Osteopathic Reflexology Approach (ORA)

Osteopathic Reflexology™ is a new manual therapy drawing its inspiration from Reflexology, Osteopathy, Fasciology (the scientific study of Fascia), as well as other disciplines such as Acupuncture and Physics. It consists of over 70 techniques on feet, legs, hands, and arms. The purpose of the techniques is to activate in the most effective way possible the auto-bio-regulating systems of the body located in the extremities through the FASCIAL NETWORK. The understanding of Fascia is growing exponentially and one needs to stay up to date constantly with the scientific developments in a field that is evolving so fast because what´s was true yesterday may be obsolete tomorrow. Novel discoveries about fascial tissue give us substance to invent new more effective techniques for our clients. So, if you´re up to the challenge of a fast moving discipline that explains it all applied to Reflexology, this is the course for you!

“The fascia is one but, at the same time, it is always different.” Bruno Bordoni

Working with fascia intentionally requires simultaneous knowledge of the subject matter and palpation skill. Knowing and learning about fascia theoretically is important, but learning to interact with fascia in the most effective way possible is what makes the difference when you are with a client. The course is therefore focused on interacting with fascia and feeling/observing how it responds to the various stimuli. The course encourages the student to think with the tissue instead of following protocols.

Florence Cohen is the creator of Osteopathic Reflexology, over 70 global fascial release techniques from the extremities. Osteopathic principles as well as the most recent discoveries regarding fascia are incorporated to a reflexology basis for immediate to fast full body fascial release.

Florence was trained in Reflexology by Hagar Basis and Anthony Porter. She closely worked with osteopaths for years and has been acquiring knowledge on fascia for over 10 years as well as incorporating useful principles from “apparently unrelated” disciplines to better interact with connective tissue.

The understanding of the fascial properties of the extremities as well as the forces which act upon them (such as gravity) allow for a prioritized access to the entire fascial web from the extremities where the techniques prove to be often more effective than other manual approaches. The entire fascial web is released from the extremities to restore optimal blood and lymphatic flow, hence chemical balance, which reduces stress, reduces pain, improves breathing, improves tensegrity (tensional integrity – the key to health) through visco-elasticity changes, and simply allows the bio-regulation to kick in at its maximum potential at that particular moment. Florence Cohen has also developed unique intra-bone fascia release techniques. As far as she knows so far, these are the only existing bone fascia releasing techniques. She also believes from clinical experience the proper release of periostea, especially in the lower extremities, is one of the keys to lasting treatment results and prevention. Healing must come from the inside towards the outside (and probably from the bottom up because of the gravity environment we operate in), and to that effect one must learn to access and release the deeper layers of fascia directly: intra-bone and periosteum.

The techniques were successfully presented at the 2016 Fascia Research Summer School organized by Dr. Robert Schleip, founder of the International Fascia Research Congress and leader in fascia research.

London venue: Bickerton House 25 Bickerton Road London N19 5JT