We strive to co-create a world, with our clients, that focuses on and addresses the physical, emotional and spiritual health of our clients.
The Annergy Centre opened in October 1998. With over thirty years of experience as a physiotherapist, owner and principal Anne Braund is well versed in a number of therapeutic modalities. Over the years she has also developed annergy, which reflects a concept of care known as the 'therapeutic use of self.' Engaging a heartfelt, intuitive connection to each client's issues, Anne and her colleagues support clients in regaining, maintaining and improving their health.
Our therapeutic approach works interactively with both your tissues and you, as you learn to embrace this personal opportunity for change. We encourage self-empowerment as your body evolves and you shift to a healthier state of moving and being present with your life.
The Benefits of Gentle Manual Therapy include:
Registered Physiotherapist
Bio
Anne Braund is a Registered Physiotherapist who has practiced in Ontario for more than 30 years. She is an empathetic, compassionate and highly skilled professional who strives to find innovative solutions to common healthcare problems. These include chronic neck pain, recurrent soft tissue injuries and stress. She also works with complaints that arise after concussions, falls, fractures, surgeries and sports injuries.
Anne feels that pain and suffering are common human experiences and that they require new and innovative approaches in care. She has studied with many instructors who, as innovators in the field of manual therapy, have introduced novel treatment theories and techniques. She has synthesized the best concepts into an approach described as Gentle Manual Therapy. It is a multi-systemic, interactive approach to treatment. Anne uses her hands to assess (listen to) the tissues in order to understand the problem and to facilitate healing.
Anne has followed her heart in her approach to exploring the problems of pain and dysfunction. Her interest in this area began at Wellesley Hospital in 1977 when she first began to work with patients who had complaints of chronic pain. Her own personal health challenges, experiences of pain and injury of family members, and the tenacious courage of some of her long-term patients have proven to be transformative for her development as a healer.
Medications, surgeries, and pain management strategies have limitations that can be discouraging. Anne has found that people want to be encouraged and to explore other avenues of self-care as this allows them to engage in their own vitality and ability to heal. Her education as a combined-trained occupational therapist and physiotherapist has provided a wonderful base from which to explore ways to help people. After her own significant injury, Anne learned from her experience and was given the opportunity to "re-tool" and develop a finer set of hand skills to use in her work.
Anne provides her patients the opportunity to receive Gentle Manual Therapy for the relief of pain and suffering. She offers hope and encouragement for each of her patients. Anne empowers individuals to connect with their own tissues and being so that they are able to begin their own personal journey of recovery and healing. Many people feel a tremendous improvement within the first few sessions.
KB Healing
Karen Seunarine - B.A., RMT
Physiotherapy
Anne's goal as a physiotherapist is to help you have less pain, better function, and increased vitality. She uses many techniques, some of which are described here, to help you reach your health goals. For example, myofascial release techniques with indirect, mechanical fulcrums help soft tissues to regain flexibility, extensibility and movement. This tissue work can be used with many issues including scars (e.g. Caesarean section and laparoscopic scars). Neural tissue tension release techniques are often used. This allows the body to re-adjust tension along the course of nerves and nerve roots.
She has studied with Jean Pierre Barral, a French osteopath, who has developed a unique approach for treating the visceral (organ) system. Abnormal organ system mechanics can be factors in pain - low back, neck, and arm. His Visceral Release work has given therapists a baseline for normal, healthy movement patterns for these structures.
Clinical Acupressure (CA) is an acupressure treatment modality that includes many protocols which affect the body in holistic ways. CA can support the immune, nervous and skeletal systems. Touch is used on specific points (acupoints) to release and re-balance the way energy flows through the body. Physical symptoms can then be more easily addressed and recovery can follow. CA can be used with chronic health problems such as headaches and sciatica.
Home care programs help an individual achieve maximal independence. For example, acupressure can be used for its deep relaxation effect. This can be helpful with PTSD. Homework can include many types of hands-on self care and exercises including Tension Release Exercises (TRE). Whenever possible self-care techniques are given so that individuals regain the opportunity for healthy responses to stress and the challenge of health issues such as chronic pain.
Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT) and Structural Rehabilitation
Structural Rehabilitation is the foundation of the IMT approach. It is the use of tissue techniques to work gently and biomechanically with the tissues of different bodily systems to enable the body to restore normal dynamics and potential for movement. It can be likened to updating the hard drive of a computer. Myofascial work, short-lever neural tissue tension techniques, muscle energy work, lymphatic support, and visceral release are all part of this multi-systemic approach. Once the body can move well then functional approaches such as exercises can be more effective. IMT is used with neck and back pain in both acute and chronic situations. Anne Braund is a practitioner of IMT and is certified in Structural Rehabilitation.
