The Blended Approach
Unravel persistent pain with a whole-person appraoch.
- Are you struggling to get an injury or physical issue fully resolved?
- Have you been passed from pillar to post with no clear answers?
- Do you find the same pains and problems return for no obvious reason?
The typical approach is to treat health and well-being concerns in isolation. If it’s an isolated problem, this works fine. If not, you might see multiple specialists, but nobody seems to look at the whole picture.
This segmented approach often leads to frustration and incomplete solutions, leaving you bouncing from one professional to the next without ever finding a true resolution.
The reason this approach can be ineffective is because it fails to identify the underlying problem that can be triggering a range of symptoms.
We don’t function as separate systems working side by side. Our bodies operate as one highly intelligent and complex integrated system. Your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual are all linked with each affecting the equilibrium of the others.
My Blended Approach is designed to look at you holistically, consider all aspects of wellness and unravel your symptoms from the root so you can enjoy true freedom from symptoms.
If you aren’t sure what you need or have more questions, book a free consultation to get clear and see what might be right for you.
What Is The Blended Approach?
In essence, rather than offering you one type of treatment, you’ll have access to a whole range of different modalities to address your physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.
My approach looks at you as a whole and with guidance from your body’s inate intelligence (Inner wisdom), we take the course of action your body needs at that moment.
I started in sports massage but soon realised there was often more to the injuries I was working on than a straightforward physical problem. I got curious and started to look into other therapies that took a whole-person view and considered the impact of stress and trauma on the body.
I’ve come not just to appreciate but fully understand that we are complex beings, a blend of physical, emotional and spiritual. We don’t live and function as isolated parts, so we can’t expect to heal fully from that perspective either.
The blended approach is my way of acknowledging this. I draw on all of the treatments and techniques I’ve trained in to work with you, body, mind, and soul.
My main therapies are Upledger CranioSacral Therapy, Barral Visceral Manipulation, ScarWork and PSYCH-K®. I also use Bach flower remedies if it’s appropriate. A summary of each method is at the bottom of thus page.
Each can be very effective on its own, but time and time again, I’ve found the best results come from allowing your body to show me what it needs that day, which may be a blend of some or all of these modalities.
A More Subtle Aspect Of The Approach
I use the term ‘Blended’ because a session is more than just integrating different therapies and techniques. It is also the subtle blending and transfer of information that happens during the treatment.
My hands blend with the tissues of your body as it guides me to where I need to be and how I can best support it. You gain a greater sense of your own ‘inner self’ and can find that you can reconnect with parts of your body you couldn’t before. And your innate inner wisdom blends with the process, maybe bringing awareness of memories or emotions that need to be released to allow the body to heal.
Client Testimonial:
Why is the blended approach so powerful?
The best way to explain this is with a couple of example scenarios:
Firstly, let’s say you have multiple things going on, for example, shoulder pain, digestive issues and a general feeling of being over-burdened and overwhelmed. If you go to the GP, each symptom will likely be looked at in isolation and treated as three separate issues.
With the Blended Approach, we look at you as a whole and don’t rule out the possibility that all three may be connected and causing/impacting each other.
By listening to the body (it is dealing with all three 24/7, after all), we can find out if they are and in which order to approach them to aid the body back to its self-healing state.
In another situation, you may have an issue that you can’t get to the bottom of, such as chronic headaches, for example. You’ve tried different therapies, but nothing seems to last. Often, the symptoms we seek help for are the end of a chain of physical and/or emotional stresses that our body can no longer cope with.
That back pain may not be purely physical. There may be an emotional component to it. Once that emotional part is resolved and cleared, the body can heal physically. It may also be linked to adhesions around the internal organs or an old surgery scar. With the Blended Approach, we can discover the underlying cause of an issue that doesn’t seem to want to resolve.
I believe the true path to health comes from seeing ourselves as body, mind and soul. We can’t afford to separate ourselves like that if we want to live a full, healthy and happy life.
What Happens In A Blended Approach Session?
At your first appointment, we’ll start with a full and comprehensive medical history. As part of this, we’ll talk about your current issues and symptoms, what you may have tried in the past and anything else you feel is important for me to know.
We’ll discuss your general well-being, and though some questions may seem irrelevant, they all help me to build up a complete picture and, therefore find the right solutions.
Next, I’ll use muscle testing to ask your body where it needs the most help. Muscle testing involves you holding an arm outstretched in front of you and me applying a mild downward pressure after asking a question. You will either be able to hold your arm strong against the pressure, or it will glide gently downwards. This is your body giving a yes or no response, and how we bypass your conscious mind is to speak directly to your subconscious for answers.
I may also have you stand up whilst I place one hand on your head so I can feel into the connective tissues (the fascia) and locate the biggest area of tension in your body.
All of this is done fully clothed and gives me a very clear understanding of where to begin.
Any hands-on work during the session uses a very light touch so the body isn’t triggered into tensing up, so you stay relaxed, and I’m able to work on a much deeper level to help gently unravel the restrictions in your body that are causing problems.
From everything we’ve discussed and what your body has shown me from my initial assessment, I’ll talk you through the approach and which therapy or therapies are most appropriate for that day, and then we’ll get started with the treatment. If you have any questions at any stage, you are always free to ask.
At the end of every session, I’ll check in with you and your body to see how things are feeling. We will discuss any aftercare you need to do, determine the next step and when we need to see each other again.
