I write a lot about what Shiatsu is, trying to describe what it is & what it is actually like to have a treatment. There are pages on this site describing Shiatsu & my background so go check those out if you want to know more about this incredible form of therapy.
Today I thought I’d talk about what Shiatsu means to me. I didn’t realise the effect Shiatsu would have on me personally when I started the three years of training. I changed jobs, homes & relationships & have found myself in a much more real & honest place. I feel more happy & content now than I ever have done.
I feel more connected to my body & how it is reacting to what is happening around it. I also feel more connected to the Seasons & to nature, following the natural flow of things. I feel I can get focused & centered in a way I never could before. I have much better self support practices & this allows me to support clients & those around me with gentle kindness.
I feel very lucky to practice this hands-on therapy as my job. It doesn’t feel like work. I get so focused on what I can feel as I work on a body that the sessions fly by. I also love holding the space for a client, a healing space to feel safe & to be however they want to be.
Shiatsu is a very clever therapy in my opinion. It bypasses the analytical thought process & accesses feelings & emotions through how & where they are held in the body. Shiatsu can provide release & relief of physical & emotional tensions. Often because the tension felt has an emotional aspect to it, that has led to the physical holding.
I like seeing the results that clients experience. I have seen it help with chronic pain, with stress, with Sciatica, with knee & other joint issues. I love the fact that it works well with physical, emotional & mental issues. It holds a client in a particular way, it meets the client how they need to be met.
It is such a privilege to be a therapist for people, it is a very personal relationship & I take it seriously. I am so grateful to be part of someone’s healing journey. Shiatsu has an ability to raise energy levels & allow clients to make changes that they would like to make. It has allowed them to see options & opportunities where previously they have felt stuck, or at the mercy of their condition or complaint.
I use Shiatsu on a daily basis, on myself & my family. I support my kids with digestive issues, when they are distressed, if they can’t sleep, if they have a temperature. I help family members with Arthritis & pain, with mental strain & tiredness.
I work in a lovely space in Exeter which I feel works perfectly for Shiatsu. We have put up a real wood cabin in the garden, it’s a sanctuary but still in Exeter. I work here most days of the week & offer evening & weekend appointments.
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It is very accessible. It is generally given on a futon mat on the floor. I also have a couch & a massage chair so if the floor is difficult then there are other options. Shiatsu can be given with the client lying or sitting in any position, allowing the client to always be comfortable. It always given through clothes but still provides a strong connection & satisfying massage.
Shiatsu provides a safe touch, which allows the client to quickly drift into a deeply relaxed state. As it is a safe & secure form of therapy it can allow a client to explore their emotional or mental balance, feeling this through their bodies rather than thinking or talking it through. This can allow tension caused by stress, depression or anxiety to be released.
Shiatsu is tailored to suit that client on that day, which can make it a satisfying form of therapy, meeting the client how they want to be meet. It is a gentle but powerful form of therapy, although it can be more physical when appropriate, including stretches & rotations.
Shiatsu uses the same Meridians (lines of energy) in the body that Acupuncture uses. We also use the same pressure points on those Meridians. We use massage techniques to work the Meridans & points to help the body to regain balance. When the body is in balance symptoms can ease, energy levels can rise, stress & anxiety can fall away, sleep can become deeper & healthier. The body can feel like everything is working as it is supposed to, there is more flow & fluidity physically, mentally & emotionally.
Counselling & Shiatsu 