Counselling & Shiatsu

Category: therapy

  • 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

  • Shiatsu Massage for back pain – Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu Massage for back pain – Exeter, Devon

    One of the main reasons that people seek out Shiatsu is that they have back pain. It can have been caused by any number of reasons, accidents or injuries in the past, physical work, excess driving or sitting. Whatever the reason in can be painful & debilitating. 

    Shiatsu, I have found, can be very successful with supporting & relieving back pain. It can be given with the client in a variety of positions, depending on the clients flexibility. Sometimes back pain can make it difficult to lie down, Shiatsu can be given in a seated position. If it is possible to lie down then the client can lie on their side, front or back & the back can be worked on in any of these positions. 

    Shiatsu can feel satisfying when it is given, there can be a ‘that’s the spot’ moment & this is often the case with back pain. It is possible to support back issues at home, with stretches, heat & cold packs for instance, it is not always as satisfying as it could be. A Shiatsu massage can really get in there, release tension & support weakness. 

    I have been able to help clients with various back issues, in all areas of the back. Commonly the lumbar region is the area affected, but clients have also had pain in the middle & top regions, often shoulders & neck have been affected too.  In most cases it has taken a few treatments to see a real change in the condition but often some relief has been seen after just one treatment.  

    If you want to discuss if Shiatsu may help you then do get in touch, through the ‘contact me’ page. 

  • Shiatsu Event – North Devon – This Saturday

    Just a few days until this event now 

    I’ll be offering 30 minute Shiatsu massage treatments for £15. You can pre-book here.  Go the the Website for more details of the event. Also you can have a look at the Facebook page.

    Please let anyone know who you think might be interested. Maybe see you there?

  • Shiatsu massage for chronic pain – Exeter, Devon

    I have had a number of people come to me because they are experiencing chronic pain. It is unbelievable how people cope & function for years or even decades, being in terrible or extreme pain. Generally clients have tried drugs & decided to cut them out or drop the dosage considerably. They have often tried a number of different therapies before they come to Shiatsu. 

    It seems, from what I have experienced from my clients, that chronic pain begins to affect all aspects of a life. It can become depressing, it can affect the way the person sees everything, it can make the person an introvert & can seriously damage their ability to communicate. Clients have said the pain can take up part of their thinking space, it seems to affect their memory & concentration. More obviously it can affect their physical ability, their ability to work or get around. 

    I have had some success with Shiatsu massage in relieving the pain, for some time after a treatment. Clients have also felt a mental weight lifting & a lightness that has allowed them to feel more positive about their situation. They have mentioned that they have then been able to make changes in their lives, which have helped their pain levels. 

    Chronic pain seems such a mentally tough thing to deal with. Shiatsu seems to have given support to the clients, allowing them to feel supported & stronger. Shiatsu has been able to lessen the pain considerably or completely for periods of time. Regular body work seems to be the key here, whether Shiatsu or something else, regular treatments help keep the condition in check.

    If you would be interested in finding out more head to the pages on this site or my Facebook page. 

  • Motivating & Energizing Shiatsu – Exeter, Devon 

    Motivating & Energizing Shiatsu – Exeter, Devon 

    There’s nothing like going back to work, after having some time off, to make you evaluate how you feel about the way in which you make your living. Sure they’ll be some people actively looking forward to getting back into the swing of things at work, but I imagine there will be a lot of people this evening not feeling so keen. It’s the dreaded ‘Sunday night’ feeling, apprehension of the week ahead, stealing yourself for the trials you know you are giving to have to face. 

    It is really easy to fall into a routine to make the money to pay the bill’s, before you know it you’re in a rhythm you never planned for yourself & you’re not sure how to get out of it. Some people are able to make changes in their lives without help but a lot of us need some support. 

    Shiatsu massage isn’t just for relaxation or a treat for yourself, it can be a motivating & invigorating experience. There is a chance for the client to express how they are feeling in a verbal consultation to begin with & this can start to get the ball rolling, it’s clear what aspects of their life or life style the client is keen to work on. The massage can then allow the client to understand how & where they are holding their frustrations or disappointments & can help the client give these away. A sense of relief can be felt along with a feeling of release & more energy & fluidity in the body. 

    I have had a number of clients come for Shiatsu with me because they feel ‘stuck in a rut’ or they can’t see what options they have. Some clients express a lack of energy or a lose of will, meaning they can’t drive themselves forward. Some clients have been in a situation they are not happy in & have been looking for support, or counselling, to help them work through their emotions. Shiatsu can be a very supportive therapy, with a mix of verbal discussion & touch, which can put clients at ease & may produce surprising results, exposing unexpected emotions & helping the client make great steps forward. 

