The power of touch

Abstract

Talking to actress Annabelle Apsion it’s hard to believe that this compassionate and cognisant individual is the same woman who plays the bawdy, boisterous and materialistic Monica in the television drama, Shameless. Many celebrities flirt with complementary therapies but I can think of few who embrace an alternative modality as passionately as Annabelle Apsion. In fact, her initial experience of the Rosen Method (which was developed by pioneering German physiotherapist Marion Rosen) was so profound that in 2004, after participating in a series of courses, Annabelle set up the Rosen Method Bodywork School in the UK. The school offers both Rosen sessions and three levels of training. The Rosen Method is a hands-on form of bodywork based on the premise that the muscular tension in our bodies occurs as a response to stress and the physical and emotional adjustments we make in order to fit our circumstances and environment, ultimately causing us to lose touch with our true selves. The tension in our muscles encapsulates our emotional traumas, masking who we really are. The Rosen method, using gentle touch, talking and connection, is said to help release the unconscious muscle tension and constricting habits or patterns of behaviour. Rosen doesn’t offer a treatment or cure for any physical or emotional problem, but anecdotal evidence suggests that the results can be quite profound on a physical, emotional and spiritual level. Annabelle says, “The Rosen Method is about going very deeply into the unconscious, using touch as a way of identifying what is going on for us, what is holding us back and what is important to us and helping us re-connect with that. Both touch and words are used.” The general idea is that our breath, movement and expression are inhibited by our repression of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that are considered to be unacceptable. Muscular constriction results in a restricted breath, which forces vital organs to work harder and weakens the immune system. Rosen practitioners learn to interpret the body looking for subtle changes in breathing patterns and muscle tension, and use gentle touch in order to bring awareness to the tense muscles and instigate deep relaxation. The practitioner’s focus is on listening rather than manipulating hands. This state of relaxation allows the client to experience a transformative shift in their state of being and awareness, often releasing emotional traumas and attitudes from the past and experiencing a sense of peace, such that, “Sometimes we call it peaceful touch because even though it can energise people and they can get very creative and motivated, they start to act in a different way and view things differently. It has a profound impact on people. When you work with the muscle tension, naturally their diaphragm starts to work more freely and they are able to take more natural breaths, which has a positive affect on the immune system and therefore the whole body.” There are a myriad of different therapies available so what is it that Annabelle loves so much about this particular method? “It was love at first sight. When I went along I thought it was massage. I was primarily interested in bodywork because I used to have a bad back, which would always cause me pain when I was stressed but through the sessions I became aware that my back was an THE POWER OF Touch