How To Treat the Body With Respect: Listening to the Tissues

My students know that my number one treatment rule is to respect the tissues! I usually have each class shout “respect the tissues” out loud together to hammer home the importance!  

But how do I respect the tissues?  I respect the tissues by listening to them. By allowing the tissues to speak to me through my hands, they tell me what they need and what they want to do. When listening to the tissues I’m often surprised by the direction that the restrictions take me.

I was reminded of the importance of listening to the tissues in a recent session I had with a postpartum client who was complaining of thrusting pain with intercourse.  During our session, we did internal work using the Schulte Intravaginal Protocol. One of the steps in the protocol is to check the mobility of the cervix and where there is restricted movement.  

I found the cervix didn’t want to go to the right and was sitting a little to the left in the vaginal space.  My mind wanted to encourage the cervix to go to the right to try and help release the restricted motion.  However, instead of forcing the cervix to the right, I listened to it. I held my finger on the cervix, listening to the tissues and what they wanted to do. 

The tissues wanted pressure superiorly toward the head, so I followed them. I was quite surprised by this direction, but I didn’t let my head override what the cervix wanted to do. While giving the cervix pressure superiorly, the restrictions melted and the cervix came more into midline with improved mobility.   

This was a perfect reminder for me to always let the tissues guide me. Rather than following to what my head initially told me to do, I listened to the tissues and was able to give the cervix what it needed – and it was so simple with no force on my part.   

For more information on what I listen for in the tissues, read this blog post.