Clinic Founder and Director

Women’s Osteopath & Naturopath

Neck, Head & Face Specialist

A Whole-System Approach

After 20 years in practice, I now work exclusively with women, offering an integrative approach to wellbeing. My work integrates the best of osteopathy (structural, cranial & visceral), massage, fascial release, somatic therapy, naturopathy and healing - all in one session, with one practitioner who knows your whole picture.

My work is rooted in nervous system regulation and the connection between body and mind. It’s gentle, intuitive, and holistic in the truest sense. Whether you come with a specific concern or simply want to feel more present, relaxed and at home in your body, I offer a space where meaningful change is possible.

Common reasons women come to see me include:

• Back, neck and shoulder tension and pain

• Headaches, migraines & TMJ issues

• Recovery and rebalancing after injury or surgery

• Stress, anxiety and burnout

• Insomnia, brain fog and difficulty switching off

• Simply wanting to feel more relaxed, at ease and present in their body

Head, Neck & Face specialisation

The neck, head, face and jaw have always been an area where my hands feel intuitively at home. It calls for an approach that is attuned, sensitive and gentle, yet precise and effective, working with structures that often hold a great deal, physically and emotionally.

I frequently help with jaw and TMJ issues, headaches and migraines, neck and facial tension, sinus congestion, rebalancing after surgery, or women who are moving away from botox and fillers towards holistic face care and rejuvenation.

This is also where my integrative approach can bring lasting change. Working together, several treatment approaches support lasting change in these areas:

• Cranial and gentle structural osteopathy releases restriction and strain patterns held through the head, face and neck.

• Fascial and muscular release eases tension held in the soft tissue itself.

• Specialist, non-invasive intra-oral work releases jaw and facial tension from within the mouth - often surprisingly enjoyable, and remarkably effective for TMJ, headaches and whole-system unwinding.

• Vagus nerve balancing supports the nervous system regulation that so often underlies chronic tension here.

And because my training is trauma-informed and sensory-aware, I can meet what's held in this area - physically and emotionally - with real care and attunement.

Why I Work Exclusively with Women

Two decades of working with women have given me a deep understanding of how female physiology, life stages (menstruation, pregnancy, perimenopause and beyond) and the specific ways women carry stress, all shape what they need in order to thrive.

Women’s systems often hold tension in subtle, persistent patterns. This work is designed to meet that with precision, empathy and depth. By focusing exclusively on women, I can tailor every session with real depth of understanding, and direct my clinical time where my expertise is strongest.

How this Work Can Help - Even When Nothing is ‘Wrong’

Many of the women I see are busy and capable, but carrying a low hum of tension, overwhelm, or disconnection that they’ve learned to push through. This work is especially well suited to them. When the nervous system is well-supported, the body knows how to rebalance. Treatment creates conditions for deep rest, clearer thinking, and increased balance in all the body’s systems. 

often describe leaving sessions feeling lighter, brighter and more grounded, and that effect builds over time. Regular or monthly sessions have become an important part of self-care for many of the women I work with, helping them stay resourced through the demands of modern life.

What a Session Might Include

Each session is personalised, drawing on whichever combination of approaches your system calls for:

• Structural Osteopathy - gentle mobilisation, articulation and harmonic techniques to ease tension, restore movement, and support whole-body alignment.

• Massage & Fascial Release - integrated throughout, not as a separate offering, for deep muscular release, relaxationand structural unwinding

• Cranial Osteopathy - subtle, deeply calming techniques that settle the nervous system, ease strain patterns, and support integration at a whole-system      level.

• Visceral Osteopathy - gentle work with the organs and their connective tissue, often a missing piece in structural or stress-related patterns.

• Vagus Nerve Balancing - techniques that restore autonomic balance, particularly helpful for stress, anxiety, poor sleep, and a busy or overactive mind.

• Intra-Oral Work - precise, non-invasive jaw and facial release from inside the mouth, often surprisingly enjoyable, and deeply effective for head, jaw and facial tension.

