About Remedial Massage
by Cathy Bell
This article is part of our 'About' series where we asked practitioners of various healing modalities and therapies the same set of questions to give you some background information, features of the healing modality, health benefits and what you might expect from a session with this type of practitioner.
1. What type of healing modality or therapy do you practice and how would you summarize it?
Remedial Massage, Acupressure, Chinese massage, Kinesiology.
2. Why did you decide to become a practitioner in this field and what do you enjoy most about it?
It was during a massage that I realised the profound benefits massage can provide and wanted to be able to help other people. Every day is exciting and challenging. Helping clients handle a busy lifestyle, teach them to take responsibility for their own health by reading their own body signals is infinitely rewarding.
3. What is the history or foundation of this therapy/healing modality?
Massage & touch therapies have been around forever. When you hurt yourself you will instinctively rub that spot. That instinct has been finely tuned over thousands of years and therapists borrow from many different cultures to provide the best possible outcome.
4. What are the key features and components of this form of therapy/healing modality?
Massage utilises compassionate, caring hands and oil to provide relief from muscular pain and enhance relaxation. Chinese massage involves acupressure points along energy meridians and also using cupping techniques to provide relief for problems such as digestion, sinus, chest infections, headaches as well as muscular/joint problems. Cupping produces a suction effect that increases blood circulation and relaxes muscles. In Chinese terms it moves Qi (vital energy), corrects internal imbalances, and helps to heal external injuries and climatic influences such as wind and cold. Kinesiology is a healing modality that links traditional Chinese ideas of energy flow found in acupuncture and acupressure with Western style muscle monitoring. The goal is to bring balance within the body, relieving energy blockages, reducing tension and enhancing the body's natural healing ability.
5. Does this therapy/healing modality cater to the physical body, mind, emotions, spirit, or a combination of these?
The modalities I practice are holistic therapies, that is, they work on the body as a whole physical, emotional and spiritual. They work on the basis that prevention is better than cure, stimulating the body's innate ability to heal itself. I aim to create a body that is strong physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, so that toxins, disease or other physical conditions cannot take hold and create a negative impact on any aspect of the body.
6. When should someone visit this type of practitioner?
I would suggest that most people would benefit from regular treatments. How often depends on the nature of the problem or the level of stress involved in their everyday life. Many clients will visit once a week and for many of them this is their only regular ME time.
7. What can someone expect from a session?
Most sessions are 1 hour. Patients will experience different sensations according to their needs. Most clients will experience a sense of calm and deep relaxation, if the work is more remedial they will feel looser, lighter and a sense of wellbeing. Some clients experience an emotional release. With the acupressure and cupping, clients should feel an improvement in their original symptoms. Changes will usually continue to occur over the course of the next three days following treatment. All treatments are performed lying down unless specific stretches are required.
8. What are the most common outcomes for clients?
Most people will experience immediate results although for some people with chronic injuries, the body can take up to 3 days to assimilate the work that has been done.
9. Can you share some success stories from this form of therapy/healing modality?
a) I have an 80 year old client in a nursing home who is very immobile. Every fortnight I give him lymphatic drainage massage on his arms and legs. His leg ulcers have shown a 60% improvement during the two month period that I have been visiting him.
b) One of my regular massage clients suffers from coeliac disease (severe gluten intolerance). Cupping on her stomach provides significant relief from bloating and other digestive discomfort.
c) A professional singer is a kinesiology client. He finds kinesiology has helped to balance him emotionally and physically, has improved his vocal tone, increased his performance stamina and soothed pre-performance nerves.
10. Is there anything else that stands out to you about this form of therapy/healing modality that you'd like to share?
The therapies I practice are hands on. They allow people to feel nurtured and cared for. They reach out to people on a physical level and in a world that is becoming increasingly impersonal, that provides an invaluable service.
Thank you to Cathy Bell of Brisbane, Australia for answering Peaceful Willow's questions about Massage. Cathy also offers services in several massage techniques, kinesiology, reflexology, flower essences and reiki. For more information about Cathy please visit her website: www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/therapist/10847.