Frome Valley Osteopaths

05/06/2025

In celebration of all things q***r we are offering £5 off all new adult patients in June 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

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12/05/2025

Welcome to our new look 🥰✨️🌷

Same great service, extra passion, and focus.

We specialise in gentle approaches to the body, always considering mind, fascia, nervous system and soul.

We are particularly passionate about working with people who have chronic health conditions, neurodivergent folks, LGBTQIA+ people, babies and families.

But we are pretty excellent at helping anyone with back, neck, joint pain and love this work too.

If you need a hand or would like to know more get in touch.

We have a few spaces a week available for lower income people who may not normally be able to access private health care.

Special thanks to Lou from Limepark Studios for our beautiful designs.



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19/04/2025

There are so many places where trans people have to fight for their right to exist. Their existence is resistance.
Health care is an area that they are massively under served.
We are a place very happy to provide health care for all lgbtq people.
Everyone is welcome here.

17/02/2025

What is craniosynostosis? And why is it important for me and my baby?

-              Craniosynostosis is when the sutures between skull bones fuse together too early.
-              These sutures facilitate growth of the skull which is itself dependent on the development of the underlying brain.
-              Craniosynostosis is often present from birth but not diagnosed until later when a baby might have an altered head shape and ridging (a raised bump) over one or more of their sutures.
-              Prompt diagnosis is essential and is made by imaging such as CT scan or x-ray. There will also be additional assessments to determine what type of craniosynostosis is present.

-              Treatment approaches vary depending on the baby’s age, symptoms and type of craniosynostosis but often involves surgical intervention. Ongoing monitoring and management may also be necessary.
So where does osteopathy fit in?
-              During their routine assessment an osteopath will examine your baby’s head and body. They will use their professional judgement and knowledge to determine if craniosynostosis is suspected then refer on for further investigation if needed.
-              Osteopathy offers a gentle, non-invasive approach as a potentially useful adjunct alongside traditional advice and treatment. The aims of osteopathy are to support your baby’s growth, nervous system and overall well-being and development. This applies in cases where surgery is not needed as well as post-surgery to assist recovery and ongoing development.

Check out our blog post …  for a more in depth explanation and discussion on craniosynostosis.

For further support and guidance, the following website is an excellent resource if you or someone you know has been impacted by craniosynostosis:

Headlines Craniofacial Support | Charity | United Kingdom
If you have any queries or concerns about your baby then please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us at Frome Valley Osteopaths, we will be happy to answer your questions as best we can.

17/02/2025

Craniosynostosis is when the sutures of the skull (the joints between skull bones) fuse together too early. Although this condition is very rare, we saw two little ones in January who both have craniosynostosis so it feels appropriate to raise awareness and explain the part that osteopathy can play in caring for babies before and after a diagnosis. Typically, craniosynostosis is present from birth but is hard to detect and often not noticed until later when there are signs of an altered head shape and/or ridging (a palpable bump or line) between skull bones....

Craniosynostosis is when the sutures of the skull (the joints between skull bones) fuse together too early. Although this condition is very rare, we saw two little ones in January who both have cra…

29/12/2024

✨️ Merry Twixmas lovely bunch ✨️

Just checking in...

I hope you had some lovely moments.
I hope you had some rest.
I hope their was subtle magic
And tummies full of festive feasts 🤤

If you're getting twitchy or feeling yourself wind up again, I hope the energy goes somewhere with meaning, not punishment.

It's OK to stay resting. It's still mid winter. You don't have to step back into the race.
It's cool to make plans to get excited. To know where you're headed.
Steps forward that start where you are, that come from compassion, fuel you differently than steps that come from frustration and punishment.
Go gently, go far 💪✨️

10/10/2024

🧡🍂 October is Adhd Awareness month 🍂🧡
A personal one ....

Awareness is important and growing. If we don't know why we are the way we are, how do we know how to best support ourselves.

'Labels' have saved my life (and I'm not exaggerating) many times, finding community and understanding of myself. These labels include ADHDer, Autistic, LGBTQ, Childfree, dog mum.

We all use labels to help us understand ourselves, maybe your labels are less controversial.... maybe they include Mother, Father, grandparent, engineer, runner. But they still help you understand yourself, and they still help you shape your world and identity.

Understanding your labels, your neurotype, can be life-saving.

In clinic a patient with ADHD may present differently, they may feel pain or internal sensations, less or more intensely. Communication of symptoms may be different. The Awareness of a more sensitive nervous system is important as a practitioner.

My Audhd impacts me every day, particularly my ability to keep my mood and energy levels stable. I work hard on this, pay it a lot more attention than a lot of my peers, but I still struggle with it significantly. I would, and did, feel much worse about myself if I didn't understand why.

Today was a difficult start, hormones are changing and making things more complicated, I have been doing more so I am in pain. I couldn't speak on our dog walk. But Sara squished me, so I could cry a little, then I could speak a little. Now, I feel able to engage with the world a bit better.

Adhd is both a challenge and a positive, often at the same time... one does not remove the other.

