Journal and Magazine Reviews
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An excerpt from an article written for Common Ground Magazine
August, 2007
by Amelia Glynn
Allison Post of Larkspur, California brings a bio-dynamic approach to her craniosacral practice (which she often combines with Chi Nei Tsang and other healing modalities). She began my session with a few minutes of Shiatsu to help relax my body. Throughout the treatment, she emphasized the idea that there is no right or wrong; no fixing to be done. I am accepted as I am and am even commended for simply showing up. “I don't begin a session with a program or agenda,” says Post. “Instead, the body gets to understand in an unconscious non-verbal way where the discomfort comes from so it is able to release.”
As she gently held my head and supported my neck I became aware of how much tension I was holding in my jaw. Slowly my breath began to deepen and expand into my lower ribs and belly and I drifted into a deep sleep. When our hour was over, Post invited me to take my time getting off the table. My emotions were mixed: peaceful and relaxed with a twinge of sadness and relief, knowing I had left something of myself behind. Time felt slowed down. I had more room to think and breathe. Any realizations that I had while on the table (that I'm happier when I tell my inner critic to can it; that maybe it really is possible to accept myself the way I am) were wholly my own. Post simply helped me to see more deeply into my own experience.
She says, “These simple tools for relaxation are our birthright. This work is about learning to listen to your body's own innate wisdom.” She works with people of all ages, from two year olds with autism to seniors with Parkinson's disease.
“I am simply a facilitator and a witness to the healing. The body slowly sinks into neutral—and you make the adjustments yourself. You are able to go back into who you truly are—not who you've become through injury and abuse.” back to top
Massage Magazine
July-August 2004
reviewed by Thomas Claire
Developed by the authors in a dynamic partnership of 18 years, Unwinding the Belly integrates their experience in massage therapy, shiatsu, yoga, qigong, and the Eastern healing practice of chi nei tsang ("internal organ energy transformation").
This book is subtitled healing with 'Gentle Touch. Unwinding uses gentle touch, breath and awareness to release internal patterns of tension. Co-author Allison Post first developed this work to address her won chronic health concerns. "I developed Unwinding the Belly because I found that everything I needed to heal was there, within my belly, my center," writes Post. "I only had to unwind the tissue and release the stress to find that the pattern of health, the blueprint, had always been there, waiting to reveal itself to me."
Unwinding the Belly presents a simple and clear way of contacting the intuitive and emotional center that lies in the belly, using breathing practices and gentle abdominal massage techniques to release tension. The authors maintain that unwinding can help ease physical and emotional stress, aid a wide range of digestive ailments, tone the internal organs, support optimal functioning of the immune system, and promote renewed energy and peace. Post and co-author Stephen Cavaliere present five phases of unwinding, beginning with belly breathing and massaging the surface of the belly, then progressing to such stages as lateral breathing to release the abdomen, as well as the torso and back. They provide inspirational client accounts, and pose and answer pertinent questions.
Unwinding the Belly is aimed first and foremost at a general audience of readers who can use the techniques presented for their own self-directed healing. Massage practitioners will find these techniques of special value to incorporate into their own ongoing self-care practices. Practitioners may also find these techniques helpful to share with their clients.
Unwinding the Belly is written in clear, engaging language. The text is accompanied by black-and-white illustrations, including playful cartoons; drawings depicting the anatomy of the belly and the mechanisms of breathing; and photographs that illustrate the massage techniques presented.
In the book's preface, the authors state their hope that the book will be "informative, fun, and accessible."
They succeed soundly in their goal. Massage therapists will find in this book a heartfelt presentation of healing techniques that honor the inherent wisdom of the body.
- Thomas Claire is a New York State licensed massage therapist and author of the critically acclaimed Bodywork: What type of Massage to Get- and How to Make the Most of it. His newest book, Yoga for Men: Postures for Healthy Stress-Free Living, has just been released by New Page Books.
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Massage Therapy Journal
Spring 2004
Reviewed by Liza Mertz
Many treatment methods have been developed out of necessity before being introduced to clients or students. Allison Post created the self-care practices described in this book while traveling an arduous path of self-discovery. She opens the book with the story of how she endured near-fatal pelvic inflammatory disease caused by the Dalkon shield. Alarmed at the effects the condition had on her immune system, and the effect it had on her entire body, she went on a long search for healing and balance.
Exploring alternative lifestyles, detoxification, proper diet, meditation and yoga led her eventually to train to become a massage therapist. She studied a specialized form of healing called chi nei tsang (internal organ energy transformation). Chi nei tsang - based on qigong - was brought to the United States by Mantak and Maneewan Chia. Allison Post studied with their main teacher, Gilles Marin. He encouraged her to adapt the methods of chi nei tsang to her own needs and to teach what she knows.
Post explains a five-phase practice for unwinding - letting go of old patterns, freeing yourself to be more present and more flexible. Breathing practices and gentle touch form the foundation.
For the first phase, "Working with the Surface- Navel, Skin and Lymph," Post describes how to do abdominal self-massage and how to pump the lymph.
The second phase is "Lateral Breathing and Elimination." Conscious breathing from the left side and then from the right side and then from both sides simultaneously enhances kinesthetic awareness and tones the tissue around the organs. "Connecting to the Large Intestine (Colon) is part of phase two. Here, Post describes a more complicated self-massage for decongesting the colon."The colon," she writes, "is an exquisitely sensitive organ. It reacts to all manner of stress, physical and emotional. For instance, think how immediately the colon reacts to a situation of extreme fear. Releasing tension from contracted ligaments and soothing and relaxing the colon can be emotionally stirring work for anyone who has suppressed any kind of emotion, which includes just about everyone." (p. 84).
Phase three expands lateral breathing and digestion. The self-massage techniques in this phase are designed to stimulate the digestive organs. These techniques are intended to help you become attuned to the needs of your own digestive system, allowing you to learn to avoid foods that stress your body.
The fourth phase, "Three Dimensional Breathing and the Back," takes the self-care practices to the posterior of the body where the kidneys and adrenals are located.
The fifth phase is called "Connected Breathing, the Inner Voice, and Bone." The point of connected breathing is to develop awareness of what is happening in your whole body as you breathe.
The descriptions of the self-massage techniques in Unwinding the Belly are interspersed with clients' testimonials and frequently asked questions. Illustrations of the pertinent aspects of the anatomy help provide clarity for the application of the techniques. Self-care is a major aspect of massage therapy, and Unwinding the Belly offers a structured, holistic practice for tending and nurturing oneself.
-MTJ Book and Video Review Editor Lisa Mertz, Ph.D., LMT, is an assistant professor of massage therapy at Queensborough Community college, City University of New York.
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