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About Deep Bodywork Imagine laughing without a voice, grief without tears, nervous butterflies without a stomach... Right here, right now, we are alive in our bodies, experiencing the world in all its joys and pain. Yet sometimes our body can be a stranger to us, or maybe an opponent that we fight against. We may be baffled by its needs or the things it does. It can often seem that our bodies have a mind of their own. Somatic (body) therapists believe that all life experiences are embodied: that your body holds your emotional history just as much as your mind does. The stresses of your life can get locked deep into your muscles, and your behaviour can be determined by that locked-in tension - as though your body were programmed to behave in a certain way, whether or not you want it. This is referred to as "body-armouring." Deep bodywork seeks to unlock patterns of armouring and help people discover a new way of being at one with their body. The aim of psychotherapeutic deep bodywork is to bring your mind and body increasingly into harmony. My main methodology is Postural Integration, a powerful tool for enabling you to increase your sense of well-being, your capacity to feel, your ability to express, your self-awareness and consciousness. Although counselling and psychotherapy are based on well-founded psychological theories, ultimately the key that opens the door to change and healing seems to be the wonderful mystery of the relationship between client and therapist. The sessions I offer are a space in which this little bit of human magic can occur. |
What does it involve? I use an integrative approach; this means that different models of therapy are used together creatively, making a unique blend for each individual client. Although the core work is deep massage to release body-armouring, sessions may also involve a mix of: counselling to help you through immediate problems; breathwork and Bioenergetics-style exercises to increase your body-awareness; psychotherapy, Gestalt therapy and psychodrama to highlight deep issues. The purpose is to help you become more aware of what you hold in both your mind and your body, and the connection between them. The sessions are a creative dialogue between us. As we work I will be encouraging you to respond: to breathe, speak, make connections, move, feel. Because deep bodywork involves physical touch, I work very sensitively and always respect your sense of modesty and personal boundaries. Sessions may sometimes be challenging, but you will never be pressured beyond your comfort zone. Depending on your specific needs, sessions may be 60, 90 or 120 minutes in length. I also offer Pulsing sessions. This is a rhythmic, rocking treatment, partly derived from Hawaiian Kahuna bodywork, that facilitates the release of stress on the physical, psychological or emotional level. With its wave-like movements, Pulsing works with the body's natural rhythms and has a deeply relaxing yet energising effect. It can also engage with the body in a playful way, assisting in deepening your connection to your sense of fun and aliveness. Alternatively, it may take a deeper form, helping unlock body armouring and releasing embodied emotions. |
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Richard Lawton Deep bodywork, Psychotherapeutic Bodywork, Postural Integration & Pulsing in SW London & North Surrey, England, UK