National Massage Day occurs on the 1st October each year.
When was the last time you got a massage?
Imagine booking a massage right now and picture the experience that awaits you… tranquil treatment room, relaxing music playing gently in the background, the soothing aromas that calm your senses, imagine yourself sinking into the heated couch and feeling your stresses and strains melt away…
There are many massage modalities and numerous ways massage can benefit you.
Whether you are:
An aromatherapy lover
A traditionalist who enjoys a Swedish massage
Enjoy the geothermal aspect of a LaStone or Bamboo Massage treatment
Are suffering with a sluggish lymphatic system so would like lymphatic drainage
Want to give your stubborn areas a good jigging with G5 massage
Like a deep tissue or power massage
Are a keen sports person who would like some sports / remedial massage
Someone who prefers a head massage
A lover of a foot massage
A facial massage aficionado
Would like two or three hours on the couch being massaged from top to toe
I HAVE A MASSAGE FOR YOU!
Additionally, I am able to combine your favourite aspects from any of the massages to create a truly bespoke treatment just for you.
You can find all the massages available at Lorraine’s Treatment Room by clicking here.
The American Massage Therapy Association lists 25 reasons why you should get a massage, they reference the studies carried out, highlighting the positive results for each condition and the study size. Top benefits include:
Relieve stress
Relieve postoperative pain
Reduce anxiety
Manage low-back pain
Help fibromyalgia pain
Reduce muscle tension
Enhance exercise performance
Relieve tension headaches
Sleep better
Ease symptoms of depression
Improve cardiovascular health
Reduce pain of osteoarthritis
Decrease stress in cancer patients
Improve balance in older adults
Decrease rheumatoid arthritis pain
Temper effects of dementia
Promote relaxation
Lower blood pressure
Decrease symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Help chronic neck pain
Lower joint replacement pain
Increase range of motion
Decrease migraine frequency
Improve quality of life in hospice care
Reduce chemotherapy-related nausea
Looking at the number one & three benefits of relieving stress and anxiety, Psychology Today tell us that
The anxiety-reducing and mood-enhancing benefits of massage are probably related to changes in EEG activity, decreased levels of cortisol, and increased activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, which acts automatically to calm the body and brain during stress.
Additionally, numerous studies have been carried out on massage pressure and show that moderate massage is the most effective for reducing pain associated with medical issues and carries the additional benefits of improving attention and enhancing your body’s immune response.
Brain imaging studies support this evidence by showing the changes that take place in areas of the brain that are involved in regulating stress responses and emotions such as the amygdala and hypothalamus.
I have some phenomenal treats and offers for National Massage Day that will be sent out to all members on my mailing list….I’ve even devised a couple of new treatments just for the occasion!If you are not a member of the mailing list and would like to be, you can join by clicking here.
1st October also marks the start of Pro-Touch Awareness month – a month that promotes the importance of consensual and positive human touch and connection to everyone. Just think about how comforting a hand can be when you are in need. Now, imagine someone who is deprived of human contact, what joy could a simple touch, or hug, bring to them?
Pro-Touch Awareness realises that, following the pandemic, we are presently in a touch-starved world so as well as raising awareness of the benefits of touch, they are encouraging touching the lives of others with acts of kindness.
What kindness could you bring to someone’s life today?
Pronounced Ray-Key, Reiki derives from the Japanese:-
Rei – meaning universal
Ki – meaning life energy, the vital life force that flows through all living things.
So, Reiki, literally translated, is the universal life energy that flows through all living things.
Reiki can also be known as Reiki energy, Usui Reiki, or even therapeutic touch.
Reiki is a gentle, non-invasive form of energy healing that is generally accepted to be suitable and safe for everyone.You may well have come across life energy healing previously ~ most Eastern medicinal systems of healing work with energy ~ as well as the Ki in Japan, there is Chi in China and Prana in India.
What does energy healing mean?
