Gentle Release Therapy
the vagus nerve treatment
Gentle Release Therapy is a powerful, yet gentle, therapy that draws upon the fundamentals of Traditonal Chinese Medicine, and gives the body and mind permission to release and let go. You can read more about the therapy here.
Through a shared strong interest in the subject, along with a willingness to further their own healing, Helen Robinson and Sara Agnew came together to develop the Gentle Release Vagus Nerve Treatment.
What is the treatment?
The GRT Vagus Nerve Treatment is a transformational therapy that combines the system of Gentle Release Therapy with advanced techniques and wisdom such as Vagus Nerve Release, Nervous System Regulation, Polyvagal Theory, Brain Release and HPA Axis Release.
The treatment is divided into 4 in-depth protocols. For most, this is carried out over a course of 4 sessions. The timeline in which you recieve the treatments will depend on a number of factors, such as your current state of health and well-being, as well as how you respond to the sessions.
What is the Vagus Nerve?
The Vagus Nerve is the 10th cranial nerve (CN X). It is also known as the “wandering nerve” and contains 75% of the parasympathetic nervous system’s nerve fibres. The Vagus Nerve originates in the brainstem and makes it journey through the body, travelling down through the neck, chest, heart, lungs, abdomen and digestive tract.
The Vagus Nerve has various significant roles. It supports our emotional well-being and helps to calm the body after stressful events by slowing the heart rate and calming the nervous system. It acts as the body’s internal control system – allowing the brain to monitor and receive information about crucial bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion, breathing, immune response and mood.
What are the benefits of improving Vagal Tone?
Working with the Vagus Nerve can help to regulate your heart rate, reduce blood pressure, promote overall cardiac health, promote healthy metabolism and digestion, reduce inflammation, regulate emotions, improve immune response, improve hormonal health, alleviate headaches and migraines, support anxiety and depression, and improve your stress response.
How many sessions will I need?
This will ultimately depend on your health and well-being, and how your body responds to each treatment. Your Vagus Nerve treatment journey will be completely individual and unique to you. We recommend beginning with a course of 4 treatments, with some time between each one (the duration of this time will be recommended following your first session), to allow the body time to process and adapt to each protocol.
Following this, it would be benefical to have follow up treatments every 4-8 weeks to maintain the health of the Vagus Nerve.
It’s important to note that most clients have noticed significant improvements after the first session, however, to allow for the full treatment process to be carried out, and for you to fully receive the benefits from healing the Vagus Nerve, each of the protocols should be completed.
We have seen the benefits of these treatments to be cumulative – the more sessions you receive, the better you can expect to feel.
What to expect?
Treatment duration may vary, however most sessions tend to late between 90-120 minutes. The treatment is carried out with you fully clothed. You will normally lie back on the treatment couch. Additional pillows, blankets and bolsters can be used for maximum comfort. Once you’re feeling calm and relaxed, the treatment begins – incorporating gentle touch with energy work, along with additional techniques. Areas worked on include the abdomen, face and head.
Talking during the session can sometimes be useful to help the release, however as you will be lying back and relaxing, it is totally normal to be quiet throughout, allowing you to fully “switch off” and perhaps even drift off to sleep!
It is common for clients to experience different sensations during the treatment, these may include softening of muscles, ligaments and joints, release of heat, gurgling in the abdomen, change of temperature, change in pattern of breathing such as sighing or yawning, gurgling, eye movement behind the lids, flickering of eyelids, waves of emotion, twitching or jerking, deep relaxation, and as mentioned previously, sometimes falling to sleep.
Everyone responds differently, and how you respond after each session will depend on what is going on for you.
Virtual Sessions
The GRT Vagus Nerve Treatment can also be carried out virtually. Please get in touch with your therapist to explore this further.
How to care for yourself after?
The Vagus Nerve may be holding onto deep levels of stress and trauma. To allow your body to process and adapt to the release of this, it is best to give yourself some extra time, care and space. Be gentle with yourself and carve some time out of your days following your treatments to prioritise self-care.
Additional after care advice will be provided during your visit.