Zoe Merkazy Osteopathy

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I've learnt some Hebrew words in the last 2 weeks that I wish I didn't have to know:
חוטפים kidnappees
טֶבַח massacre
לַעֲנוֹת torture
הִסתַנְנוּת infiltration
אשמה blame
Hard words that no-one should have to add to their daily vocabulary, but I hear these words not just from the news, but also from my patients, who have lost loved ones, and those who still don't know the fate of theirs, and then those that are scared, angry, in shutdown, in confusion, grieving.
I stay grounded.
I stay centred.
I give love to each and every one of them, knowing maybe a little time in my clinic will give them some respite from the days before and the days still to come.
I wear bright colours whilst most people around me wear black.
I give hugs where they are accepted and happily accept them back.
I put my hands on my patients' chests, and they cry freely, because they have a safe space to do it.
I remind myself of love, and to love myself and others, no matter if a stranger or a friend.
I take deep meaningful breaths when I need to.
Its a strange sensation - love and fear together - but I breath into it and release the tension when and where I can, and when I cant, I give that emotion the space to be, to respect the emotion rather than ignore it or fight its presence.
But I'm a bit tired, mainly of the international stupidity that I see unfolding in protests around the world and partly also very much of the unknown in the days and the weeks to come.
So i'm giving some of my time to a voluntary set up for those beautiful kids that survived the SuperNova Festival,
all they wanted to do was dance and love,
instead they were bombarded with bullets and grenades like, well I dont know what like, its just monstrous to even try and compare it to something we know of right?.............can you compare it with anything that you know of??? I really hope you cant.

doing this work for them feels good - to be part of a healing circle of manual therapists and trauma therapists, the work we and they are doing is beautiful, the main goal being to give these kids a bit of life back before the long therapy road ahead, and this gives me some hope, and hope can spread a long way if you try.
And the hope isn't just there.
This beautiful nation stepped up within 24 hours of this ONGOING atrocity to care for and support the thousands of people terrified, traumatised and grieving.
No help from the government.
Just people like you and me that know what is the right thing to do for their terrified neighbour and child.
I wish it wasn't needed, but I'm happy we put it in place to exist.
I just wish it was not a necessity.

So to anyone waving a random flag against Israel on your weekend,
I pity you,
I really do.
Not to even condone this massacre before you protest is painful, and pathetic.
May you never have to experience what we are experiencing right now.
Maybe read a history book, get a bit more up to date on politics in the Middle East (all countries in uproar against the apparent inhumane treatment by Israel - seriously???? - are renowned for their inhumane treatment of their own citizens!!)
then re-read/watch what happened on 7.10.23 and you'll know these aren't freedom fighters, they don't give a sh*t about Gazan people - they are just monsters, pure evil.
I dare you to see what we have unfortunately all seen on social media.
I dare you to watch, and stay watching and keep your "balanced opinion" whilst you see people being randomly executed in their homes
watch terrified kids hiding from rampaging terrrorists in dumpsters surrounded by dead bodies of their friends

Then I dare you to talk to survivors today and hear their fear still acutely painfully present.
I dare you to speak out against what is happening here.
I dare you to stand up for the right thing, instead of sitting on your sofa all comfy in England and Europe.

This is a part of the history of this country that should never have to be written but it is etched on our minds and souls now forever.
And you should care about this new history too

IT AFFECTS ALL OF US.
You are a fool if you think it doesn't

While I can, I'm trying to be part of the good fight and support those that need us right now, its not much but its the best I can do.

Take a breathe
Give some love
Embrace those you love
Do the right thing

Tov, my clinic is closed for a while, those close by I hope you understand why, I really hope you do.
I will be giving some voluntary treatments to displaced families and survivors from the south for a little while, they need support and energy, and you are just as important but their situation is acute and complicated so if its okay I want to channel the energy I have for them, and then hopefully, when its a bit safer I will be able to receive patients in my clinic again,

I promise it will be soon, so be patient please dear patients, I will return to give you the care you need.

In the meantime, I have shared this poem with some friends in need, and I'm sharing it here now as it gives me hope and light in my heart. So if you are feeling darkness, loneliness, difficulty with the news circulating look at this poem and let it pull you back to your light, and send it to those that need.

