Bonnie O'Brien Bodywork Therapy

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Bonnie O'Brien Bodywork Therapy

Bodywork Therapist specialising in Fascia Focused Therapy & Therapeutic Massage to help support those with chronic pain and emotional holding.

Massage & Bodywork Therapist

Specialist in
�Fascia Informed Bodywork (MFR)
supporting clients with chronic pain, chronic illness & emotional suffering
�Soft & Deep Tissue Therapy
Treating clients to restore health with deep relaxation & bespoke deep tissue treatments that bring balance to your mind & body

My aim is to provide you with the time dedicated to you in a space where you feel safe, understood and taken care of. My treatments are bespoke to you & are tailored entirely on what you need now. I will do my best to ensure you leave with a deeper sense of wellbeing, less sore, able to move more freely, sleep better and be a healthier, happier version of yourself. For more information please visit my website www.bodyworksmassagetherapy.co.uk

23/09/2025

“Dr .schleip said: ‘If you leave feeling like you need to learn more, then I have done my job right.’

And there’s me thinking I’d take a wee break from studying… but the truth is, I’ll never stop learning.

Two days of deeply informative, mind-blowing education on the fascinating world of fascia left my brain whirling. At first, I wasn’t sure I’d absorbed even a quarter, but the more I sit with it, the more I realise how much has already settled in.

I’m so grateful for the chance to learn from this work, and for the clarity it’s given me about what I need to do next.

Scar work is something I feel deeply passionate about, and the connection between scars and fascia is truly profound.

Thank you to , Dr. Robert Schleip, and all the wonderful practitioners who shared this experience with me.”

✨

Image credit to the Fascia Hub and practitioners

19/09/2025

On my way to London

12/09/2025

Hello 👋

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, and I’ve really enjoyed the break from social media. Anyone who posts regularly knows how much time and energy it takes - and honestly, I’ve just been enjoying being present with what I’m doing right now.

Today’s post is a share of what one of my clients said about her treatment. The words we exchanged afterwards were deeply touching, and they reminded me how lucky I am to do what I do. It’s such a blessing to feel appreciated, and when that appreciation comes from being able to help someone in need, it feels even more fulfilling.

I’m truly grateful to everyone who walks through my door and puts their trust in me - because building trust is such an important part of this work. What inspires me even more is seeing people prioritise their health and wellbeing so they can be the best version of themselves. That, to me, is a real testament to YOU.

We should always feel encouraged to live our best life. ✨

I also have some exciting things in the pipeline for my business. The future of Bonnie O’Brien Bodywork Therapy is no longer just a dream—because every day, I feel closer to achieving what I set out to do.

It only seems like yesterday that my best friend said, “I can see you having a sign on the door and your own premises.” At the time, it was just a dream. Now, here I am—a year on—and it’s real. 🎉

I can’t promise to post regularly at the moment, but I’ll be back with more news to share soon.

Bonnie x

15/06/2025

What an amazing day I had yesterday in London, meeting and learning from two incredible women who are leaders in the world of fascia — and .

I honestly can’t put into words how grateful I am to have attended your course: Embodied Exploration of the Fascial Spine as the Central Axis of Our Inner Cosmos.

I also had the absolute joy of meeting Jan, the founder of — I was (secretly!) exploding with excitement when she greeted me! 🙏🙏

So much knowledge, passion, experience, history, and love was poured into the course, and I felt completely at home. 🙏

Everything resonated so deeply, and I’m beyond excited for what’s to come.

I’m already booked onto the scar workshop with Dr Schleip — scar work has become such an integral part of my approach, and I can’t wait to dive even deeper.

A huge thank you to everyone at The Fascia Hub who made yesterday possible! 💛

13/06/2025

June is fully booked, and July is filling up fast!

But don’t let that stop you from booking in—cancellations do happen. You can be the first to know by requesting notifications via Fresha (my booking system). Just select your preferred day and choose the option to be notified.

Alternatively, feel free to drop me a message, and I’ll email you with any availability.

You can also book ahead to secure your preferred day and time, with the flexibility to reschedule or cancel if needed.

I'm currently not using Facebook—so if you're reading this there, please know how grateful I am that you're still following along.

