Counselling & Shiatsu

Tag: shiatsu

  • Shiatsu for pregnancy

    ​As Shiatsu is a gentle & supportive therapy it can be perfect for mums to be, women in labour & post natal mums.

    Shiatsu works on the principal of creating balance within the body.  Balance gives the client a sense of ‘rightness’ & flow, physically, emotionally, mentally & spiritualy.  This flow helps the body achieve what it needs to within pregnancy, labour & afterwards.  

    Shiatsu can help with many prenatal, labour & postnatal concerns, issues, pains & discomforts.  Restoring balance can help with morning sickness & heartburn & tiredness.  Shiatsu can help physical issues such as odema & pelvis pain.  It can also help support the mum to be with any emotional concerns they may be facing.  

    Shiatsu can be used for induction of labour, bringing it on naturally. The contraindicated points can be given to the client to use themselves.  Similarly the points helpfully through labour can be provided, for the birth partner or mother to use.  The points can help relieve pain, provide comfort when needed & slow or speed up labour.

    After birth there is a level of support a mum requires. It is one of the most special times in life but with the high levels of nurture the mother is providing someone nuturing the mother can be incredibly important.  If the labour has been tough in any way then this is even more important. Shiatsu can restore balance in the body that can resolve physical & emotional issues quickly, allowing mum & baby to get on with their life together.

    I work out of Exwick, Exeter, Devon but for late pregnancy or early postnatal appointments it maybe possible to arrange home visits. For general information about Shiatsu & my practice here in Exeter, Devon go to the About page.

    I’m really happy to discuss any concerns & issues & whether Shiatsu may be able to help.  Feel free to ring me or contact me through the contact me page.  

  • Shiatsu by Amy – Exeter, Devon

    I am really excited that I have a photo shoot on Saturday (if you can call it that!) – lots of new photos to help me promote the benefits of Shiatsu massage. Here’s an old photo – then can see how different the new ones are!

  • Real rest? Shiatsu, Exeter, Devon

    I was in a conversation today with someone who was discussing how tired parents of young children get.  Lack of sleep along with long relentless days, emotional & mental demands from the children & requests for support & attention. You feel like you are just getting back to some level of normality when an illness or growth-spurt strikes & you get knocked right back to pure exhaustion again!

    Its not just having children that can make people tired.  There are so many of us, in our non-stop western society, that are running with a level of tiredness. Jobs that demand extra hours or unsocial hours, a 24 hour culture with regards to shopping & socializing, supporting family & homes to look after.

    So what can we do to help ourselves, to be less tired? (Well apart from Shiatsu massage of course!) We need to rest, particularly in these colder, darker days of winter.  My conversation this morning began me thinking about how to get real rest.  It is extremely difficult to do this within our busy lives.  My thoughts were regular support & ‘me’ time, Shiatsu, massage, pamper days. Also retreat time, either at an actual retreat or at a health-club, or a holiday away without anyone else. The thing I decide I would do, to help me rest, was to be more regular with daily practice.

    Short spells of space can help to punctuate & regulate our busy lives. Meditation once or twice a day, yoga, Qi Gung or Tai Chi exercise for 5 or 10 minutes once or twice a day, resting with a towel over your eyes for 5 minutes a day. Sometimes my daily practise is consistent & in those times I do feel more rest & space.

    I think I may go & book a weekend retreat too though! If you are interested in finding out if Shiatsu may help your levels of tiredness please contact me through the ‘contact’ me’ page.

     

     

     

     

  • Shiatsu for stress, head or backache & chronic pain

    Some of the main reasons clients come to have Shiatsu massage with me are in the heading of this blog. Backache is probably the main reason, lower back pain, sometimes with hip pain & siactica into the legs. Shiatsu has often helped this condition. Because it works with energy flow in the body, there is some discussion & awareness of the structural & muscular aspects of the complaint, the complaint can be looked at as areas of low energy & areas of too much energy & the Shiatsu can help balance these out. This can rectify the issue that the client is experiencing.

    Because of the way Shiatsu works it can bypass emotional & mental strains, focus just on the body & the energy flow. The client doesn’t have to talk though their upset, although there is some time in the consultation for verbal discussion & often issues are at least mentioned. The client can get relief from their symptoms without talking at all! Stress & other emotional & mental strains can also easily affect the body, a relief from the physical can also help the mental. 

    Chronic pain is one of the hardest conditions I come across. It is such a difficult thing to live with, & a lot of people I have seen have been suffering for years or decades. Clients have come as they have tried many other things to help with the pain & the many side affects, other physical issues, hormonal affects from medication, mental health issues from the strain. Shiatsu has given relief from pain at times, it has given a sense of support & energized the client to help motivate them to push forward with changes they think will help.

    I am often really impressed by the affects Shiatsu can have. Obviously I believe in Shiatsu & love working with clients. If you think Shiatsu may be able to support you please get in touch – through the ‘contact me’ page.

  • Exciting year of Shiatsu here in Exeter, Devon

    Feeling excited about the opportunities that this year may hold for Shiatsu. I have done a few events over the past few years, both on my own & with a gang of local fellow Shiatsu practitioners. This year looks to be the best so far. Collectively we already have three local Exeter fairs that we will attend. It’s always such a great day, lots of Shiatsu, meeting new people & catching up with old clients & friends. 

    We are also looking to plan Shiatsu-a-thon’s. These are days filled with reduced priced Shiatsu, so it’s affordable to all. They’ll be in a local Exeter community centre, central to town & they be fundraising for worthy projects. We are hoping they will be popular & will introduce Shiatsu to a whole load more people. 