Only love, and quiet days and nights for us all.

now THAT was a trip! Had such a truly amazing time in Spain, ate well, slept kinda well considering for a caravan but woke up to beautiful mountains and went to sleep with stunning sun-sets, and even had time to treat a paraglider in their caravan, who had a major fall whilst gliding! I'm kinda sad to say goodbye, but i'm needed back in clinic now, so I've returned refreshed and energised albeit my Spanish is no better lols.

For anything osteopathic feel free to get in touch and see how I can help you. Until we meet, enjoy the rest of your summer # # #

Hello Barcelona 💜💗💜
I'll be out of my clinic for a few weeks driving through Spain, so look after yourselves and your little ones and I'll be back soon to help with all things osteopathic....
in the meantime keep well, and hasta luego!

Hello little one.

We have met before, whilst you were growing and becoming a story in your mother's eyes.

You were born on a Monday, I treated your mother every other Monday for most of her pregnancy, so it seemed only right for you to also be born that day.

I supported your mother with treatment as you grew, and supported you as your mother's body changed for you.

I supported your mother with treatment to prepare her for birth, and keep her mind and body centred for all that would come, and the birth was as it should be.....easy and gentle and natural.

I'm so happy for you and your beautiful mother, and feel privileged and trusted that I was able to be a part of that process, to be an observer of the future dyad forming.

Now you are here, look out for your mother whilst she looks after you, and you'll visit soon and be in my hands for a little supportive treatment to move forward in life.
And obviously I will look after your mother too as she transitions from pregnancy to post-partum.

I can't wait to see you.

Mazel tov Mumma, you did superbly! 💜

Feeling quite emotional today.
I've done many courses in my life, but this is the one that will stand out for me forever and brings together everything I have learnt in previous years.

I'm in London to receive my Post-Graduate Diploma in Women's health in Osteopathy, with the wonderful, gentle, patient, funny, kind, compassionate, insanely amazing osteopath Renzo Molinari ♥️💫

So today I'm officially a DWHO!

Its been a crazy 2 plus years. Many many flights, many many many terrible hotels lols and many crazy London conversations.

But really only good memories, only good journeys, only good learnings.

2 years of opening the mind further in all sorts of wondrous ways, deepening my osteopathic understanding, deepening connection to self, to women's health and to solidify and continue everything I started 10 years ago as a fresh osteo. I've made new friends that I hope stay with me for life, even though there's a sea or two between us 🥰
I've made new realisations about the way I work, and will continue to passionately work in this specialist field.

There aren't many women's health pelvic floor osteopaths in Israel (unless you are also a pelvic floor physio and well, I don't want to be a physio in order to justify the work I do as an osteopath), but I hope by bringing this qualification home with me I can spread the knowledge and give confidence to the newer osteopaths that want to get into this field of pelvic floor Osteopathy, and hopefully one day we can get the ministry of health to recognise us better for what we are truly able to daily achieve that other practitioners can't 💪.

If you aren't sure if Osteopathy can help you for your gynaecological queries, get in touch, let's see how I might be able to help you, and yes I'll have my certificate proudly placed on my clinic wall not only to remind myself how far I have come, but also to give confidence to my beautiful patients that they are in safe osteopathic hands, that can make a difference after they've been told in the past one too many times:
"אין מה לעשות בשבילך"
(nothing can be done for you).
Now I want to change that dialogue, so I look forward to meeting you soon.
www.zoemerkazy.com

Well that's a rather wonderful message to receive. Treated a little bub with Talipes Equinovarus (also known as clubfoot) who was going towards needing leg casts with the orthoped to resolve the issue. 4 treatments, one follow up with the orthoped and no cast needed! Yay! Me and the mumma are very happy♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ 🤣♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

What happens when the speech pathologist mumma brings her baby to the osteopath?
Everyone gets in on the action ♥️

Gosh what a weekend.
Just back from London, days spent revising in a beautiful English garden, (Thank you Michelle and Cher♥️), braced the apparently "warm weather" 🤣, finished my exams, whipped around the city to get percy pigs and hula hoops, as well as a mountain of books to feed my children's minds.

