Counselling & Shiatsu

Category: stress

  • Shiatsu in the Winter time – Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu in the Winter time – Exeter, Devon

    I’ve noticed from my clients that the cold weather is showing up all their aches & pains & areas of weakness.

    Whilst working on people I have noticed less energy in general in people.

    It’s understandable in this cold weather. We should be hibernating really, conserving our energy. There is such a demand on us & it becomes difficult to find space to rest & recuperate.

    This cold winter weather relates to the Water elements. This is within 5 Element diagnosis, part of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

    The meridians in this element are very important. They hold our core energy. If they are over-used they are unable to feed the other energies in out body.

    What can we do to support this energy in this cold weather?

    • Rest as much as possible
    • Meditate or sit still & quiet
    • Get to bed as early as you can
    • Wrap up warm – including neck & around the abdomen area
    • Eat watery broths, fish & sea vegetables

    Also obviously Shiatsu can really help a lot. It can create more resource in the body, in can relieve pain & symptoms & support mental strain.

    I have a few spaces left before Christmas, in Exeter Devon.

  • What does a Shiatsu involve? Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu is a relaxing but energising treatment. It is a hands on therapy given through clothes & on a futon mat on the floor. Although it can be given on a chair or couch if it maybe difficult to get down or back up from the floor.

    Shiatsu is an all over body treatment, it can be focused specially on one area of the body. Similarly the whole body can be treated from one area. Each treatment is specially tailored to that person on that day. Every Shiatsu is different.Shiatsu massage uses the same points & meridians, lines of energy, that acupuncture uses. Shiatsu looks to balance the energy in body. This balance can ease pain, symptoms & provide support.
    Clients have mentioned that they feel more energy after a treatment, that they feel more focussed & have more drive, that they have had relief from symptoms, that they have slept better, needed the loo less, had better joint flexibility.Shiatsu is a safe & secure environment & is totally confidential. It can help support emotional distress, stress, anxiety & depression. I have clients who have come with work related stress & also people who are going through big changes in their personal lives.I work in Exwick, Exeter & I’m also happy to discuss Shiatsu so do get in touch with any questions, through the ‘contact me’page.

  • Shiatsu Gift Vouchers – Exeter, Devon 

    Shiatsu Gift Vouchers – Exeter, Devon 

    Shiatsu gift vouchers are available for any denomination or for the full treatment amount. 

    They are the perfect present for someone who is over-stretched or tired, or needs pampering or is dealing with discomfort or pain. Or they are a great present to put on your own Christmas list! 

    Get in touch to arrange – details on the ‘contact me’ page. I can post them out or send them electronically.

  • Introducing Shiatsu to Devon! 

    Introducing Shiatsu to Devon! 

    I spent the whole day at a lovely fair in Budleigh Salterton giving tasters of Shiatsu massage today.

    Tasters are the perfect way to give people an idea of what a Shiatsu involves, particularly as it’s a very affordable way to get some massage. 

    Shiatsu is a powerful form of therapy & can have quite an effect in a short period of time.

    I really believe in Shiatsu, enough to complete the 3 years of training, so I love letting new people know about it.

    There were some great comments from people who had tasters, they felt relaxed but with more energy, their tension had eased dramatically, their pain had eased, they thought it was quite an amazing taster.

    A day like this is worth the hassle of trying to get out of the house, endless final kisses for the kids, lunches for everyone ready, everything I need for the day crammed in the car, only having to come back to get one thing I’d forgotten! 

    I felt so energised from the day that I whizzed through my chores when I got home & had plenty of energy to spend some fun time with my boys.

    I hope that the people I treated all went home with the energy to achieve whatever they wanted/ needed to do.  Got to love Shiatsu.

    Xx

  • Shiatsu Gift Vouchers – Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu Gift Vouchers – Exeter, Devon

    Some of you maybe thinking Christmas already. I offer gift vouchers for Shiatsu massage – in both Exeter.

    The gift vouchers can be the amount of a full treatment or any other denomination.

    This means you could chose to treat someone to a relaxing but invigorating Shiatsu treatment.

    It also means if you love getting Shiatsu you can put it on your Christmas list, without asking for the full cost a treatment.

    Email me to arrange vouchers that you would like or add my website address to your Christmas list too. I can post out vouchers or send them electronically.

