Swedish Massage:  The purpose of a Swedish massage, is to provide a relaxing calming massage. Its main purpose is to help promote a sense of mind and body relaxation and increase your wellbeing.   Swedish massage is the bases for many other types of massage, which are described more fully on the site.   The massage is based on the Western concepts of anatomy and physiology, as opposed to energy work on "meridians" or sen lines as seen in Asian massage systems. We recommend a 90 minute massage that will give the best results, however a 60 minute massage is available for the person in a rush.  We do not recommend any massage under the hour.

A Swedish massage can be slow and gentle, or vigorous and stimulating, depending on the therapist's particular style and what he/she is trying to achieve.

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A Swedish massage will:

• Help alleviate pain such as muscle aches and pains, headaches and migraines, depression, low immune system, emotional conditions, poor circulation, IBS reduce stress, tension, fatigue, muscular discomfort and anxiety.

• Aid relaxation by calming and soothing, Boost immunity

• Enhance circulation to remove waste and toxins from the body stimulate removal of 'toxins' from the body

• Aid sleep and relaxation

• Energize and revitalize

• Improve skin tone, texture and elasticity

 

​Effleurage:  Effleurage is a smooth, gliding stroke, the most fundamental Swedish massage technique. These hand-over-hand strokes are applied to large areas, such as the back, arms, legs, chest or small surfaces like the face, throat and hands. Massages usually begin and end with superficial light, light, slow effleurage, which acclimatises the body to being touched, building up to stronger effleurage as the muscles are warmed up, Deep effleurage uses more pressure, stretching and broadening the muscle tissue and fascia.

Petrissage:  The word "petrissage" comes from the French verb "petrir" meaning to "to knead".  The term petrissage applies to a range of massage movements, that includes: Kneading,  Wringing,  Lifting, and  Rolling (skin rolling and muscle rolling).  The therapist squeezes the muscle tissue between their thumb and fingertips. It's generally done rhythmically, first one hand and then the other. This can be done on big curved muscles like your thigh muscles, the upper arms, shoulders and the buttocks.  Petrissage must be applied slowly and rhythmically and can be performed using either one or both hands.  

The benefits of petrissage movements can include:

• stimulating the skin (including vascular and lymphatic responses, cellular functions, and regeneration and texture of the skin)

• improving muscle tone

• improving the elimination of waste products from tissues, and

• the breakdown of adipose tissue.

 

​Friction:  This is a massage technique where the therapist works at a specific knot (called an adhesion) with their thumb or fingers. It's more targeted, and the therapist goes in more deeply to try and separate the adhered tissues. The movement or targeted pressure can be circular. It can go along the band of the muscle, tendon or ligament fibres. Or it can go across the muscle, called cross-fibre friction.

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Stretching:  The massage technique of stretching occurs when the therapist moves your arms or legs into different positions and stretches. This is very commonly used in Asian massage styles like Thai massage.

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​Percussion:  These movements are quick and striking -- the classic example would be "chopping" with the side of the hands (called hacking) -- This massage technique is stimulating to the body. Other percussion massage techniques are tapping with the tips of fingers (usually lightly on the face), slapping with the flat of the hand, and beating with clinched fists on big muscles like the thigh.  

 

Hot Stone Massage:  Hot stone massage is a very popular massage that uses smooth, rounded stones that have been heated in water. The therapist uses the stones as an extension of his/her hand and may also place them on your belly, hands or back.

 

Indian Head Massage:  Indian head massage is based on the ayurvedic(explained later} system of healing. The purpose of Indian head massage is to release stress which has built up in the tissues, muscles and joints of the head, face, neck and shoulders.  Indian head massage is very effective in relieving stress, tension, insomnia, headaches, migraine and sinusitis. Clients often feel a state of calmness and serenity after the treatment and leave feeling energised, replenished and with a clearer state of mind and concentration. 

