Counselling & Shiatsu

Category: shiatsu

  • Shiatsu Shed Update – Exeter, Devon 

    A couple of months ago we had a beautiful solid wood cabin put up in our garden. One of the reasons for the shed is to provide a space for me to give Shiatsu massage. It is such a lovely, natural space, with the wood natural holding the sun’s warmth & providing a cosy & comfy environment.

    It has taken us a while to get all the jobs done, to get the shed Shiatsu ready. The end is in sight now – the electrics are in the carpet is chosen & the insulation & outside path are in progress. 

    I spent some time sitting in the space, I loved the peacefulness & sense of calm I experienced. I can’t wait to offer Shiatsu massage in it. I will be offering appointments every Tuesday afternoon, Friday morning & every other Wednesday. 

  • Shiatsu Massage & the Changing Seasons – Exeter, Devon 

    Shiatsu Massage & the Changing Seasons – Exeter, Devon 

    Wow so we find ourselves in September, already, & the weather seems to have a harsh lesson for us this year – enough of the Summer, welcome to cold Autumn. No Indian Summer, as yet, no gentle change in temperature, no final days of golden sunshine – just plenty of rain, cold temperatures & harsh winds – great!!!!

    This time of year relates to the Earth energy, within 5 Element Diagnosis. This is part of Traditonal Chinese Medicine & is used as a form of diagnosis within Shiatsu. The Earth energy is about gathering fruit & later crops, to begin to settle down into the Autumn & to store for the Winter.

    This year the energy seems different. It’s like we have missed a season & similarly have missed an Element within the 5 Elements. It feels like we have moved straight to the Metal element energy & bypassed the Earth energy. The metal energy is about letting go, about boundaries, about organisation & having things in their place.

    A lot of the clients I have seen recently have been showing an imbalance with their metal energy & I have been having quite a few conversations with people who are having to let go of big things in their lives. It seems a strong energy this year to let go of things & to adapt to quite big changes. It feels like the Metal energy is insisting that we shed & move on & prepare, already, for the upcoming Winter months.

    So how do we support our metal energy at this time – how do we feel alright about these changes?

    • Grasp the nettle & declutter – not all of it! Just have a go at clearing out a corner in your house or sort the piles of letters you have been ignoring!
    • Exercise to get going – no I’m not suggesting you start jogging or weight lifting! Wake the body in the morning – stretch the arms, open the chest, breath deeply, rub your limbs, your face & scratch your scalp. Don’t jump up & start the day, take a couple of minutes to wake the body up.
    • Get out in the fresh air – breathing the, at present rather fresh, air can help balance the metal energy, as can a bit of cardio exercise. A brisk walk, not for long, to open the lungs & energise the body & mind.
    • Then maybe think about what you want or need to let go of & what you really want to hold onto.
    • write a list, get some clarity & focus. This can work either way, you may feel you can’t let go or you may feel you can’t hold on, you may also feel a lack of clarity of thought, you don’t really know how you feel. Try to get your ideas down on a piece of paper as a first step.
    • Of course get some Shiatsu massage! Shiatsu is a safe & secure form of therapy, allowing you to feel how you feel without judgement or expectation. It can help rebalance the Metal energy in your body, removing fuzziness of thought, or fear of letting go or anxiety to hold on. It can help the flow of energy in the body which in turn helps the flow of thoughts & emotions. It provides time out from daily responsibilities & expectations, a quick breather, which can leave the client feeling relaxed but energised & ready to face the world once more!

    If you have any questions about Metal energy deficiency or whether Shiatsu maybe able to support you then do get in touch – through the ‘contact me’ page.

    I work in Exwick, Exeter, Devon.

  • Shiatsu & Reflection, Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu & Reflection, Exeter, Devon

    I love living in Exeter but, as a family, we like to escape into the countryside as much as we can. Yesterday we headed down to the south Devon coast, even though it was a fairly inconsistent weather day. Breathing the sea air & watching my young sons running as fast & as far as they could on the windswept beach was a real pleasure. 

    It was a moment out of the daily grind, a chance to reflect on the life we lead, a chance to evaluate what is important to us. It also helped that there is little or no phone reception down there so I couldn’t worry about emails I might be missing or if someone was trying to call.

    I came home clear that we should spend as much time in nature as we can. I made a decision yesterday to carry my phone around with me less & to limit, even more than already, the screen time my children get.

    I love those moments where things seem clear & you have the focus & clarity to make decisions & changes. I have experienced these moments for myself, when I have had Shiatsu massage. I have also had clients who have found Shiatsu gives them space to reflect on where they have found themselves. They have been able to look at their situation from a distance, rather than feeling caught up in it. Then decisions & changes can be made.

    Shiatsu is great for focus & motivation, for drive & determination. Instead of feeling like achieving anything is a challenge things can begin to happen with ease & less strain.

    So note to self more trips out into nature & more Shiatsu massage! 

  • September Shiatsu – Exeter, Devon 

    September Shiatsu – Exeter, Devon 

    So this month started with a great Shiatsu event – a colleague & myself gave lots of Shiatsu massage tasters at the Exeter Green Fair on Saturday. It’s always an interesting event, with lots of thought provoking stalls, & is set up right on the cathedral green in Exeter city centre. 

    The following day I was supposed to be giving Shiatsu at the St. Thomas Festival, also in Exeter. The weather was ridiculously English, with heavy rain, wind & low temperatures all day. It was not a day that anyone would hang around for a massage so I chose not to attend. Sad as I have attended a lot of years of this great community event. 

