BODY STRESS RELEASE

There are therapies that can do much more than ease aching muscles; they can soothe away your mental stresses too, as body stress release practitioner Charlotte Richardson-Knott explains.

Feeling anxious or tense? While there's always a place for mulling over your problems with friends, family and therapists, body stress release (BSR) is a safe, non-invasive complementary health technique that's used to assist the body in releasing stored tension.

Body stress is a term that refers to any tension that has become locked into the physical body owing to stress overload. This can occur when stress - either mechanical or emotional - goes beyond a person's ability to adapt to it. This affects individuals in different ways, from their general quality of life to sporting abilities and can also cause mild persistent pain, stiffness, distorted posture, numbness, inflexibility, fatigue and general discomfort throughout the body.

Over the years, BSR has improved many different health conditions including neurological complaints such as back pain, neck pain, bad posture, headaches and dizziness, respiratory conditions such as hay fever and asthma, emotional problems such as insomnia, anxiety and past traumas, and even skin disorders like eczema and psoriasis.

Soft and gentle

To address these kinds of problems, a BSR practitioner will take a detailed case history - which helps reveal the possible origins of these problems. Then, with the person fully-clothed and lying down, a series of light pressure tests are performed to locate the exact sites of stored tension. A gentle manual stimulus is then applied to encourage the body to release the tension and assist the body in its ability to heal and maintain itself. After the technique, clients are provided with feedback on the results, with simple self-help techniques being suggested to avoid further accumulation of stress. Initially a BSR practitioner will recommend three appointments - with any further appointments being based on the individual's progress.

People often ask me what BSR is like - and how it compares to other complementary health techniques. But it's such a unique technique that it needs to be experienced to be understood - it does not include massage, or the use of machines or medication, but clients are often amazed that such a gentle technique can be so effective.

For more information about Body Stress Release contact Charlotte on 01920 460 458 or the Body Stress Release Association on 01276 475 651, www.bodystressrelease-uk.co.uk

Tried and tested

Health 24's own Danielle Wilkins visited Charlotte Richardson-Knott for some stress-release of her own...

Deadlines at work, bills to pay and I'd just tried on my bikini for the first time in years. It's safe to say that I was feeling a little tense. When I arrived at my first consultation with Charlotte, I wasn't quite sure what to expect but I was immediately put at ease by her friendly welcome and the cool, tranquil room which had an instant calming effect.

After chatting through some standard medical questions, we discussed my stress levels, what kind of things made me stressed, and how it affected my body. I mentioned that I suffer from tension headaches a couple of times a month and also have some problems with my lower back occasionally. Although it can sometimes be hard to drift off to 'that place' and completely relax, I managed it in my first session. Like a form of gentle massage, it felt soothing and calming and I began to wonder whether I had any stress stored away in my body at all, until.... ooh yes, there was a spot on my neck that felt sensitive - but in a good way. Charlotte suddenly began feeling out tense parts of my body, like she knew exactly where they were. When they were gently pressed, it felt really good.

The next couple of sessions felt just as comforting and restful. Charlotte was now delving even deeper and felt parts in my back and neck that I never even knew were sensitive to touch before. I just closed my eyes, relaxed and felt the stress being pushed away. I felt very peaceful. After my last session, Charlotte said she could feel a difference in my lower back - and so could I. Result!

Body stress release is practised with the client fully dressed, and is a unique technique that does not include massage, manipulation or the use of machines or medication

BSR has been practised successfully since 1981, as the result of years of research by South African chiropractor Ewald Meggersee, motivated by his own history of ill-health. As of 2008, there are more than 150 BSR practitioners worldwide who are passionate about their profession and regularly monitored by the International Body Stress Release Association.