General Massage

Aromatherapy - is the art of applying essential oils to suit individual needs. The use of essential oils, which are extracted from herbs, flowers, resin, woods and roots, contain the substances that give plants their smell. Used as a healing technique for thousands of years by the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. The first recorded use of plants in Britain was in the 13th century and from then on manufacture increased and the oils became widely used. Aromatherapy uses the purest plant essence in the form of organic oils. Each oil has it's own unique healing properties and fragrance. The selected essential oils and massage oil are combined to create a unique mix for each persons needs. The Aromatherapy blend is applied to the skin through body massage. Due to the diversity of essential oils and the individual therapeutic properties, the range of benefits and effects are wide ranging. The oils used in combination with massage, promote healing on physical, mental and emotional levels.

Baby Massage - also known as infant massage is, the simplest and most effective way for parents to encourage their child's growth and development and alleviate birth trauma and other early infant anxieties. Baby massage provides a unique range of benefits and opens a totally new dimension in the relationship with a child. Massage introduces a unique level of confidence and relaxation that is reflected in the health and nature of your child and your relationship. The techniques will deepen the baby’s breathing rhythm, promote relaxation, aid digestion and stimulate your baby's immune system.

In 1986, the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami published groundbreaking research on the effects of massage on premature babies. The babies who received massage therapy showed 47% greater weight gain and six-day shorter hospital stays than the infants who were not receiving massage. Touch is the most developed of the senses at birth, and a newborn baby's prime means of communication. Improving the quality of touch of parent to child is a wonderful skill to develop; it fosters mutual trust and understanding, and develops confidence in one's ability to handle a baby. It is the perfect preparation for co-coordinated movement and mobility and is a natural response to a baby's inherent need for tactile stimulation.

Deep Tissue Massage - is a massage technique that focuses on the deeper layers of muscle tissue. It aims to release the chronic patterns of tension in the body, through slow strokes and deep finger pressure on the contracted areas, either following or going across the fiber's of the muscles, tendons and fascia. Deep tissue massage helps to break up and eliminate scar tissue. Deep tissue massage usually focuses on more specific areas. When muscles are stressed, they block oxygen and nutrients, leading to inflammation that builds up toxins in the muscle tissue. A deep-tissue massage helps loosen muscle tissues, release toxins from muscles and get blood and oxygen circulating properly. Because many toxins are released, it's important to drink plenty of water after a deep-tissue session to help eliminate these toxins from the body. Deep tissue massage relaxes and soothes the muscle. It is both corrective and therapeutic.

Hydrotherm Massage - is a unique form of massage that involves a three-dimensional massage technique. The recipient lies on a special mat filled with warm water which is kept at a constant temperture, this allows the therapist to slide their hands under, over and around the client’s body in an uninterrupted motion. Through water displacement rather than through physically lifting the client, Hydrotherm permits the therapist to work with the client’s body weight as the source of pressure, producing a deep and comforting massage technique. The relaxing warmth of the Hydrotherm promotes an immediate sensation of well being, enhancing the therapeutic effect of the massage. The gentle heat of the water helps to soothe painful areas, allowing the therapist to work more deeply with less discomfort for the client. The combination of heat applied with massage also improves blood circulation. The advantages of the Hydrotherm massage and a system that does not need the body to be turned over and around are numerous. The technique encourages new heights of relaxation during a comfortable, undisturbed treatment. Anyone may benefit from this technique. In addition, Hydrotherm is also beneficial to heavily pregnant women, the elderly and people with impaired mobility or anyone who cannot physically lie face down.

Hot Stone Massage - originated in ancient indigenous cultures of the Pacific and North America. Smooth heated lava stones are incorporated into the massage, essentially as an extension of the therapists hands. The stones vary in size and temperatures and are used to promote physical and mental relaxation. Warm stones encourage the exchange of blood and lymph and provide soothing heat for deep-tissue work. Cold stones aide with inflammation, moving blood out of the area and balancing male/female energies. Stones are placed in varying positions on the body for energy balancing or may be used by the therapist for specific trigger-point work. The alternating heat and cold of thermo therapy brings the entire body into the healing process, with a rapid exchange of blood and oxygen and alternating rise and fall of respiration rate as the body seeks balance it self.

