hints, tips, and useful information
On these pages you will find an array of information articles and links, specific to therapy practice and training. We have
collected them from various sites across the Internet, from newsletters and magazines, from our own and other
practitioners' experiences, and from other related sources.
Many of the articles/links will be of interest to those of you who are our students, some to our fellow Complementary
Health Practitioners, while others are of general interest to all. If you have any similar items you feel may be worthy of
inclusion, please e-mail them to us at the link below and we will consider them for inclusion on our site. Gradually we will
then be able to build a small library of such information.
We hope that they prove of use or of interest to you. Please read them with an open mind and implement any suggested
practice with care. Please navigate pages by using the page index at the bottom of each page.
For a greater range of articles relating to health matters visit the The Gaia Centre for Holistic Therapy.
If you have any hints or tips you would like to share, then email them to us at info@activetherapyschool.co.uk.
collected them from various sites across the Internet, from newsletters and magazines, from our own and other
practitioners' experiences, and from other related sources.
Many of the articles/links will be of interest to those of you who are our students, some to our fellow Complementary
Health Practitioners, while others are of general interest to all. If you have any similar items you feel may be worthy of
inclusion, please e-mail them to us at the link below and we will consider them for inclusion on our site. Gradually we will
then be able to build a small library of such information.
We hope that they prove of use or of interest to you. Please read them with an open mind and implement any suggested
practice with care. Please navigate pages by using the page index at the bottom of each page.
For a greater range of articles relating to health matters visit the The Gaia Centre for Holistic Therapy.
If you have any hints or tips you would like to share, then email them to us at info@activetherapyschool.co.uk.
ABDOMINAL MASSAGE
When it comes to massage, the abdominal area rarely gets any attention. Many therapists are reluctant to carry out
massage around or on the abdominal region. Aside from the usual contraindications (pregnancy, stomach tumours, etc.),
and concerns about causing nausea, it is an area that is close to the genitalia.
Nonetheless, the stomach is considered an important base for the immune system, and it is the centre where the body
absorbs most of the nutrients required for health and growth. In Oriental philosophies, the entire stomach area is
considered to be the energy centre for the whole body. Massaging the stomach assists the digestive system operation
and it can provide relief for tensions, indigestion, and menstrual cramps. As such it should not be neglected.
Follow this sequence to give your client a seriously reviving stomach massage:
When it comes to massage, the abdominal area rarely gets any attention. Many therapists are reluctant to carry out
massage around or on the abdominal region. Aside from the usual contraindications (pregnancy, stomach tumours, etc.),
and concerns about causing nausea, it is an area that is close to the genitalia.
Nonetheless, the stomach is considered an important base for the immune system, and it is the centre where the body
absorbs most of the nutrients required for health and growth. In Oriental philosophies, the entire stomach area is
considered to be the energy centre for the whole body. Massaging the stomach assists the digestive system operation
and it can provide relief for tensions, indigestion, and menstrual cramps. As such it should not be neglected.
Follow this sequence to give your client a seriously reviving stomach massage:
- With your client in a prone, face up position, place the palm of one hand near your client’s navel
- Gently make circles around their navel in a clockwise motion
- Slowly and gently add pressure from your fingertips as you continue to slowly circle
- If you detect a sore spot, stop and hold the pressure for a moment, asking your client to breathe deeply into the
abdomen (for more information on abdominal breathing click here) - At the end of the session hold your hands still over your client’s navel for a few moments
- Assist your client into a seated or standing position (if not already in this position) and ask them take several deep
breaths and slowly let their shoulders relax during the movement.
For Practitioners
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| Tips from Tanya |
Well, here are a couple of tips that you can suggest as quick ways to De-Stress, until your client comes back to visit your
practice again.
Breath Hold: instruct them to breathe in and hold their breath for a few seconds, then exhale quite slowly. Repeat this
five times (for more on breathing click here).
Body Tensing: get them to tense their whole body (tightly clenched fists, face screwed up, eyes closed etc), which is
held for few seconds then relaxed.
Shoulder Shrugs: tell them to raise their shoulders as if they’re trying to touch their ears. Hold this position for a few
seconds, then drop their shoulders and release the tension. Repeat about 10 times or until their shoulders feels less tense.
Arm Shake: gently shaking their arm and wrist (from the shoulder) for at least 30 seconds assists in relaxing tension
throughout the whole body, especially if carried out after the above two techniques.
Eye Switching: alternately focusing on each corner of the wall in their office can help to relax their eyes.
Eye Warming: to further relax their eyeballs, tell them to briskly rub the palms of their hands together really fast until
they get hot then place them over their closed eyes.
(The last two can aid in relaxing your clients' eyes and can therefore also assist with vision problems - see our article
Massage for Better Sight).
practice again.
Breath Hold: instruct them to breathe in and hold their breath for a few seconds, then exhale quite slowly. Repeat this
five times (for more on breathing click here).
Body Tensing: get them to tense their whole body (tightly clenched fists, face screwed up, eyes closed etc), which is
held for few seconds then relaxed.
Shoulder Shrugs: tell them to raise their shoulders as if they’re trying to touch their ears. Hold this position for a few
seconds, then drop their shoulders and release the tension. Repeat about 10 times or until their shoulders feels less tense.
Arm Shake: gently shaking their arm and wrist (from the shoulder) for at least 30 seconds assists in relaxing tension
throughout the whole body, especially if carried out after the above two techniques.
Eye Switching: alternately focusing on each corner of the wall in their office can help to relax their eyes.
Eye Warming: to further relax their eyeballs, tell them to briskly rub the palms of their hands together really fast until
they get hot then place them over their closed eyes.
(The last two can aid in relaxing your clients' eyes and can therefore also assist with vision problems - see our article
Massage for Better Sight).
ADOPT A ‘PET’ PEBBLE TO DE-STRESS YOUR CLIENTS’ LIVES!
If your client feels life is dragging them down and the stress is getting on top, try giving them this handy little tip:
Sometime soon, or the next time your client visits a delightful, relaxing place like on holiday at a peaceful stony beach or
park, tell them to find a smooth, pocket-sized pebble that feels really comfortable in the palm of their hand. Stow it away
in their pocket/handbag until they get back to work, then place it on their desk.
When they feel stressed and have a hundred and one things to do, they should pick up their pet and give it a good
squeeze. Their focus should return and calm settle over them as their mind goes back to the beach.
If your client feels life is dragging them down and the stress is getting on top, try giving them this handy little tip:
Sometime soon, or the next time your client visits a delightful, relaxing place like on holiday at a peaceful stony beach or
park, tell them to find a smooth, pocket-sized pebble that feels really comfortable in the palm of their hand. Stow it away
in their pocket/handbag until they get back to work, then place it on their desk.
When they feel stressed and have a hundred and one things to do, they should pick up their pet and give it a good
squeeze. Their focus should return and calm settle over them as their mind goes back to the beach.
| STRESS TIPS |
| We hope these tips assist in taking your clients to a calmer, happier place. |
| Do you have clients who often complain of being stressed at work? |
The Active School of Complementary Therapy
| © Copyright 2008 Active Recovery Ltd All Rights Reserved Gaia Centre for Holistic Therapy, 17 Frederick Street Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3BH email: admin@activetherapyschool.co.uk Tel 1: 01509 556101 Tel 2: 07908 596673 |
