Counselling & Shiatsu

Category: Traditional Chinese Medicine

  • 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

  • Talking Shiatsu on the radio today

    Talking Shiatsu on the radio today

    I really enjoyed chatting Shiatsu on Bay FM today. I was asked to talk about it on the Sunday morning programme & although I was nervous I couldn’t miss the opportunity.

    I’m passionate about Shiatsu so I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to get Shiatsu out there.  Once I started talking it was ok – I felt pretty calm as I could focus on the subject. 

    Also I used a Shiatsu pressure point, in the centre of the palm, to help stay calm. 
    The listen again should be available in a couple of days. I’ll put a link up when it’s ready.

  • 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 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 in the Summertime, Exeter, Devon 

    Shiatsu in the Summertime, Exeter, Devon 

    It has been an interesting week of Shiatsu, the meridians (lines of energy) in the body that relate to the summertime have been really prominent in the treatments. They seem to be even more prominent than other Summers. The weather has been so warm & it has been a ‘real’ Summer, so far & this has fed people’s Fire energy, the energy that relates to this time of year.  
    So what does this mean – there are positive & negative results. The Fire energy is strong & burns brightly, it is perfect for socialising, doing lots of things & making the most of the time.   All my clients this week have been doing a lot & finding that they have the energy to do so.  The warmness in the body has helped the energy move well & change quickly, resulting in symptoms easing & tension releasing.

    Heat rises & this is what happens when there is an excessive of Fire energy, it goes up into the shoulders, neck & head. It creates tension & too much heat in the head. Emotions can also become too big & hot & potentially explosive. In general there has been an excessive of heat in client’s bodies, of course it is the Summer, however this has felt abnormally hot.

    So what to do in this beautiful Summer? Make the most of it! Socialise, party, get out there

    Rembember that the Fire energy is strong, particularly this year. Take time to sit & be still, in a cool place. Drink plenty of water. Try to moderate your intake of sugar, alcohol, spice & other stimulants. All of this will help stop your energy rising, from getting too hot, from emotions exploding or burn-out happening.

    And of course Shiatsu massage can really help! I found this week that people’s bodies were particularly malleable & this meant a lot could be achieved quite quickly & easily in a treatment. If you would like to know more or book a treatment get in touch through the ‘contact me’ page.

  • Feeling stuck in a rut? Try Shiatsu – Exeter, Devon 

    Feeling stuck in a rut? Try Shiatsu – Exeter, Devon 

    Shiatsu massage can be a great support if you are feeling like you are stuck in a rut or you feel stuck where you are & have little options for change. Similarly it is a great support if you feel indecisive, if you can’t make a decision or have too many decisions to make.   

    These scenarios indicate a specific diagnosis. The meridians that are affected are the ones relating to the Tree element. This is one of the elements in Five Element Diagnosis, which is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, one form of diagnosis that Shiatsu massage uses. 

    The Tree element is in balance when there is a good flow & fluidity in the body. You can imagine a strong tall tree, that is secure in the ground, is rooted well, it also moves with ease when it is blown by the wind. When the Tree element is out of balance the body is stuck or stagnant, the tree is brittle & inflexible in the wind, branches may snap or the roots may be pulled up. 

    Shiatsu massage works to balance the energy in the body. It can give the client back the flow & fluidity that they may have been missing. When the energy flows better then the mind & emotions also flow & adapt better. I get comments from clients that they feel they have options after having Shiatsu, they are more focussed & motivated, they have their drive & determination back. When you have these things you can make decisions with more ease, you can take steps to make changes & you can feel more relaxed & at ease in general.

    If you would like to know if Shiatsu massage may be able to help support you then do get in touch through the ‘contact me’ page. I’m always happy to talk Shiatsu! 

  • Shiatsu for tension & stress, Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu can be great at relieving tension & stress in the body. As it is given, generally, on a futon mat on the floor & always through clothes it can be quite a physical form of massage therapy. There can be, when appropriate, great stretches & rotation of limbs & joints, relieving tensions held by the body. Shiatsu is also given when the client is in various positions, including on their side, this allows the shoulders to be worked on & areas of the body to be early focussed on. 

    Shiatsu works on many different levels, physical, mental, spiritual & emotional. The body holds a physical memory of our lives, stresses & strains. Sometimes the tension is relieved by working with the emotional connection to it or the mental strain that has helped cause the tension. This working on different levels can sometimes unlock tension & stress in the body when a solely physical approach is not enough.

    Shiatsu massage is also a gentle form of hands-on therapy. It can help release tension in more delicate areas, such as the neck. Shiatsu works with the the quiet areas of the body, the areas where there isn’t much energy, sometimes these are the weaker areas. By working these areas first the body can be more responsive when working the areas where the tension is held. Shiatsu massage aims to balance the body & when this begins to happen the weaker areas can feel stronger & the tight areas can feel more relaxed.

    Any questions you have please get in tiuch through the ‘contact me’ page. I’m always happy to talk Shiatsu. 

  • Summer Shiatsu Stretches, Exeter, Devon

    There are different stretches that relate to different meridians (lines of energy in the body.) Each meridian related to a season of the year. The below stretches relate to the Summertime. As always with stretches warm up before & down after. Be gentle when doing them & don’t push. The idea is to take a few breathes in the pose. See how the body feels whilst holding it, tight or very comfortable, these senses may show an imbalance in the body. 

  • Shiatsu & the Summertime, Exeter, Devon

    Shiatsu & the Summertime, Exeter, Devon

    Yes Summer is here! What a beautiful day it’s been, hot, sunny & so easy to make the most of.

    Summer is the time of year when it’s right to get out there, make the most of the long days, socialise, travel & do lots of things. In our society we seem to push to try & do lots all year round. In the Autumn we should try to sit back & enjoy what we have achieved in the year. In the Winter we should try to rest, find stillness & regenerate some of the energy we have expended over the Summer. In the Spring we should plan & hatch ideas of what we want to do in the Summer. If we have rested enough in the other seasons we should have enough to get out there & really make the most of our lives.

    Because we try to push all year when we try to make the most of Summer sometimes we lack the resources to do so. We may start to get back pains or colds, we may burn-out, we may become hot-headed & feel our emotions are a little erractic. These are all signs of an imbalance in the body.

    Shiatsu massage is gentle but powerful. It uses lots of massage techniques to balance the energy in the body. Shiatsu is always given through clothes & generally on a futon mat on the floor. It can help calm the body, mind & emotions or can build up some of the energy that’s been exerted. It can make the client feel relaxed & more settled.

    I have practiced Shiatsu for 10 years & I work in Exwick, Exeter. Do get in touch through the ‘contact me’ page if you have questions.