Blog Posts
Below you’ll find a range of therapy blog posts, which cover different aspects of complementary therapies. If you’re looking for information on a specific therapy you can choose to review the blog posts written about that subject
How to get comfortable for a massage
Face Cradles: If you're thinking of booking for a massage, you may find you're being put off by having to put your face in one of those funny holey things. These are called face cradles. I have one as an attachment to my couch. Some therapists also have it built into...
How to book an online appointment
I've had a few people contact me about booking an appointment online, so I thought it would be useful to write a post with a step by step guide. At Therapy Centre, we're using software called Fresha. Fresha allows us to manage all Therapy Centre appointments and for...
Trying to move complementary therapies forward
Moving complementary therapies forward has always seemed like an uphill struggle. This debate was brought up again with an article written in the The Daily Mail. You can read all about it here, Doctors should be able to prescribe patients MASSAGES, Reiki and...
It all starts with one step
It's the beginning of January and I need another new therapist to add to my personal well-being kit. Pre-Covid, I had regular therapies several times a month. Unfortunately, during the pandemic I saw many decide things were too difficult to continue. Last year I was...
How an Essential Oil is Extracted
Have you ever wondered how an essential oil is extracted? When you buy an oil, have you thought about how it came to make its way into that little bottle? To be honest, unless you've had essential oil training then you've probably bought the oil for a...
Holistic Therapies – My Therapies Explained
If you're looking for a complementary therapy, chances are you've looked at a few sites. Different therapists use different words, so you may find yourself getting confused by the terminology. I've written this blog to help you understand the differences...
How I started my business
As I approach another anniversary at my clinic, I thought I'd take time to explain how it all began and how I found myself at Kinsale Road. How I became a therapist is something I get asked from time to time. Let's step back in time..... Early 2000's I worked in an...
Diving into Bergamot
With the warmer weather arriving, it can be helpful to think about citrus oils in the sun. One oil which can be an issue is Bergamot. The Latin name of Bergamot is Citrus bergamia, and like all other citrus oils it is part of the Rutaceae family. Unlike many of the...
When its the right time for you
When people recommend a therapist to you, it's easy to think it's a good idea but then let things fall by the wayside. You may go for a therapy, love it and think you'll rebook but then life starts to get in the way. I see many people who try to explain why they...
Aromatherapy Tales
If you enjoy essential oils, then these are five pieces of information which you may have heard. While random, they show that often the picture can be bigger than we realise and lots of elements can lead to a situation: Several years ago there was a tale of...
What can a complementary therapy do?
When you start to look at the world of complementary therapies, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the choice. If you are living with a particular ailment, you may be looking for a therapy which can help give you some respite. It is worth chatting to people....
Therapies for Older People
If you're an older person, you may be thinking you want to dip your toes into the holistic therapy field and find yourself wondering if it would be suitable for you. Personally, I don't place an age for defining an older person. Many people who come under the term of...
The Rise of the Relaxation Massage
Historically, I'm aware that the majority of my massage appointments have requested a deeper pressure. People want to feel they've 'had a massage', but recently, I've noticed a change. I'm seeing more people through my door asking for a relaxation massage. Previously,...
Therapies and Medical Conditions
When you go for your first therapy you'll be asked to complete a consultation form which will ask about medical conditions and medication. In the past, I have had occasions where people haven't revealed the whole story. This may be because they didn't think it...
Therapies and Coronavirus
Over the past year we've all been made completely aware of a little thing called a pandemic! Each time therapists have returned to their clinics, we have had to ensure we are being as safe as we can. This has involved a risk assessment of our environment and also what...
Diversity
Diversity has become a bit of a buzz word. Personally, I think this is a good thing but I do wonder if, as a society, we embrace all diversity. At my clinic, I aim to encourage diversity and welcome it in all its forms. So, how do I try to promote diversity? At...