Craniosacral and Cranial Therapy
Craniosacral Therapy is an approach popularized by Dr. John Upledger; his work simplifies and modifies the original work of William Sutherland. It allows one to improve the environment of the central nervous system (CNS) by working with the fascial layers of the body. The dural system (which surrounds the CNS) is accessed by gripping bones that provide attachment for the dural system. For example, if one holds the sacrum and the occiput, then one can access (feel) this system and evaluate its state of well being. Cranial Therapy includes treatment approaches for the CNS that were developed by Dr. Sharon Weiselfish-Giammatteo. Cranial work is used with both children (e.g. torticollis, colic) and adults (chronic pain) alike.
Process Acupressure (PA)
This work was developed by Aminah Raheem, PhD. as a holistic way to work with the active energy of both body and soul for healing and growth. "Process" is a working state wherin an individual deals with issues of the body, mind and spirit that are often hidden in the unconscious and embodied in the tissues but are able to surface with PA.
Current physical symptoms may have a connection to past issues. Injuries can have reactive responses (shock, emotional, cognitive, spiritual and more) that have been stored in the body as energetic blocks which can influence recovery. During a PA session an organic change often occurs as a result of creating a clearer, stronger flow of energy through the whole being. The objective of process work is for the client to come to understanding themselves and live with more loving awareness in their daily lives. The therapeutic goal is to help the person's system to find a healthier balance.
Evolutionary Process (EP)
Evolutionary Process refers to integrating higher vibrational energy into our fields and bodies. EP teaches tools to be in loving presence with one's self to support balance and well-being. Hands-on techniques employ the self-correcting mechanism inherent in the water of the body to create flow and balance. Often the individual feels a wave within their body. The therapist may enhance the wave in order to facilitate a change in the barriers (to the wave) that present within the tissues. As the wave is able to move more fully the tissues feel softer and more fluid. This change is commonly experienced by the individuals.
Zero Balancing (ZB)
Developed by Fritz Smith, MD in the early 1970s, Zero Balancing is a powerful body-mind therapy that uses skilled touch to address the relationship between energy and structures of the body. Zero Balancing focuses primarily on key joints of our skeleton that conduct and balance forces of gravity, posture and movement. The practitioner works on areas of tension associated with the deepest and densest tissues of the body by the application of finger pressure or traction with a clear, gentle, meditative quality in a way that helps to clear blocks in the body's energy flow, amplify vitality and contribute to better postural alignment. A Zero Balancing session typically leaves you with a wonderful feeling of inner harmony and organization. Dr. Cass and Anne Braund are certified Zero Balancing practitioners.
The Concussion Project
Anne works with individuals who have had concussions and is building a base of knowledge for new clinical approaches to care. Concussions, trauma and falls have a common theme. The effect of these events are systemic rather than local and a holistic , whole body approach of care is of great value in resolving the issues associated with the event. Each of these types of injuries create a state of chaos in the body. Jean Pierre Barral, a French osteopath, has stated that it takes the body three months to determine what has happened after a typical motor vehicle accident. In the absence of a therapeutic approach that is system or tissue specific, the body "recovers" from injuries but also adapts to the forces of trauma and creates protective compensations. This places a load on the body that interferes with normal function.
It is often possible for an individual to recover a healthy homeostasis or balance that allows the person to return to a pre-accident level of flexibility, strength and stamina. This does require a commitment to one's own ability to recover. When hope for recovery is rekindled, an individual focuses on this goal, exercises appropriately and receives tissue work that allows their body to regain it's health in small increments. Sometimes it takes time but the benefits of being gentle with oneself as the process of recovery occurs are plentiful. The converse is also true: without an effort to support healing, the tissues will find a resolution of symptoms (or not) that include compensatory patterns and long term sequelae such as chronic pain or fibromyalgia.
SEVA Stress Release
Treatments, Private Tutoring, Class Trainings
The SEVA stress release (an acupressure protocol) was developed by Aminah Raheem and some of her teachers soon after 9/11. It was then used in New York City to support some of the people who were affected by the trauma. SEVA is a simple protocol that can be used for self-care or for the care of others. It is a way to enhance body awareness and bring a stronger, clearer field through the body so the mind and spirit can become calm. Anne is a certified teacher of the SEVA protocol.
Mentoring
Anne provides support to therapists who are exploring options in patient care approaches and wanting to develop their skills and improve their personal health.
Workshop Facilitation
Anne arranges for Clinical Acupressure, Process Acupressure, and Evolutionary Process workshops. If interested in any of these classes, please call to discuss and be put on a waiting list.
Anne Braund — 416-234-8223
Here's to a Healthy You!
"Come meet the Anne in Annergy" –Anne BraundPhysiotherapy
Anne Braund
Monday to Friday by appointment