Counselling & Shiatsu

Category: tcm

  • 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 Stretch for tiredness, Exeter, Devon

    There are set of stretches that go alongside Shiatsu. They can be done at home, to support Shiatsu treatment & to encourage well-being. This stretch is a great stretch if you feel tired & drained. It’s good if you have done too much & feel like you are burnt out. It is great if you have fatigue or exhaustion. Like all stretches it is important to not push too far. This is particularly important if you are very tired, pushing too hard may use up the last of your energy & leave you feeling worse.

    You are looking to stretch the meridians, lines of energy, that run along the back of your legs & down your back. Remember to warm up before, breathe whilst stretching & only go as far as your body is comfortable with.

    You may want to get a big cushion to rest your torso on, once you have leant forwards. This is a great stretch to hold for a long time, at least a few slow breathes.

    The body should feel stretched, of course, & lengthened.  You should feel quieter & more peaceful. You may want to meditate or lie afterwards, as this is the sort of energy you may generate doing the stretch.

    It is really easy to overstretch ourselves, there seems to be so much to do & so much demand on our time. This stretch helps renew Water Element energy in the body. Shiatsu uses 5 Element theory as one form of diagnosis.  Within 5 Element diagnosis the Water energy is so important, it is our vital energy, our core energy. If we push to do too much in our lives & don’t rest enough our core energy can be used up, then we feel deep tiredness & exhaustion. Using this stretch regularly, daily, can help build core energy & relieve tiredness.

    Try it out & let me know the results, I’d be interested in knowing what effect it had on you. You can get in touch through the ‘contact me’ page. I’m always happy to talk Shiatsu so any questions or comments please send me a message. 

  • 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 relaxation, Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu for relaxation, Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu massage is a form of hands-on therapy. It is deep & powerful but it is also extremely relaxing. It takes the body to a deeply calm & quiet place where the client has space just to be & to experience deep rest.

    Shiatsu works to create a sense of balance in the body. This sense of balance can help the body relax & feel at ease. Modern life creates so many stresses & strains & our bodies can become full of knots & aches & pains. Shiatsu massage can relieve these tensions, ease the tightness & stretch out the parts of the body holding all the stress.

    Shiatsu massage is also an invigorating form of therapy, it can feel like the body is re-awakened & has the energy is used to have. The body, mind & emotions seem to flow with ease & with this can come a sense of calmness.

    There is always a good amount of hands-on work in a session of Shiatsu. Enough massage to feel satisfied, well-worked & well relaxed. Shiatsu involves various massage techniques so it can be adapted to suit the individual. This can lead to lots of ‘that’s the spot’ moments & a deep & satisfying level of relaxation.

    If you would like to know more then do look at the pages on this site & feel free to get in touch through the ‘contact me’ page.

    Thanks for reading & I hope you have a relaxing evening whatever you are doing!

  • Shiatsu Massage Events Coming up, Exeter, Devon 

    If you aren’t sure what Shiatsu is, or if you’d like to see if my form of this massage suits you, then a taster session is a really good way to check it, & me, out. The next event I am giving Shiatsu at is Exeter Respect Festival. I’ll be there with colleagues on the the Saturday. To find out more about this incredible, free, event head to their website 

    We will be offering 30 minute tasters for just £10. 30 minutes is loads of time & will give you a really good idea of what Shiatsu is. 

    I have further events coming up too – a fair in Budleigh Salterton (more info to follow.) I’ll be doing shorter tasters here – 20 mins for £10 – still plenty of time to check out Shiatsu. Then in July my colleagues & me have another event in Exeter (again details to follow.) 

  • 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.

  • Get up & go – Shiatsu, Exeter, Devon

    Here’s a great stretch for mornings or when you need to get going & don’t fancy doing much! It fills your lungs with fresh air & is a good stretch for the whole body.

    Breathe in as you raise your arms to a comfortable height behind you. Always be gentle & never push to hard.
    Breathe out as you lean forwards, again being gentle – it’s not about going as far as you can it’s about enjoying the stretch, your breathe going out & the feeling of movement as the energy flows around your body. 
    This is a makaho exercise, they go alongside Shiatsu massage. They help stretch specific meridians, or lines of energy in the body, the same lines that Shiatsu massage works with. If you’d like to know more feel free to get in touch through the ‘contact me’ page. 

    Thanks for reading & a happy & calm day to all xx