Neuro Rocking Release Therapy™

NRRT™

NRRT™ is a somatic awareness therapy consisting of inducing a gentle rocking motion to the receiver’s body and some stretches. The bilateral stimulation of the brain produced by the rocking, resets the central nervous system (CNS) by balancing the responses of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems (P-SNS) and it is inspired by years of clinical experience and observation, modern neuroscience, Gestalt psychotherapy and ancient Asian medicine wisdom.

Brain activity regulation via bilateral somatic movement stimulation is not new. Many of us are aware of Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy which was initially developed for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. NRRT™ promotes a sense of wellbeing and peace within.

Some other common activities that have a similar effect are walking, jogging, playing and listening to music, swimming… With NRRT™ and because it is a somatic modality, the receiver also gets to actively practice trust, receiving, allowing, letting go of the need to control and finally surrendering.

Why is this important? Because in the stressed modern societies, the collective aim is to push, achieve, get, chase, hassle, control and we live in a chronic state of urgency. Very rarely do we get a moment to consciously soften up the hard fists (of our body and mind) to surrender, to breathe, to reflect on trust, gratitude, conflict, and other important pillars of our holistic wellbeing. We need somatic awareness moments to realise where we are holding and what this is doing to our health. Bad digestion, insomnia, neck tension, headaches, urine infections, fatigue, shortness of breathe, anxiety, high blood pressure, binge-consuming….. the list goes on and all this need to stop is that: stopping to paying attention to our most proximal home: our body. The body talks, it even screams some times. We just have to “listen”.

what are some of the benefits of NRRT™?

Cardiovascular: Rocking lowers the heart rate and blood pressure; it stimulates the blood circulation and spreads warmth throughout the body.

Immune: Rocking stimulates the lymphatic system aiding with the elimination of debris from the chemical processes and toxins from food, water, substances and drugs. The lymphatic system, unlike the cardiovascular system, does not have a pump; it relays on the movement of the body to flow freely and avoid stagnation of fluids such as oedema around the joints, especially in the lower limbs.
A free-flowing lymphatic system fights efficiently against invasions from external pathogenic factors (EPF) and “ingrown” imbalances resulting from strong emotions, unresolved trauma, negative and limiting mindsets and poor habits.

Nervous: Rocking has a profound effect on the human nervous system and science proves that humans are wired to respond to rocking. It helps our development in the early years of life and it soothes the nervous system. Rocking reduces the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) overload (fight/flight/freeze mode) which has become a pandemic and a chronic state of being among the citizens of modern societies. People are angry, anxious, snappy, frustrated, unsatisfied, over-emotional or under-emotional (freeze mode), relationships do not last longer than a few months, parents and children cut ties, the suicide rate is the highest it has ever been, high rates of infertility too, there are school shootings, acid attacks, social media bullying… you mane it.

The SNS relays in the amygdala in the centre of the brain, adjacent to the hippocampus (responsible for memory forming too). The amygdala activates in the face of perceived danger or threat and is the chief in the processing of emotions and memories associated with fear. The amygdala is overactive and dysregulated in cases of PTSD, triggering inappropriate responses such as aggression, withdrawal, fight, freeze, fly. Also, loss of appetite or over-eating, feeling stuck in life, hypersensitivity.

The PNS – the relaxation system – is activated by rocking and it sends signals of safety, comfort, calm, wellbeing, relaxation by the release of certain hormones such as serotonin (the mood stabiliser), dopamine (the reward chemical), oxytocin (the love hormone and endorphins (the pain killer) which are involved in many essential processes like heart rate and digestion as well as mood regulation. In a regulated nervous system, the endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, digestive, urinary, reproductive, skeletal and lymphatic systems function smoothly and one feels content. Most chronic pain cases have a strong psycho-emotional component and a dysregulation of the nervous system.

The rocking motion has a synchronising effect on the brain, triggering the PNS to engage and the SNS to disengage.
Rocking stimulates the balance mechanism of the inner ear which creates a better sense of space and clean alert.
Rocking establishes a healthy heart rate.
Rocking stimulates Qi, blood and lymphatic circulation.
It spreads body temperature evenly preventing cold hands and feet.
It helps the receiver become aware of where they are holding and it gives them the opportunity to release if they choose to do so.
Life is rhythm, frequency, pulsing. Rocking helps people connect with their body’s rhythm. Combining and experiencing slow and fast movements through the NRRT™ helps completing the oscillation spectrum map of each individual, bringing a deeper sense of integration within their own skin.
Mammalian brains are wired to respond to being rocked and there is now science to show that swaying to sleep may result in falling asleep faster, better quality sleep and improved memory and concentration.
Rocking a baby provides a better medium for the child’s development.
The right and left brain communication bridges strengthen resulting in more balanced and inspired action by the individual. Not too logic and rigid, not too creative and chaotic. Balance restores via rocking.
Rocking maintains muscle tone and supple joints and it is considered a mild form of exercise.
It reduces pain, anxiety, depression, stress, hypo and hypersensitivity.
Helps lower blood pressure and promotes digestion.
Resets the spine thanks to a “wavy snake” motion.

what inspired me to developing this modality of healing?

