Feeling curious about what a session might look or feel like?

Every appointment is personalised to you so the answer to this question can be a bit different for everyone. Some sessions might be very focused on psychological strategies to support your mental health and we will do a lot of talking. Sessions can also be focused on physical challenges and we will mostly work with your body to bring adjustment and shifts that support your goals. However I love working at the intersection of the head, heart and womb, and if it feels right for you, we will usually end up bringing together a range of thinking, feeling, doing and being experiences.

I plan for each session to feel relaxed and like a conversation. As an occupational therapist I am interested in learning more about:

Your body –  What is happening for you physically, emotionally or spiritually? This can include your menstrual, pelvic, digestive and reproductive health. What does your head think is happening and does your body agree? We can look at how you use your body to sit, stand and move, or the way you feel and react when certain situations come up. So often we are conditioned to think about our bodies as separate parts, but in mothering and feminine experiences we need to acknowledge how physical and mental health are interconnected and need to be addressed together. 

The things around you – The physical set up of our homes and communities can significantly impact our ability to function. Socially and culturally we may be faced with expectations, support or criticism that we need to navigate in order to find our own way of doing things. And mothering usually happens within the vacuum of culture that does not honour or understand the enormity of the mothering transition. We are quick to pathologise the mother when we would do better to explore the context of her daily life, and this is something that I help mothers explore in depth. 

What you do – I want to know about the range of everyday tasks that you do and the reasons why you do them. I might ask about your habits and routines, and how you feel about the roles and activities you take on as a mother. I want to help you move toward building and living the life that is meaningful to you. 

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”

— Annie Dillard, The Writing Life

When we work with the body, I firmly believe that the body needs to take the lead. I will always talk you through any techniques that I suggest we could try, and ensure that your head and body are both giving a full ‘yes’ before we proceed. Your preferences or needs in regard to any touch based modalities will always be respected, and you are able to change your mind at any time.

The information given below is a description of the different approaches I have been trained in. There are always way to adjust or modify the techniques to ensure you feel safe and comfortable. 

For the Arvigo® work

Self care abdominal therapy can be taught to you during an online appointment, and I can also guide you virtually to discover what is happening in your body and how you can support tension, tenderness, adhesions or scar tissue.

In person, the upper and lower belly, ribs, tail bone, buttocks, back and legs can be involved in treatment based on the assessment. A lot of this week is completed through a sheet or clothing, alongside direct abdominal contact. 

For Holistic Pelvic Care™ and Holistic Pelvic Energy™

Holistic Pelvic Care™ uses a combination of physical and energetic tools. Your pelvic muscles can be assessed intra-vaginally to determine where muscles are actively engaging during a pelvic squeeze, and if pain points or tension patterns are present. The assessment is followed by treatment to balance the pelvis. Techniques such as myofascial release and scar tissue remediation as well as breathwork and visualisation are used to restore physical and energetic balance.

Holistic Pelvic Energy™ involves external touch on the abdomen, chest and head through clothing. Breathwork and visualisation are again used to bring grounding and restore balance to the pelvic space and rest of the body, with the goal of supporting you to engage in the daily activities you need and want to do. 

For Birth Preparation and Healing techniques

Touch based techniques can be used to assess the bones, ligaments and abdominal organs through clothing while you lie on your front, back or side. Internal body assessment can also be used to assess and address concerns with the bladder, urethra, uterus, cervix, bowel, scar tissue and pelvic floor muscles.

This work can also be explored in an online session using a partner or support person to follow instructions on how to provide touch based input on your body. Strategies to explore beliefs and stories held in the body do not need touch and are equally effective when included in online sessions.