What is Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy?

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST) is a subtle, non-invasive and safe treatment for acute or chronic physical, emotional and spiritual issues that are held in one’s body for a period of time. BCST practitioner uses a very gentle hands-on touch to encourage the body to rebalance and heal itself. BCST takes a whole-person approach to healing and acknowledges the inter-connections of mind, body and spirit. It is an effective treatment for a while range of illnesses and conditions as it helps to encourage vitality, facilitate sense of well-being and achieve optimal health.

BCST is based on Osteopathic principles and originated by William Sutherland who believes in body intelligence. One’s body can organize and unfold the body system to different layer by fluid and tissue orderly. The subtle movement felt is contributed from Breath of Life (BOL) within our body. Every cell and organ is breathing and in motion – inhalation and exhalation all the time. BOL is existence to anybody’s system, it is just a matter of the quality of it, either it is weak, strong or healthy, which depends very much on the health of the person. For example, if the person has experienced trauma or over stressed, the BOL will appear weak. Therefore, during the session, the BCST practitioner and client will feel the subtle rhythm and the quality of the fluid based on the client’s health condition.

During the course of life, we encounter different form of stress, trauma and strain that are trapped in our body. When this becomes too over-whelming and unresolved, our system and fluid are no longer working normally. Therefore, we body will create inertia (blockage), pain, discomfort and diseases physically, emotionally and spiritually.

BCST practitioner learns to identify the quality of our underlying health, tissue and fluid. Practitioner establishes the relationship between the practitioner, and client’s BOL to facilitate the inherent ordering principle of the entire body by giving space to client and exploring resource within client’s system. Being presence of the practitioner, we encourage BOL to express and facilitate the unfinished issues to resolve and ultimately achieve self-healing and normal function. The inherent treatment plan in our body will take place orderly and safely. This is our body intelligence will never change since birth.

This deep listening and acknowledgement of the body’s held patterns, triggers the body’s intelligent, intrinsic, healing capacity to be expressed. It can be used as a primary treatment modality and as an adjunct to other conventional and complimentary therapies.

What are the Benefits :

BCST is effective in the treatment of :

• Sports injury
• TMJD, insomnia, headaches
• Acute/chronic musculoskeletal injury and pain
• Spine, joint, muscle, tendon and neurological disorders
• Endocrine/immunity, fertility issues and stress related disorders
• Trauma as a result of accident or emotional stress
• Emotional issues, such as anxiety and depression
• Mothers, babies and children with various digestive, respiratory or sleeping problems, autism and learning difficulties

What is the Lymphatic System ?

The lymphatic system belongs to the circulatory apparatus, which provides one way for the blood to leave the heart, the arterial system, and two ways for it to return : the venous and lymphatic pathway. The lymphatic system is a second pathway back to the heart, parallel to the blood system.

Lymph is a fluid which originates in the connective tissue spaces of the body. Once it has entered the first lymph capillaries, the fluid is called lymph. The lymphatic circulation is a system with slow rhythm, low velocity and low pressure.

Part of the constituents of the blood will filter out of the blood capillaries. This blood capillary filtrate will join the surrounding tissues and to be reabsorbed in the lymphatic capillaries.

The lymphatic system fine tunes the drainage of the interstitium and constitutes a sort of overflow for the water and excess substances in the interstitial environment.

The lymphatics gradually increase in size : lymph capillaries feed into pre-collectors which connect to the lymphatic collectors, ducks and trunks and eventually join the major venous circulation just before reaching the heart behind the clavicles.

The lymphatic system transports large proteins and foreign bodies to lymphatic nodes which act as active purification centres. The nodes break down and destroy those particles so they can eventually be flushed out of the body through the organs of elimination.

What is Lymph Drainage Therapy?

Lymph Drainage Therapy (LDT) is not a form of massage but it is a very gentle technique to detect the specific rhythm, direction, depth and quality of the lymph flow and to stimulate the functions of the lymph and interstitial fluid circulation, which are critical for detoxification, removing and filtering of waste, toxins and excess fluids, regeneration of tissues, and a healthy immune system. LDP is a very light technique. This is because the practitioner is trying to influence vessels that are situated in the skin layers.

LDT is performed with appropriate draping. The practitioner will assess lymphatic circulation and determine the best alternate pathways for draining body-fluid stagnations. Practitioners work with flat hands, using all the fingers to simulate gentle, specific wavelike movements.

A treatment commences at the neck to clear the area and make space for lymph to be brought there. The next part of the sequence will depend entirely on why LDP is being performed and the particular needs of the individual.

What are the Benefits?

• Reduce edema
• Activate fluid circulation
• Detoxification
• Stimulate the immune system
• Stimulate the parasympathetic system
• Promote relaxation
• Reduce stress and depression
• Drain toxins and fat
• Reduce pain and muscle spasm
• Sports preparation and trauma
• Acne Vulgaris
• Sinus

What is Deep Tissue Body Therapy ? 

Deep Tissue massage uses a broad spectrum of techniques and approaches to treat soft-tissue dysfunction, pain and injuries. It integrates diverse techniques such as trigger point therapy, deep transverse friction, myofasical approaches and muscle energy technique. The application of massage therapy on a regular basis with a treatment plan and long-term goals helps relieve aches and pains.

What is Trigger Point Therapy ?