Sometimes, big shifts can happen between sessions, so I never take things for granted. At the beginning of each further appointment, we’ll always start with muscle testing to hear from your body where it’s at and where we go next. We will also discuss how things have been since the last session and decide on the best approach for that day.
The blended approach is a collaboration between the three of us: me, you and your body’s inner wisdom.
How Many Sessions Will I Need?
This is an impossible question to answer. We are all unique, so the path to health will be unique for each of us, too. Some people notice a change in symptoms after the first session, while for others, it can take a little longer.
It’s not always the case that the longer something has been with you, the longer it will take to resolve. It all depends on whether multiple factors feed into one issue, what you do in between sessions, and how much aftercare advice you follow.
It’s good to keep in mind that if there is an emotional component, clearing it can have a profound impact on the speed of your physical recovery. So you may recover pretty fast once we identify and release this emotional element, or we may uncover some more layers to work through.
So, whilst there is no set formula or prescription, I promise that everything we do will always be with your best and highest interests at heart. This isn’t about a quick fix, nor is it about dragging things out unnecessarily. It’s about listening to your body’s needs and the most appropriate pace so we don’t miss anything that will delay the process.
Ensuring You Get What You Need
I won’t be the right solution for everyone. If, at any stage, I feel you need a different therapy, we will discuss that together, and I will guide you in the right direction.
Rachael and I work closely and know each other’s skills and strengths. If I feel a session or two with her is needed, we will discuss this, and though you’ll have a full initial consultation with her, you’ll only be charged a follow-up rate for this.
The Blended Approach Pricing
Initial Consultation: (90 minutes) – £110
Follow-Up Sessions: (60 minutes) – £75
With Lorna Kennard-Wall
Overview of the Therapies
Cranio-Sacral Therapy
This is a gentle, hands-on treatment done through clothing. Using a light touch, I gently work with your body to release areas of unwanted tension and restrictions.
The CranioSacral system is the home of the brain and spinal cord, and the ultimate aim of this work is to help the body get back to a place where it can self-regulate and self-heal. I may work directly on your skull and pelvis to help release tension within the CranioSacral system itself or anywhere else on the body where excess tension is having the greatest impact.
CST acknowledges the body-mind and that emotional tension and stress from past events can become trapped within the tissues. In these cases, I may guide you to look inward and connect with a particular area. Sometimes, an image or memory spontaneously comes to mind. Either way, we work gently with whatever comes up and always at a pace that is safe for you.
You can find out more about CranioSacral Therapy here.
ScarWork
Scarwork was developed to release tension in scars from the skin surface down. Whether the scar is relatively new or from childhood, improvements can always be made. With this gentle approach, adhesions within and around a scar can be improved and released.
Even a small scar can have far-reaching effects, and any abnormal tension or movement restriction from a scar will affect how the body moves and functions as a whole.
ScarWork blends well with Visceral Manipulation. We can work to release unwanted tension from surgery, accidents, c-sections, etc, both from the surface down and within the abdominal cavity. This work needs to be done on the skin, so I will need access to the area of the scar in question.
Read more about ScarWork here.
Visceral Manipulation
This modality is concerned with the internal organs of the body. Your body will prioritise the safety of your organs as they are essential for your survival. If they are restricted or working under strain, your body may create tightness within the musculoskeletal system to create more room around the organs. This unwanted tension can be caused by old surgery scars, internal adhesions from injuries, infections or surgery, or even tight adjoining ligaments.
Again, a light touch is used so that the body doesn’t feel threatened and allows me to work with it. This can be done through clothing. However, I may need you to expose an area to get a better connection to the organ in question.
As with CST, this work also acknowledges the concept of trapped emotions and tissue memory, and sometimes, I may work hands off the body to help release these emotions within your energy field.
You can learn more about Visceral Manipulation here.
PSYCH-K®
Using muscle testing, PSYCH-K® allows you to have a conversation with your subconscious. Within a Blended Approach, this method comes up if there is an emotional or stress component to your current situation.
Sometimes, physical issues aren’t purely physical. They can be the result of tension held in the tissues due to a past event or experience that the body hasn’t fully moved on from. Sometimes, physical symptoms are your inner wisdom/ guidance trying to bring your attention to something you need to address in your life.
If you find yourself repeating patterns in your life, this can be down to a belief that is trying to keep you safe but is actually unhelpful and causing problems. These often come to light when you’re trying to create change or release old habits.
Using muscle testing, we can find out what those messages are and what is at the root of your symptoms or repeating physical issues. You can install new beliefs that support the change you want in life.
If there is a past stress that’s still impacting you now, PSYCH-K® has a process that allows the body-mind to complete that stress response and come to a place of peace and harmony so it becomes a distant memory and no longer affects you in the here and now. This only takes a few minutes to do, and at every stage, we check that it is safe and appropriate to go ahead.
More information and PSYCH-K® and its uses can be found here.
Bach Flower Remedies
You may have heard of Rescue Remedy, and this is a combination of Bach Flower remedies for acute stress. Several different flower essences exist that reflect different emotional states. Taking these remedies helps you move from a negative emotional pattern or state into a positive aspect. It’s a little like homoeopathy in that you take drops each day over a period of time.
We will be guided to use these to help shift any unwanted emotional states or traits that are having an impact on your current situation. Again, your body’s subconscious will choose which combination of Bach is appropriate for you.