Visceral Manipulation and Manual Physical Therapy near me for the Phoenix Valley Scottsdale
lesley@athenamanualpt.com
Lesley Bludworth, PT
Visceral Manipulation & Manual Therapy
Peter A. Levine PhD
Holistic philosophy
As one of the Phoenix area's most prominent resources for visceral manipulation manual therapy, we specialize in identifying and treating the root causes of fascial and structural dysfunction so that your body can self-correct and renew itself.
The foundation of visceral manipulation is whole body and nervous system assessments. This is essential for identifying lines of tension, dysregulation in the autonomic nervous system and compensations in movement. Your care is specific to your body and your nervous system.
Assessments include evaluating the balance of your parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, fascial and neural lines of tension, joint and organ mobility, and vestibular and cerebellar function.
We address these issues with advanced manual therapies designed to create lasting change, including:
- Visceral manipulation
- Neural manipulation
- Craniosacral therapy
- Polyvagal Manual Therapy to address Autonomic nervous system
- Applied Functional Neurology
- Primal Reflex Release Technique
Depending on your needs, your treatment plan may also include education to increase body awareness, and balance and custom movement and corrective exercises. To maintain your results, we provide personalized preventative strategies to support your long-term wellness.
Our highly trained, licensed manual therapists constantly advance their education multiple times a year to stay current with the latest advancements in treatment. We are also happy to coordinate with your other healthcare practitioners regarding your background, care, and progress.
Please let us know how we can support you on your wellness journey.
Warmly, Lesley Bludworth, PT Owner of Athena Wellness & Manual Therapy
"Lesley has some special powers with her hands! As a PT myself, I know a good one when I find one. I came to her after Endometriosis excision surgery, months of pelvic floor PT, but still felt I had scar tissue pain and bladder issues. After the first visit I finally felt like my organs were free and not stuck/wound up. Four visits later and I feel absolutely amazing! Thank you Lesley for giving me my life back!"
Nicky Owens, DPT
Visceral, Neural & Vascual Manipulation
Visceral Manipulation (VM) is a gentle manual therapy developed and taught by French Osteopath, Jean Pier Barral. Visceral manipulation is a gentle, hands-on therapy that focuses on your internal organs
"Viscera" refers to the body's internal organs, nervous system, and vasculature. By evaluating the entire body, a trained therapist can locate areas of protection. This may be a distance from the site of pain or lack of movement
Using gentle compression, mobilization, and elongation, the therapist helps re-engage the brain's ability to perceive the tissue, thereby releasing protective reflexes and muscle guarding. Ultimately, this supports the organs' role in providing unconscious proprioception—our natural sense of where the body is in space, which is essential for a sense of well-being and safety.
What conditions does visceral manipulation treat?
Visceral Manipulation may help you address and alleviate symptoms of the following:
Crainosacral Therapy
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle hands on Osteopathic therapy which focuses on the gentle placement of hands to help release tension in your body’s connective tissue. This is known as “fascia”. The fascia forms a body-wide connective tissue network.
The human body is interconnected, both structurally and functionally. This means that one area of your body can affect another. The goal of CST is tension relief (fascial clearance) in the vertebral column and its contents as well as the fascia of the peripheral nervous system. This may help other connected parts of your body function better through:
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Self-regulation.
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Self-correction.
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Self-healing.
What conditions does craniosacral therapy treat or manage?
Craniosacral therapy may help you manage symptoms of the following conditions:
Functional Applied Neurology
While traditional neurology diagnoses major structural damage using tools like MRIs, applied neurology recognizes that the brainstem and midbrain act as a prediction system that constantly evaluates for safety and threat. Applied neurology evaluates and retrains this aspect of your nervous system by assessing how the brain processes inputs from three core sensory systems:
- Vision: Tells your brain where you are in space.
- Vestibular System (Inner Ear): Controls head position and balance.
- Proprioception (Joints, Skin, Organs): Tells your brain where your body parts are.
Our assessment and treatment process uses a simple four-step method to identify gaps or dysfunctions in sensory processing. We then implement targeted strategies to eliminate or minimize these gaps, reducing the nervous system's perception of threat.
Applied neurology complements traditional care for conditions such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
- Dizziness and vertigo
- Chronic pain and migraines
- Movement and coordination challenges
Dry Needling & Instrument assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization
Trigger point dry needling is a technique used by acupuncturists, doctors, and physical therapists to treat myofascial pain and dysfunction. A small thin solid needle is inserted through the skin into the trigger points. The needles are used to stimulate the tissue to release tension. Electrical stimulation can also be used with the needles for an enhanced effect.
What conditions does dry needling address?
Trigger Point Dry Needelilng may help you manage symptoms of the following conditions:
Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) and taping work together to release fascial adhesions or scar tissue that can develop from surgery, immobilization, or repeated strain. By introducing controlled microtrauma to the affected soft tissue, this technique stimulates a local inflammatory response. This process helps break down inappropriate fibrosis, initiates the body's natural healing cascade, and assists in remodeling the tissue to restore full function. Combining IASTM with taping has been shown to improve lymphatic drainage and blood flow in the treated area, while also enhancing proprioceptive input for better tissue awareness and control.
Lesley Bludworth, PT
Athena Wellness & Manual Therapy
LRG Suites
4747 S. Lakeshore Drive Suite 221
Tempe Arizona 85282