Counselling & Shiatsu

Category: touch

  • Shiatsu for Pregnancy – Exeter, Devon

    Pregnancy is such a special time for a woman, it’s magical as the body does the most indredible things. Pregnant ladies get told they are ‘blooming’ & they do often look so well. There are times in most pregancy when it is difficult. Tiredness is a big issue, especially at the beginning. Most people are aware of morning sickness but nausea or sickness can be all day, & night, & sometimes for the whole pregnancy.

    A woman’s body generally knows what it’s doing & often when giving a Shiatsu it is just supporting what the body is doing. Sometimes the body needs more help. Sickness can be eased & tiredness can be limited with Shiatsu massage.

    Sometimes the body struggles physically & needs help with flow of blood & fluids, to ease swollen ankles for examples. The pelvis takes a lot of weight as the pregnancy goes on, it is pressed down & the small joints in the pelvic area begin to ache or hurt. Shiatsu can be really helpful for relieving pain & supporting the pelvis so that it can withstand the weight.  The body can be affected in many ways as so much space is taken up by baby, reflux & heartburn can also be eased with Shiatsu massage.

    Shiatsu massage can also be used to jump start labour. Induction treatments can be arranged when full term has been reached. Shiatsu can also be used to turn the baby if they are in a difficult position for birth. In labour Shiatsu can be helpful with a lot of things, exhaustion, pain, quickening the Labour. 

    For pregnant women Shiatsu can take place at any time. Some women chose to wait until 12 weeks before they have Shiatsu massage. Generally I give Shiatsu at my practice in Exwick, Exeter but home visits can arranged for later pregnancy. 

  • 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

  • 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