Energy healing is any holistic practise that activate your own body’s healing systems to function optimally and remove any blocks
Whilst Reiki has been around since the early 20th century, ancient Hindu texts mention the seven chakras and knowledge of meridians allowed traditional Chinese medics to develop acupuncture.
Another way to think about energy is when you walk into a room and get a bad feeling or vibe.
Everything on this planet has its own vibration including us – people, plants, tables, anything – is all made up of molecules which vibrate. If you meet someone who makes you feel good or gives off good vibes, they are quite possibly vibrating at a higher level than you.
Reiki practitioners get attuned to different Reiki symbols as they progress through their journey. By the time they are Reiki masters and have been practising as such for at least a year, their vibration is as high as it can be.
Everyone can achieve a higher vibration by practising self-Reiki, meditating, bathing in salts, smudging your home, using crystals in your day-to-day or even something as simple as going for a massage, reflexology or acupuncture session.
Is it a new therapy?
Most Reiki available in the UK can be traced back to 1920s Japan and the teachings of Reiki Master Mikao Usui.You can find out more about Mikao Usui here.
How does Reiki work?
Like most complementary and alternative therapies, Reiki believes that lack of harmony or ‘dis-ease’ in your body arises from a disturbance, or blockage of your energy passageways.
Anything as simple as an area of previous physical injury or emotional pain can cause energy to stagnate and your pathways to become sluggish or blocked.
However, when your body is in a state of homeostasis, your ‘ki’, or energy, will be strong, and your mind, body, and spirit will be balanced and healthy; a balanced body is also optimum for promoting your own self-healing.
Whereas conventional medicine looks at the problem and prescribes to solve that issue, like all complementary therapies, Reiki works on your whole body.
Your Reiki practitioner uses their hands to guide energy to your body. Your body then uses this energy to facilitate healing and balance at every level – physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual.
Your Reiki practitioner works as a channel for energy – think of how your TV aerial is a channel for receiving signals and taking them down your aerial to your television where they are then shown, as a series or pictures, on your TV set. You can’t see your favourite programme as it is sent to your aerial or satellite dish but you can when it appears on your screen!
Reiki advocates believe that improving the flow of energy can promote relaxation, relieve pain, accelerate healing and possibly reduce some symptoms of various conditions and medical procedures.
What happens at a Reiki appointment?
At Lorraine’s Treatment Room, your pre-appointment client consultation is carried out online prior to your treatment.
When you arrive for your treatment you will be welcomed into the treatment room and settled onto the couch.
Reiki is carried out fully clothed so is perfect for those who prefer to remain clothed or find disrobing difficult.
There will be soft music playing and, as you sink into the heated treatment couch, I will ensure you are comfortable and your treatment will commence.
Your Reiki treatment involves a series of hand placements.
Hands will be either gently placed on or near your body to allow energy to pass from your practitioner to you. Whilst there are traditional hand-placement points, most therapists will be guided by the client’s needs and create a bespoke treatment. Your therapist will hold the hand position for between 3-10 minutes – the length of time being determined by the flow of energy felt at each position which dictates the client’s needs.
Hands can be placed, gently, at the site of discomfort or imbalance/ dis-ease, however, Reiki energy will travel to where it is needed., Regardless of where hands are placed the energy will be directed to where it’s required and will assist in facilitating self-healing.
How does Reiki feel?
You are likely to feel deeply relaxed and peaceful during your session and may even fall asleep or drift into a meditative state.
You may notice heat, tingling, pulsing or subtle movement sensations where the therapist’s hands are, you may see colours around your third eye, memories may come flooding back… or you may not feel anything at all. Everyone’s Reiki experience is different.
Your experiences may deepen the more you travel on your Reiki journey.
What is Reiki good for?
A number of GPs, hospitals and hospices recommend Reiki. Reiki can be incorporated alongside any treatment, however, should never replace medical treatment.
Reiki helps many people cope better with whatever challenges life throws at them.
There have been studies carried out to show the efficacy of Reiki on many common health problems and you can find out more and read the results of those on the International Association of Reiki Professional site by clicking here.
