Clinic Founder and Director

Women’s Osteopath & Naturopath
Specialist in Neck, Head, Jaw & Face Issues

A Specialist, Whole-System Approach

After 20 years in practice, I now work exclusively with women, offering a holistic approach to osteopathy that is integrative, gentle and intuitive. While my core specialism is treatment of the head, neck, jaw and face, I also support women with a wider range of structural, functional or stress-related issues who are drawn to a gentler, more holistic approach than traditional osteopathy.

My treatments combine cranial, structural and visceral osteopathy, mind–body perspectives, somatic work and naturopathy to address issues at their root. What makes my work different is the breadth of my professional training and experience, which allows me to understand a single issue from multiple perspectives.

This holistic view ensures we don’t get stuck looking at symptoms through a narrow lens. Instead, we build a full understanding of how and why the problem developed, and what’s needed to resolve it. Many patients say it’s the first time their issue has been approached  in such a joined-up way, and this is often when meaningful change begins to happen.

I work with everything from straightforward mechanical issues to complex, long-standing problems. My sessions are longer than standard osteopathy appointments, allowing for us to work at greater depth in this integrated way. Initial appointments include a detailed case history and a complete first treatment.

 Why I Work Exclusively with Women

Two decades of treating women have taught me how uniquely women’s systems experience imbalance, injury, stress and the demands of modern life. Female anatomy, physiology and life stages - including menstruation, pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause and beyond - influence everything from joint laxity and inflammation to how we carry stress, and the kinds of support our bodies and minds need to stay balanced and resourced. These needs naturally shift over time; what sustains and restores a woman in her 20's can look very different from what she needed in her 60's.

These differences mean women respond best to care that is specialised and bespoke. Many of the women I see are juggling a wide range of multiple responsibilities, often leaving little time for rest, recovery or integration. Their systems often carry stress in subtle, persistent patterns that keep the sympathetic (“fight/flight/freeze”) nervous system switched on, even when they appear outwardly fine. Over time, this can create an almost limitless spectrum of symptoms - from digestive issues and insomnia, to chronic muscle tension, headaches and anxiety.

A central part of my work is helping women reconnect with their bodies as a place of safety and steadiness - an internal safe harbour they can return to whenever they choose. When the body feels like a supportive, regulated home rather than a source of tension or overwhelm, life feels different, and healing becomes more possible and sustainable.

By focusing exclusively on women, I direct my limited clinical time where my expertise is strongest, and tailor every session with a deep understanding of how women’s systems work, restore and heal best. For anyone outside my remit, including men, we’re fortunate to have an excellent team of osteopaths within the clinic who specialise in this work, ensuring every patient is matched with the right practitioner.

Head, Neck, Jaw & Face Specialism

These areas have always felt like the natural centre of my work - the place where my hands are most intuitively at home. Over the years I’ve developed a deep passion and aptitude for treating these regions, which respond best to a gentle, highly attuned approach, and have the capacity to create powerful whole-body shifts.  Here, “listening hands” are especially important; I draw on a seamless blend of gentle structural work (no ‘cracking’), soft tissue and myofascial release, cranial techniques and precise intra-oral work to unwind and resolve layers of tension, restriction or imbalance.

The neck, skull, jaw and sensory centres are home to the brain, brainstem, key autonomic pathways and the systems through which we interpret, react to and meet the world. When these areas function well, the entire system can reorganise in remarkable ways. Supporting women to experience this clarity, lightness and deep reset has become the heart of my practice, and remains the work I find most meaningful and rewarding.

Common Things I Work With:

Specialist Focus (Head, Neck, Jaw & Face)

• Neck tension, stiffness or pain

• Headaches and migraines

• TMJ tension, clenching or grinding

• Vagus nerve and autonomic system imbalance

• Sinus and ear issues

• Facial tension, tight eyes, stress-related strain

• Post-injury or post-surgical recovery

• Support following dental work

• Busy or overactive mind, brain fog

Wider Women’s Health Focus

• Musculoskeletal discomfort or body tension

• Postural imbalance

• Stress-related holding patterns

• Nervous system dysregulation 

• Sleep issues

A Typical Session May Include:

Gentle Structural Osteopathy & Myofascial Treatment: I use gentle structural and myofascial techniques to improve mobility, release restriction and restore balance . This may include mobilisation, soft-tissue release and fascial unwinding to ease tension and support smoother movement. When treating the head and neck, I never use HVT (“cracking”) and often include work on the feet, limbs, pelvis, spine and ribcage to encourage whole-body alignment, fluidity and integration.

