Can stress make back pain worse? Part 3: Inflammation and the chemistry of pain
When people think about back pain, they often imagine something mechanical. A disc is bulging. A muscle has been strained. A joint has worn out. Sometimes that is true. But…
A moment in the life of a spine
A few days ago I was invited to lead one of three afternoon sessions at a charity wellbeing event. Around fifty women attended the day, and fifteen signed up for…
The heart of awareness
The other day, a good friend noticed that I’d started referring to the heart of awareness rather than the art of awareness. It was one of those things that had…
In relationship with your body
Recently, I found myself reflecting on a phrase that was used in a book I was reading: developing a partnership with your body. At the time, I could see what…
The spine as a journey into grounding
On grounding, gravity, and embodied awareness The spine is often understood in structural terms—as support, alignment, or something to be corrected. But it is also something we experience directly. It…
Can stress make back pain worse? Part 2: The psoas and muscle tone
In Part 1, we explored how stress changes the way we breathe and hold ourselves. But stress doesn’t stop there. It also changes the tone of the muscles that support…
Podcast with Loulou James
A few months ago, Althea Finch, creator of The PainFree Method™ invited me to talk about the Buttafly Technique and the journey that led to its development. It’s always slightly…
Stress, rest and the body
While away camping last Sunday, I woke at 4.30am. Seeing clear skies through the window, I couldn’t resist getting up for an early walk. The sunrise was so beautiful that,…
When symptoms begin to make sense
One of the questions that has accompanied me throughout my career is, “Why do symptoms appear when they do?” As a physiotherapist, I was trained to assess the physical body.…
What Is the Buttafly? The Constant Behind Back Care, Yoga and Meditation
One of the challenges I’ve faced over the years is explaining exactly what the Buttafly is. Simply speaking, the Buttafly is a posture and positioning tool designed to support comfort,…
A Healthy Spine for LIFE: why this is not a typical course
One of the challenges in writing about A Healthy Spine for LIFE has been finding the right words to describe it. From the beginning, I knew it wasn’t a typical…
What’s the difference between back care and spine health?
People sometimes ask why I describe my work as Natural Back Care and Spine Health rather than simply focusing on back pain or the spine alone. The answer is simple:…