Reiki has been used to help many people experiencing a number of conditions, including, but not limited to the following:
As previously mentioned, each of us is unique and our experience of healing energy will be different.
Research has been carried out that highlights the benefits of Reiki on many health conditions and you can read more about that here or here.
Many clients find that Reiki can be hugely beneficial and promote:
Relaxation
Pain management
Improved sleep
Improved digestion
Improved self-esteem, self-awareness and well-being
Reduced anxiety and depression
Reduced side effects from cancer treatments
Accelerated recovery from surgery and medical procedures
Enhances quality of life
Boosts mood
Improved relationships
Reiki and cancer
From the cancer research website we learn that
“Some people say that Reiki has helped to control side effects of their cancer treatments, such as pain, anxiety and sickness. They also say that it helps them cope better with their cancer and its treatment.”You can read more by clicking here.
Can you explain the levels of Reiki to me?
Of course. There are three levels of Reiki in the UK
Level one – FIRST DEGREE – qualifies you to work on yourself, family and friends and pets or other animals, plants, medicines, food, etc.
Level two – SECOND DEGREE – is practitioner level – this is the minimum level you need to be to be able to work as a Reiki practitioner and be able to gain insurance in the UK. This level is said to be four times as powerful as level one and also allows the therapist to send ‘distance healing’ to others whether they are in the next room or halfway across the world.
Level three – THIRD DEGREE – is also known as Reiki master. This is said to be ten times more powerful than level two. It has been mooted that a Reiki Master is not a person who has mastered Reiki, but someone who is mastered by Reiki, who has let the spirit of Reiki into every area of their lives allowing themselves to be guided by it on the path towards achieving their full potential.I am a Reiki Master qualifying at one of the most prestigious Reiki schools One Step at a Time in December 2019.
Reiki sounds great, I’d love to try it! How can I book a treatment?
You can book your Reiki session with Lorrane, Reiki Master by clicking here or visiting my Complementary and holistic therapies page .
Today is Holistic Therapy Day, celebrated annually on 26th July.
Holistic is derived from the Greek Holos meaning whole.
Holistic therapies, frequently referred to as complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs), treat the whole person.
Whereas modern medical practice tends to focus on and treat the symptoms a person is presenting with and may prescribe something to cure that ailment, an holistic therapist considers your whole being – mind, body, spirit and emotions – and aims to help you achieve optimal health and well-being by bringing about balance and harmony within you.
Holistic therapies have been around in some form for centuries, however, they started to gain more awareness and popularity in the 1960s when some people became anxious and felt they were just a body to be prodded and poked about by the medical profession; plus, many people became reluctant to rely solely on drug related treatment that tended to treat the symptom and not look for the cause.
Oooh, that sounds great! Should I try holistic therapies?
Yes! Whether you are suffering from an illness or not, holistic therapies are a great way to improve your sense of health & well-being and bring balance and harmony to your body. They can also help reduce stress and anxiety, promote relaxation and bring you peace and calm in a frantic world.
Additionally, holistic therapies can help if you are on the NHS waiting list but want to take control of and start managing your illness and symptoms straight away; or if you would like to try another treatment alongside what the medical professionals have offered.
Which Holistic Therapy is the best?
According to the FHT (Federation of Holistic Therapists) the most popular complementary therapies are reflexology, body massage, and aromatherapy.
However, all offer great benefits, and all consider your mind, body, soul and emotions and work on you as a whole. Which treatment you choose is personal to you, you may even wish to try a few different therapies! You should be guided by your own preferences and desired outcomes.
What Holistic Therapies do you offer Lorraine?
Here at Lorraine’s Treatment Room you can experience treatments such as massage, reflexology, aromatherapy, reiki, and Indian head massage.
For more information on these treatments and to book, please click here.
Awesome! I’m a bit nervous though, what will happen at my treatment?
Depending upon the treatment you have booked, you may be asked to disrobe to your underwear before relaxing into the heated therapy couch.