Training as a therapist with an online course
During lockdown, I decided to take an online course in sports massage. Now, before you get excited, it wasn't to call myself a sports massage therapist, it was to understand more about it and to consider adding more techniques to my massage toolkit. I had previously...
Our new normal
If you've been considering a therapy, it can be a bit of a scary idea given our current global situation. Look for a therapist who is part of a membership body, as the therapist will be taking guidance from them. During this time, membership bodies have been advising...
Here come the men!
I've been in business over 10 years and I've noticed a change...And it's a good change! Over the years I've seen a few male clients, but I've noticed in the last few years there's been an increase in the number of men making enquiries and booking a therapy. As a Mum...
Why would you book a pamper?
If you don't have therapies, you may think that booking an appointment is a pamper, something you have when you go to a spa to make you feel nice. I'll be honest, before I trained as a therapist I thought exactly the same. I couldn't justify the expense and I remember...
Is half an hour enough for a therapy?
Half hour appointments. Are they worth it? Can you really do much in that time? A shorter therapy session can sometimes be useful. In some situations a half hour appointment can actually be a better choice than choosing an hour. If you've never had a therapy before...
Reviewing our clinic for COVID-19
It's June 2020 and our industry is still unable to practice, due to the pandemic. We are receiving some hints as to when our businesses may reopen, but we're not completely sure which criteria we fit into. We know it's dependant on the rate of infection remaining...
Why I love the solar plexus point
In recent years I've begun to have much more of a respect for the reflex point solar plexus. When I first qualified, I'll be honest, I only knew about the energetic side. I believed it was an area which was part of the meridian system, a chakra, and not a physical...
Good hygiene practices
With the possibility of an epidemic, I'm seeing many people who are fearful of the coronavirus. As a business, I've already had to look at hygiene practices and, unsurprisingly, with the advent of this outbreak I'm not needing to make any changes. During our therapy...
Why take an online baby massage course?
Recently I moved my baby massage course online. It's been on my to do list for ages, but I'm not great with technology so avoided it for several years! I persevered though, as I thought it was important - baby massage is a great skill for parents and babies love it....
Little and Often
Well, it's the start of a new decade! Many of you may be thinking of making changes, especially after the Christmas festivities, but remember, it doesn't have to all start 1st January and be all or nothing. As we get older, our bodies become a little less...
Dealing with December
We're into December again, and even though the whole year has been busy and we're not sure where the year has gone, we know it's now going to step up a pace. During this time it's really important to factor yourself into the equation. Do you need to spend all that...
What to Do if You’re Not Happy with Your Therapy Session
You've booked in for a therapy session and something is wrong. What do you do when you're not happy with a therapy session? Well, it depends on the situation and what the issue is. In most situations communication is going to help you resolve your problem. Before each...
What is an Aromatherapy Massage?
If you're booking for a massage you'll soon discover there are a lot of different types, including aromatherapy massage. Aromatherapy massage is a specific type of massage which uses a blend of essential oils diluted in a carrier oil (vegetable oil)....
Essential Oils and Pregnancy
Recently, I've been contacted by a therapist who is concerned to see a course encouraging essential oils for pregnant women. The person advertising the course has a health background but is not an aromatherapist and is part of a multi-level-marketing company....
5 Tips to get the most from your therapy
If you've booked for a therapy you may be wondering how to get your money's worth from it. These are tips you may want to think about: 1. Before every session we have a little chat, however depending on what therapy you're choosing and how you're feeling on the day...
How we Choose your Essential Oils
If you're thinking of booking an aromatherapy massage, you may be wondering what oils are used for the session and if it's a pre-blend of essential oils, or if you're expected to tell the therapist what oils you want - if you have a limited knowledge of essential oils...
Why book to see an holistic therapist?
If you've never been to see an holistic therapist, you may be wondering why you would want to book. They can seem expensive, with no indication of what they may help, and with no guarantees to their efficacy. What's in a name? An holistic therapist is someone who...
How Does Reflexology Work?
