Shiatsu for emotional support – Exeter & Dawlish, Devon

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Shiatsu is a hands-on therapy that can be good for helping with physical issues & with pain but it is also a very supportive therapy that can help with emotional & mental stresses.

Shiatsu offers a safe & secure, & confidential, environment that allows a client to be how they want or need to be. There doesn’t have to be a long discussion about the issues or concerns the client feels mentally or emotionally.

The body holds memories of tensions that have affected us & Shiatsu allows a client to feel how their body is & what those emotional or mental tensions feel like. This can allow the tensions to ease or release & can provide a client with a sense of relief.

Shiatsu has been shown to support stress & anxiety, I have also had clients come because of depression or relationship issues, for panic attacks & for fears &  phobias.

I offer Shiatsu in a lovely wooden cabin, in my garden in Exeter, Devon.  It is a sanctuary away from daily life & is a perfect place to relax & unwind.

I am always happy to talk Shiatsu so please do drop me a line if you would like to discuss if it may be able to help support you.

xx

Bladder & Kidney Meridians, Shiatsu, Exeter, Devon

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Shiatsu is a hands-on therapy, given through clothes. It uses the same points & meridians (lines of energy) that Acupuncture & Acupressure use. The meridians are name after organs of the body, although they also relate to emotions & physical areas of the body. An imbalance in a meridian does not mean that there is an issue with the organ, it can mean there are other physical issues, or mental or emotional imbalances.

Shiatsu looks to balance the energy in the meridians, supporting & holding the ones that are low of energy & working more strenuously the ones that are tight or full of energy.

The bladder & kidney meridians are commonly the meridians that are low of energy, they relate to tiredness & pushing ourselves too much. Signs that the bladder or kidney meridian is out of balance are black bags under the eyes, sore lower back, needing the go to the toilet lots & poor sleep patterns. There are lots of other symptoms too.

A lot, if not all, of my Shiatsu treatments involve working these two meridians. They are our resource, that supports the other meridians & the body. They are lovely to have worked, & to work on, the treatment is often deep, slow & quiet, deeply relaxing.

There are ways that you can support your own Kidney & Bladder energy:

  • Rest whenever possible
  • Get as much sleep as you can
  • Take time each day to meditate or sit quietly
  • Limit hot, sweet or spicey foods
  • Limit alcohol & caffeine intake
  • Drink plenty of water
  • Hold kidney 1 pressure point before bed- see picture below.

Shiatsu is really good at raising energy levels, supporting tiredness & fatigue & boosting the kidney & bladder meridians. It is relaxing & soothing to have, it eases the body & the mind, afterwards it can provide more energy, drive & focus.

I offer Shiatsu in Exwick, Exeter. I also have pop-up clinics in Exmouth & Dawlish. Im always happy to discuss Shiatsu so do get in touch through the ‘Contact Me’ page.

Xx

Shiatsu & Half Term, Exeter, Devon

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May is great isn’t it – two bank holidays in one month, & this year it looks like the weather may be beautiful for both weekends – has that ever happened before.  It is notoriously wet in the South West of England but it has been a pretty beautiful month, so far.

We are taking some family time over the weekend but I am working in Exeter next Wednesday & do have some spaces still available.  Sometimes school holidays give space that the normal working week doesn’t.  If this is your situation then why not book in for some relaxation & time out.

Shiatsu is a relaxing & energizing form of therapy. It is suitable for all & can help with lots of different conditions & complaints. I have worked a lot with people with chronic pain, stress & anxiety & joint conditions. I also offer pregnancy Shiatsu.

I’m always happy to talk Shiatsu so do get in touch with any questions.

Have a good bank holiday & half term, whatever you’re up to.

xx

A good reminder for us all – Shiatsu in Exeter, Devon

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I saw this posted by a friend & it really got.me thinking. I had a family friend who gave me Shiatsu when I was a teenager. I hope that I can pass some of the support & kindness she showed me onto others.

I also hope I can give security & support to my children, to give them a sense that no matter what they can feel sure & safe with me. I didn’t always get this as a child & it has shaped the way I am as an adult. I hope that I also provide a secure & safe space for my Shiatsu clients.

Who do you hope you are?