    If you are one of the people not so keen on returning to work tomorrow then maybe you’d like to discuss if Shiatsu massage maybe the support you are looking for. I work in Exeter, Devon & am always happy to talk Shiatsu – you can get in touch through my ‘contact me’ page or at amyhinkswright@yahoo.co.uk 

  • Crazy Shiatsu this week!

    After a week’s holiday I’m back giving Shiatsu & what a week of Shiatsu massage I have. Shiatsu treatments all booked up, plus one booked for myself too. It is all too easy to forget to look after yourself & I had the foresight that I would need a Shiatsu myself this week, I’m so looking forward to putting myself in someone else’s hands & reminding myself how it feels to have Shiatsu rather than give it! It helps when I am giving a treatment, to be aware of how it feels to receive it. 

    Then this weekend, & the main reason I need a Shiatsu myself this week, I am offering taster sessions of Shiatsu for just £15 all day Saturday & Sunday. There are some sessions already booked up but still spaces available. You can pre-book a Shiatsu massage here. Let anyone you think might be interested know & maybe I’ll see some of you there. 

  • Happy Easter – family – Shiatsu – chocolate

    Happy Easter – family – Shiatsu – chocolate

    Hope you have all had good day. Whatever your religious belief’s a day when no shops are open, life is slow & most people are with their families is a good day, right? 

    I spent today in sunny Hampshire with my sons & husband, his mum, brother, sister & brother in law & their kids. The happiest part of the day was watching the cousins enjoying themselves together, content, gang-like & getting along beautifully. 

    I also spent some of the day giving Shiatsu massage to my poor mother in law, who was trying to enjoy Easter with Sciatic pain. I gave her Shiatsu in the morning, before lunch & just before we left to come home. It was a short session each time which was enough for her. It reminded me that sometimes it is good to have a number of short sessions close together, to help treat specific issues. I have had different agreements with different clients so that I can support their needs. 

    Each Shiatsu massage helped my mother in law & she was able to get through the day without the distress of the unpleasant pain Sciatica causes. I also showed her some exercises that may help her & there was some discussion, around the dinner table, regarding what the best stretches for Sciatica are. Stretching can be brilliant for Sciatica but also it is important to be careful, listen to your body & not stretch too far. Stretches that are back twists, with legs pulled up can really help as can back-arching stretches. I am always happy to advise on stretches & other life style support at the end of a session. 

    At the end of a happy family day we also had a really easy journey back to Devon. It’s lovely to be back in Exeter, in our own home & I’m looking forward to sleeping in my own bed. I am glad that the chocolate gorging is over, mostly my sons still have a bit to work through. I’m sad that we don’t live nearer to the family. I’m happy that yet again I mixed my daily life with a little Shiatsu. 

  • Shiatsu massage for Sciatica 

    Shiatsu massage for Sciatica 

    I have been reminded today of how helpful Shiatsu can be for the treatment of Sciatica. My poor mother in law has been suffering with it, whilst we have been staying with her. She has been trying to cater for & enjoy her large family whilst dealing with the dreadful pain that Siatica creates. 

    She was so bad after supper that she couldn’t keep still & was almost hopping around. So I offered to see if I could feel what the issue was & maybe help. We were washing up at the time, she didn’t sit down or lie down, I simply touched her sacrum whilst she stood. It was obvious that her sciatic nerve was inflamed so I moved her hip a little, just for a couple of minutes. She began to move around again & immediately felt some relief, she could stand still, without moving constantly to try & ease the pain. 

    Sciatica is a nasty complaint, the pain is often sharp & extreme & it is hard to find relief. I have had a good number people come for Shiatsu because they are experiencing Sciatica or some form of pain in their back or hips that also carries down into the leg.

    Regarding my mother in law it is the least I can do for her, she is hosting Easter, feeding & looking after us all so well. She is vety active & social & when she gets Sciatica it really affects her. If you are suffering from Sciatica & would like to know more then do get in touch at amyhinkswright@yahoo.co.uk or have a look at my Facebook page. 

  • Different things for different people – Shiatsu style

    Shiatsu massage is different every time. If you had a Shiatsu massage in the morning & then another in the afternoon they would be different to each other. Shiatsu works on what is happening for the client at that moment in time. The practitioner follows what they pick up as they give the massage, this can be the most satisfying thing about a Shiatsu. A good Shiatsu should meet you exactly where & how you want to be met. What a feeling it is when it happens. A sense of space & relief, a deep relaxation in the body & a sense of stillness.

    A good Shiatsu will give a sense of satisfaction & this shows that there is balance in the body. This balance of energy is the aim of Shiatsu, with balance comes healing & can lead to a relief from symptoms.  The client can leave happy with their massage & this sense of well-being & contentment can continue for hours or days. 

    If you would like to discuss if Shiatsu may be of help to you do get in touch through the ‘contact me’ page. I work in a quiet practice room in Exwick, Exeter, Devon. It’s easily accessible by car, bus or train.