About treatment

Martien specialises in Biodynamic Cranial osteopathy. A subtle refined and very gentle approach to treatment suitable for all ages and conditions. It is a highly skilled and very precise specialisation of a complete osteopathic training.

She has nearly 25 years of experience working with babies and children as well as adults and pregnant women. She continues her commitment to extensive post graduate training both in NewZealand and in Europe.

Martien embraces a holistic approach, helping people to feel empowered in their journey of healing through awareness.

She is registered and holds a current annual practicing certificate and is an ACC accredited provider

About Martien Jonkers Osteopath

Martien Jonkers works together with her husband Leo an Awareness Mentor and Homeopath. Initially trained as an Occupational Therapist in NZ graduating in 1991. She has worked in various healthcare settings in both physical and mental health, hospitals as well as schools in NZ and USA.

A desire to work with patients using hands on treatment led her to train under Doctor Upledger (an American Osteopath) in Florida over two years. Initially learning “cranio sacral therapy” an osteopathic technique taught to health professionals as well as lay people. Realising she wanted to be an osteopath she went on to the European School of Osteopathy in the UK graduating with honours in 2000.

Over the last 24 years she has extended her Cranial Osteopathic Studies in extensive post graduate work in Sutherland and Biodynamic Cranial Osteopathy. She has worked at the Osteopathic Centre for Children as well as the Active Birth Centre in London and the Osteopathic Children’s Foundation in Hamilton. She has taught at the NZ School of Osteopathy in Auckland and is now teaching post graduate courses in Cranial Osteopathy.

She completed her Awareness Mentor training in 2017 and also did training in Conscious Birth Preparation in 2008.

• Back and neck pain

• Joint pain

• Headache and migraine

• Digestive disorders

• Period pain and irregularity

• Recurrent infection

• Sinusitis

• Asthma and chest complaints

• Stress, depression and fatique

• General ill health

• Childhood problems (see osteopathy for children)

• and much more

Services

What is Cranial Osteopathy?

Cranial osteopathy is a refined and subtle type of osteopathic treatment that uses very gentle manipulative pressure to encourage the release of stresses throughout the body, including the head. It is extremely effective in treating a wide range of conditions in people of all ages, from birth to old age. Biodynamic osteopathy is a branch of the mainstream cranial osteopathy, both are based on work of W. G. Sutherland, DO. Dr. Sutherland discovered subtle movements in the fluids and tissues of his patients. He called this phenomena the primary respiratory mechanism. Dr. Sutherland believed that the primary respiratory mechanism was governed by a transcendental power which he called the Breath of Life.

While in every osteopathic modality the clinician applies a force (however subtle) to correct a lesion, biodynamic osteopathy uses corrections generated by the Breath of Life without the influence of the external forces applied by the therapist. The exquisite skills and the long and rigorous training required for an osteopath to become an adept in biodynamic osteopathy puts a cap on its availability to the general public.

The training in biodynamic osteopathy is provided exclusively for osteopaths by the faculty of the late American physician James Jealous, DO. Dr Jealous observed that the forces of embryologic development do not cease functioning at birth, but are maintained throughout our lives as the forces of growth and development, as well as those involved in the healing processes. This insight provides the Osteopath with a coherent road map to meeting our primary obligation as physicians which, according to Dr. Still, is to find the Health within our patients. Read more

Osteopathic treatment during Pregnancy

Aches and pains are common during pregnancy, as the body changes shape to accommodate the increasing size and weight of the uterus. This involves considerable changes to posture. If the mother has existing back problems, or strains in her body from past accidents or trauma, it may be more difficult for her to accommodate these changes, and she may suffer more discomfort as a result.  The ligaments of the whole body soften during pregnancy due to the action of hormones. This allows the bones of the pelvis to separate slightly during the delivery to facilitate the passage of the baby’s head through the pelvis.

Unfortunately this softening affects the whole body and makes it more vulnerable to strain during the pregnancy. Postural changes may cause backache, neck ache, headaches, aching legs and undue fatigue. Osteopathic treatment can help the body adapt, and make the pregnancy much more comfortable. Read more

Osteopathic treatment for Babies & Children

Little babies benefit so greatly from early osteopathic treatment. They are grateful to have the stresses and strains of their birth and in utero position released, so they do not have discomfort in their bodies, can feed, sleep comfortably and can function and develop optimally.

