Counselling & Shiatsu

Category: personal goals

  • Shiatsu, Exwick, Exeter, Devon 

    Shiatsu, Exwick, Exeter, Devon 

    Shiatsu is a form of massage therapy that has its origins in Japan. It involves lots of different massage techniques & the client is fully clothed. It is given on a mat on the floor, although it can be given in a seated position if lying isn’t comfortable. 

    It’s an enjoyable & relaxing experience, the client can feel calm & peaceful. It is tailored to suit each client on the day they are treated, so each Shiatsu treatment is different. It can be a very satisfying experience with a lot of ‘that’s the spot’ moments.

    It’s a form of massage therapy that is suitable for all. It is great for young & old, for babies & children, for families, for pregnant ladies. I have had clients come for a wide range of complaints or concerns, backache, siatica, chronic pain, headaches, neck ache, depression, stress, anxiety, work injuries, relationship difficulties or breakups, pregnancy & fertility.

    I have been practicing Shiatsu massage in Exwick, Exeter for 5 years.  I have been qualified for 7 years having completed the 3 year training course at the Devon School of Shiatsu. I have continued to complete professional development work since I qualified.   

    My practice room is calm & quiet. There is easy on street parking & it’s easy to get to by bus or train. The space I offer is a chance to step away from life for an hour, to take a breath, to have nothing expected of you, it’s safe & confidential, supportive & nurturing.

    I love Shiatsu as a form of therapy, it is gentle & not intrusive. I love the effect it can have on people’s energy levels, focus & drive. It is a pleasure to see people have relief from symptoms & to feel taller & stronger. It is a powerful form of healing that is also enjoyable, supportive & comforting.

    I’m also happy to talk Shiatsu so do get in touch through the ‘contact me’ page. Have a look on my Facebook page & please like if you fancy it. You can check out the Shiatsu Society website for information on Shiatsu. 

  • Shiatsu & Springtime, Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu & Springtime, Exeter, Devon

    Spring is a time of budding of opening of new life & new starts. This goes for us humans too, Spring is a great time for coming up with ideas & new ventures, for jotting down our dreams & aspirations. A time to enjoy our creativity & draw inspiration from the new life emerging around us. 

    Spring is the time of year that relates to the Wood element, within 5 Element diagnosis, which Shiatsu massage uses as one form of diagnosis.  If you imagine a tall, strong tree moving & swaying in the wind, this is the wood element in harmony. The body feels flexible & fluid. The mind & emotions are flexible & adaptable. Everthing happens with ease, joints move smoothly & the whole body is supple.

    When the wood element is out of balance you can imagine the tree in two ways. One, it is brittle & unflexible, unable to move with the wind, it is stiff & may break, or becomes rigid & stuck in one position. Two, it is too eager to grow & expand, it pushes itself higher forgetting its lower trunk & roots, it becomes thin & weak & can be pushed too much by the wind. Again it’s the same with our bodies, we can become inflexible, rigid with tension, we can become stuck in a rut. Or we can become too driven, push ourselves too hard, we can become driven by our emotions, become angry too quickly for instance. Often this also leads to a lot of tension, headaches & eye complaints. 

    How do we keep our wood energy in balance then? Well Shiatsu massage is a good way to start!! Of course I would say that right – so let’s come back to that. Here’s some tips that you can use on yourself at home. 

    1. Stretch every morning & night – just 5 minute if that’s all the time you have. Be gentle & don’t push too hard, listen to your body. Warm up before stretching. Work on your neck & shoulders & your inner thingh – all places where tension maybe found with excess wood energy.

    2. Massage your feet before bed – just 2 minutes is fine – relax & calm your body to get a good night’s sleep & bring your energy away from your shoulders & neck.

    3. Eat as little fried food as possible. This can really encourage the wood energy to stagnant, so leave it alone where possible.

    4. Eat your greens – not salad or stir fried greens – eat deep, dark, rich greens, steamed with a little soy sauce or sea salt. This supports the flexible & adaptable Wood energy.

    5. Meditate & rest when you can. Quiet, calm stillness builds Water energy & in turn this feeds the Wood energy.

    So back to Shiatsu massage. It can be great if you are feeling stuck or stagnant,  it can be great for tension or strain, Shiatsu massage can be a massive energy boost. It is a relaxing & enjoyable experience & afterwards you may feel invigorated, energized, more flexible & adaptable. 

    Similarly if you are feeling over-worked & stressed, like there is too much happening & you can’t settle, Shiatsu massage can be calming & centering. Bringing you back to a place where you can feel your roots & the strength in your trunk. Quietening the mind & emotions & giving some sense of strength in your core. Shiatsu works to balance the energy in the body, to get the tree strong but flexible as it were. 

    If you’d like to know more please get in touch through the ‘contact me’ page. There’s more info on th e other pages on this site too. 

