Academy of Ancient Reflexology

Reflexology Certification Programs and Workshops

TMI

Do you text? Do you text a lot? If you’re under a certain age, you probably do. Afterall, you’re of the generation that was sprung from your mother’s womb clutching a smart phone, those cute little thumbs flapping in the breeze!

Hand injuries reported from texting are growing – a lot; enough so to have earned their own acronym: TMI (in this case, “text message injury”, not “too much information”). The popularity of this method of communication is causing alarming repetitive strain injuries to the tendons and muscles of the thumb. That’s NOT good. The thumb is involved in about 40% of your hand’s functioning!

In the Reflexology for the Hands workshop, participants learn how to give a relaxing and therapeutic session of reflexology, and maybe more importantly, how to take care of the hands and wrists through ergonomics, body mechanics, stretching, strengthening and more. With the rise in carpal tunnel syndrome and TMI, this may just be the most important workshop you could attend – for yourself and your business.

SOME FACTS:

– More than 5 billion text messages are sent every day.

– 40% of “texters” suffer from repetitive strain injuries to their hands.

– Americans text more than they talk on the phone.

– American teens text 60 – 100 times a day.

That says to me that there are a lot of folks out there that could use some good hand therapy! Are you one of them? Or do you know someone who texts and types a lot?

When texting, the muscles of the thumb are held in an almost constant state of contraction. Oxygenated blood can’t get in and metabolic waste deposits can’t get out, resulting in sore muscles. The scarier risk though is to the CMC joint (the carpal metacarpal joint), the most vulnerable joint in the hand. Texting places even more force on this joint than typing! (I’ll post something tomorrow about protecting the thumbs and fingers when doing reflexology.)

Those first symptoms of achiness, tingling and/or numbness should not be ignored. They can lead to more serious conditions such as tendonitis, trigger thumb (when the tendons shrink to hold the thumb in a permanent curl) and/or deQuervain’s disease (a debilitating condition involving the tendons of the extensor pollicis brevis and the abductor pollicis longus, the two muscles that extend the thumb). In some cases, surgery is even necessary.

GUIDELINES FOR TEXTERS:

– Stretch arms, hands and digits throughout the day.

– Strengthen forearm muscles.

– If your hands hurt, ice them as often as you can throughout the day.

– Use both thumbs to text.

– Watch your posture: spine straight, shoulders down and relaxed.

– Place phone on a hard surface to text.

– Restrict texting to 3 minutes or less at a time.

– and for God’s sake, take a break, especially if you feel discomfort in your hands!

Take a minute to think of all that your hands do for you. Our hands “grab hold of life”, thus relaxed, strong and pain free hands make it easier to eagerly reach out and grasp what life has to offer. Start a love affair with your hands and those of your family and clients. Learn hand reflexology!

Holding Hands for Better Health

As if we needed proof to confirm what we already know, a new science entitled “interpersonal neurobiology” shows that safe touch has far-reaching effects on the body’s mental, emotional and physical functioning.

Studies show that when two people who care for and trust one another hold hands, their neural responses and physiology change. Loving relationships, expressed in such a way, alter the brain, subdue blood pressure, ease responses to stress, improve overall health and lessen pain.

Holding hands is associated with some of our earliest biological memories. Remember when your parents held your hands to provide balance as you learned to walk; safety as you navigated your first street-crossings, intimacy when you strolled the beach together? Later as adolescents, our first forays into the world of adult romantic relationships began with the tentative and thrilling holding of hands.

The body remembers those early experiences of “oneness” and longs to recreate those health-saturated feelings in adulthood.

I get excited when I think of all that is happening behind the scenes as I give a hand reflexology session – for my clients, loved ones and myself. You too can revamp someone’s brain by spending just two days learning how to give a safe and accurate hand reflexology session. It just may be the most important class you’ll ever take.

 

Phantom Pain and Reflexology

Because reflexology’s primary effect is on the nervous system, it has always made sense to me that it might be beneficial to people experiencing phantom sensations. A 30-week study supports my hypothesis.

The pilot study, conducted by physiotherapist and reflexologist Tina Brown at Prosthetic Services Centre, Wolverhampton, England, found that reflexology was “effective in eradicating or reducing the intensity and duration of phantom limb pain” for the seven men and three women who participated in the study.[i]

Today, I’ll share common complaints of and treatments for phantom pain and the role of reflexology and aromatherapy.

