I’m British and proud of it and anyone who knows about Brits knows that we are not a very touchy feely culture! So why do I do what I do?

Like most people, I used to approach bodywork for myself only as a necessity for when my body hurt so much I couldn’t ride and train horses effectively. Can’t find my right seat bone then I can’t get a flying change, off to get it fixed. Neck spasm getting so horrible it hurts to land over a fence, book an appointment.

That all changed after a particularly nasty fall from a rearing horse. My neck and left shoulder were badly affected and it took me a while to work out that what my body needed to heal was for me to pay attention to it and not brush it off as just another injury.

In searching for an answer, I booked Rolfing sessions for… my horse! Surprised by how effective that was for her, I took classes in Equine Structural Integration to learn how to help horses myself.

Classes in Equine Manual therapy, in many different forms, piqued my curiosity about the resilience of our bodies and their ability to change and heal.

To deepen my knowledge, I trained to be a Practitioner of Ortho-Bionomy, a therapy based in Osteopathy. I began the class in the belief that I would take what I learned to horses and never work with people.

 The work was profound. The changes in my body made me more comfortable than I had been in years, I felt not only physically, but mentally and emotionally more balanced. 

I became certified and realized that I wanted to share this with others. The work is so effective and yet non-invasive, you really don’t have to feel pain in a session to get your muscles to release or to improve range of motion in your joints. 

My curiosity and deep desire to understand more led me to study Neural Manipulation and Cranio-Sacral Therapy. I’m constantly amazed by the results achieved when releasing nerves; for example, having the tingling and numbness disappear from someone’s arm and hand. I’m honoured to be able to access the central nervous system of a person and facilitate a change in their whiplash symptoms or have frequent headaches disappear. 

What I have learned through all of this is that it is so important to listen to what your body is telling you, aches and pains are your body’s language, a warning. Anxiety and stress need to be acknowledged. And no, sorry, it’s not “Just your body getting old”, your body is out of balance because you have ignored the whisper and now it’s shouting!

 If your body is resilient you can be stronger, more agile, you can continue to take part in the activities you enjoy and be happy in life. What a gift to give yourself.

I continue to be inspired by this work, by the horses who introduced me to it and quietly taught me to stretch the boundaries of what I thought was possible, encouraging me to do better every day. To my teachers who have challenged me, mentored me and demonstrated their great skill and passion and to my clients who have such bravery in the face of pain and discomfort.

And so, after many years of study, I’m a Brit that does bodywork with people and horses and I couldn’t be happier.

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