It is a common belief that babies and children should have no structural stresses or strains in their bodies, because they are ‘so young’. The reality is very different. Birth is one of the most stressful events of our lives. The baby is subjected to enormous forces, as the uterus pushes to expel the baby against the natural resistance of the birth canal. The baby has to turn and twist as it squeezes through the bony pelvis, on its short but highly stimulating and potentially stressful journey. Babies born by caesarian also have things that may need to be treated. Sometimes there was a non progressive labour which ended in an emergency c-section, the baby may therefore have unresolved compression in their system. Maybe the c-section was elective due to a breach position or other. The baby can retain in utero moulding as their body has not been stretched out from a vaginal delivery. The moulding can affect pelvis, limbs as well as the head. Read more

Osteopathy for Back Pain

Back pain is very common and can be severe and debilitating either in acute episodes, or as chronic pain suffered over a long period of time that is both uncomfortable and fatiguing. The onset can often be traced to an accident or trauma, even one that occurred many years previously.

Osteopaths are skilled in assessing the mechanics of the whole body, in particular the spine. They use a variety of manipulative techniques, most extremely gentle, to restore a state of balance and ease to the movement and function of the spine. This both relieves pain and discomfort, and reduces wear and tear on the spine that leads to arthritis. Read more

The Link between Osteopathy & Dentistry

The importance of the relationship between cranial osteopathy and dentistry cannot be overstated.  Conditions affecting the mouth and teeth have a very direct effect on the rest of the body. The face is a complex bony structure composed of a number of different bones.  Some of these bones are very delicate, and they are intricately linked together in a very complex way. Trauma to the face may restrict the normal movement between the bones, and can have very wide reaching effects in the whole body, eg head aches, neck pain, dizziness and more. One of the most common causes of trauma is dental treatment. Read more

Osteopathy for Children with Learning Difficulties

Learning difficulties may prevent a child realising his/her full potential. Although each child is an individual with his own unique learning path, there are certain common features.  Learning difficulties (including dyslexia and dyspraxia) can be broadly categorised into two main causes: Neurological: an inability of the brain to process information correctly. Physical: an inability of the musculoskeletal system of the body to respond appropriately to orders from the brain. Osteopathy may be able to help both types to varying degrees.  Both can be due to physical strain and discomfort in a child’s body limiting the development of both the brain and the musculoskeletal system. The most common cause of this is unresolved strain from the birth process.

For best results, osteopathic treatment should be carried out as young as possible, before the physical stresses have caused any further problems. Treatment is most effective before the age of 5 years, when there is still active growth of the head and brain, however after this age treatment may still help to optimise their functioning. Read more

Osteopathy as you Get Older

The body can be likened to a car, in that it needs regular servicing and maintenance as it gets older! Osteopaths treat the whole person not just conditions, and thus a very wide variety of different problems can be helped. Osteopathic treatment is aimed at releasing strains and stresses that have often accumulated in the body over many years, thus improving the circulation to all parts of the body.  The result is often an improvement in many different aspects of health. This means that suffering pain, stiffness and poor health are NOT an inevitable part of getting older. Read more

My Philosophy

I love what I do as I can get a sense of what is going on for people on many levels and how it connects to the whole. This is important as usually the problem has a story involving more than one area of the body or even how we think and feel. Osteopathy to me is such a common sense approach to understanding the way the body works, and how things can go wrong. It is also such an effective way to help the body back to optimum function.

It is gentle, kind to the body and treatment is a conversation between my hands and the response of the patients connective tissues and nervous system. I use a spectrum of treatment from gentle structural work where I work directly on muscles, ligaments and joint mobility, to the very subtle biodynamic cranial osteopathy.

These gentle approaches work on the nervous system, fluid dynamics and whole body patterns in response to trauma, stress, illness or other eg: toxins. They are especially ideal for newborns and pregnancy, but work wonderfully for everyone. My passion is helping babies to have the best start in life. Ideally mum comes for treatment during pregnancy which will often facilitate an easier birth. Early osteopathic treatment will usually result in a happier and calmer baby which is better for the whole family.

Helping people heal and move forward in their health and happiness is another passion. As an Occupational Therapist prior to being an osteopath my job was to help people function optimally and to be as independent as possible. This still very much drives my work today as an osteopath. We all know that our body is a manifestation of how we think and feel and that stress can cause most major health issues. This is why in addition to osteopathic treatment we offer the Enhances Awareness Programme, so that people have an opportunity to create sustainable change in their health and well-being.