Holistic Massage - takes the instinctive use of touch as a healing tool and uses it to treat the whole person, the physical, mental and emotional. In doing this, the client receives the treatment most beneficial to them at that moment, the nature of which will change as their needs and circumstances change.
Holistic massage uses rhythmical kneading and stroking of the body's soft tissues, to relieve accumulated tension, restore flexibility to muscles, and offer relief from pain. In addition, holistic massage has a profoundly calming effect on the neuromuscular system bringing about deep relaxation and restoring energy. ‘Holism' can be defined as ‘the treating of the whole person rather than just symptoms of disease'. The mental, emotional, spiritual and physical parts of a person are all interdependent and the health and well-being of one has an effect on all of the others. In an ‘holistic massage' the aim is to promote health and transformation on all levels and to balance all these parts of the person. When, through massage, tensions are released, emotions and anxieties are also eased, energies are released and the client can make progress on physical, emotional and spiritual levels. Holistic massage provides a feeling of sublime relaxation and nurturing.

Pregnancy Massage - has been for centuries a feature of daily life during pregnancy and after birth, particularly in the east. In some countries, such as India and Japan, massage is an essential part of the midwife's skill and as such, is used to prepare both mother and baby for birth and the postnatal period. Massage during pregnancy stimulates and regulates the body, improving the flow of blood so that oxygen, nutrients and waste products are carried more effectively to and from the body tissues and the placenta. Prenatal, specific techniques can reduce pregnancy discomforts and concerns and enhance the physiological and emotional well-being of both mother and baby. During labour, skilled, appropriate touch helps the process by easing pain and anxiety. Most importantly massage nourishes you, making you feel valued and cared for. Massage can be an exquisite experience, inducing a state of meditative tranquillity that is perfect preparation for birth.

Reflexology - has been practiced for thousands of years and has its origins in China and Egypt. It has since extended to other parts of the Far East and India, but only recently has it reached western societies. It alleviates discomfort or pain in any area of the body by applying pressure to specific points, primarily to the soles of the feet, which are connected to (or ‘reflect’) particular areas of the body. Stress, insomnia, digestive problems, pain and hormonal imbalances such as pre-menstrual syndrome, and menopause can be alleviated with Reflexology. It can also help boost the immune system and eliminate toxins. The initial consultation will include an appraisal of your medical history and conditions. Reflexology helps the body to attain a state of balance and equilibrium and frees the mind from tension. The technique of stimulating the pressure points on the feet can be altered to ensure the client’s maximum comfort and health.

Remedial Massage - is based on the fact that soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia) respond to touch. Most pain is myofascial (soft tissue) in origin. Trigger points (sensitive points in muscles, which radiate or refer pain to various parts of the body) can mimic many conditions. Muscles not only move our joints, they stabilize them, and they provide armour for the internal organs. Minor problems with these functions cause more pain than most people realize. Most headaches originate in the muscles of the neck and head. Much of the pain of such conditions as angina comes from the hyper contraction of the chest muscles. Much abdominal and pelvic pain can be caused by trigger points in the abdominal and pelvic muscles. Low back pain and sciatic pain are far more likely to originate in muscles than in vertebral disc problems.

Although many clients who consult a remedial massage therapist have pain as a result of specific injuries (whiplash, falls, sports injuries, etc.), RSI (repetitive strain injuries) and other work-related problems, the vast majority originates in postural (structural) alignment problems that sometimes go back to childhood and adolescence. Treatment employs massage techniques designed to treat both deep and superficial tissues, not dissimilar to those used in sports massage. The remedial massage therapist uses skilled manipulation combined with in-depth knowledge of anatomy and physiology to carry out an assessment and provide appropriate treatment for a wide variety of conditions, to bring about pain relief , correcting and normalizing the body’s muscles and soft tissues.
The benefits of remedial massage include improved circulation, reduced soft tissue swelling (where present), the break down of scar tissue after injury, reduced muscle tension or spasm and a general feeling of well-being.

Remedial Massage is a system of manipulation of the soft tissues of the body with the hands. For thousands of years it was the principal method of treating muscoloskeletal problems. It produces both physical and psychological benefits. It can be used as an injury preventative technique as well as a treatment for injury. The massage works on many different levels and it is the unique way in which it combines the various benefits to suit the individual that makes it such a versatile and effective treatment method. Remedial massage is one of the most effective and readily available ways to prevent and treat muscle injuries, pain and soreness.

Sports Massage - is an effective method of preventing sports injuries and enhancing athletes performance. Regular massage is the perfect adjunct to exercise, it helps people who participate in regular exercise of different kinds to keep physically, mentally and emotionally healthy. It improves their performance by keeping muscles at the peak of their flexibility and strength and it reduces any unpleasant side-effects of heavy exercise, such as stiffness and muscle soreness. Sports massage helps to alleviate the stress and tension which builds up in the body's soft tissues during physical activity. Where minor injuries occur, due to over exertion and overuse, massage can break them down quickly and effectively. Above all it helps to prevent minor injuries that hinders performance.