Have you ever experienced a treatment for a chronic musculoskeletal problem that made such a profound impact and created such a shift toward healing that it changed the course of your life?
A little over 3 years ago, after years of chronic low back pain from sacroiliac joint injury and dysfunction, I was referred to a physical therapist who happened to also be an extraordinarily gifted bodyworker. I drove all the way from Santa Rosa (one hour north of San Francisco) to her home office in Newark at the south east corner of the San Francisco Bay for a treatment that lasted almost 2 hours and was comprised mostly of a technique new to me called Zero Balancing.
I had heard of Zero Balancing in passing years before but had not been inspired to learn more about it, wrongly assuming it was some watered down osteopathic technique taught to massage therapists.
After the session, the drive home during commute hour ended up taking 3 hours, which usually would have cancelled out much or most of the session’s benefits. However, I still experienced a remarkable reduction in pain and tightness, as well as an overall sense of being more integrated and balanced, that lasted for almost three weeks!
My reaction was: I have to get some more of this! (Closer to home of course.) And, I have to learn this so that I can provide this incredible healing modality to others! Thus began my journey receiving and taking courses in Zero Balancing that culminated in my achieving Certification this past December 2017.
What is Zero Balancing? ZB is a hands on body-mind system of therapy that balances the relationship of energy and structure within the bones and soft tissues of the body, integrating Western medicine with Eastern healing traditions. Aligning energy with structure enhances the body’s natural healing processes and supports optimum health.
ZB is profoundly effective for symptoms from blocked or held energy patterns, or arising from stress. This includes headaches, back pain, fatigue, depression, tension, anxiety or insomnia.
Stubborn chronic problems, that have not responded long term to other modalities, can often be resolved or significantly diminished.
A ZB session lasts 30-40 minutes involves the recipient fully clothed lying on their back on the treatment table. The practitioner assesses tension in the skeletal structure and soft tissues, and then applies gentle traction or finger pressure (fulcrums) into foundational areas such as the spine, ribcage, hips and feet to release held tension. It is typically refreshing and deeply relaxing, and therapeutic effects can continue to manifest over the next 24 plus hours.
What has ZB done for me as a regular “maintenance” recipient? I would say I experience a more peaceful internal landscape that feels more level and expanded. My low back pain is on a much lower level overall, though still “tweaks” from time to time, though I can get over that in various ways (including yoga of course!) The ribcage work is really delicious and I have experienced some good emotional releases.
As a practitioner, it has been incredibly liberating to have a tool in my tool box that is non diagnostic, so that I don’t have to focus on “fixing” a specific “dysfunction” is causing a patient’s problem or pain. I only need to hold the person in the highest nonjudgmental regard, and endeavor to detect imbalance and release tension and tightness with the magic of the technique.
I still sometimes have a hard time with letting go of the doctor paradyme to diagnose and fix a named problem! The “shoulds” creep into my mind, ie I should be more specific, do the Counterstrain osteopathic technique for a particular structure that was my main hands on modality up to now, or diagnose and work up a problem “like a doctor”. Of course, much of the time it is entirely appropriate that I do just that. But it is fascinating to observe the effects of ZB in different clinical situations, sometimes just adding a few assessments or fulcrums into a standard exam or hands on session, other times giving “pure ZB”.
I welcome you to experience Zero Balancing with my New Years special: $75 off a series of 3 sessions, normally a $375 value. This is a limited time offer, so don’t procrastinate for too long; $300 and at least one session need to be paid and scheduled by March 1 2018. Looking forward to seeing you!