Trigger points are discrete, focal, hyperirritable spots located in a taut band of skeletal muscle. They produce pain locally and in a referred pattern and often accompany chronic musculoskeletal disorders. Acute trauma or repetitive microtrauma may lead to the development of stress on muscle fibers and the formation of trigger points. Patients may have regional, persistent pain resulting in a decreased range of motion in the affected muscles. These include muscles used to maintain body posture, such as those in the neck, shoulders, and pelvic girdle. Trigger points may also manifest as tension headache, tinnitus, temporomandibular joint pain, decreased range of motion in the legs, and low back pain. Palpation of a hypersensitive bundle or nodule of muscle fiber of harder than normal consistency is the physical finding typically associated with a trigger point. Palpation of the trigger point will elicit pain directly over the affected area and/or cause referred pain to another body area.

Trigger Point Therapy applies pressure to specific points, areas of a muscle that refers pain sensations to other parts of the body, leading to immediate release of tension and improved muscular functioning.

What is Myofascial Release Therapy ?

Fascia is very densely woven, covering and interpenetrating every muscle, bone, nerve, artery and vein as well as all of our internal organs including the heart, lungs, brain and spinal cord. The most interesting aspect of the fascial system is that it is not just a system of separate coverings. It is actually one structure that exists from head to foot without interruption. The fascia can exert excessive pressure producing pain or restriction of motion. They affect our flexibility and stability, and are a determining factor in our ability to withstand stress and strain.

Myofascial Release is a very effective hands-on technique that provides sustained pressure into myofascial restrictions to eliminate pain and restore motion.

What is Muscle Energy Techniques?

Muscle energy technique is a variety of techniques that involve restricted or resistive movement to stretch muscles. These movements require the client to resist the therapist’s movements of the joints. The practitioner stretches the muscles out until the resistance is felt and before pain and discomfit are felt.

Once at that point, the patient should be asked to push gently against the practitioner’s hold for 5 – 10 seconds and then released. The practitioner will now find further stretching can be achieved without resistance therefore increasing movement.

What are the Benefits ?

• Maintain the body generally in better condition
• Restore mobility to injured muscle tissue
• Boost performance
• Reduce the chance of injury
• Improve range of motion and muscle flexibility
• Shorten recovery time between workouts
• Maximize the supply of nutrients and oxygen through increase blood flow
• Reduce muscle tension and tightness
• Reduce pain and discomfort

Range of Treatments :

• Tennis Elbow
• Golfer Elbow
• Back & Neck Pain
• Frozen Shoulder
• Hip & Knee Pain
• Leg Pain
• Headache / Migraine
• Muscle Aches & Pain
• Joint Stiffness & Pain
• Numbness
• Stress Related Problems

What is Pre & Post Event Sports Massage ? 

Pre-Event: A quick treatment of stretches and compression is a supplement to warm-up. It boosts circulation and increases flexibility and range of motion, leaving muscles relaxed and ready for action. Pre-event massage can help prevent muscle and tendon injuries and reduce the strain and discomfort of training. It also can be a great psychological advantage in competition.

Post-Event: Recovery after a workout involves not only the normalization and repair of tissue, but also general relaxation and mental calming. Post-event sports massage uses slower, more gentle techniques to normalize circulation, relieve fatigue, quicken the removal of toxins, relieve muscle spasms, and prevent soreness.

Maintenance: The application of massage therapy on a regular basis with a treatment plan and long-term goals helps keep the body working in top condition at all times, and can make pre-event training less of a chore.

What are the Benefits?

• Can be tailored to each athlete’s needs
• Attention to athlete’s particular strengths and weaknesses
• Attention to past or current injuries
• Concentration on muscle groups necessary for a particular sport or event
• Helps prevent future injuries by keeping muscles in peak shape
• Increases body awareness for better performance and less injury
• Get ready for performance

After moving to Singapore and having worked in commercial field for a long period time, she decided to pursue her passions for complementary therapy study. After going through numerous theory and practical trainings, Pauline completely obtained Diploma level on Sports Massage, Aromatherapy, Reflexology with International Therapy Examination Council (ITEC) from UK. Pauline has also completed 2-year Diploma professional training in BCST with Body Intelligence Institute. Pauline is registered with the Pacific Association of Craniosacral Therapists and the International Affiliation of Biodynamic Trainings.

As part of her professional training and personal development, Pauline had also gone through various trainings in Trigger Points Release, Corrective Exercises and Myofascial Therapy with Australia Graduate School of Health & Sport Science (AGSHSS); She also received Certificate level on Lymph Drainage Therapy Level 1 & 2 with The Upledger Institute, Inc (USA) (Dr Bruno Chikly); Lymph Drainage Therapy Basic Level and Level 1 with Dr Vodder’s School International; CranioSacral Therapy Level 1 & 2 with The Upledger Institute, Inc (USA).

Clients of Integrated Energy run the entire spectrum of society – age, gender, occupation, education, athletic level – therapeutic treatment can benefit everyone. With her experiences, Pauline is able to arrange specific treatments to suit for individual needs to improve health and well-being. Pauline has started practicing since 2004 and worked together with Chiropractors and Sports Medicine Doctors in Singapore.

In addition to body therapy work, Pauline is also interested in flower remedy. She received Certificate Level 1 from Dr Edward Bach Foundation and Certificate Level 1 from Australia Bush Flower Remedy respectively. She practices regularly to help people with emotional well-being balancing. Pauline also has experiences in educational field and acts as a trainer with Raffles Knowledge Pte Ltd. She runs training and workshops for individual or group basis because she is keen in promoting holistic therapies through education and personal practice.

Pauline is a strong believer of holistic approach to improve one’s well-being through balanced diet, proper exercise and positive thinking.

Angela also volunteers her nutrition services to nursing homes around the island. She is actively involved in community education through talks to medical professionals and the public. Angela is a member of American Overseas Dietitians, Accredited Practising Dietitians (ADA) Australia and Sports Nutrition Australia