• A  Naturopathic Lens - good foundations make everything else work better. Where helpful, I’ll offer personalised guidance on the pillars that support a well-functioning body: nutrition, hydration, sleep, movement, and relaxation - as well as targeted nutritional tweaks and carefully s elected supplements. Small, well-chosen changes here can make a real      difference to how you feel and how quickly progress is sustained.

• Healing  Work – where helpful, I can also work with the more subtle layers of the body, the energetic and quantum fields that underpin the physical structure.

A Trauma-Informed, Sensory-Aware Approach

I create a calm, grounded and nurturing environment where your system can settle and feel safe. My approach is warm, grounded and trauma-informed, drawing on my background in psychology, somatic therapy, and sensory processing, so both your physical and emotional history are understood and respected throughout. 

How Many Sessions?

Every journey is different. A focused course is typically 4–6 weekly sessions, but you are always in control of the number and pacing of your appointments. Many women then continue with regular treatments as an ongoing part of their self-care. Meaningful change is usually felt from early on.

The Therapeutic Partnership

I’ll give you practical tools and guidance to support your progress, from clear explanations of what’s going on in your body to simple self-care strategies you can use at home. Treatment is a true partnership; working together, we create the conditions for lasting change.

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Core Qualifications

• BA (Hons) Psychology, University of Sheffield, 2000

• BSc (Hons) Osteopathic Medicine, BCOM, 2005

• Diploma in Osteopathy, BCOM, 2005

• Diploma in Naturopathy, BCOM, 2005

• Sutherland Cranial Osteopathy pathway, 2005–2008

• Diploma in NLP, Health Coaching, ITS with Ian McDermott, 2006

• Diploma in Clinical Massage, BCNO, 2002

• Sensory Inclusion Facilitator Diploma - Sensory Inclusion Education - 2026

Postgraduate Training & CPD

My postgraduate osteopathic training includes Cranial Osteopathy with Sutherland Cranial College, as well as advanced intra-oral, head, face, and visceral osteopathic techniques with Jean-Pierre Barral. I have also undertaken extensive study and training in somatic therapy, trauma work, limbic system retraining, sensory processing, mind–body approaches including guided meditation and breathwork, breathing pattern disorders, and a range of energy healing and quantum field modalities (Reiki 1,2 &3, Shamanic and Quantum healing diplomas).

I have completed in-person CPD training with leading figures in osteopathy, movement, and trauma work, including Bessel van der Kolk, Stephen Porges, Gabrielle Roth, Jean-Pierre Barral, Leon Chaitow, Laurie Hartman, and Katherine Ukleje. 

Professional Experience

Since 2005, I have practiced in clinics across London, Brussels, and Brighton, gaining extensive experience in osteopathy and integrative healthcare, before establishing the Tree of Life Centre in 2012 with my husband Simon. 

Alongside clinical practice, I have lectured and tutored in osteopathy and visceral osteopathy to students at BCOM, run postgraduate CPD training courses, and provided one-to-one mentoring for other therapists. I have also worked as a conference producer and copywriter for the Health Service Journal and Nursing Times.

Beyond the Clinic…

Outside of work, I fill my cup with beach walks, tea, and time with my family and two wonderful sons. I love comedy, a good glass of wine, and pondering the mysteries of the universe. Movement has always been a thread through my life, from childhood ballet to professional belly dancing in my 20s. More recently, I’ve taught belly dance through a somatic, personal-development lens. Its music and movement remain a source of regulation and joy.

Born and raised in Brussels, to Liverpudlian parents, I also spent much of my childhood in Arizona - a rich mix of cultures and experiences that sparked my fascination with how environment, culture, and sensory experience shape us. Parallel to my clinical training, I am also a qualified interior designer, specialising in biophilic, neuro- and sensory-informed design and consultancy.

Contact

I’m always happy to answer any questions people may have before booking a session with me. As Clinic Director at the Tree of Life Centre, I also help people find the right therapist for them within our large, wonderful practitioner team. For any questions or signposting, please email me directly at: gaynor@tolcentre.com