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(left): In the Anterior Scalene Technique, use a broad, soft touch to encourage the scalenes and lower cervical vertebrae to drop posteriorly (Image 9, right), as you flex the neck in order to slacken the scalenes. Image 8 courtesy Advanced-Trainings.com. Image 9 courtesy Primal Pictures. Used with permission. bellies of the scalenes press against your finger pads as you do this; apply just enough posterior pressure to resist the anterior movement of the scalenes and lower cervicals. This combination of vectors bends the anterior scalenes around your fulcrum hand and encourages the cervicals to drop posteriorly, reducing their tendency toward anteriority (Image 9). If this feels "nervy" to your client, or especially if he or she feels tingling in the fingers or hands when you apply pressure, reposition your touch so that it is comfortable, usually by shifting slightly medially. Shift too far medially or too high, though, and you'll be near the carotid artery, jugular vein, or vagus nerve—none of which like direct pressure. Keep your touch broad, soft, and sensitive. It should never be uncomfortable to your client. Once you have the counterforces of flexion and posterior pressure comfortably in place, resist the temptation to slide, nudge, or otherwise move your fingers on the delicate scalenes. Instead, wait for the body to respond. After three to six breaths, you'll typically feel the scalenes and lower cervicals ease and drop posteriorly as the tissues soften and the nervous system adapts. This is the sign that it's OK to move to a new position. By releasing and moving your fulcrum position (rather than by sliding), you can then work higher or lower parts of the scalenes. Feel for left/right asymmetries in the scalenes, and in the deeper plural ligaments (Image 5) once the scalenes' tone is reduced. Alternatively, you can shift your fulcrum slightly lateral, adding a bit of cervical sidebending around your finger pads to access the medial and posterior scalenes (Image 10). Wait for release and softening in each place. Stay in verbal contact with your client about any referred nerve pain. Be patient; wait for the release. Of course, you'll want to work the scalenes only after you've done other preparatory work to warm up the outer layers of the neck, and to accustom your client to your touch. Before you finish, be sure to work the scalenes on both sides; if you find asymmetrical patterns, the amount of time you spend on each side will be different. Finish your scalene work with integrative, balancing, soothing techniques; even if you avoided pressing directly on the nerves of the brachial Sidebending allows access to the medial (red) and posterior (green) scalenes. Image courtesy Primal Pictures. Used with permission. plexus, working the tonic scalenes can be sympathetically activating rather than parasympathetically calming. "MOTHER CAT" TECHNIQUE In addition to the scalene work discussed, a technique we call the "Mother Cat" is meant to calm the tissues of the neck. You've seen what happens when a mother cat picks up her kitten by the scruff of its neck—the earn CE hours at your convenience: abmp's online education center, www.abmp.com 111