Xx

Shiatsu in Exeter Devon

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I write a lot about what Shiatsu is, trying to describe what it is & what it is actually like to have a treatment. There are pages on this site describing Shiatsu & my background so go check those out if you want to know more about this incredible form of therapy.

Today I thought I’d talk about what Shiatsu means to me. I didn’t realise the effect Shiatsu would have on me personally when I started the three years of training. I changed jobs, homes & relationships & have found myself in a much more real & honest place. I feel more happy & content now than I ever have done.

I feel more connected to my body & how it is reacting to what is happening around it. I also feel more connected to the Seasons & to nature, following the natural flow of things. I feel I can get focused & centered in a way I never could before. I have much better self support practices & this allows me to support clients & those around me with gentle kindness.

I feel very lucky to practice this hands-on therapy as my job.  It doesn’t feel like work. I get so focused on what I can feel as I work on a body that the sessions fly by. I also love holding the space for a client, a healing space to feel safe & to be however they want to be.

Shiatsu is a very clever therapy in my opinion. It bypasses the analytical thought process & accesses feelings & emotions through how & where they are held in the body.  Shiatsu can provide release & relief of physical & emotional tensions.  Often because the tension felt has an emotional aspect to it, that has led to the physical holding.

I like seeing the results that clients experience. I have seen it help with chronic pain, with stress, with Sciatica, with knee & other joint issues. I love the fact that it works well with physical, emotional & mental issues. It holds a client in a particular way, it meets the client how they need to be met.

It is such a privilege to be a therapist for people, it is a very personal relationship & I take it seriously. I am so grateful to be part of someone’s healing journey.  Shiatsu has an ability to raise energy levels & allow clients to make changes that they would like to make. It has allowed them to see options & opportunities where previously they have felt stuck, or at the mercy of their condition or complaint.

I use Shiatsu on a daily basis, on myself & my family. I support my kids with digestive issues, when they are distressed, if they can’t sleep, if they have a temperature. I help family members with Arthritis & pain, with mental strain & tiredness.

I work in a lovely space in Exeter which I feel works perfectly for Shiatsu. We have put up a real wood cabin in the garden, it’s a sanctuary but still in Exeter. I work here most days of the week & offer evening & weekend appointments.

xx

 

Shiatsu for Work Stress, Exeter, Devon

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I have noticed a marked increase in clients coming for Shiatsu due to stress related to their work.

I was interested in reading this article about a women who ended up with severe health issues due to the demands of her job.

It seems that the society we live in tends to put excessive expectations of job commitment & little expectation o rest & relaxation. It isn’t surprising that people struggle at times, that they experience burn-out & the need some rest, relaxation & TLC.

I offer deeply relaxing & supportive Shiatsu massage in Exeter, & also Dawlish & Exmouth. Shiatsu is a gentle but powerful form of therapy that can help a client manage stress, anxiety & depression. It can also provide higher levels of energy & healthy sleep patterns.

Shiatsu is suitable for all & is always given through clothes. It originates from Japan & is generally given on a futon mattress on the floor. It can be given on a couch or massage chair.

Xx

Springtime & Shiatsu, Exeter, Devon

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Spring is such a special time of the year, lots of changes are happening, lots of ideas are planted & start to sprout.

The Spring energy is upwards energy, rising & pushing up. It is an energy that can make anything feel possible. When in balance the Spring energy gives us drive & focus.

This year it feels that the Spring energy is very strong. I have noticed that it isn’t such a rising energy as other years. It has aspects if tightness & inflexibility to it. When the Spring energy is out of balance it can be hard to be emotionally flexible, we can feel stuck in a rut.

I think there is more of the stuck in a rut energy around this year. To me it feels quite a constrictive energy, not as expansive as most years.

So what’s all this mean? Well you may be feeling more tired than normal, for no obvious reason. You may be feeling a lot of tension in your body. You may feel lowin energy, in general.

There are a few things that are great for supporting yourself at this time of year:

  • Stretching, yoga or sport stretches
  • Eat light – stay away from fried & fatty foods
  • Drink plenty – water with lemon is perfect, particularly first thing in the morning
  • Early nights where possible
  • Gentle Qi Gong exercising – if you know this form of movement exercise

I’m always happy to discuss lifestyle recommendations & it can be part of a Shiatsu treatment when appropriate. Shiatsu itself can help balance the energy in the body & this can ease tension & stress.

