andrea@andrearosenfield.com


A healthy visceral system relies on the interconnected synchronicity between the motions of all the organs and structures of the body.  When one organ stops working in harmony with itself, it also creates disharmony with its relationship to other organs and structures around it.  This disharmony causes fixed, abnormal points of tension within the body, that the body is forced to move around. These compensations can create chronic irritation, postural distortion, neuromuscular dysfunction, and disease.

European Osteopath Jean-Pierre Barral developed a form of manual therapy that uses the rhythmic motions of the viscera to locate and help resolve disharmonies throughout the body.  It focuses on listening to the organs in relationship to their environment and detecting their influences on potential structural and physiological dysfunctions.  

In his classes, Dr. Barral often states "...only the tissues know...", which can be credited to one of his predecessors, Dr. Rollin E. Becker, D.O.

Nothing exists in a vacuum. When a trauma occurs, it creates a chain reaction of compensations and restrictions throughout the body. By gentle placement of the hands, in order to listen to the body, the tissues "that know" are able to lead you to the places that have lost normal function, where restriction exists.

By administering gentle manipulations with precise placement of the hands, it is possible to help facilitate optimal mobility, motility and tonicity of the viscera and their surrounding connective tissues.

The term Jean-Pierre coined for this manual therapy is Visceral Manipulation;  it helps to optimize the function of individual organs and the systems in which these organs are situated.  Visceral Manipulation can have positive effects on the structural and functional integrity of the entire body and help dissipate negative effects on the body from stress, a major factor in the development of disease.