  • Shiatsu for tiredness & sleep, Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu for tiredness & sleep, Exeter, Devon

    We have busy lives, try to pack in an awful lot, most of us are pretty tired a lot of the time. On top of that poor sleep or no sleep can heavily affect daily life, making it hard to function & achieve what needs to be achieved. It can affect a person’s mental state, causing depression, anxiety. It can affect self-worth & confidence & personal relationships.

    I have had clients who suffer from general tiredness & low energy. I have had clients who suffer with insomnia or sleep difficulties. Shiatsu can help settle the body, when it is in a state of distress. It is very relaxing & calming, it can take the client to a peaceful place. Shiatsu massage can re-energize & invigorate a client, giving them more energy & strength. Shiatsu works to rebalance the energy within the body & with this rebalancing can come relief from fatigue or tiredness. Sleep patterns may return back to more normal patterns.

    Some clients have expressed that they have found they haven’t had to push themselves to do things, they have had the energy, after Shiatsu massage, to just get on & do it. They have said they have more flow & fluidity, in their bodies, but also with their thoughts & emotions. 

    Because Shiatsu is a gentle, but powerful, form of massage it often works well for people who struggle with sleep. It can help to remind the body of how it should feel at night. Again clients have said they have been able to relax into sleep without working hard to do so.

    I work in Exwick, Exeter, Devon. It’s a lovely, quiet practice room. There is on street parking & it’s easily accessible by bus & train as well.

    Thanks for reading & hope you all sleep well tonight.

  • Shiatsu Event – June – Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu Event – June – Exeter, Devon

    The year is whizzing by & before we know it, it will be June already. My colleagues & myself will be giving Shiatsu massage tasters at Exeter Respect Festival again. We are going to be in the healing area this year, which is a little away from the noisy main stage & community stalls. The tasters will be 30 minutes long, so not much less than a full treatment. 

    You can find more about the festival here

    It’s a free festival with so much going on & an amazing message behind it. It’s such a happy day & represents Exeter so well. Shiatsu massage fits in perfectly & is a great break from all the dancing, stall-wandering, chatting & fun

  • Shiatsu for well-being – Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu for well-being – Exeter, Devon

    I have lots of clients who have come for a particular complaint, they’ve had an accident or sustained an injury for instance. Shiatsu can be great at relieving symptoms such as pain or discomfort. 

    I also have clients come for Shiatsu massage for their well-being. They are really good at looking after themselves, they have a healthy lifestyle, they exercise & eat well. They often practice yoga or qigong or meditate. They are looking for some outside support, they can do a certain amount themselves but they know when they need a little extra outside support.

    Shiatsu is great for an energy boost. It works to re-balance the energy in the body, this re-invigorates & re-energizes the client. Shiatsu massage can give a sense of flow & fluidity in the body, things that felt difficult to acheive before a massage can happen with ease afterwards. 

    A Shiatsu is a relaxing experience. It is time out, a chance to just lie & rest. Shiatsu is enjoyable, it is gentle but can be strong when a client suits it.  It can release shoulder & neck tension.  It can make the body feel stretched & loose. It reminds the body of how it should feel! There is at least 40-45 minutes hands-on massage in a treatment so plenty of time to breathe, rest & just be.

    I work in a quiet treatment room in Exwick, Exeter. It’s easy to get to me by car, bus or train. I work Wednesday’s & Saturday mornings. I’m always happy to talk Shiatsu so any questions get in touch, through the ‘contact me’ page.

  • Shiatsu Musings – Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu Musings – Exeter, Devon

    So I have struggled to get to this blog over the last week. I was busy giving lots of Shiatsu at the weekend. One of the principles of Shiatsu massage is to be effortless, to not work at giving the treatment. However doing numerous massages over two days made this difficult & I was tired afterwards.  

    Then I returned back to Exeter to my children, this was the first time I had been away from them over night. My eldest took it in his stride but my youngest struggled & for a couple of days he really made me know that he had missed me! Following that he has now got ill & I was up all night with him, with earache.

    In amongst this I have managed to update my Shiatsu accounts, ready to do the dreaded tax return. I have arranged a couple of new Shiatsu opportunities & have seen new clients. I do enjoy working for myself & mixing my work & home life so closely but it has meant I’m not left with much energy at the end of the day. 

    I have been doing Do-In every morning, waking each of the meridians, lines of energy, that Shiatsu works on in the massage. Taking time to wake up my joints & limbs, focussing on each part of my body.  Rubbing & gentle hitting the meridian lines. Stretching & rotating my joints. This has helped re-build my energy after the busy weekend. 

    I have used Shiatsu to support my own digestion. I have had issues with this in the past & generally I am ok now. I ate different things at different times this weekend & this has left me in some discomfort. Shiatsu can be really good for digestive issues, for reflux or heart-burn, for IBS or constipation. I have worked specific points, or Tsubos, & have relieved the symptoms I had. 