Cranial Techniques:  These techniques calm and balance the nervous system, improve fluid balance, ease strain patterns, and support deep integration.

Intra-Oral Work (When Helpful):  A precise, gentle, and highly effective way to release TMJ, facial and head tension from inside the mouth. Patients are often surprised by how non-invasive and enjoyable this treatment feels, while noticing deep relaxation through the head, face, and sometimes whole body as chronic jaw tension unwinds. This is often the missing link in chronic headaches. I use medical-grade disposable gloves and always explain things carefully, so you feel fully in control throughout.

Vagus Nerve Balancing:  Techniques that restore balance to the autonomic nervous system. These are beneficial for everyone, but especially helpful for stress and anxiety, poor sleep, head and neck tension, or a constantly busy mind.

Facial Muscle Work: I can integrate targeted muscle and fascial techniques, and stengthening exercises, to optimise muscle tone and balance in the muscles of the face. This can support maintain long-term facial balance, help relieve tension, headaches, pain, and even enhance cosmetic appearance. It can also be helpful for people who want to restore lost muscle tone as they ease off Botox. 

A Naturopathic Lens: Where useful, I help you explore lifestyle, nutritional, and environmental factors that may contribute to your symptoms - often missed in a purely structural approach. I can suggest nutritional tweaks or supplements when helpful. For example, headaches may be influenced by hydration, blood sugar fluctuations, nutrient deficiencies, or histamine overload. Using these additional tools can help speed progress and support longer-lasting results.

A Trauma-Informed, Nurturing Approach

I create a nurturing, grounded and sensory-aware environment to help your system settle, allowing change to happen with ease. My approach is trauma-informed and gentle, understanding how both your physical and emotional history shape your system, and the issues you bring. Where helpful, I can draw on my background in psychology and trauma work, and my understanding of sensory processing differences, to support the safe and effective resolution of patterns and symptoms. This helps patients feel fully seen, supported, and relaxed throughout their treatment.

How Many Sessions Will I Need? 

Every client’s pathway is unique, and you are always in the driver’s seat of your treatment journey. In osteopathy, the average course to fully resolve an issue is typically 4–8 sessions, often weekly at first, then fortnightly. Speed of progress depends on many factors, including general health, the complexity and duration of the problem, and willingness to follow recommended guidance.

With the depth and precision of this work, meaningful change is often felt after each session. Some patients only need a short course of treatment for a specific concern, while many continue regular or monthly treatments after this initial phase, finding these sessions become an important part of their self-care. 

Patients often report that these ‘maintenance’ treatments help them feel more grounded and resilient, offering nurture and restoration in busy, demanding lives. These sessions support a well-regulated nervous system, helping to release deep tension, improve sleep, and enhance mental clarity. They also act preventatively, stopping symptoms returning, while increasing overall balance and wellbeing in both body and mind.

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

Postgraduate Training & CPD

My postgraduate osteopathic studies include Cranial Osteopathy training with Sutherland Cranial College, and advanced intra-oral, head, face and visceral osteopathic techniques with Jean-Pierre Barral. I have also studied and trained in somatic therapy, trauma work, limbic system retraining, sensory processing, mind-body techniques such as guided meditation and breathwork, breathing pattern disorders, and various healing and quantum field modalities.

I have completed in-person CPD training with leaders in the fields of osteopathy, movement, and trauma work, including Bessel Van der Kolk, Steven 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, a steady supply of tea, and time with my family and two wonderful sons. I also love comedy, a good glass of wine, and pondering the mysteries of the universe. Movement has always been an important part of my life; from childhood ballet to becoming a professional belly dancer in my 20's. In more recent years, I have taught belly dance from a somatic, personal-development angle. The music and movement from this world are always a source of regulation and joy for me. I was born and raised in Brussels, to Liverpudlian parents, and spent much of my childhood in Arizona - a broad spectrum of places and people that sparked my lifelong fascination with how culture, environment and sensory experience shape who we become. I love art and design, and I’m currently completing a training pathway for sensory-informed interior design.

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