 

• Ayurvedic medicine (“Ayurveda” for short) is one of the world's oldest holistic (“whole-body”) healing systems. It was developed more than 3,000 years ago in India.  It’s based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. Its main goal is to promote good health, not fight disease. But treatments may be geared toward specific health problems.

 

Pregnancy Massage:  Pregnancy massage, also known as pre-natal massage, promotes relaxation, soothes nerves, and relieves strained back and leg muscles in expectant mothers.  Pregnancy massage is especially beneficial in the second trimester (week 13 to week 27) and third trimester (28 to the birth), when the extra weight in your belly puts a strain on your back. Before you get a pre-natal massage, make sure the therapist has been specially train

 

Pregnancy causes your body to undergo numerous changes and your body will spend the entire pregnancy adapting accordingly. Pregnant women can often feel a lot of pressure when they carry a baby, as they are suddenly responsible for the lives and health of two people. This can result in unnecessary feelings of stress and worry. During pregnancy, women need support as they try to feel 'normal' while a new life grows inside them.

 

Deep Tissue Massage:  Deep tissue massage uses many of the same movements and techniques as Swedish massage, but the therapist will work the deeper tissue structures of the muscle and fascia (connective tissue). It is also a more focused type of massage, as the therapist works to release chronic muscle tension or knots called adhesions. Many people expect deep tissue massage to be an hour of intense pressure and pain, but this is counterproductive.  Deep Tissue Massage is one of the best and most effective ways to treat pain and injury. It uses firm-pressure designed to release tight layers of muscle and tissue, which usually develops from bad posture, injury or overuse. Restoring movement in the soft tissues alleviates pain, muscle spasm and stress from the problematic area.

Deep tissue massage will:

Relax stiff muscles to restore pain free movement

Reduce muscle tension and chronic pain

Relieve stress

Un-stick tight muscles and free up creaky joints

 

Deep Tissue Trigger Point Massage:  A trigger point is an area of tension within muscle tissue that causes pain in other parts of the body. For example a trigger point in the back may reduce referral pain in the neck. The neck may act as a satellite trigger point, resulting in a headache. The pain can be sharp and intense or a dull ache.

 

What conditions can it treat?

Trigger Point therapy can help alleviate pain by releasing tense areas in the body. After just 1 treatment you can experience a significant reduction in pain. By combining massage with trigger point therapy on a regular basis you can naturally manage pain and stress from chronic injuries.

 

Myofascial Cupping Therapy:  Myofascial cupping is a modern adaptation of the ancient Chinese art of cupping therapy. By creating a suction or vacuum, cupping therapy is used to release rigid soft tissue, drain excess fluids and toxins, loosen adhesions, and lift connective tissue, while bringing blood flow to stagnant skin and muscles.

 

Reiki with or without Crystals:  Reiki is a system of spiritual healing or ‘energy’ medicine which is like the laying on of hands. Reiki healers believe in the existence of a universal energy which they can access to generate healing effects in humans, animals and plants. This universal energy flows through a reiki healer’s hands when he or she places the palms upon or close to the recipient.   Reiki is popular far beyond Japan, where it was developed in the early part of the twentieth century by Mikao Usui during a period of fasting and meditation on Mount Kurama. It is used for treating all medical conditions, for improving quality of life or for preventing disease.  A treatment session would normally involve the fully clothed patient lying down on a massage table. Then the healer may or may not touch the client while transmitting healing energy. A session may last for about an hour and most patients would experience it as intensely relaxing.

 

Crystal therapy is based on the premise that crystals can, in a sense, communicate with the energies flowing around the human body. On a microscopic level a crystal is a network of repeating geometric patterns made up of compressed ions, atoms and molecules. According to crystal therapy, every crystal has its own unique electromagnetic charge. These charges, or 'healing vibrations' are supposed to interact with the body's energy centres to remove 'blockages' and restore a healthy flow through the body and mind.  Sometimes the colour of the crystal will be chosen to correspond with the supposed colour of each energy point on the body. From the tip of the tailbone to the top of the head the colours are as follows: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.

