Therapy
The Critical Alignment therapy sessions focus in particular on spinal problems, especially lower and upper back complaints. The classes are designed to find out the cause of tension and manifestations of stress. CA Therapy looks at underlying (physical and psychological) tension patterns to become aware of personal preferences. The proactive CA exercises support the restoration of balance, stability, and strength and provide tools to structurally resolve complaints and prevent a recurrence.
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Why Critical Alignment therapy?
Negative feelings cannot be overcome through language, and they should not be suppressed by medication.
Feelings are experienced in the body, not in our thoughts. This makes the body the foundation of our emotional life. Releasing physical tension is therefore directly related to releasing psychological tension. By physically processing negative emotions — emotions that repeatedly fuel conflict in our lives — we become stronger in our body and more stable in our feelings.
How do you start with therapy classes?
Before you can join a therapy class, we would first like to get a clear understanding of your symptoms. For this, we offer an intake session, during which we talk with you, discuss your symptoms and do a few exercises.
Interested?
Schedule an intake appointment via this link. We will contact you as soon as possible.
The cost of an intake appointment is €85.
Science has taken us to the moon, and in the near future it may even take us to Mars. Why, then, does it seem impossible to move vertebrae a few millimetres and make the spine stable and pain-free?
According to CA founder Gert van Leeuwen, the reason for this is that, as a society, we have become overly focused on knowledge, which has damaged the relationship with our body. What strikes me is how little language people have to express their sense of well-being.
Injuries
Almost everyone experiences an injury at some point in their life. This may have an acute cause, for example an accident, or the injury may build up gradually, such as repetitive strain injuries — RSI — which are common in work environments. In addition to physical symptoms, we can also experience psychological stress and tension, which can intensify both. Emotional instability can lead to anxiety, burnout and other mental and/or physical health problems.
The effect of social interactions
CAT recognises that we are born into social and cultural traditions and that we are influenced by the environments in which we grow up. One example is that we are all educated to be successful, but the downside of success is that others may feel frustrated because they are not. Yet these kinds of structures help shape the identity we are proud of.
Competition and ambition are therefore socially praised, but on a deep, unconscious level, we contribute to conflict in society and come into conflict with ourselves. Somewhere we can sense that our behaviour often becomes hardened, but it is not easy to discover where the real issue lies. Critical Alignment brings even these often unconscious structures to the surface and offers a connecting alternative. When you feel connected to your own body, you are also more likely to relate to others in a connected way.
Survival strategies & the nocebo effect
A first step is to recognise that we are not to blame for our stress and/or injuries — unfortunately, this idea is often suggested in medical contexts — because we learned our often unconscious habits at a young age. As children, dependent on the care of others, survival mechanisms serve a purpose and are a direct response to help us survive, but they can damage our body.
We often approach our chronic symptoms by becoming overly intellectual. We search Google for information about our symptoms, we look at scans and MRIs even though we do not know how to interpret them, and we go from therapist to therapist in search of new answers. For the most part, the knowledge we gain is negative, which creates the “nocebo” effect: an effect that can cause a simple problem to become a chronic complaint.
A complaint quickly becomes a stress factor, and we are triggered into our survival strategies. Fighters will fight, those who flee will run away, and many people take little initiative of their own, follow authority figures and freeze.
The self-regulating placebo effect
The survival strategies mentioned above suppress the body’s self-healing mechanism, the so-called placebo effect: a manifestation of positive symptoms and natural healing. This self-regulating mechanism shows that healing is only possible through radical self-inquiry and a process of letting go.
In addition to refined technique, CAT uses the placebo effect to resolve symptoms. Radical self-inquiry can be very challenging; everyone develops ways to feel safe in unsafe circumstances, and unfortunately unsafe situations cannot always be avoided. CAT asks us to investigate and let go of old beliefs and stories. This opens the door to coming closer to ourselves and standing in our own strength. For many people, this process is a life-changing experience.
Balance in the spine creates transformation
What is special about CA is that the transformation mentioned above can be experienced directly through changes in our body, especially in the spine. The back of our body has a direct relationship with gravity, and the correct use of this relationship makes it possible to experience physical relaxation. The front of the spine supports sensory areas in our body, such as the abdomen — associated with feelings of inner calm — and the chest — associated with feelings of inner space or lightness.
CAT uses specially developed tools that mobilise the spine and restore the connection with gravity and positive feelings. This anatomical change increases mobility and stability in the body, while the psychological change gives the body a new meaning. Negative feelings, such as doubt and insecurity, transform into feelings of strength and independence.
CAT teachers are partners in this process. They recognise that, although there may be a common cause of injury and pain, each person’s experience is unique.
The impact of social interactions
CAT recognizes that we are born in social and cultural traditions and that we are influenced by the environments in which we grow up. An example of this is that we are all in some way trained to be successful. The downside to success is that others feel frustrated or depressed because they think they haven’t achieved success. Yet these early nurtures and mindsets determine our identity. Competition and ambition are socially praised. In trying to reach the levels we were taught to we contribute to the conflict in society and come into conflict with ourselves. We feel that our behavior hardens, but we cannot pinpoint where the shoe is pinching. Critical Alignment reveals these, often unconscious structures, and offers a connecting alternative. If you feel connected to your own body, it will be easier to connect to others.
Survival strategies & Nocebo effect
The first step in resolving tension is recognizing that we are not guilty of our stress and/or injuries. Unfortunately, this idea is often evoked in medical contexts. We need to learn that our, often unconscious, habits are developed at a young age. As children, we are all dependent on the care of others, so our survival strategies have a function. They are a direct response to survival. Unfortunately, they also damage our relationship to our bodies.
We tend to approach our (chronic) complaints mentally. We ask out friend Google for information about our problem. We look at scans and MRIs even though we don’t know how to interpret them. We go from therapist to therapist in search of new answers. For the most part, the knowledge we acquire has a negative connotation, which causes a ‘nocebo’ effect: an effect that turns a simple problem into a chronic complaint. In this way, a complaint quickly becomes stressful, which triggers our survival strategies. Fighters will fight, escapees flee, and others will take little initiative, follow authorities and freeze in their own development.
The self-regulating Placebo effect
The survival strategies, as mentioned above, suppress the self-repairing mechanism in the body, the so-called placebo effect: a manifestation of positive symptoms and natural healing. This regulating mechanism shows that healing is only possible through radical self-examination and a process of letting go.
In addition to the refined practice method, CAT uses the placebo effect to resolve complaints. This radical self-examination can be very challenging. Throughout a lifetime, everyone develops ways to feel safe in unsafe conditions, and unfortunately, dangerous situations cannot be avoided. CAT asks to investigate and let go of old beliefs and stories. This opens the door to get closer to ourselves and to stand in our own strength. For many, this process is a life-changing experience.
Balance in the spine leads to transformation
The CA’s unique characteristic is that the transformation mentioned above is directly experienced through the changes in our body, especially in the spine. The back of our body interacts directly with gravity. The correct use of this relationship makes it possible to experience physical relaxation. The front of the spine supports sensory areas of the body, such as the abdomen (associated with internal rest) and the chest (related to inner space or lightness).
CAT uses uniquely developed props that mobilize the spine and restore the connection to gravity and positive feelings. This anatomical change increases mobility and stability in the body, and the psychological change gives the body a new meaning. Negative emotions, such as doubt and uncertainty, turn into feelings of strength and independence.
CAT teachers are partners in this endeavor. They recognize that while there is a common cause of injury and pain, everyone’s experience is unique.