Foundations of Morphodynamics in Osteopathy: An Integrative Approach to Cranium, Nervous System, and Emotions

In 35 chapters written by the editors and a team of internationally renowned contributors the book covers the underlying principles of osteopathic palpation from a biodynamic and ‘morphodynamic’ perspective, and their application in the cranial field and the spinal cord. It emphasises the importance of considering not just the patient’s physical self, but also the inner consciousness. It teaches how to assess tissue-energy characteristics, and to use this understanding in managing the whole patient. The work discusses biophysical, neurobiological and psychological interactions as well as the interplay of developmental dynamics and further epigenetic influences on the organism. As well as the primary respiratory mechanism, various biological rhythms play an important role within osteopathic treatment; the book explores new insights that flow from chronobiology and rhythm research. All osteopathic practice develops on conceptual foundations. Acknowledging the importance in the practice of osteopathy of such theoretical underpinning, the book discusses osteopathy with regard to the development of paradigms within the healing arts as well as from various philosophical viewpoints – such as postmodern, system-theoretical, Goethian and phenomenological. It examines thoroughly the multi-layered dynamics of development of human beings interacting with their environment. The resulting implications for therapeutic interaction as well as principles of diagnosis and treatment form the core of the book. These fundamental principles are then specifically applied to the cranial sphere. This section focuses primarily on the treatment of the brain, as well as the developmental dynamics of the relations of the midline, cranial bones, dural structures, vessels and cranial nerves.

Table of Contents:
Forewords Prefaces Contributors 1            Paradigms of healing             Torsten Liem 2            The osteopathic object - reloaded                                                                                                Peter Sommerfeld 3            Biological rhythms and their significance in osteopathy             Torsten Liem, Maximilian Moser 4            Physical  principles              Lorenz Fischer 5            Neurobiological  principles              Lorenz Fischer 6            The effect of formative and regulatory forces on living organisms                        Torsten Liem 7            Regulatory forces in embryology             Torsten Liem 8            The role of mechanical stresses in embryonic development             Lev V. Beloussov  9            Developmental patterns and adaptive organization of body functioning             Patrick van den Heede and Anne Jäkel 10            The incarnating embryo - the embryo in us             Jaap van der Wal, Guus van der Bie  11            Prenatal and perinatal worlds of experience             Ludwig Janus  12            Evolution of the mind-body-spirit unit             James McGovern and Rene J. McGovern  13            Touch as a therapeutic intervention             Tsafi Lederman with contributions from Eyal Lederman 14       What is health? What is disease? Thoughts on a complex issue              Torsten Liem, Matthias Flatscher  15            Somatic dysfunction and compensation              Torsten Liem, Michael M. Patterson, Jochen Frühwein  16            Thoughts on the significance of systems theory for osteopathic diagnosis and therapy             Peter Sommerfeld 17            The osteopathic experience of fulcrums and the emergence of stillness             Stephen Paulus 18            Principles of diagnosis             Torsten Liem  19            The practitioner and the therapeutic interaction             Torsten Liem and Michael Habecker 20            Treatment principles             Torsten Liem  21            Total rhythmic balanced interchange according to Becker             Torsten Liem  22            Midline - Development and introduction             Torsten Liem  23       Hyoid bone and anterior midline            Patrick van den Heede and Anne Jäkel  24            The fluid body             Torsten Liem  25            Energy bodies             Torsten Liem  26            Chakra system related to pre- and perinatal dynamics             Terence Dowling 27            Development of the cranium and an outline of the growth dynamics of the  cranial bones             Torsten Liem with the contributions by Marie-Odile Fessenmayer 28           Intraosseous techniques             Torsten Liem 29            Developmental dynamic approaches to treating the head, dura, diaphragm, neck and pharyngeal arches             Torsten Liem  30       Development of the senses            Brian Freeman  31            The brain as a morphogenetic field                                                                                                     Patrick van den Heede, Rüdiger Goldstein and Torsten Liem  32         Osteopathic brain and spinal cord assessments             Bruno Chikly, Torsten Liem  33            Treating the brain             Bruno Chikly, Torsten Liem  34            Treating the spinal cord             Bruno Chikly, Torsten Liem  35            Treating the autonomic and peripheral nervous systems             Torsten Liem, Bruno Chikly 36            Developmental patterns and influence upon body organisation             Patrick van den Heede and Torsten Liem, 37            Polyvagal theory             Stephen Porges 38           An osteopathic approach to the treatment of trauma and emotional integration             Torsten Liem

About the Author :
Torsten Liem MSc DO is Joint Principal of the German School of Osteopathy, a practising osteopath, lecturer in cranial osteopathy and head of several osteopathic MSc-programmes in Germany and Europe. He is the author and editor of several books and has written numerous articles. Torsten Liem is organiser of the international osteopathy symposia in Berlin; founder of an osteopathic teaching clinic and of the charitably financed centre for paediatric osteopathy in Hamburg. A board member of the German and European Societies of Pediatric Osteopathy, Torsten Liem is also co-founder and coeditor of the journal Osteopathische Medizin (Elsevier), member of the Advisory Board of the International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, and co-founder of Breathe Yoga. His core vision is the implementation of osteopathic principles in practice, and connecting them with the principles of classical Chinese medicine and yoga, and with psychological and energetic aspects.