    I can’t wait to see what this year brings – as the event’s get nearer I’ll post them in here. Any queries do contact me – details on the ‘contact me’ page. 

  • Day off from Shiatsu massage 

    I love working as a Shiatsu practitioner, here in Exeter in Devon. I work hard giving & promoting this form of amazing massage. I am also a mum to two young, boisterous, energetic & enthusiastic boys! So my free time from Shiatsu is taken up, completely & then some. 

    Today we headed out of Devon & into Dorset. It is as truly beautiful as our home county & on a day like this it was even more so. We headed to Lyme Regis, as did a lot of other people! We had the obligatory fish & chips, & managed to avoid the scavenging seagulls. They did swop & hit a poor small boy & snatch his sandwich. 
    It felt so lucky & heart-warming to be enjoying the sun on a January day, obviously apart form the seagull incident. I managed to get one photo without loads of people in the way!

    Being in the sun & the fresh air helped me to remember to breathe, deep into my abdomen, to get the energy moving & flowing around my body. I took my shoes off & ran with the boys in the sand & was reminded that being grounded is also important. I love the life lessons that Shiatsu provides me with. 

    If you would like to see what Shiatsu can do to support you in your daily life then please get in touch. Details are on the ‘contact me’ page. I’m always happy to discuss anything Shiatsu related!

  • Shiatsu at work – Exeter, Devon

    I know most people won’t be thinking about work but enjoying their Saturday night off. I have done my share of full weekend work & appreciate not everyone has time off over Saturday & Sunday. These guys will be thinking about work & having the stresses & strains that come with working. All working people have difficulties, hurdles & challenges that they face. It can feel relentless & draining, even people who love what they do can become tired & overcome. It’s the life long challenge of finding a balance between work & rest. 

    I have taken my massage chair into work spaces in Exeter & given short sessions of Shiatsu. It’s a massage that is given fully clothed so no need to change, it is effected within a short period of time & it is suitable for everyone. Shiatsu can support those with stress issues or physical issues created by work or work positions. It can help with tiredness, lack of drive or motivation. 

    The employer just needs to provide a space for the Shiatsu massage to take place & allow the employee’s to take their break to fit when the treatments are taking place. The treatments are 20 minutes long & cost £10. This cost is generally affordable, the employer may consider subsidising or meeting this cost. 

    It’s, obviously, important that there enough people are interested in having Shiatsu & that benefits can be seen. So I will happily offer taster sessions for free. I am happy to discuss arrangements & questions – you can find my details on the ‘contact me’ page. 

    Below is a photo of me working on my massage chair. I can always focus on the shoulders & neck area, as this is where people often feel tension. The Shiatsu can be tailored to suit the client. 

     

  • Exeter Shiatsu fans watch this space!

    I am very excited as I have finally arranged something that I have wanted to sort for ages. I have a photographer, a model & the room arranged so that I can get some new Shiatsu photos taken. That means photos of stretches that can really support people at home & also more of me giving Shiatsu massage. If may not sound like a big deal but it’s something I have been trying to arrange for ages. 

    If you want to see what Shiatsu massage is like you can have a look at the photos I have up on the photos page on this site. You can also head to the Shiatsu Society to see their description & photos of Shiatsu. I also have other information on my Facebook page so you can check that out. Otherwise hold onto your excitement & watch this site, as soon I’ll post the new photos here! 

  • Shiatsu massage cancellations

    This time of year, dark, cold, damp, always seems to bring more cancellations. All my Shiatsu clients are really good at giving me as much notice as they can but when you’ve built up to the idea of doing some Shiatsu it always feels disappointing. Being self-employed & not having a consistent income is obviously also difficult. 

    So if you are in the Exeter area this Saturday – 28th January -& fancy a Shiatsu massage then please feel free to contact me to book in!!! What I’m trying to say is January & February are often good months to contact me to see if I have any appointments – as often I can fit clients in soon after they call, thanks to cancellations. 

  • Shiatsu view of the world – Colour in the dark 

    So yesterday I talked about resting in the dark months of the year, building & storing energy ready for the spring & summer. Its also important to have some exercise, to ensure a good balance in life. Today my toddler & me headed out into the cold & slightly damp air to get some fresh air. We managed a moderate amount of cardio-vascular exercise, too much takes away the energy we should be storing & growing. 

    It was pretty dull down here in Devon, dark clouds over Exeter & surroundings. Drizzle was in the air but luckily not too much of a wind. We were careful not to be out to long, stayed well wrapped up & listened to our bodies when we had done enough. We headed home to the warmth & snuggled with books to recoup any energies used.

    Today was however pretty dark & dreary so we took the challenge to find colour in the dullness. Please excuse the poor photography (completely my fault) This is what we found….

    Beautiful purple stems on this bare shrub

    A couple of stray rosehips still about

    Vibrant gorse 

    We also saw a couple of signs that spring is not quite so far away 

    Catkins

    Sheep just been visited by a ram – pregnant maybe?!?!?

    It cheered our spirits spotting small amounts of colour under the grey clouds & reminded me to make the most of small things. I also appreciated the reminder that taking a few deep breaths of fresh air can re-energize the body. I did a few stretches that support the lung & large intestine meridians & felt a good flow of energy fill my body. I feel lucky that I studied Shiatsu & 5 element diagnosis, it helps me keep perspective at times & helps me keep my health balanced. 

    If any of this resonates with you & you would like to know more about Shiatsu please head to the ‘contact me’ page. I am always happy to talk Shiatsu.