The other day, I was treated to a taster session of Reflexology by the very lovely Emma Armstrong. I’ve always been fascinated by reflexology and despite my interest, I just never got around to having a session. I have to be honest, I had no idea what to expect.
Reflexology is a ‘non intrusive complementary health therapy’. The therapist will apply pressure to the feet using specific fingers/ thumbs and techniques. It is based on the theory that the feet have a number of pressure points that correspond to various areas of the body and by manipulating these areas, it is thought to improve health and wellbeing. As you can see from the diagram, it’s extremely complex:
I’d never met Emma prior to this consultation and treatment. She was incredibly welcoming and I was very impressed by her professionalism from the get go. It was a nice and relaxed atmosphere and we sat down with a cuppa and she told me a bit about herself and how she got into the holistic treatment field. She clearly knew her stuff and I felt I was in good hands. The next step was for her to find out about me. Reflexologists work holistically with their clients, so it’s important they know what’s going on at a physical and emotional level. It’s important for them to have the full picture so they can target the relevant areas.
Having had a Kidney problem for the best part of five years, I went into this not knowing what to expect or not knowing how it would feel. All of my previous treatments have been via the hospital and always medical. This was my first experience of ‘alternative therapies’. Having completed a pain management course recently, I was amazed by the power of the brain when it comes to pain. So, although there isn’t a great deal of medical evidence supporting alternative therapies when it comes to improving health, I was keen to keep an open mind.
We headed out to her treatment room out the back where relaxing music was playing. It was a lovely relaxing atmosphere. Emma briefly talked me through what to expect and then it was time for the treatment – yippee! As a Mum, I don’t get much time for me, let alone relaxing, treatment time. So, as you can imagine, I was super excited! I’ve been pretty stressed and busy lately, so I was very up tight. In a way, it was the perfect timing for me to see if the treatment would make a difference or not. I climbed onto the treatment bed and I was pleasantly surprised to discover it was heated! I’m always cold, so this was lovely. It meant I could really relax and take my mind off the everyday happenings.
I have to be honest, from this point onwards, I was so relaxed I couldn’t really tell you much about what was going on – I felt so chilled out. Emma applied pressure to my feet and was firm but gentle. It’s difficult to explain the physical feelings, but as she manipulated the various parts of my feet, I could feel energy like waves going up my legs and into my body – It was almost like it wanted to escape from my head. I think if I was to have a full treatment, I would also pair up the reflexology with an indian head massage to release that energy. Obviously everyone reacts differently to therapies, and this may not be your reaction, but one thing I can certainly say about this treatment is that you will feel so relaxed and so carefree at the end.
Before I had my son, I used to have a massage every two weeks to relax myself, but since meeting Emma and experiencing reflexology, I would certainly like to explore other alternative therapies. The great part of Emma’s therapy is that she tailors her treatments to suit her clients needs. I really felt that she listened when we were discussing my health issues. As I said before, I felt I was in good hands and after the treatment, this was confirmed.
For those local to Redhill and Reigate, Emma is based in Woodhatch and more information can be obtained by visiting – http://www.emma-armstrong.org/. More information on reflexology can also be found at the Association of Reflexologists.
Disclosure: Emma provided me with a free taster treatment that lasted 30 minutes. My views are honest and not swayed by the free treatment. This is not a sponsored post.