If you've never tried reflexology you may know it's to do with the feet and is supposed to be relaxing, but beyond that you may be a bit confused. What is reflexology? Reflexology is a complementary therapy which traditionally takes place on the feet. You can actually...
When is the best time to massage my baby?
When you learn baby massage you may find yourself wondering when is a good time to massage your baby. Some people automatically think they'll use baby massage before bedtime to encourage their baby to sleep. This can be a good idea, but, if you already have a...
New Year, New You?
It's January again, and that time of year when we get bombarded with messages of hope, aspirations and aims that we should aspire to for the next coming 12 months. Usually, after the Christmas deluge of overindulging, there are...
What does self-care look like?
So, as we're approaching the end of the year I hear a lot of people commenting on how their lives are getting a bit crazy as they try to fit everything in. Self-care is a bit of a buzz phrase at the moment, but it's because it is important, especially when things...
What is clinical aromatherapy?
These days, it can be difficult to identify what type of aromatherapy you want. You may see the term aromatherapy, go for a therapy and then discover it's a set massage sequence using a pre-blended oil. Technically, yes, this is...
Why have regular therapies?
Are you someone who has trouble understanding why someone would pay so much for a therapy? Do you consider it a luxury or a pamper? If so, then you may not understand why people would book to have regular therapies. Years ago, I'll admit I fell into the camp where I...
What are hydrolats and hydrosols?
What are hydrolats and hydrosols? In America they are called hydrosols, while in the UK they tend to be called hydrolats or hydrosols depending on the supplier. They are both used to refer to the same product. During steam distillation, the plant material is...
Diffusing and inhaling essential oils
Did you know that inhalation is one of the most effective ways for essential oils to enter the body? When you inhale an essential oil some of the components make their way to the limbic area of the brain. This is the area which is associated with memory and explains...
Therapies and Pregnancy
Occasionally I'm asked if I offer therapies to pregnant women. I don't advertise it on my website, and perhaps I should, but it's because I don't consider it a special skill and I don't consider a therapy for a pregnant woman as something that needs highlighting. As...
How can you touch peoples’ feet?
So, this is a question I often get asked, and it's usually from people who don't like having their feet touched People are often worried about the appearance of their feet or the fact they may smell a little, however, often feet do look very similar - foot shaped...
What is Baby Massage?
Baby massage has become more popular in recent years, as parents think it's a nice thing to do with their young baby while health professionals are beginning to understand the implications of positive touch for an early age. So, what is it? Some people think it...
How to Choose Essential Oils
If you're new to essential oils, chances are you've had an oil recommended by someone, or you've read something somewhere and you think it may be worth a try. So, how do you choose your essential oils? If someone has recommended an oil to you, what...
What affects essential oil absorption into your skin?
If you have a massage, you probably think of essential oils being smelly, fragrant aromas which are massaged onto your skin before being absorbed by your body. The skin is designed to be a barrier and to protect things getting into our body. This isn't to say things...
What is an Holistic Massage?
If you're looking to book a massage, it can be difficult to know which one to go for. Do you want aromatherapy, deep tissue, holistic, no hands, hot stone, warm bamboo, shells etc, etc? The list is endless! As with other complementary therapies, when you start...
Why Book a Reiki Session?
You may already know a little bit about Reiki, you may have had a taster session, or you may have read previous blog posts about Reiki and felt drawn towards trying it. If you've never heard of Reiki, you may want to read my blog post, What is Reiki? which explains...
Baby Massage and Reflux
Sometimes during my baby massage courses I see babies who appear to have reflux. In recent years, this condition has overtaken colic in popularity - if you find your baby is crying at the same time every evening then it may be colic and you may want to read my blog...
Why Choose an Indian Head Massage?
Indian head massage is traditionally a seated massage through the clothes, although it is possible to have the massage with a towel wrapped around you so oil can be used on the neck and shoulders. So, why do people book an Indian head massage? The short answer is,...