Who is it for?
I focus on working with those who are seeking physical freedom. I have a strong, simple and logical understanding of how our physical sensations are often, but not always, associated with emotional wellbeing. In some circumstances we explore both the physical and emotional aspects of treatment and wellbeing, though this is in no way essential or required. For those seeking to focus on developing emotional wellbeing, we will likely give some time to exploring physical body use in order to tailor the hands on treatment effectively.
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Treatment needs to be repeated and developed over a number of weeks to achieve significant and long lasting benefit. The more that can be done at home in between sessions, the quicker the change. For some of us it is easy to do exercises and/or self awareness at home, for some of us it is difficult to fit in; that is how it is, and we can work with that.
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Muscle pain?
Massage can help relieve tension from hardworking muscles.
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Injured?
Massage can help reduce inflammation, stimulate recovery, and relieve compensating muscles.
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On a personal journey?
Massage helps to provide you with information about your physical and emotional body.
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Anxious? Tired? Stressed?
Massage can help restore calm and relaxation short and long term.​
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Caring for others?
Massage is an excellent way to care for yourself.​
Massage uses touch to stimulate a nervous system response.
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Long gentle movements in massage are usually used to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which brings the body into its calm, rest and digest state of relaxation.
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Touch targetted at specific muscles is usually used to stimulate the nervous system to release or re-activate that muscle.
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Touch may also be used on tendon, ligament, and fascia to stimulate the desired nervous system response to that tissue.
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The depth and strength of touch used will be dependent on the desired outcome, the tissue targetted, and the individual response.
It is worth noting that, in my experience and my training pressing hard rarely produces the desired outcomes. Imagine a cold pat of butter, it doesn't matter how hard you jab at it, the knife will not go in. Imagine a warm pat of butter, you can sink gently through. The same is true of your body. Every small part of your body is wrapped in a tissue known as fascia. Fascia acts like a non-newtonian fluid, as is cornflour mixed with water (kids love playing with it!) When you press hard the wet cornflour acts like a solid, when you loosen your grip it acts like a liquid. The same is true of your fascia. Therefore, when you sink gently through the skin of the body (as with warm butter or wet cornflour) it is possible to adjust the body's tissue into a more desirable and functional configuration, thus allowing the body to work efficiently and pain free. Gentle touch is therefore usually key to effective treatment.
Sometimes a pain response will be invoked, sometimes even with gentle touch. As I understand it the pain should never be unpleasant, it should never make you flinch or tense up. When there is a pain response I will work with you to understand if it feels like a helpful pain or not; to work with you to manage the pressure I use; to understand what the pain response is demonstrating; and with that knowledge how we can work with and adjust the treatment to obtain optimal results.​
Each session begins with a consultation to discover what you want from the massage on that day. The consultation includes a medical history, to ensure that the massage and the techniques used are safe for you. I can assess your postural muscle patterns, and activation of different muscle chains to provide further useful information about a beneficial approach. We then agree on a treatment plan.
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The first session usually involves more finding out through talking and testing, a short time for treatment, and some focus on self care options. Follow up sessions may include re-testing muscle chains and postural patters, and tend to include more hands on treatment because we already have some understanding of what is needed. Treatment is always developing as your body changes and adapts.
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I often work directly through thin clothing, sometimes I work directly on the skin depending what is needed and is comfortable for you.
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For skin to skin treatment draping will be used effectively and discreetly; only the area being massaged will be un-draped at any time. I will be out of the room whilst you get ready.
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Communication and feedback is encouraged but not required throughout the massage to ensure that the client remains comfortable, the massage is effective for the agreed treatment, and maximum benefit is achieved.
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My aim is to help you feel tip top. Therefore I will suggest ideas for self care, including adjustments to every day actions. It is much easier to create long lasting change if you know how your habits are affecting your muscle use. I will also include options for exercises and other ongoing self-care as these make a huge difference. However, I am aware that it is not easy for all of us to fit these in, so part of my role is to offer you suggestions that are manageable for your lifestyle.
