You are the Master of Your Own Body.

There’s a part of all of us that wishes someone could just tell us exactly what to do to feel better. The missing piece, the perfect stretch, the one change that would fix everything. I see this so often in my own healing journey and in my patients too.

Wouldn’t it be nice if it worked that way?

The truth is, no one will ever know your body better than you do. We are designed with an incredible capacity to sense what we need when we slow down enough to listen.

But in a world full of constant noise and distraction, we often lose touch with that part of ourselves. We start to lose trust in our own instincts, or sometimes we stop hearing them altogether. It doesn’t mean that inner guidance has gone, it simply means you haven’t created the kind of environment in which it can be heard.

Studies show that children naturally crave the nutrients they’re deficient in, and those cravings disappear once they’ve had enough. Or that someone low in iron might instinctively crave red meat. Our bodies are always speaking to us; we just need to learn to listen.

So I often ask my patients:
What is your body telling you it needs?

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re experiencing pain somewhere. Now take a moment to tune in and feel what you need.

“I need someone to just stick their elbow into it.”
“I feel like I need a huge stretch.”
“It feels like I want someone to stand on my back.”

(For the record, I don’t recommend getting anyone to stand on your back!)

But those sensations are clues. They’re your body’s way of guiding you toward what it needs. And when patients share these instincts, I take them seriously.

In your treatment, we will always offer advice and prescribe exercises, but ultimately our goal is to help you reach a place where you can sit in stillness, quiet the noise, and clearly hear what your body is asking for.

Sometimes, a patient will tell me they’ve already been doing a certain movement because it just felt right, and it turns out to be exactly the one I’d have recommended. That’s no coincidence; that’s body intelligence.

During your appointment, we’ll always go through exercises together. If something doesn’t feel good or looks awkward, we’ll pivot and find what does work for you.

And this is important:
If an exercise feels good in the moment but later starts to hurt (not in the good, releasing way, but in the something’s wrong way), stop. Don’t keep going because “My osteopath gave me this exercise and they knows best.”

No. You know best.

Listen to yourself more than you listen to any practitioner.

Because you are the master of your own body.

As osteopaths, we have a deep understanding of the mind and body and how they interact. Our training helps us see patterns, connections, and directions that can support healing, and our intention is always good. Sometimes what we share really resonates, you might feel seen, understood, as if we’ve voiced something you couldn’t quite express. That’s a beautiful moment.

But there are also times when it doesn’t resonate, and that’s okay too. What I really want you to know is that you never need to dismiss your own thoughts or instincts just because a professional says something different.

Trust yourself. Stay curious. Let guidance support you, but never override you.

Because healing works best when we meet you where you are, and when you stay connected to the wisdom that’s already within you.

So maybe today, take a quiet moment to pause and listen. Your body might already be whispering what it needs, you just have to give it the space to be heard.