuum is capable to draw the energy in and up from Earth and from our surroundings. And they are able to keep the energy in their bodies, as besides food, we are living on energy.
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BASIC LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE THERAPY
The Lymph system of the physical body is the elimination, the “sewage” system. What comes in needs to go out! Without proper elimination,we would die!
Hence, stimulating the elimination process is essential, if it does not happening naturally on its own, by its own. That is where the application of a manual lymphatic drainage therapy could be necessary, as it stimulates the lymph flow through the little, delicate lymph channels right underneath the skin surface. During this therapy, like “stroking a hairy caterpillar”,i.e. like a kind-off a light touch stimulation through the skin surface is carried out.
Contrary to the blood circulation, where which is pumped by the heart, the lymphatic circulation is a system with a slow rhythm, low velocity, and low pressure, where only the muscle contractions are pumping it. The lymphatic system is a second pathway back to the heart, beside and parallel to the venous system of the body, which returns the used, Oxygen lacking blood to the heart.
The interstitial (internal space) fluid originates in the connective tissue spaces of the body. Once, it is in the first lymph capillaries, the interstitial fluid is called lymph, which is a very important real “interior milieu” (Claude Bernard, 1813-1878), in which the cells are immersed, receive their nutritive substances and reject damaging by-products.
The lymphatic system transports large proteins, foreign bodies, pathogenic substances (germs, toxins, etc.) and many other components in its pathway through the lymphatic node, which act as an active purification center. The lymph nodes break down and destroy those particles so they can eventually be flushed out of the body through the excretory tract (elimination system).
The lymphatic system fine tunes the drainage of the connective tissue and thus constitutes a sort of “overflow”, which evacuates the water and excess substances in the interstitial environment. Then the collected waste, the sewage, will be carried either to and dumped into the large intestine to be passed out as feces and/or will be filtered out from the blood into and by the kidneys and will be eliminated from the body by the urination action through the urine.
In effect, if the lymphatic system did not regain the 2% to 10% of the protein-rich liquid that escaped in the internal spaces of the tissues (a large part of which the venous system cannot recover), the body would probably develop major edemas and auto intoxication and die within 24 to 48 hours (Guyton).
The initial lymph capillaries, which originate in almost every tissue of the organism, are “feather fine” in the beginning. They slowly increase in size, moving into big lymphatic collectors, ducts, and trunks and eventually joining the major venous circulation just before reaching the heart. The lymphatic system consists of fine, capillary tubes, right underneath the skin, with valves. The valves make it possible that by either due to the pumping effect of muscle movements or by as the effect of an artificially from the outside administered lymphatic drainage therapy(LDT) will move the lymph liquid along these channels to allow and/or create the elimination of waste from the physical body.
Lymphatic drainage is not always advisable to carry out, as like in cases, where the body pushes out the excess liquid into the extremities in order to save maybe the heart or the kidneys, if that excess liquid would be pushed back into circulation, it could damage those organs and even could cause death.
Hence, LDT is better to be done under medical supervision. Especially, if in doubt! Only if the practitioner feels 100% sure, that will not cause trouble, should an LDT carried out by a therapist.
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DESCRIPTION OF NEURO-MUSCULAR MASSAGE THERAPY
Basic Massage Principals
One of the better methods is where neuro-muscular deep tissue, therapeutic body massage is used to open the different tissues, like the muscles and joints of the body, to release pain and discomfort, and to correct imbalances and misalignments within the skeletal-muscular system.
While massaging the client, the therapist needs to pay attention to client’s need for pressure! Meaning, the therapist should never go below the pain threshold of the client!
As it is very important here too, to keep in mind, that only that amount of pressure can be applied to the client’s body, with what the client is able to deal with, i.e. where they still able to exhale freely, while pressure is applied to their muscles and/or limbs, in order to open tight muscle knots there!
As again, like the same way, as at the stretches, there will be the release of those muscle knots only, if and when the client will able to breathe easily and especially if there will be the comfortable exhalation part of in their every breath there, where work on tight muscles are implemented or done!
The release of anything can only exist, where there are both, the exhalation part of the breath and the applied pressure to the tissue, are there, together.
Actually, the practitioner does need to ask the client to let them know, as where is the client feeling the pressure applied, to be on a scale from 0 to 10?
This is essential, from the point of view of developing a constructive dialogue between you, as the practitioner and the client to be worked on, as the client needs to be in control all the time!
They are the one, who needs to tell you, that how far, how deep you may go in or with your treatment! And NOT the other way around!
Then, you need to tell to the client, that you do not want them to allow you to push into a depth=pressure feeling of discomfort more than No.7, as No.8 and 9 are already can be too much, as it is too easy there, on those levels to jump into No.10, which is total pain, and like that it can be damaging to the tissue to be applied to. Besides, the client will suffer unnecessary pain from the too much pressure without the possibility to ease it, release it by the breath.
Hence, watching, paying attention to the client’s facial expressions and their body movements, like involuntary jerking, is also very important, as they might not or wouldn’t call your attention in time to their limit. Sometimes, they just might want to “sit it out” too, although there is no such thing, because as long someone is not able to breathe with the exhalation part of the breath comfortably, while the pressure applied, there will be no positive result, the tightness, muscle knots will not be opened or released, but rather tissue damage results! A massage, done like this, will result in more pain. However, as still,some person lives in this miss-concept, of “no pain, no gain”, it is the practitioner’s responsibility to keep the massage’s pressure always above the client’s pain threshold!
The client, when feeling the treatment more like a torture, than a helping act, most probably will never come back for more, either! So why go there?
When a proper client/therapist dialog and the therapist’s keen attention, as what is happening to the client’s body can and will help to prevent this! Hence, it is absolutely essential and necessary to develop it and keep it up!
The neuro-muscular massage therapy‘s main purpose is to aim to release aches and pains from the physical body. However, its results and benefits are very versatile, as beside creating better flow for everything to flow through the skeletal/muscular systems of the body which provides possibility for better health and well-being for the individual, it is helping to relax the body/mind/soul continuum by smoothing and easing any nervous tensions, creating better mental/emotional state too for the person treated.
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