    These two events signify the end of the Summer & the beginning of the Autumn for me. We are on full back to school mode in this house & I’m starting to focus on work a bit more again. It’s hard to multi-task work & the school holidays & I am looking forward to some time to focus specifically on work.

    I am also excited as my youngest son will go to pre-school more & I will be offering more availability – Tuesday afternoons to begin with & in time Friday morning’s. I will still offer Wednesday appointments including early evening appointments.

    The new found focus has also affected my husband & I’s drive to get the ‘Shiatsu Shed’ finished & I hope that I will be offering Shiatsu in the solid wood cabin in our garden in the next month – watch this space.

    I am always happy to talk Shiatsu so do get in touch through the ‘contact me’ page or call me on 07791 070837

  • Shiatsu massage tasters today – Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu massage tasters today – Exeter, Devon

    10-4 today my Shiatsu colleagues & I will be offering tasters at the Exeter Green Fair.

    Come & find us amongst all the great stalls, on Exeter Cathedral Green.

  • Shiatsu Event this Sunday – Exeter, Devon 

    Shiatsu Event this Sunday – Exeter, Devon 

    I’m going to be giving Shiatsu massage tasters again at the St. Thomas community festival in Exeter. I will be there just on the Sunday, with my lovely colleague, so hopefully plenty of opportunity to get a quick Shiatsu taster.

    More details of the event can be found here

    It’s a sweet festival with good music, lots of things for the kids to do, nice things to eat & plenty of stalls to wander around. 

    Do spread the word & maybe see you there if you fancy it – come & say hello & get a relaxing but invigorating Shiatsu massage taster.

  • Shiatsu Massage at St. Thomas Festival, Exeter

    Shiatsu Massage at St. Thomas Festival, Exeter

    Just two weeks until I’ll be offering Shiatsu massage tasters at the St. Thomas Festival in Exeter again.

    Click here for details of the festival 

    Please spread the word & maybe see you there 

  • Shiatsu Holidays – Exeter, Devon 

    Shiatsu Holidays – Exeter, Devon 

    I am now officially on holiday, again! I’m taking another week away from Shiatsu massage, to coincide with the kids school holidays.

    I am back week commencing 28th August.

    For more information about Shiatsu massage have a look on the pages on this website. If you have any questions or would like to book a Shiatsu then do get in touch – 07791 070837

    Shiatsu is a gentle but powerful hands-on therapy that is suitable for all & can be beneficial for many complaints, physical, mental or emotional.

  • Shiatsu for Pregnancy, Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu for Pregnancy, Exeter, Devon

    As Shiatsu is a gentle & supportive therapy it can be perfect for mums to be, women in labour & post natal mums. It can support the body & remedy any pregnancy issues.

    Shiatsu works on the principal of creating balance within the body. Balance gives the client a sense of ‘rightness’ & flow, physically, emotionally, mentally & spiritualy. This flow helps the body achieve what it needs to within pregnancy, labour & afterwards.

    Shiatsu can help with many prenatal, labour & postnatal concerns, issues, pains & discomforts. Restoring balance can help with morning sickness & heartburn & tiredness. Shiatsu can help physical issues such as odema & pelvis pain. It can also help support the mum to be with any emotional concerns they may be facing.

    Shiatsu can be used for induction of labour, bringing it on naturally. The contraindicated points can be given to the client to use themselves. Similarly the points helpfully through labour can be provided, for the birth partner or mother to use. The points can help relieve pain, provide comfort when needed & slow or speed up labour.

    After birth there is a level of support a mum requires. It is one of the most special times in life but with the high levels of nurture the mother is providing someone nuturing the mother can be incredibly important. If the labour has been tough in any way then this is even more important. Shiatsu can restore balance in the body that can resolve physical & emotional issues quickly, allowing mum & baby to get on with their life together.

    I work in Exwick, Exeter, Devon. For late pregnancy or early postnatal appointments it maybe possible to arrange home visits. For general information about Shiatsu & my practice here in Exeter, Devon go to the About page.

    I’m really happy to discuss any concerns & issues & whether Shiatsu may be able to help. Feel free to ring me or contact me through the ‘contact me’ page.

  • My Shiatsu Journey, Exeter, Devon 

    My Shiatsu Journey, Exeter, Devon 

    I first came across Shiatsu massage a long time ago when I was growing up, here in Devon. A family friend was training in Shiatsu at the time & used me as a practise client. She lived down a long & very bumpy farm track, you couldn’t drive your car down unless it was a 4×4. I would walk down & back up again. If I’d had Shiatsu I could run up the track if I hadn’t it was a slow & quiet painful process to climb back up.

    I was sold on Shiatsu from then on & continued to have it at different times in my life. It has helped me feel more focussed & make changes in my life. It has helped me with physical injury & it’s helped me move on from a difficult break up.

    Finally I got around to completing my Shiatsu training, after returning to Devon, & have been qualified for 7 years. The Shiatsu diploma is an intense 3 year course, which I completed at the Devon School of Shiatsu. Since qualifying I have continued to offer Shiatsu regularly & complete regular professional development, deepening my Shiatsu practice.

    I have worked in many different environments in my professional life including advisory work & mentoring & developing work. In have learnt to actively listen, be open & willing to support others. I believe this allows me to offer an open & safe space to clients. Along with a strong connected touch that feels nurturing & supportive.

    I offer Shiatsu in Exwick, Exeter, Devon. I have a quiet cabin where I practice.