Over my years of study, clinical practice and self-experience, especially after discovering Chinese medicine and acupuncture, I have come to the conclusion that a big part of healing lies in the nervous system as it connects all the other systems in the body (so does the fascia, by the way), and it relies on movement to interact with and learn from the word around us, make sense of it, survive and thrive.

Having experienced moments of rocking as a therapeutic approach during my trainings and explorations back in Spain, before arriving to England in 2008, I could not help but incorporate it here and there in my regular massage and acupuncture treatments in York, and I have found that the benefits for the receiver are profound. So much so that I decided to develop it as a healing modality in its own right. Side note: I took great interest in neurology while studying Chinese medicine and acupuncture at the Northern College of Acupuncture, 2016 to 2020.

I felt a fire in my belly and my mind and I asked some of my clients if they’d like to contribute. After mostly engaging in playful inspiration, testing different ways in which one can move another person’s body in a therapeutic way with the added bilateral brain stimulation of the rocking motion, I was positively surprised to see that my clients received it extremely well and they found it beneficial.

What did I do next? Well, after my kinaesthetic exploration and findings, I searched for research papers, studies, trials and articles related to rocking for different health conditions and I was pleased to find a few. Only a few though. This doesn’t mean it isn’t effective, it means we have a lot to learn about rocking as a therapeutic approach and I am on it. This inspired me to learn more about neuroscience, vagus nerve anatomy, the limbic system, bilateral brain stimulation and so on. I then created an informed therapeutic rocking sequence made of different components and put it to test in 2021; I run a small study with three subjects with general anxiety, social anxiety and depression, with great results.

I then started offering it to my clients and it was very well received. Most people repeat! I knew I was onto something and I wanted to share it!! What if Neuro-Rocking Release Therapy could reach more people? Such a natural, non-invasive, gentle, caring healing modality with many wonderful effects. But how do I share it? Teach it? Public talks? Scary!! I have never done anything like this. But how could I not share what I had found? There I went and taught the first NRRT course in York in 2022 for York-based practitioners. In 2023 I run workshops in 3 festivals and taught another 2 courses. It has been an overwhelming, positive response and attention that NRRT has received, while running my daily clinical practice in York. I have gone through doubt, fear, neurodivergent overwhelm and I am still standing, inspired, committed to this wonderful venture. One of the tools that has helped me during this creative process is EMDR. I tried it for the first time in 2023 and it blew my mind how effective it is. This in itself added more wood to my belly’s fire because EMDR uses bilateral brain stimulation which is also a big feature of NRRT too.

It is Spring 2024 as I write this and we are about to launch the official NRRT for both potential NRRT clients and students. We are also set for our course this October!

The plans for the future are to make the course available online so that it is more accessible and apply for funding to run a study with 50 subjects to prove its benefits. But first and foremost, keep rocking lives 🙂

Ana Guerrero, May 25th 2024

NRRRT can help with...

Chronic pain
Overactive and underactive thyroid
Reducing high levels of stress
Feeling on edge, snappy temper and anger issues
Improving sleep quality
People in state of shock
Anxiety
PTSD manifestations such as dissociative seizures.
Trauma held in the body (pain, tension, tightness in chest, poor digestion, stiffness, headaches...)
Fluid retention (oedema) and bloatedness
Post a bed-bound period
Depression
Aging patients with poor memory and/or tremors
Emotional stuckness and lack of inspiration
Heaviness and lethargy
Sedentary lifestyle
Post-stroke recovery
Bipolar disorder

NRRT™ can be applied on its own or as part of another treatment, be it talking therapy, osteopathy, acupuncture, massage, rehabilitation, speech therapy…. It can be an excellent addition to any form of therapy as it gets the receiver ready and open for healing in whatever modality it presents. This is why I am teaching this technique to other professionals, starting December 2022 at the Northern College of Acupuncture where I qualified.

what to expect from a NRRT™ session?

The initial 75-minute appointment includes the consultation, assessment of goals and treatment.

NRRT is received clothed and because it is a movement therapy, we strongly suggest that you wear easy clothes: sports trousers or leggings and a plain top; no hoodies, strings, mesh or anything that could get on the way of your body moving freely.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE INITIAL SESSION?

This is entirely up to you but we can suggest two options:

for officially diagnosed and debilitating mental health disorders, we offer a 5-session package at a 10% discount. After this 5-week course, together we will assess the progress and take it from there.
to reduce the impact of daily life stress, improve sleep quality and feel better overall, we recommend a session every fortnight.

YOU ARE ALWAYS IN CONTROL OF WHAT HAPPENS

How Much?

£65 for the initial 75-minute session: consultation and treatment.
Subsequent sessions are either £45 for 45 minutes and £50 for 1 hour.
A pack of 5 x 1 hour is £225.
A pack of 5 x 45-minute is £202.50
It can also be combined with massage and acupuncture: half NRRT™ and half acupuncture or half NRRT™ and half massage.