    So a busy Shiatsu week down here is sunny but freezing cold Exeter, Devon.  Even when I’m busy I still have time to chat Shiatsu so if you would liek to know if Shiatsu may help support you then do get in touch. you can do this thriugh the ‘contact me’ page. You can also check out & like my Facebook page for offers & events. You can also head to the Shiatsu Society website for information on Shiatsu massage. 

     

  • Shiatsu for Stress – Exeter, Devon 

    Because Shiatsu is a gentle but powerful form of massage it can be really helpful in supporting people suffering with stress & stress related conditions. I have had clients come for Shiatsu massage because something has happend at work that has completely knocked them. Clients have come because they are suffering from stress due to a relationship they are in, or a pattern of relationships. They have come for Shiatsu because their relationship is breaking down or has broken down.  

    Shiatsu treatments start with a consultation in which the client can voice their reasons for coming & the concerns they are feeling in their life.  This is a safe & confidential space, as is the whole treatment, & the client may already begin to feel a sense of ease & relief. Some clients chose to say little in the consultation & this is completely fine. 

    Shiatsu touch is safe & supportive. It can put the body at ease & the mind will follow. Shiatsu massage gives space to the client to feel how they really are, whilst being held.  Our bodies hold our emotions & stresses, so physical touch can find those places of tension & strain & help to release & relieve them. Sometimes there is a release of emotion at this point & the client may cry or laugh or breathe deeply in then out. 

    After a treatment clients have noted their sense of relaxation & relief. They have also noted where their stress being held & some recommendations can be given on exercises or lifestyle changes that may help keep the area loose. Clients have also mentioned that Shiatsu has given them a sense of ease or a sense of flow. Things happen for them more easily, rather than pushing to acheive things. 

    It is possible to see a noticeable change to stress levels after just one Shiatsu massage. Often it takes 2 or 3 sessions to see more of a change. Clients have felt a sense of relief from their stress after treatments, but only for a period of time. After each Shiatsu treatment the sense of relief is longer. It is desirable to have the sessions as close to each other as possible, weekly or fortnightly. As the course of Shiatsu treatments goes on the sessions can spread to further apart. 

    If you are suffering from stress than do feel free to get in tiuch through the ‘contact me’ page. A Shiatsu treatment costs £30 or £35 depending on what you feel you can afford. The sessions are one hour long. 

  • Daily Shiatsu – Exeter, Devon

    Daily Shiatsu – Exeter, Devon

    I use Shiatsu a lot, on a daily basis, in our family life. Today I have used it for tiredness, patience (2 small children) & for a blocked nose. 

    I so enjoyed giving Shiatsu massage over the weekend, & having a break from my mothering duties, I left my sons at home with their dad. Taking a break also meant that I have perspective on daily rhythms & interactions & I’m keen to hold that perspective for as long as possible.  I managed to find two minutes to do some Shaitsu related exercise this morning, to help with my own tiredness after a busy weekend. I continued through the day to keep my energy flowing, & therefore my patience with my kids. I did this using stretches, breathing techniques & lying for 2 minutes at a time to focus on my own body. 

    My husband has been working hard & I noticed through visual diagnosis, the first form of diagnosis used when you meet a Shiatsu client, that his meridians eelating to tiredness were low in one area. Whikst he as making a cup of tea & did a small amount of Shiatsu massage & he mentioned later that he felt lighter afterwards. 

    Then this evening my youngest seems to have caught a cold & was distressed at bedtime as he couldn’t breathe. I held a pressure point for blocked noses & sinus issues & he relaxed & feel asleep quickly. Children are generally very responsive to Shiatsu & the results can be super quick. 

    I love giving Shiatsu massage treatments to clients in my quiet practice room in Exwick, Exeter. Giving them the space to relax & re-invigorate. Space to express concerns & then feel how that is in their body, to release that tension. It is great to see the relaxation & relief in people’s faces & bodies after a Shiatsu & to hear they got relief from the condition or concern they came with. However, it is also great to have Shiatsu for my daily life to support & help my family & myself.

    I am able to teach Shiatsu to people, to use on themselves & their friends & family. I hope to set up a course in Exeter to teach this so if this is something you maybe interested in please get in touch. I am always happy to talk Shiatsu so if you have pain or physical difficulties, stress or other emotional issues then get in touch to see if Shiatsu may be able to help.  

  • Shiatsu all weekend long!

    I’ve just enjoyed a really happy & satisfying weekend giving Shiatsu treatments at the North Devon Mind Body Soul festival. The event is much bigger than you might imagine with over 60 exhibitors & a great mix of services on offer. It was a really friendly atmosphere, with lots of chat, laughter & networking. 

    For me the amount of Shiatsu massages I gave was perfect, not too many & not too few. It was a great mix of clients & I felt  a strong sense of connection with them all. I already signed up to attend next year I enjoyed it so much!


     

  • Shiatsu Event – Tomorrow – North Devon

    See you there! Xx