Reflexology
The reflexology I offer is 'clinical', meaning I trained over a two year period with the Association of Reflexologists when I lived in the UK. You'll often see (particularly in the UK) salons offering reflexology as a treatment and sadly the staff have attended a 6 week course, during which time you can't learn, or understand, reflexology. What you'll get will be a very enjoyable foot massage, but if you were to ask any questions, it's doubtful you'd get an answer. Likewise you'll get a basic set-routine run-of-the-mill treatment that they'll perform exactly the same on each client that walks through the door asking for a reflexology treatment.
If you choose to have reflexology with me, at your first treatment, please allow 90 minutes, as the first half an hour is taken up with your consultation. We'll go through your medical history, lifestyle and diet, so that I can get a true feel for who you are as a person. The treatment is truly 'holistic' meaning it works on you as a 'whole' so knowing all about you gives me a good start to help link together anything I find during the treatment.
The treatment takes between 50 minutes and an hour in total and gives you the chance to ask any questions and for us to discuss the treatment and go through your aftercare plan.
First off, reflexology is NOT a massage, it's NOT a foot rub either. It's a pressure therapy treatment, likened to accupressure. It works on points of the feet that have a direct correlation to specific parts of the body. It dates back thousands of years and has been successfully practiced all over the world to improve health (not to treat, cure or diagnose I hasten to add as we as practitioners are not doctors). It is, in my opinion, an excellent treatment and I have seen some very positive results from clients having reflexology.
What's it good for? Well, anything and everything is the straightforward answer. If you just feel a bit run down, lacking in energy or low, it's a great pick-me-up treatment and energy giver. However, most people tend to book a reflexology treatment, and then go on to have a course of sessions, if they suffer from a particular condition (i.e. migraine, I.B.S., insomnia, P.M.S., those suffering stress or anxiety, back pain). It is also useful for those with any chronic condition i.e: arthritis, asthma, and people suffering from fertility problems have also turned to reflexology to help them in their hope of becoming pregnant.
It is, on the whole, a very relaxing treatment (although you may have some slight discomfort if I find some 'crystal-like' deposits in the feet which need breaking down during the treatment, these are waste, urea-like deposits and tend to build up in areas where you have congestion in the body - for example in the sinuses).
Reflexology is not a magic cure and should never be viewed as a substitute to medical care. However reflexology can encourage the body to re-balance itself and work more effectively thereby working at its optimum level. Reflexology can also be combined with other complementary therapies such as massage, indian head massage, or reiki.
Before you book your treatment, if you have the following conditions, treatments at this time are not recommended:
Lastly I want to add that I first came across this wonderful, healing, nurturing, giving (I know I'm being gushing here, but bear with me), treatment that is reflexology when I was in hospital in 2001 being treated for cancer. I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma (cancer of the blood - immune system) just after my 28th birthday, after a year of illness and being fobbed off by incompetent doctors. When I was finally diagnosed, the wonderful staff at Bradford Royal Infirmary's special haematology unit took wonderful care of me, and thank's to my fabulous oncologist, Dr Williams and his openess to all kinds of treatment, he recommended I have a reflexology treatment during a stay on the ward.
I'd been admitted after a course of my chemotherapy, it was in the early days and they were still trying to get the dosage right and I was in a state. I felt rubbish, I couldn't eat, my mouth was full of ulcers and to talk was too painful. I was dosed up on diamorphine, but this lovely woman came in to see me and asked if I'd like some reflexology. At the time I didn't really know what it was, but I remember thinking how good it felt and how nice that she dedicated her free time to do these treatments on us sickies.
A year later, and now in remission, I decided I would re-train in reflexology as I hadn't been able to forget that moment in the hospital when the lady came and did the treatment on me. It felt really good and her generosity and kindness made me want to give something back - and what better, than to feel you can help people 'feel better'.
I've since had lots of reflexology, but unfortunately since moving to France my treatment rate has dropped! however, I always get a few treatments booked when I return to the UK as I have a few therapists I trust and know they'll listen to me when taking my history and not just 'tick boxes' and treat me as the 'next' customer. Believe me, I'll never treat my clients like that !!!
Below you'll find a Reflexology foot chart to give you an idea where the body is mapped on the feet - please only use this as a 'guide' as my training was a 2 year course and there really is more to it than reading a chart!! However, it is nice to have a look and see where parts of the body are represented on the feet.
If you've any questions, please send me an email, or get in touch with the contact form. I'm also available by phone, but I would respectfully ask that phone calls are made only between 8am and 9pm. Thank you.