 

Reflexology:  Reflexology is the application of pressure to areas on the feet, hands and ears. Reflexology is generally relaxing and may be an effective way to alleviate stress.  Reflexology looks at charts on the feet and hands and that pressure to defined areas correspond to organs and systems of the body. Pressure applied to these areas affects the organs and benefits the client’s health.

Foot and hand charts are used to help guide pressure to specific areas. Sometimes items, such as rubber balls, rubber bands and sticks of wood, may be used to assist.

Reflexology may reduce pain and psychological symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, and enhance relaxation and sleep. Studies show that reflexology may have benefits in palliative care of people with cancer as a Reflexologist I believe that a wide variety of medical conditions can be treated, such as asthma, diabetes and cancer. However, these treatments should occur in conjunction with other forms of medical treatment that the client is already undertaking.

Reflexology is generally considered safe, although very vigorous pressure may cause discomfort for some people.

Aromatherapy:  Aromatherapy massage is usually a Swedish or deep tissue massage where the massage oil has been blended with essential oils such as lavender, peppermint or geranium to affect your mood and alleviate pain.  Aromatherapy is the systematic use of volatile plant oils known as essential oils for the treatment or prevention of disease. It is a form of complementary therapy designed to treat the whole person and not just the symptom or disease by assisting the body's natural ability to balance, regulate, heal and maintain itself.

 

 

Four Hand Tandem Massage:  It is  carried out with one male and one female therapist:  A four handed massage – or Purva Karma – has been proven to shift you into a further state of relaxation beyond that of other treatments, which in turn means your muscles are more receptive to the deeper movements.

The addition of two extra hands means your brain is unable to predict or monitor the motions and pressures of all four hands. This means you are in a better state of mind to ‘let go’ during the treatment and will allow your muscles to absorb and react to the therapy.

An advanced combination of stretching and rolling movements and deep, long strokes ease aching muscles. After a welcoming foot massage, we will work in synchronised harmony for the ultimate in tension release, deeply relaxing and rebalancing massage to achieve mental and spiritual bliss.

 

Please note 4 handed massage is not available with 2 female therapists.

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Note further will be added to this topic in due course 20/03/17

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Cuddling Therapy:  Cuddle Therapy: Originated in the USA and Canada where the need for platonic interaction between people and hugging and touching in non-sexual manner  was not seen as generally acceptable behaviour, in many communities.    However the benefit and need for more intimacy in relationships mushroomed into a movement that realised all the positive benefits that touch and hugging can produce in the human body, not just in parent relationship with children, but amount teenagers, adults and retired people, who are sadly generally very under touched and hugged.  Hugging can be seen as a cross between massage therapy and some type of psychological service, but what it is not is sexual. During a session, you can hold hands, hug, or spoon with you, but it's strictly platonic: everyone stays clothed and no sexual activity is involved.   Cuddling as a logical extension of, and vital addition to, the therapies that a holistic therapist normally offers.

 

Couple Massage:  This is carried out with one male and one female therapist:  This massage is a Swedish massage and will take place in the same room with the couple (Male/Female, Female/Female, Male/Male) lying side by side on the two massage tables.  Generally, the massage will be synchronism unless there are issues with one of the couples that needs concentration on that part of the body.

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Sexual Counselling Therapies with or without my Male Partner:  Sexual Counselling starts with an interview for the client who is experiencing difficult in their relationship.  It can be with either the client or with the client and their partner.  Usually we will talk through issues and concerns and look at how you can navigate yourself through the issues that concern you.  This can occur on 1 to 1 basis Therapist and Client, 1to 2 Therapist and 2 clients bases or 2 to 2 both therapists and both clients basis.

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Note further will be added to this topic in due course 20/03/17

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Counselling:

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Note further will be added to this topic in due course 20/03/17

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