What is Kinesiology?
We are dynamic human beings made up of many interconnected systems. Rather than treating symptoms in isolation, kinesiology looks at the body as a whole — structurally, biochemically, emotionally and energetically.
Kinesiology uses gentle muscle testing as a form of biofeedback. This allows insight into the subconscious mind, which influences the majority of our automatic processes, reactions and stress responses. Through this lens, kinesiology helps identify where imbalance may be present and what the body needs to restore balance.
Most of us have experienced the mind–body connection firsthand. Emotional stress can show up physically — in digestion, sleep, energy levels or muscle tension. The brain continuously sends signals throughout the body, influencing how our systems function. Kinesiology works with this connection rather than separating mind and body into silos.
The Wisdom Behind the Practice
Kinesiology draws on principles from traditional Chinese medicine, including the concept of Qi — the life-force energy that flows through the body along meridian pathways. When this flow becomes disrupted or blocked, imbalance and illness can arise.
Muscles are connected to the brain via the nervous system and correspond with specific meridians. Through muscle testing, a practitioner can access information held within the subconscious mind and nervous system — including patterns shaped by past experiences, stress and emotional responses.
Our memories and experiences inform our beliefs, behaviours and habits. Over time, unresolved emotional stress or fear-based beliefs can become stored in the body and nervous system. Kinesiology offers a way to gently access and release these patterns, helping the system recalibrate.
By identifying emotional or stress-related contributors to physical symptoms, kinesiology works at the root — like turning off a tap rather than continually mopping up the overflow.
What Kinesiology Can Support
Kinesiology may help to:
release stored emotional stress and trauma
identify limiting beliefs that interfere with healing
support nervous system regulation
shift ingrained stress patterns
enhance the body’s natural capacity for balance and recovery
It is commonly used to support people navigating:
autoimmune conditions, including MS
chronic stress and fatigue
anxiety and emotional overwhelm
sleep disruption
digestive issues
pain and inflammation
life transitions and relationship stress
burnout and executive overwhelm
The Bend Like Bamboo Method
Following her own recovery journey, Amanda developed the Bend Like Bamboo Method, grounded in a simple but powerful insight: true strength isn’t about being unbreakable — it’s about knowing how to bend without breaking.
Just as bamboo stays rooted while remaining flexible, the method focuses on building resilience that supports healing, growth and sustainable wellbeing — without losing your sense of self.
If you’d like to explore more of Amanda’s personal story and the journey behind this work, you can read the original long-form article here.
Explore More
Kinesiology is often best understood through lived experience, context and application. If you’d like to go deeper, the resources below offer different ways to explore the method, the story behind it, and how it’s used in practice.
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How to Transform Trauma to Triumph
If you’re curious about how kinesiology intersects with lived experience, healing and resilience, Amanda’s book shares the personal story behind the Bend Like Bamboo Method — and how her own journey shaped the work she offers today.
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How kinesiology fits into a broader resilience framework
This page explains how kinesiology is woven into the Bend Like Bamboo Method, alongside mindset, nervous system regulation, nourishment, connection and reflection — offering a whole-person approach to healing and growth.
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A gentle, self-paced introduction
If you’re new to kinesiology or want a lower-barrier way to explore resilience and mind–body practices, Bamboo Foundations is a self-paced course that introduces the core concepts and tools in an accessible way.
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For individuals seeking balance, recovery and deeper healing
The HEAL program offers one-on-one kinesiology sessions designed to support people navigating autoimmune conditions, chronic stress, burnout or emotional overload. It’s a personalised application of the principles explored in this article.
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For leaders navigating stress, change and performance pressure
THRIVE is a 1:1 coaching and kinesiology-informed program designed for CEOs, founders and executives experiencing chronic stress, decision fatigue or early signs of burnout. It supports leaders to regulate stress, restore clarity and perform sustainably — without sacrificing wellbeing.