And then a stunning osteopathy weekend at the Molinari Institute of Health with the truly one and only, Sue Turner ♥️, for a special course in Healthy aging as part of my Women's Health in Osteopathy Post-grad, using my favourite techniques in the world - Balanced Ligamentous Tension.
It was wondrous, and a bit emotional, and advancing on thoughts and concepts I have been growing within myself since starting my osteopathy journey.

Since I've been back my patients have been "floating" (their words not mine 🙏) out of my clinic and its such a joy to see what some gentle work can do to open up a person within and help their body re-balance and re-order itself.

So a few more weeks of caring for those that need and then one more dash to London at the end of this month to collect my certification because, well, I passed very nicely and I'm a tad proud of myself, yay!

Penultimate visit to London for the Molinari Women's Health Course.

Resting my legs before being squeezed into my easyjet seat 🤭.

Exams this Friday, Eek!

but it's been worth every wonderful minute. Even though there's been a lot of time spent away from my family, friends and of course my clinic, I have no regrets and I think some of my patients might agree its been worth the wait.

Looking forward to seeing my classmates, and supporting each other through the last lap of this amazing 2 year journey.

I'm grateful for every moment I've spent learning, refreshing, relearning and resetting and, most importantly, implementing this knowledge and technique refinement into my clinic.

Sad it will end soon but still a little time left to enjoy.
And I'm DEFINITELY Looking forward to the pub on Friday afternoon to take a breath after the exam lols.

warning graphic birth photo, shared with permission from patient's mother:

So, it was a long complicated birth, that ended in a c-section and they discovered that your baby's umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck and shoulder during labour?
And she seems quite cranky, like she just cant seem to unwind from the birth process, and she is struggling with latching and her digestion - she just seems constipated and gassy all the time

The average umbilical cord is approximately 55cm long, if it's longer it is more likely to wrap around the foetus in utero making the birth process longer, more complicated and sometimes ending up in a c-section.
The tension caused from the cord wrapped around the neck, coupled with tension from the attachment point on the umbilicus (belly button for normal people) where the colon sits behind, can cause various strain patterns from the pelvis to the cranium, through the infant's body that influences their digestion, feeding mechanics, and the inherent ability to fully release from the trauma of birth which can result in digestive issues, feeding issues and also occasionally respiratory issues as a result of the c-section itself.

I didn't forget about you.

Your pelvis doesn't quite feel like its yours anymore.
You feel, let's say, somewhat disconnected from your pelvic floor.

You went through this birth process with all your might, with all your energy and raw power but your baby couldn't quite find her way down the birth canal because of her umbilical cord causing a bit of a mess. There was a turn she managed to make but not fully before she was scooped back up by the doctors, and birthed a different way.
But those turns your baby makes, that is the contractile rotational function of your uterus, in order to help birth your baby, but if those turns weren't completed then a pattern of strain stays in the walls of the uterus' tissue - those torsions can stay within the uterine tissues and influence the way you reproductive system works, and impact on your digestive system as well as making you feel a off-centre (no not baby brain - literally you are off centre)

So where do I come in? Why Osteopathy?
Well this is my day to day - supporting women's health and children's health.

When we meet I will hear your birth story, I will hear your medical history. I will assess your baby but also assess you, I will assess your pelvic floor (externally for osteopaths here in Israel), your pelvis, your spine - well basically everything from your head to your toes. I will assess how you are hormonally - the body gives a lot of information telling me how your hormones are functioning and if anything needs double-checking like your thyroid or adrenals.
I will work with you using gentle osteopathic techniques to encourage your pelvic floor, your uterus, your digestive system, your hormonal system, your immune system, your whole new mumma system to work better in your favour.

I will encourage your uterus to find its centre again and you'll feel the difference.

I will help you to allow you to support yourself and find your centre again and be present for yourself and your new bub.

And for your baby, I will do the same. I will take her out of your hands just for a little bit of time to allow you to take a breath. I will show you how much pressure I will use when touching your baby - and you'll see how gentle it all is. I will give her a little cuddle because quite frankly its a must❤.
I will assess her whole body and also see how she feeds and if need be, bring a lactation consultant into the picture to support you. I will use gentle techniques to help your baby unwind and start to bring her towards a place with more comfort, better feeding, better digestion, better development,.
And if this was your birth story a few year's ago, but you're still experiencing gynaecological issues since your birth, maybe some digestive issues too, maybe unexplained back pain since your pregnancy or birth, well that wont stop me from starting to make a change to the way your body is dys-functioning, to take it back towards health and function.