If you choose to have reflexology with me, at your first treatment, please allow 90 minutes, as the first half an hour is taken up with your consultation. We'll go through your medical history, lifestyle and diet, so that I can get a true feel for who you are as a person. The treatment is truly 'holistic' meaning it works on you as a 'whole' so knowing all about you gives me a good start to help link together anything I find during the treatment.
The treatment takes between 50 minutes and an hour in total and gives you the chance to ask any questions and for us to discuss the treatment and go through your aftercare plan.
First off, reflexology is NOT a massage, it's NOT a foot rub either. It's a pressure therapy treatment, likened to accupressure. It works on points of the feet that have a direct correlation to specific parts of the body. It dates back thousands of years and has been successfully practiced all over the world to improve health (not to treat, cure or diagnose I hasten to add as we as practitioners are not doctors). It is, in my opinion, an excellent treatment and I have seen some very positive results from clients having reflexology.
What's it good for? Well, anything and everything is the straightforward answer. If you just feel a bit run down, lacking in energy or low, it's a great pick-me-up treatment and energy giver. However, most people tend to book a reflexology treatment, and then go on to have a course of sessions, if they suffer from a particular condition (i.e. migraine, I.B.S., insomnia, P.M.S., those suffering stress or anxiety, back pain). It is also useful for those with any chronic condition i.e: arthritis, asthma, and people suffering from fertility problems have also turned to reflexology to help them in their hope of becoming pregnant.
It is, on the whole, a very relaxing treatment (although you may have some slight discomfort if I find some 'crystal-like' deposits in the feet which need breaking down during the treatment, these are waste, urea-like deposits and tend to build up in areas where you have congestion in the body - for example in the sinuses).
Reflexology is not a magic cure and should never be viewed as a substitute to medical care. However reflexology can encourage the body to re-balance itself and work more effectively thereby working at its optimum level. Reflexology can also be combined with other complementary therapies such as massage, indian head massage, or reiki.
Before you book your treatment, if you have the following conditions, treatments at this time are not recommended:
- If you have a current fever or high temperature and feeling generally 'unwell'
- A foot infection (i.e. atheletes foot, or verrucae), or foot injury, or recent surgery
- Deep vein thrombosis - recent, or at risk from (if you take medication to prevent this, or phlebitis, you may need your GP's consent for treatment to go ahead)
- Pregnancy - I only work on ladies who have passed their 12th week of pregnancy and have felt their baby moving, and have had no previous problems related to pregnancy.
Lastly I want to add that I first came across this wonderful, healing, nurturing, giving (I know I'm being gushing here, but bear with me), treatment that is reflexology when I was in hospital in 2001 being treated for cancer. I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma (cancer of the blood - immune system) just after my 28th birthday, after a year of illness and being fobbed off by incompetent doctors. When I was finally diagnosed, the wonderful staff at Bradford Royal Infirmary's special haematology unit took wonderful care of me, and thank's to my fabulous oncologist, Dr Williams and his openess to all kinds of treatment, he recommended I have a reflexology treatment during a stay on the ward.
I'd been admitted after a course of my chemotherapy, it was in the early days and they were still trying to get the dosage right and I was in a state. I felt rubbish, I couldn't eat, my mouth was full of ulcers and to talk was too painful. I was dosed up on diamorphine, but this lovely woman came in to see me and asked if I'd like some reflexology. At the time I didn't really know what it was, but I remember thinking how good it felt and how nice that she dedicated her free time to do these treatments on us sickies.
A year later, and now in remission, I decided I would re-train in reflexology as I hadn't been able to forget that moment in the hospital when the lady came and did the treatment on me. It felt really good and her generosity and kindness made me want to give something back - and what better, than to feel you can help people 'feel better'.
I've since had lots of reflexology, but unfortunately since moving to France my treatment rate has dropped! however, I always get a few treatments booked when I return to the UK as I have a few therapists I trust and know they'll listen to me when taking my history and not just 'tick boxes' and treat me as the 'next' customer. Believe me, I'll never treat my clients like that !!!
Below you'll find a Reflexology foot chart to give you an idea where the body is mapped on the feet - please only use this as a 'guide' as my training was a 2 year course and there really is more to it than reading a chart!! However, it is nice to have a look and see where parts of the body are represented on the feet.
If you've any questions, please send me an email, or get in touch with the contact form. I'm also available by phone, but I would respectfully ask that phone calls are made only between 8am and 9pm. Thank you.