Awareness is important for ourselves. Self diagnosis is valid. Awareness that people experience and understand the world differently than us should not need to be spelled out, but it often does. Be kind.

All neurodivergent people are welcome here 🙏

25/09/2024

Embodiment is counter cultural. It is rebellious, and it is healing.

To be embodied, connected to yourself, and listening to the wisdom of your Self, not your mind. Is a big deal.

Being embodied means ...

✨️ finding joy in movement, not just ticking it off a self care list/punishment.
✨️knowing which days to push and which days to rest.
✨️ listening to how your body would like to move.
✨️treating rest as sacred, not something to be earned.
✨️ through connection to self, being connected to nature, and the people/creatures in our lives with compassion.
✨️ knowing that our bodies have something to say, and it's not always what our minds want to hear.
✨️ ignoring diet culture
✨️ challenging hustle culture
✨️not listening to all your thoughts, going deeper.

Being embodied is a practice. An awareness. It can be developed through mindfulness, through starting to listen to the little nudges our body/minds give us.

It is common to notice that you have spent decades disembodied. It is possible to come back to yourself.

When we treat, we listen to this wisdom, in your body, in our own, all the time. It is cognitive, and it is beyond cognition.

If you'd like a nudge in the right direction, ask us. We can point out to you where you already experience it, and offer ways to develop the connection further.

It helps in recovery, of all sorts. And prevention, of all sorts.

18/09/2024

Improving your health can look like a million different things ....

With the 'new year' just started, lots of adults have more space to focus on themselves and a little less on the summer holidays... it makes sense that health can again becomes more of a priority, there is more capacity for reflection and a bit more time.

This time of the year is the start of the long draw inward, to reflect and rest, plant seeds/intentions, to see the rewards in the new year.

These shifts in our health supporting behaviours/self care can be big things, like starting therapy or body work, training for something, or wanting to change your body shape.

Or they can be 'little' things, like spending some time outside each day no matter the weather, drinking more water, prioritising a time with friends each week, starting 10 mins a day of meditation, becoming more mindful, pausing before reacting, leaving somewhere when youve had enough, saying no more, saying yes more. These are all little things that can have big impacts on our health.

Little things iv been trying that feel big.
✨️ prioritising listening to my body cues and eating what it wants.
✨️starting a yoga nidra practise (20mins before sleep)
✨️ gratitude practise (5mins to scribble it down)
✨️focusing less on giving myself a hard time for the things I do that I don't like, and more on the things that feel like I'm caring for myself.

What little and big health shifts have you thought about or been able to make?

If you'd like help with your body or to chat through where you might start, we are happy to help 🧡✨️



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26/08/2024

So the Frome Valley Osteopaths team is expanding... 🧡

Welcome Quinn, the newest member of our pack.

85% angel, 15% menace, probable future clinic dog 🐕 😁

Hope you've had a lovely bank holiday

01/07/2024

✨️Nuance and health✨️

I had a lovely conversation with someone online last week about nuance, and my last story just reminded me again how important it is.....

Most of the information we find on social media is short and snappy and doesn't have much space for nuance, this can be incredibly confusing, especially when every other 'influencer' out there is suggesting something to 'optimise your health'.

As you'll know, if you come for treatment with us, the answer to many questions about health is 'it depends' ... we can usually give you much more help than that because we understand (to some extent) your personal context for your health.

There are, of course, some things that are fundamental, movement, nutrition, hydration, sleep, getting outside, connection, etc... but the context of these for everyone, the balance of these, will vary, and that's ok, that's good!

Movement and resistance training for me are pretty vital, for my old lady body, and because my mental health is so much better when it's a core part of my routine. This will not be the same for everyone. The importance of resistance training for health later in life is very true! But the starting point will be different for everyone, the barriers to entry, etc. Yes, it's probably very, very good for you, but where you do it, how often, the specific exercises, may vary wildly.

Nuance is so important. Out body/mind is influenced by so so many things, by our experiences, our values, our goals. It's OK if our health expression is different, if we make different choices.

If there are things you're confused about, please ask us, if we don't know, we will find someone who does.

Happy Monday x

08/05/2024

I've been feeling a bit stuck recently, not so inspired about what to write about here, I'm often inspired by my own experience.

I have been holding back some of my own experience, so in the interest of showing up congruently, removing blocks, and being inspired again, I'm sharing....

Last year at age 36, it was confirmed that I am autistic/adhd. This influences the way I communicate with you guys, the way I am at work, and the way I treat (among a million other things).

I'm slowly understanding it all for myself, and although challenging, it's been hugely helpful.

I would really like to work with other neurodivergent people, through talking to patients so far. I know that my experience can help people understand themselves and their loved ones better.

I have a deep understanding of nervous system regulation difficulties, sensory overload, chronic pain, gut issues, communication challenges, burnout and chronic fatigue, mental health challenge. There are many physical health co morbidities that are common in neurodivergent people.

If you'd like help in acceptance and understanding of your own neurodivergence. If you'd like to feel heard and empowered, I'm all for being in it with you 🧡