Holistic Body Therapies
In Holistic Therapies, the properties of a person's body cannot be determined or explained by the sum of its component parts alone. Instead, the system is viewed as a whole and this helps to determine in an important way how the parts behave, with reference to the whole system. Thus, the whole is more than the sum of its parts. Within this approach, physical disease and illness is viewed from an emotional, mental, physical and spiritual perspective, with reference to treatment and healing.
When a person is exposed to, or encounters trauma at a young age, the events can be internalized, and depending on the level of trauma experienced, in extreme cases, parts of the body can become separated from each other, this in modern psychological terms is called 'Dissociation' . When trauma is internalized, quite often parts of the body hold the memories and and feelings which have not been expressed and/or processed. These painful memories can over time, cause a person to become uncomfortable in their body, and also uncomfortable with particular parts of the body, as well as cause disease.
When a person has been shamed as a child, he or she may grow up with a dislike not only for themselves, but moreover a dislike for and alienation from their body. Shame sets up addiction in a number of different ways, and victims of shame, who are 'psychically numbed out' may actually leave the body because it is an uncomfortable place to be, and also as a way in order to survive the trauma. In recovery from any kind of trauma, and especially where addiction is present as a response to it, body work is beneficial in a number of ways. The first is that body work helps to release old patterns of survival and modes of behavior which accompany both the trauma and addiction. Secondly, a person who has no awareness of their body, may once they arrive back 'home' experience life in a completely different way, especially if they have not been present since a very early age. And third, when the healing of shame begins, the body begins to recover its beauty and own natural rhythm.
Swedish Body Massage: addresses the body's essential energy flow, reconnecting a person's natural energetic channels, which have become blocked up both physically and psychologically. It engenders wholeness, relaxation, and brings ones consciousness out of the head and into the whole body. Swedish body massage is a variety of classical and advanced massage techniques which, when applied are primarily to help relax, uplift, stimulate and repair muscles and interconnected body tissue, that has become fatigued because of over use; causing imbalance in certain areas in the body. The application of both deep (petrissage), and light (effleurage), massage techniques, helps to clear the build up of Lactic acid from the tired and stressed muscles and tissue, thus helping the circulation of blood and lymph to cleanse the body of harmful impurities and toxins, through the lymph glands, which are the body's cleansing stations. In addition, there are also stretching and shiatsu techniques used on certain areas of the body, to complement the massage. Receiving a massage is not simply a sensory experience, it is a spiritual one as well.
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Aromatherapy Body Massage: Using Essential oils, in combination with relaxing massage, provides a medium for the body to recover from imbalance, returning it to its natural state of Homeostasis, or balance within the internal environment. The oils can be used to help de-toxify the body, to uplift a depressed spirit, to calm nervous tension and exhaustion, and for restlessness and sleeping problems. Although essential oils can be used in many ways, massage is the most important and commonly used method of applying them in aromatherapy. This is because massage combines the therapeutic power of touch with the properties of the oils, and as the skin absorbs the oils, a useful amount is taken into the bloodstream, thus addressing physical, mental and emotional conditions.
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Indian Head Massage: Works primarily on the head, neck, shoulders and spine, areas within the Central Nervous System. The upper body is a common place for collecting and carrying around stress and tension, and for bad posture too, which causes imbalance. The Indian Head Massage eases and releases pressure on the muscles which govern the head, neck shoulders and face, thus bringing peace and smiles back to the way one feels and looks thus enhancing confidence and balance.
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Facial Acupressure Massage: Acupressure is the manipulation of points on the body by using pressure rather than by needles as is the case with Acupuncture. There are 20 acupressure points on the head, neck, face and shoulders found along 12 pairs of meridians or channels which pass down the body. The energies which flow along these meridians supply the major organs of the body with essential Life Force, and govern the body's systems.. By applying light pressure to these areas, whilst at the same time focusing on the clients breathing, light electrical impulses travel along the energy pathways, stimulating and clearing any stress and tension, which may be blocking the natural energy flow, thus returning balance and relaxation to the client. This technique is also referred to as a 'Stress Buster'
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Reflexology: The ancient healing art of foot massage, also called Zone Therapy. Every culture around the world has since the earliest times used reflexology as a healing practice. The bodies organs and nervous systems are mapped out on the top and bottom of the feet and hands. By applying pressure and using thumb and finger walking techniques over the areas where the organs are situated, the body catalyses a re-balancing process in the internal environment, which over a period of time, and through regular treatments, heals and cleanses imbalance. Reflexology is particularly effective for treating menstrual problems, especially PMT and PMS; but is also a deep and powerful therapy for treating many other ailments, and conditions, which are manifest as potential disease because of stress and long term over use..