Xx

The Shiatsu Shed, Exeter, Devon

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I blogged recently about the special treatment space I have in Exeter. We have put up a wooden cabin in the garden & it is the perfect haven away from daily life. It is a sanctuary of calm where it is easy to relax, rest & just be.

Today the sun is shining & the apple blossom is starting to come out so I took some new photos of the Shiatsu Shed.

It’s a very special place to practice Shiatsu, it is solid wood & we have used natural materials as much as possible. It is a little piece of quiet yet close to Exeter city centre & the main train station.

I work most days of the week in the Shiatsu Shed. I offer evening & Saturday appointments. I also work in Dawlish & Exmouth.

Xx

Shiatsu for Sleep issues, Exeter, Devon

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If you suffer from fatigue, insomnia, or any sleep or energy related issues you may want to try Shiatsu. This gentle but powerful hands-on therapy looks to balance the energy in the body, to re-balance the body.  When the body is in balance sleep can come more easily, energy levels can be higher & the body clock is more settled.

There are a number of things that are worth trying if you suffer with sleep or energy levels. There are the more obvious things; cutting out caffeine, cutting down on sugar & alcohol, eating earlier in the evening, staying away from screens near to bed time.

Shiatsu is based in Traditional Chinese Medicine. (TCM) This provides further suggestions that may be of help; meditation, eating fish & sea vegetables, sitting & stillness, some cardio exercise.  It is possible to give individual lifestyle & exercise recommendations as part of a session of Shiatsu.

Shiatsu may be able to help. A session is an hour with at least 45 minutes of hands-on work. At the very least Shiatsu provides a space away from daily life, it is a chance to relax, or at least feel how that may feel! It is deeply relaxing & allows the body & mind to rest but it is also energizing & can leave the client with higher energy levels.

Shiatsu is also a very supportive & confidential space where it is completely OK to feel how you feel & be how you want to be. This can provide a sense of relief & release alongside a sense of being held & supported.

Clients have mentioned that they have felt a buzz after a treatment that has lasted for sometime.  They have had deeper sleep than normal, they have change the times that they wake, they have woken less regularly.  They have felt less fatigue & mental strain.  They have felt mentally able to manage their situation more, make changes or achieve what they would like to with ease.

I’m always happy to talk Shiatsu so do get in touch with any questions or queries, if you would like to know more or would like to discuss if Shiatsu may be able to help you.

I work in Exwick, Exeter & also in Dawlish & Exmouth. I offer appointments most days, some evening & Saturday appointments.

xx

Modern Day Priorities, Shiatsu in Devon

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Down here in Exeter, Devon we have had a strong reminder of modern day priorities.  A new IKEA has opened in the town & boy do we know about it.  The build up has been immense, & the hype has been unbelievable. IKEA were able to show films inside, the general very sacred, Exeter Cathedral, they have put furniture on the high street & rowed a viking long boat down the river Exe.  You can’t say their publicity hasn’t been top notch. Local press have been advising people to plan their journeys as the traffic to IKEA is going to cause delays!

Over the past few days I have found myself repeating ‘it is only a shop’ a lot. It has been a strong reminder of the values we seem to have in this society, we value the ability to purchase products, particularly at a reasonable price with some style it seems.

This blog isn’t a rant it is an expression of the sadness I feel with the loss of contact with nature & the world around us. Also the lack of value of our inner world, the peace & calm we can find within. Generally our society doesn’t value self-care & support much either.  We are always on the move, with something to get done or somewhere to be, no time to rest, just be, meditate or take care of ourselves.

The people that I meet who are most at peace with themselves aren’t thinking about when they can next go shopping.  These people are giving space & time to themselves. I treat a couple of therapists who use Shiatsu as a support tool for their own healing & development.

Shiatsu allows me to reconnect to what is important to me & to be quiet & still for a time.  In a Shiatsu session I create a space that is quiet & still & allows the client to just be, to rest & to heal. The space can create time away from modern day expectations & demands, stresses & strains. A chance to get back to what our personal priorities are.

xx