An Overview

Based on osteopathic principles, the focus of Ortho-Bionomy sessions are to facilitate the body’s natural self-healing and self-regulating responses. The Practitioner works with the body from a listening perspective. To elicit these responses, the Practitioner takes care to support the comfort and ease of movement within the client by gently exaggerating patterns in the structure, soft tissue, and/or energetic pathways to stimulate the body’s self-regulating mechanisms. This work is very safe, even for those people who are highly sensitive or have limitations due to age, illness, or pain.

Ortho-Bionomy sessions are fully clothed and the practitioner usually works with the client on a bodywork table, and occasionally with the client seated or standing. After an intake interview both the practitioner and client work together to assess and support the self-correcting patterns related specifically to the issues or conditions that the client is experiencing.

The techniques used range from the physical and structural, to more fluid and soft tissue based, to the purely energetic. This allows the practitioner to employ techniques which are appropriate for each client and each condition. Some of these techniques include:

• Positional release

• Range-of-motion exploration

• Isometric and isotonic techniques

• Gentle rocking

• Static holding

• Subtle or minute movements

• Postural re-education

• Work in the energy field of the body

• Work with the cranium

• Work with the viscera

• Neurolymphatic connections

• Neuroendocrine connections

At no time does the practitioner use any movements or contact that cause discomfort for the client. At the end of the session the practitioner may identify self care exercises for the client to do after and between sessions to continue the releases and to retrain the body in its new patterns. Clients are encouraged to receive two to four sessions initially after which an on-going program of self care and/or additional individual sessions can be developed.