    If your not thinking Christmas yet apologies.

    Xx

  • Shiatsu & depression, Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu & depression, Exeter, Devon

    Depression can affect a person’s whole life. It can feel like a lonely place with no way to talk to others. It’s can be like a frozen state, with no ability to see any options of how to feel better & no ideas of how to get out it.

    Shiatsu provides a safe & supportive space. Instead of the client having to think about how they feel, or think through ways to feel better, it’s possible for the client to just be. Shiatsu allows the client to feel how they are in their body, it by-passes the analytical.

    As is it a safe space the client can feel relaxed & allow tension & stress to release. This can relieve the mental strains & lighten the load.

    Shiatsu works to balance the energies in the body. When the body is balanced it can give a sense of relief & ease from symptoms. It can also provide the client with an energy boost which can give a sense of focus & drive & a clarity of thought.

    If you like to discuss if Shiatsu massage may be able to support you then do get in touch, details on the ‘contact me’ page. I am always happy to discuss Shiatsu & everything is fully confidential.

    I work in Exwick, Exeter. I offer day & evening appointments. I can offer home visits with diwcussion.

  • Shiatsu for Stress, Exeter, Devon 

    Shiatsu for Stress, Exeter, Devon 

    Stress can dramatically affect people’s lives & it is a hard thing to manage on your own. Shiatsu is a supportive form of hands-on therapy that may help with stress, anxiety & other emotional distress.

    At the beginning of a Shiatsu treatment there is a quick consultation, then as much hands-on treatment as time allows. There is little or no discussion whilst the treatment takes place, giving the client a chance to listen to their body, to feel where & how the stress is affecting them. As Shiatsu provides a safe & secure space, feelings, emotions, distress can be released, generally with a sense of relief or of positive release.

    Our bodies hold a physical imprint of the stresses & strains we experience in life, sometimes it is important to talk through these issues, sometimes it is helpful to just feel them & sometimes using a talking therapy alongside a hands-on therapy can be helpful. Shiatsu can involve a level of conversation if the client requests it, I have had clients who have found greater release in discussing what they are experiencing as the massage goes along.

    I have experienced clients build a sense of control & confidence after a few Shiatsu treatments. Instead of feeling that they are at the mercy of their condition or situation they feel they are taking action to make changes. Shiatsu is such a supportive therapy, they can build their confidence up knowing they have a space which is confidential & constructive.

    Shiatsu works to balance the energies in the body. As these energies come into balance there can be a greater sense of flow & movement in the body, mind & emotions. Clients have commented that they felt energized & revitalized after a Shiatsu massage. This new found energy, alongside a safe space, can allow people to feel confident enough to start making changes, break patterns & learn new ways to support themselves.

    If you are interested in discussing if Shiatsu may of help to you then do get in touch, details on the ‘contact me’ page. I’m always happy to talk Shiatsu. I work in Exwick, Exeter, in Devon.

  • 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! 

  • Shiatsu & the Emotions, Exeter, Devon 

    Shiatsu & the Emotions, Exeter, Devon 

    Shiatsu is a physical hands-on therapy but it can be really effective at supporting people on an emotional level. 

    Shiatsu massage is gentle but powerful, it isn’t analytical, you don’t have to think or talk through your feelings, it allows the client to see how they feel in their body. This at times can bring emotions to the forefront, it can allow reflection & or release. 

    When emotions or emotional memories come up Shiatsu provides a safe & secure space to feel them. Often a client feels a sense of relief, even if the emotion is a difficult one or is associated with a difficult time or situation.

    Today I decided that in each of my Shiatsu massages I would focus on using a ‘heart energy’ touch. This relates to 5 Element diagnosis, which is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine & is used within Shiatsu as a form of diagnosis. Each of the 5 elements has a type of touch that relates to it. Because I seen so much nurturing & love being given to the smallest children starting school, at my son’s school, this morning I thought the heart touch would be a good focus for the day. 

    This type of touch is nurturing & supportive, it is warming & comforting, it is un-judgemental & without demand or expectation. It is a great touch to allow the client to feel safe & secure, to feel comfortable with exploring what emotions they maybe holding in their body. 

    I had a special day of Shiatsu today, it is a privilege to be part of a healing process & to hold a space for people to get the support they need. I hope to have many more heart-felt, warm & kind days.