That's the beauty of osteopathy - being the observer of health, being the guide towards that health, being the hands that help bring about that change.

I would love to help you, just like I helped this baby (pictured) and her mumma. Just like I've helped all the other mummas and their babies. So take your time, and then give me a call and let's see how osteopathy can help you get back to yourself.

If you aren't sure if Osteopathy will work for you, give me a call and let's see what I might be able to do.

Osteopathy isn't just for lower back pain, or a muscle strain. It's so much more bigger than that. And I love to be able to help you on your osteopathic journey back to health.

Osteopathy can treat patients with, but not limited to:
Dysmnehorrea (period pain)
Endometriosis
Fibroids
Cysts
Incontinence
Fertility dysfunction
Prolapse
Vulvodynia
C-Section Scars
Libido dysfunction
Digestive issues
Neurological issues
Developmental issues
Respiratory issues
feeding mechanic issues - i.e Tongue tie
Complications during pregnancy and birth (Breech, Meconium Ingestion)
brachial plexus injury
Growth and Development (ADD, Learning Difficulties,Hearing,Speech)
Allergies, Adenoids, Glue Ear (Fluid on the ear)
Emotional traumas (e.g birth trauma, anxiety)
Colic, Reflux
Specific spinal Issues - Scoliosis, Disc Bulge or Prolapse, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Coccydinia
Joint Pain
Head Pain and Headaches
Neuralgia (Trigeminal, Dental)

and well, the list is endless............

welcome to osteopathy

Well what a wonderful week.

Just back from another beautiful (understatement) weekend in London, refreshing and learning techniques to aid with fertility issues, endometriosis, fibroids, period pain etc etc
and was pleasantly (understatement) greeted with my first patient back in clinic with her news that the uterine cyst she has suffered with for far too long now has apparently disappeared, following 3 sessions of osteopathy over a time line of 6 weeks.

I was somewhat shocked, however much I believe in my osteopathy, but having re-checked her last scans days before her first treatment where the cyst had already considerably grown, to her follow up scan just days before yesterday's treatment - the cyst has been confirmed to have dissipated completely. Cysts can disappear by themselves BUT it usually takes at least 2- 3 monthly cycles for that to happen, this occurred in half that time.

It seems the magic of osteopathy still amazes me all the time.

Just giving the body the right direction to improve circulation and drainage makes very special things happen.

So to all the nay-sayers who think our models and techniques are outdated.....blowing a big raspberry in your direction.

Thank you Renzo ♥️
Love my Osteopathy ♥️

Well it's International Women's Day today, so let's celebrate shall we? Or perhaps we should remember what has actually been going on.

Let's remember women in the U.S losing their rights to abortion.

Let's remember women still being trafficked around the world like pieces of meat.

Let's remember women and girls are still having forced female ge***al cutting in certain nations around the world.

Let's remember women being incarcerated for rightfully protecting themselves against a predatory man.

Let's remember women's menstruation patterns being disrupted by a certain jab we have all been stupidly forced to have in the last 3 years, along with that particular jab having an influence on fertility, and an increase in still births and miscarriages and all of it being ignored by the powers that be (mostly male).

Let's remember having to have silly albeit necessary apps, to be able contact other women in your area to come and find you and es**rt you home, if you feel your life is endangered after a walk home from the pub.

Let's remember every.damn.time a man makes a leud comment to you usually with your husband/partner in earshot because well, you're a woman so apparently that's okay.

Let's remember all the wonderful things the suffragettes and feminist activists have done for us to get us equal pay, equal rights, equal education, oh.....right.... that's still not quite a thing....yet.

Let's remember we are going through a terrifying moment in history, potentially losing our rights to basically anything women have rights to here in Israel if the government overhaul that is looming here goes ahead, I'm going to need to plan which seat I'll be allowed to sit on the bus so as not to offend a male.

Let's remember we still get taxed for needing to buy tampons and sanitary towels, because apparently it's a frikkin luxury.

But let's celebrate all the massive corporations finding a new way to make a quick buck and give us shopping discounts for International Women's Day because you can still look pretty and make something hot in the kitchen.
10% off.

Yay. International Women's Day.

