"This clear and comprehensive book is not just about massage. Bodywork Therapies for Women describes a wide range of therapies: those using manipulation; those using pressure points; those involving psychotherapy or subtle healing on the level of auras and chakras; energy movements like Qi Gong or 5-rhythms dance; and 'convergence' therapies which combine many approaches. It takes the reader step by step through each therapy, explaining what the therapy is, its philosophy, how treatment is given, the benefits, and any contra-indications. The author also defines the difference between 'alternative' and 'complementary' medicine.
This book deserves a place in every therapist's library, every natural health centre. It would be useful for practitioners, students, clients, and anyone who wants to learn more about bodywork therapies."
"I came across Delcia McNeil's book Bodywork Therapies for Women on my first weekend's training with the Rowan School in the Lake District. The course "Taking Root - Healing for Beginners" was led by Delcia and proved to be a wonderful and enlightening weekend. After comprehensively enjoying her teaching I decided a book by this author was definitely worth investigating.
Having only recently begun my own healing journey I found this book an ideal introduction to the often-confusing world of complementary and alternative medicine. Delcia offers a rational and measured evaluation of the vast array of therapies on offer. Her belief in a holistic approach is evident in the book's structure as she sets out to paint the big picture.
Bodywork Therapies for Women provides a summary of several theoretical viewpoints before proceeding with sturdy advice on how to go about finding a practitioner and what you can expect from a complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) professional. We are introduced to the many and various bodywork therapies of CAM within the context of holistic health thinking. There is an excellent summary of the conventional medical approach and developments in contemporary scientific thinking. There is also a fascinating chapter on the meaning of illness with interesting sociological and psychological perspectives on the relationship of women to health and our bodies.
This book works well as an index to dip into but I actually enjoyed reading it cover to cover. The layout and division of therapies by type ensures the subject matter is negotiable and understandable. The fifty or so therapies covered here are divided into seven schools:
Massage, Manipulation and Postural, Zones Meridians and Pressure Points, Metaphysical, Bodywork Psychotherapy, Energy Movement Systems and finally Convergence therapies.
One of the book's great strengths is the way in which the information is presented. For each individual practice Delcia details the historical context of the therapy, it's core belief and a description of how the therapy works. The reader Is presented with case studies detailing different women's personal experience of the treatments, which makes the book a very human read. Often Delcia suggests self-help techniques from the different practices so that the reader is able to experience the therapy at home. This enables you to learn not only intellectually but also experientially.
The human touch is again apparent in the accessible writing style. Delcia is articulate and concise, and explains complex theories with simple clarity. As a reader I felt very touched by her honest personal disclosure and her obvious passion for the subject matter.
Overall, I found Bodywork Therapies for Women really enjoyable and successfully educational. The book demystified a lot of the jargon I have heard bandied about and has given me a platform of information from which I can investigate further. I would heartily recommend the book to anyone who is choosing a bodywork therapy to study or receive."