很多人以為 Visceral Manipulation (VM) 內臟手法治療（台灣譯：內臟筋膜鬆動術）就只局限做腹部治療，其實 VM 治療師是用雙手去找出身體有活動受限（restricted movement） 的結構，再檢查內臟器官的「能動律」（mobility）和「原動律」（motility）；治療師會用 VM 手法治療去調整身體有活動受限的地方，讓器官重新恢復活動能力。影響身體平衡的組織可以有很多，如筋膜（fascia）、韌帶 （ligament）； 而器官受限又影響到附近的神經線，血管（動和靜脈）、淋巴系統；神經線又直接影響肌肉筋腱，以致受其支配的關節。所以，VM 整個治療範圍包括器官系統（visceral system）、神經系統 （nervous system - central and peripheral nervous systems）、血管系統 （vascular system，血管系統會影響靜脈系統及淋巴系統）、筋膜系統 （fascial system）、骨骼關節系統 （osteo-articular system ）…等。我們處理的並不只是內臟器官，隨著經驗及對人體解剖學和生物學既認識，只要治療師雙手能感覺到的組織，都可以 VM 手法治療改善他，並協助身體回復健康狀態。

而VM 創辦人Jean Pierre Barral 老師（osteopath）在 70 年代開始，已經鑽研內臟器官和情緒之間的關係，從而他發展一套 手感體溫手法 （Manual Thermal Evaluation (MTE) ），以徒手去分辨屬於內臟器官的問題是來自：1）結構性組織，2）功能性狀況，或是 3）情緒問題。當身體發生 生物機械方面（biomechanical）的問題，治療師亦要檢查當中有否情緒問題。Jean Pierre 認為一個問題如果已在身體上已成形，若只處理情緒方面，而沒有處理身體上實際有的組織受限情況，問題還是會復發。

VM 是以聆聽手法找出身體出現毛病的根源，再以適切而準確的手法去協助身體釋放有壓力，有阻塞的地方。這是一個由Osteopathy 發展出的整全性（holistic）手法治療，Jean Pierre 以他多於40年在臨床和解剖室內，對人體結構和功能獲得的經驗發展出來的輕柔手法治療；我們治療師面對的，並不是一個身體毛病，而是一個獨一無二的病人身上出現不平衡的狀態，兩個同一徵狀的病人，需要的治療方法可以完全不一樣。我們做的是找尋身體問題的根源，而非頭痛醫頭、腳痛醫腳。

Majority of people think Visceral Manipulation (VM) treats only abdominal organs, VM therapists actually use their hands to find out the body parts with restricted movements, and to assess the “mobility” and “motility” of the internal organs. After finding out the areas with restricted movements, therapists apply techniques to restore the movement of the area/organ. The causes that disturb the body’s balance / homeostasis can be numerous, it can be due to fascia, ligaments etc. An organ with restricted mobility/motility would also affect the surrounding nerves, blood vessels, lymphatic system. Nerves problems then affect their innervated muscles / tendons, as well as the related joints. Considering this, the areas that VM covers include visceral system, nervous system (Central Nervous System CNS & Peripheral Nervous System PNS), vascular system, lymphatic system, fascial system, osteo-articular system…etc. What we are treating are not confined to internal organs. With further clinical experience, and more understanding of human anatomy and physiology, what we can feel, we can treat.

The founder of VM, Jean Pierre Barral (Osteopath) started to study and investigate the relationship between internal organs and emotions since 1970s. He developed an assessment tool called Manual Thermal Evaluation (MTE), using hands to differentiate whether the problems of an internal organ be due to: 1) structural components, 2) functional conditions or 3) emotional issues. When the body has a biomechanical problem, therapists have to check if this problem has an emotional component. Jean Pierre advocates that if a physical problem already exists in the body, only treating the emotional aspect without addressing the actual physical aspect, the problem will recur. 

By using listening techniques, VM therapists find out the root cause of the problem of a patient, and then using precise and appropriate techniques to treat the area to restore it back to normal. This is a holistic manual therapy originally stems from osteopathy, and Jean Pierre developed it in a more complete and detailed approach, using his more than 4 decades of clinical and dissection experience. What we VM therapists are treating, is not a body illness or dysfunction. Rather, we are seeing and helping an unbalanced state of a patient who is unique and special. Same symptoms occurring on two different patients and the treatment approach/area can be totally different. What we do is to find the root cause and treat it, instead of only relieving symptoms.