Do I really have one leg longer than the other?

I began working with Karen because I have had a medically diagnosed scoliosis for most of my life. As a child, I was a keen dancer and dreamt of becoming a ballerina, until that dream was shattered at the age of 13. I developed a mysterious foot injury that my doctor struggled to diagnose. In the course of exploring this, I ended up being diagnosed with scoliosis, and discovered that this spinal curvature had been noted in a ballet exam when I was just 8 years old. Two years later, in an audition, it was noted that I appeared to have one leg longer than the other: this was presumed to be uneven growth that would work itself out naturally.

None of these problems resolved naturally. Conventional doctors had nothing to offer or recommend, so I began working with an osteopath at the age of 17. I was experiencing ongoing pain in my foot. As I aged, the foot issue continued, but only sporadically caused me pain. In my mid-twenties, I developed chronic fatigue syndrome and, alongside that, the back issues became more severe: I developed several “weak spots” that would flare up in huge pain and create temporary immobility. Each time, I would see an osteopath, receive multiple treatments and have the flare-up cleared, but not experience any shift in the underlying scoliosis. So, the flare-ups would return – I don’t even wish to think about how much money I spent on osteopathic treatment: I don’t regret that – it moved me out of pain each time, but only temporarily.

During the course of seeking solutions for the chronic fatigue – by now in my forties – I became aware of the mind-body connection and our body’s capacity to use symptoms, like pain, to express emotional trauma. As I explored this more deeply, I eventually overcame chronic fatigue syndrome and fully regained my health and energy. But the scoliosis remained.

Having gained these new perspectives on how the body really works, and how we can change it through addressing childhood trauma, I began to wonder about the possibility of using these tools – or similar – to work on my spinal issues. And, not long after I had begun contemplating this, I met Karen. I discovered her methods to be deeply aligned with what I had learned about the body. She understands how our body carries and reflects our emotional state, and how this can be changed. The stories we have taken on and used to create our current reality can all be realigned to create new realities: this is what the science of epigenetics teaches us. We all know that our bodies are regenerating themselves all the time – we get an entirely new skeleton every eight years. So, what is guiding that skeleton to form? It’s actually the stories of our past: they create a blueprint that our body’s cells are reading and working from. When we find the means to change the blueprint, our cells begin reading a new map and taking a new direction. This is deep transformation.

Karen’s Bodylogiq had addressed all layers of me. Yes, she has put together physical stretches that are designed to loosen up particular muscle groups or areas of tightness. But this is also accompanied by her empathic sessions in which we can discuss emotional issues. She is very intuitive in her approach and always seems to be able to find just the right meditation or journaling practice to help me unlock these emotions. I feel that is then unlocking the rigidity in my body. I feel seen, heard, and understood, and all of this is unfolding on my terms, at my own pace. Karen is responding to and supporting my body and its needs, not forcing a set program onto me. So, the process has felt supportive, inviting and powerful.

I am noticing profound shifts in my body. Areas of my spine that had become rigid and immovable are beginning to “pop” and gain mobility. I have a regular yoga practice, and I am noticing increased capacity to do things like spinal twists. I am even questioning whether I really have one leg longer than the other, or whether it is the way that my spine has twisted and become stuck that is creating that illusion.

I continue to work with Bodylogiq, and I am excited to see how all of this continues to evolve.

Katie Dean