The best way to reach me is via email or through my website (links in bio).

Thank you to all my clients for your continued support—whether you're booking in, recommending me to loved ones, or simply spreading the word 🙏

Bonnie x

23/05/2025

Cranial Fascial Therapy is a gentle, powerful therapy that works with the soft tissues of the face, cranium, and spine. By following the fascial connections and allowing the body to soften, we make space for deep release—physically and emotionally.

In any work I do with fascia—particularly when a client experiences an emotional or physical release and the body unwinds—I often support them in settling back into a restful state by gently holding their cranium.

It’s a deeply therapeutic and powerful way to help both body and mind come to rest.

Similarly, if a client arrives in a heightened state, beginning the session by holding the cranium can offer a sense of calm and ease, allowing the autonomic nervous system to regulate and shift into a more balanced state.

This isn’t just about the head
It’s about your whole system.
And how much lighter you could feel when your body no longer has to hold it all.

Appointments available in Andover, Hampshire.
DM to book or learn more.

www.bonnieobrienbodyworktherapy.co.uk

I'm a little sad that this marks the end of my series, but the feedback I've received from clients who’ve read them has been so lovely. I'm taking a short break from writing series for now, as my time is currently focused on researching, studying, and exploring fascia.

I’ve got some exciting courses lined up with incredible professionals in this field—people I once could only have dreamed of learning from! Saying I’m excited (and a little nervous) doesn’t quite cover it, but I just know this will bring so much to my practice.

I promise to share more with you soon!

21/05/2025

"I must have slept funny…"
But what if it’s not just the way you slept?

This carousel explores the deeper story behind everyday aches and pains—especially in the neck, back, and head.

Fascia, the connective tissue that supports and surrounds everything in your body, holds more than just structure. It stores stress, trauma, emotional experiences, and physical tension—often starting as far back as your embryological development.

From old injuries to surgeries, poor posture, stress, and daily overwhelm, your fascia remembers. And while your body is incredible at adapting, over time, that stored tension builds—until it doesn’t.

That moment you wake up unable to turn your head?
That’s your body asking you to tune in and start releasing what's been held for too long.

Only two weeks ago, I woke up with a stiff neck. My initial thought? "Must have been how I slept!" But deep down, I knew it was coming from my left shoulder – a pain pattern I’ve become all too familiar with. The ripple effect in action! I did some gentle mobilisation through my upper body and was able to release the tension… plus, I’ve made it a priority to have regular massage treatments.

Swipe through to learn how fascial tension builds and why the pain you’re feeling may have roots you’ve never considered.

Tag someone who always says they "slept funny"—they might need to see this.

19/05/2025

Today’s post dives into how fascial tension affects every system of the body — and why this matters more than we often realise.

Fascia isn’t just connective tissue — it’s the largest sensory organ in the body. Rich with nerve endings and sensory receptors, it constantly communicates with the brain, influencing how we move, feel, process pain, and respond to stress.

When fascia becomes restricted or dehydrated — through injury, repetitive strain, poor posture, surgery, or emotional trauma — it can create tension that ripples through the entire body. This tension doesn’t just stay local. It affects how the nervous system regulates, how the muscles respond, how circulation flows, how we breathe, how we digest, and even how we sleep and process emotion.

Each page today explores the relationship between fascia and one of the body’s major systems — helping you see just how interconnected everything really is.

Fascial restrictions can show up in so many ways — chronic pain, reduced mobility, digestive issues, breath holding, fatigue, or a constant feeling of being on edge. Working with fascia allows us to support the body as a whole, not just the part that’s shouting the loudest.

I hope this post helps you better understand the role fascia plays in your health — and offers a deeper appreciation for just how wise and interconnected our bodies really are!

18/05/2025

This week marks the final 3 posts in my current planned and written series — and it’s all about fascia (you guessed it!).

If there’s one post you read all the way through, I’d love for it to be this one. It’s both an intro to this week’s focus and a reflection on where I see my work heading — something I’ve never shared quite like this before.

Tomorrow’s post will explore how fascial tension affects every system of the body — from the nervous system to digestion, circulation, and more. Later this week, I’ll be sharing how trauma can be held within the cranium and neck — something I see so often in practice. If fascia, trauma, or nervous system regulation sparks your interest, I hope you’ll follow along.

