Wellbeing Blog

Stress can affect us all at different times and to different levels, but if we’re not able to switch it off, and drop into proper relaxation and rest, prolonged stress can have a big impact on our physiological systems and wellbeing.

So often when teaching people how to tap, this is a question I get asked somewhat fearfully! Especially when clients go home and try practicing on their own, they skip straight to the positive, and then feel they're not getting the results they got with me in the session. Giving the Negative a Voice By naming the negative, whilst tapping - it gets it's chance to be heard, and doesn't need to scream so loudly, so then can settle down, and allow the more rational part of the br

The 7/11 breathing technique is a simple method to reduce stress and anxiety by breathing in for a count of seven and exhaling for a count of 11.

In the winter months, why not try supporting your immune system with this super easy to make and delicious latte. Try using a plant based milk such as Oat or Coconut, rather than dairy or Soy (which can stimulate the phlegm in our system according to Traditional Chinese Medicine) Recipe Mix together  1tsp Tumeric 1/2 tsp Cinnamon 1/2 tsp Dried Ginger a twist of Black Pepper 1 tsp of dried coconut milk, or a dollop of creamed coconut (optional)  Heat up your milk to almost boi

Before I start working with someone who is struggling with stress and anxiety, I often have this conversation with them, and it can generate some real Ah-Ha! moments. It's nothing new, but just gives some context and understanding as to what's going on, so we can begin to work with kindness and compassion for that part of ourselves, rather than from a place of judgement or distress, which so often happens.  Stress and anxiety are huge in our modern day living and can have a d

When tapping - there are different areas we can focus on to gain shifts and get better results. The Tapping Tree is a great way of identifying some of the different areas we can focus on. Leaves: The Presenting Symptoms If you imagine the leaves being the presenting symptoms—such as worry felt in the tummy—you can tap on the feelings and sensations to reduce them in the moment. However, these feelings may return, which signals that we need to go deeper. Branches: The Emotiona

Irritable Bowl Syndrome or IBS is one of the most common stress related symptoms I see people in my clinic with. This can be a painful and embarrassing condition, which many people put up with, and can be hugely exacerbated in times of stress. Pains in the gut, bloating, excessive or trapped wind, and constipation or sudden diarrhoea are some of the most common symptoms. In Chinese Medicine, IBS can be related to the emotion of grief or sadness, or not wanting to let go of so

Ultimately we are all responsible for our own health, and one of the practices I often recommend to my clients to help improve their health and wellbeing is that of Qi Gong (pronounced Chee Gong). This is an ancient practice with is similar to Tai Chi in that it is a series of slow movements working with the breath, but is designed to activate and improve the Circulation of our Qi (chi or Ki) which we work with in Shiatsu. By bringing this practice into your daily or weekly r

Touch is an integral part of positive health and development. Regular touch has been scientifically proven to have many benefits, particularly for those in later life. Humans need to touch and be touched. Touch lifts our spirits, relaxes us and helps us experience happiness in our lives. Without it, we experience sadness, loneliness and isolation. Physical contact is vitally important to all, especially for older people; yet in today's society touch is often absent. This may

In this post I want to share with you some tips to help with protecting your system from the changes in temperature, and the season changes we are currently experiencing.

"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." This is the definition of health by the World Health Organisation.  I love this definition because it opens up so much more, and considers the person as a whole as we do in shiatsu, not just a set of symptoms, a physical discomfort or dis-ease. In Shiatsu we consider that the whole landscape of a person's life has influence on their wellbeing, and that ou

Having managed to catch the dreaded bug myself recently, and such a large number of my clients seem also to have recently caught it, I thought I would share some of the things which have helped me on my recovery. In this post I share some useful acupressure points and tips for helping with Breathlessness, a lasting cough, emotional reactions, fatigue, and brain fog. These aren’t of course all the symptoms you may be facing, but certainly these are common, and these techniques

If you are experiencing long term tensions, pain or difficulty around an injury this is a completely non-invasive way of working, similar to that of a cranial osteopath, but with an incredibly light touch