Whilst you are getting ready, I will leave the treatment room to allow you some privacy.
You will be covered throughout your treatment with sheets, towels, or blankets and I will only ever reveal the part of the body I am working on ensuring your dignity is maintained at all times.
If you are having aromatherapy, the oils will be blended for you whilst you are getting ready.
After your treatment, I will leave you whilst you slowly and gently get off the couch and put your clothes back on. There will be a glass of water for you to rehydrate.
If you would like extra assistance to get on and off the couch, please just let me know.
If you have any other questions regarding your treatment or what to expect at your appointment, please do not hesitate to contact me lorraine@lorrainestreatmentroom.co.uk .
Are there any other holistic therapies I can try?
There are many holistic therapies, some of the most popular ones are listed below:
Reflexology – a specific type of massage and application of gentle pressures to your feet – works on the principle that your body’s organs and systems are linked to and reflected in your feet.
Body Massage – uses hands-on movements to manipulate your soft tissues and muscles aiming to relax, revive and heat your body and enhance your well-being.
Aromatherapy – uses bespokely blended aromatherapy oils to encourage rest and relaxation and aims to treat and prevent illness.
Alexander Technique – teaches you to improve posture and movement, helping you unlearn bad habits assisting in the rebalancing and realignment of your body. Believed to give greater awareness of body and mind and give improved movement and clarified thinking.
Ayurvedic Medicine – aims to balance your body’s doshas and connect body, mind, and spirit. It is believed that reaching equilibrium will encourage wellness and prevent illness.
Ear Candling – also known as thermo-auricular therapy. A hollow, cone shaped candle is put into your ear canal. The candle stimulates the ear and helps facilitate the removal of excess wax and impurities and can promote relaxation and revitalisation.
Homeopathy -works on the principle that ‘like cures like’. Highly diluted substances (most often in tiny tablet form) aim to trigger the body’s natural healing process.
Hypnotherapy – a natural state of heightened awareness during which the hypnotherapist makes positive suggestions to you which are aimed at relieving your symptoms and influencing your behaviour.
Naturopathy – promotes your body’s innate ability to heal itself and acknowledges that your health is dependent upon a number of factors.
Pilates – holistic exercise of controlled movements that coordinates your mind, body and spirit aiming to improve flexibility, strength, posture and body awareness.
Reiki – translates to ‘universal life force’. It is believed that energy flows through all living things and if this becomes stagnated, disrupted, or blocked that stress and illness will follow. Reiki aims to use energy to rebalance their client.
For a more comprehensive list of therapies, please click here.
Are Holistic Therapies the Same as Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)?
Holistic / Complementary Therapies are mostly categorised as those which may be used alongside your medical treatment/s such as yoga, massage, reiki, meditation etc.
Alternative Medicines usually replace your medical treatments and include such therapies as Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic Medicine and some herbal remedies.
According to the NHS Website, holistic therapies and CAMs are treatments that fall outside of mainstream healthcare.
Mind UK tells us these are therapies that take an holistic approach to your physical and mental well-being with many of these approaches having their roots in ancient Eastern philosophies of health or using traditional healing methods that were used long before the development of present day treatments.
In fact,
Mind perfectly describes these therapies as any kind of treatment that is not generally available through the NHS – although the NHS do have some funding for treatments that NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) have identified as being effective and good value for money.
For example, your doctor may have referred you to a manual therapist for pain you may be experiencing or, if you are suffering from Parkinsons you may have been referred to an Alexander Technique professional.
It should be noted, however, that the terms are used interchangeably. Consequently you are best to seek guidance and advice from your medical professional and also carry out your own research as to which therapy may be best suited for you and your personal medical history.
Final words…
As always, please do not hesitate to contact me via email lorraine@lorrainestreatmentroom.co.uk or on 07973307092 should you have any further questions.
This blog is not intended to replace healthcare advice or recommendations from your medical professional, simply to make you aware of some of the holistic therapies available and how they may benefit you.