The more I’ve explored fascia — especially while writing my recent ripple effect series — the more I’ve realised this is the path my work is naturally flowing toward. It’s where I feel most grounded, most curious, most at home.

Once you begin to understand fascia (and I say that loosely — it’s ever-evolving!), you can’t unlearn it. It shifts how you see and feel the body completely.

Fascial bodywork speaks to something deep in me. In a recent scar therapy webinar, the speaker said: “Listen with your hands. Trust your gut. Follow where your hands take you.” It gave me chills — it’s exactly how I feel working this way.

I’m also so excited for a course I’m attending in London this June: “An embodied exploration of the fascial spine as the central axis of our inner cosmos.” Even the title lights me up. I can’t wait to share what I learn.

It feels like my bodywork journey is just beginning. Every book, webinar, client moment fills me with butterflies. After 42 years on this earth, I feel like I’ve found something that truly aligns with who I am and what I can offer.

(Aside from being a mum — that’s a whole other kind of magic.)

I hope the upcoming posts are helpful — or at the very least, thought-provoking. Our bodies are extraordinary.

If you got this far, thank you!
Bonnie 🙏

14/05/2025

Following on from my post on Monday about how the vagus nerve works, I’d like to share some simple tips to help you stimulate your vagal tone.

If you’ve been working with me for a while, you’ve probably heard me talk about the vagus nerve and may recognise some of these tips.

One thing i personally love to do—when I get the chance to take a bath—is add some Epsom salts and my favourite bath bubbles. I’ll often place one hand on my sternum and the other on my stomach, then take slow, intentional breaths deep into my diaphragm, lifting my rib cage and exhaling slowly. I usually do about 3 to 5 of these breaths with my eyes closed. I can lie in the bath like this for quite a while—until the water cools! It’s deeply relaxing.

I hope you find these tips helpful.

12/05/2025

Have you ever felt wired, anxious, or shut down—and not sure why?
It might be your vagus nerve at play.

This powerful nerve connects your brain to your body, influencing your stress levels, digestion, heart rate, mood, and more.

When it’s in balance, you feel calm, connected, and grounded. But chronic stress can throw it off, pushing you into survival states like fight, flight, or freeze.

In my series about stress, I've gone into great detail about how stress affects the body - in its many forms, but here i talk about the impact on the vagus nerve.

Swipe through to learn how the vagus nerve works, how each branch responds to stress, and what you can do to support it.

07/05/2025

What is remedial massage?

First things first - remedial massage is not the same as sports massage.

This is something I often explain in my therapy room. Many clients come to me after having only experienced sports massage, expecting a similar approach. While I’m not trained in sports massage, I absolutely recognise its value - some people really benefit from that style of treatment.

Remedial massage may use similar techniques - deep tissue work, trigger point therapy, muscle energy techniques - but the way we apply them is typically gentler, more precise, and much less painful.

Unlike a one-off massage for relaxation or quick relief, remedial massage usually involves a course of treatments.
Why? Because it aims to uncover and treat the root cause of pain, not just chase symptoms.
I don’t just zero in on the sore muscle - I look at your whole body, your movement patterns, past injuries, and structural imbalances that could be contributing to what you’re feeling. Just because you feel pain in one area it doesn't mean that's where the issue is stemming from. Check out my series on the ripple affect which goes into detail about this if you want more info.

That’s why remedial massage can be especially helpful for chronic pain or dysfunction (lasting six weeks or more), particularly when other treatments haven’t quite resolved the issue.

I won’t go too deep into the technical side here (check the image slides for that!), but here’s what matters:
Remedial massage is tailored to you.
It’s not just about the muscle that hurts - it’s about how your body works as a system.

And here’s something people often overlook: remedial massage is also profoundly calming for the nervous system.
Techniques like deep tissue work don’t just ease physical tension - they stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping you truly rest and reset.

If you love the feeling of proper deep work, you know how frustrating it can be to book a massage that promises depth but doesn’t deliver. That’s why it’s so important to find the right therapist for you.

Address

Chudleigh
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Telephone

+447815169507

Website

http://www.bonnieobrienbodyworktherapy.co.uk/

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