I know i know, I'm old(ish). but I'm on instagram!
finally lols.
I'm just getting warmed up, but i'm finding social media a little too consuming and it seems instagram is a little lighter on the mental load, and well, need to keep peeps continually informed so this seems a nicer outlet
- so if you fancy taking a look at my page, maybe following a little of what I talk about there, sending a few like hearts my way, well the more the merrier darlings!
I'm currently ranting (yet again) about why you should always check who your osteopath is to make sure you're in safe hands....anyway hope you enjoy and see you there sometime soon 🥰

instagram.com

A new morning, another beautiful day in my clinic.

A wonderful osteopath told me once that when she says goodbye to her family for the day she tells them she is going to go and have fun and play for the day - and that's how I feel. I take my work seriously, i've spent a long time getting to where I am today, but the gift is that my day is filled with exploration of the body, beautiful interactions with my patients, and forever a world of learning from each one.

This week I will be supporting women nearing the end of their pregnancy journeys, a special lady that is receiving care for uterine fibroids, a few beautiful babies with feeding issues and reflux, a couple of very squeezably chunky little toddlers with mobility issues, a very strong young man-boy with a rare scoliosis presentation that no-one else seems to want to touch (go figure), and a few patients in between who just need some good old osteopathic care to continue their optimal journey with their body.
Did I mention I love my work? 😅😍

another day having fun in my clinic, treating a baby with digestive issues as a result of a complicated labour,
and so sweet to get the message later from the mumma about the result left in the diaper, I really should ask for a warning message in my whatsapp before I get updates about patients lols

photo with permission from the mumma

Unfortunately there are a lot of people who do a one weekend course in osteopathic techniques and then think that they are Osteopaths.
They aren't.
And we wouldn't spend 5 years+ training and then continuing post-graduate training, to receive our diplomas and degrees to be able to call ourselves Osteopaths, if we could just knock it out in a weekend of cracking a neck 🤷‍♀️.
There's a reason we study intensively, nearly break our bank account (sometimes our family's sanity) and our brains, in order to commit to the work we do, and receive a recognised qualification to allow us to safely treat you, and also most importantly know when it is NOT safe to treat you. So yes, it's very nice that there are manipulation courses advertised everywhere but if only they would remove the word osteopathy from it, because cracking a back doesn't make you an Osteopath, not one iota.
check the association to see if your osteopath is recognised and registered

זה קריטי שתדעו של מי הידיים המטפלות בכם.
אם אינכם בטוחים, בדקו ומצאו אוסטאופתים מוסמכים המוכרים לכם

צום קל וגמר חתימה טובה 🙏

To all my patients,
שנה טובה ומתוקה ♥️

Shared with permission of the mumma.

6 year old girl, severe tongue tie diagnosed only 4 months ago. Speech and Language for 3 months helped moderately with pronunciation but not, as yet, with tongue mobility .
I started using osteopathy techniques with her, directly in the oral cavity to try and release the tongue and surrounding tissues to be more mobile.

We have done 2 sessions so far, and prior to starting treatment, the very cute patient was only able to lift tongue to a visibly limited degree, and now after second treatment....she can lift her tongue to the palate! Still more work to do but I'm happy it's given this lovely little girl, and her mother, a boost in confidence moving forward ♥️

Osteopathy is bloomin' brilliant and every day in clinic is a day full of lovely surprises, for me and my patients ♥️

Have you discovered what Osteopathy can do for you or your child yet?

www.zoemerkazy.com

Did you know?

Rheumatoid Arthritis (R.A) doesn't just cause aches and pains.....
Osteopathy can be very beneficial as supportive treatment for patients with RA, perhaps see how it can help you too 🙏♥️

Even though I'm a pen and paper kinda gal it's time to get digital, so I've opened one of those fancy-pants online calendars so you're able to book yourself, or your little ones, in for a much needed treatment.
It's very easy to use and even I can use it 🤭
so for any bookings follow this link:

https://plannieapp.com/?name=זואימרכזיאוסטאופתיה

And see you in clinic soon ♥️

Plannie Easily book appointments with me

Back from my travels in Crete, and it was very much needed♥️.

Now feeling refreshed and recentred.

Looking forward to seeing you in my clinic soon, and for those away enjoy the rest of the summer break ♥️