You might want to read my post of March 3rd first (Do You Need a Body to Feel Your Body?) so as to understand some of the latest scientific assumptions and challenges regarding the mystery of phantom pain.

Keep in mind that amputees are not the only people who experience phantom sensations. Paraplegics (where there is a complete break of the spinal cord and no feeling in, or control over, the body below the break) also report phantom sensations.

Symptoms

The typical complaints are:

– burning sensations (most common report);

– sharp, shooting pains;

– a sense that the hand is clenched, fingers digging into the palm; hand feels tired and achy;

– cramps in the calf and/or foot;

– red-hot, searing pain in toes;

– intense sensations in the limb mimicking feelings before amputation (such as a bunion);

– painful fatigue (when phantom make continuous movements – like cycling).

Treatment

Half of those with persistent, long-term phantom pain fail to respond to any form of treatment whatsoever.

Some sufferers benefit from stimulation of the stump with electric current, vibration and/or acupuncture. Some gain considerable relief with pharmaceutical drugs, while others are aided through relaxation techniques and hypnosis. Might my above emphasis suggest a correlation with reflexology?

Another treatment approach tested by Ronald Melzack and his team is the manipulation of the limbic system of the brain through drug injections. Their success at decreasing pain led me to wonder about the use of essential oils.

Aromatic molecules, conveyed to the limbic system by olfactory impulses, interact with this portion of the cerebral hemisphere to create impressions associated with previous experiences and emotions such as memory, pain and pleasure (amongst others). Could inhalation and application of carefully chosen essential oils at the stump also contribute to a decrease in pain?

Reflexology’s Role

Over the years I have had very positive results both instructing and giving sessions to amputees. Situations varied from full and partial loss of fingers to amputations of the lower leg (distal to the knee) and complete lower extremity (at the groin).

My sessions are constitutional with some emphasis on the reflexes of the brain, especially those of the cerebrum. I include three specific approaches and have found the best tolerance with 30 or 40-minute sessions, not longer:

1. Work the stump. Envision the five longitudinal zones and the reflexes therein. Work as you would the plantar/palmar, lateral and medial surfaces.

2. Work the phantom. Although this may sound crazy, working the phantom limb as you would a physical one, elicits positive feedback from amputees. They do feel the rhythmical touch of reflexology as you “work the air.” Gauge where the missing limb would be and just do it!

3. Application of analgesic, anti-inflammatory, nervine and/or sedative essential oils on the stump. I use castor oil as the carrier. (See March 1st posting Sole Salvation as to why.) Infuse one or two of the oils into the air. If you are a trained aromatherapist, make an inhaler that the client can use daily at home.

If the individual is unable to receive work on either the stump or phantom limb (some days may be like that), then work the corresponding limb. For example, work the left hand if the left lower leg is missing.

Although reflexology is most certainly not the answer to everyone’s phantom limb pain, it is a pleasant, non-invasive therapy that does help some folks living with this difficult situation. With amputations on the rise, it’s just a matter of time before someone shows up at your door reporting pain in an invisible limb.

Please share your experiences with this population.

 

[i] Brown C, Lido C, “Reflexology: A treatment plan for phantom limb pain?” Physiotherapy 2007;93(S1):S185

Dusk on the River

My intention today was to write something on reflexology, as well as remind you that you still have time to register for this year’s Therapeutic Hand & Foot Reflexology Professional Certification beginning February 2.

I considered Parkinson’s disease, hammertoes, menopause, phantom limbs, colds & flu – some of the many conditions that certified reflexologists commonly and successfully address. And then, in one of my many moments of distraction 😉  , I came across a blog post that so totally captivated my attention that all other possible topics faded away.

The article has nothing to do with reflexology or massage, so consider yourself warned, my friends! Hopefully though, like me, you are prompted to reflect on how you choose to respond to what’s coming at you in your world. Let’s face it; life does seem to be happening at warp speed these days, with impending events often heralded by predictions of gloom and doom.

I am referring to a blog post written by a Western woman teaching at a university in Japan. She writes about a reading/discussion assignment that centers on a lovely tale written by the American Buddhist Pema Chödrön.

I read this simple story, asking myself the same questions as were asked of Ms. Thomas’s students. At the end, as I read the comments expressed by the Japanese, I was reminded how easily I can become trapped in the emotions and perspectives which my culture has cultivated in me, and how differently we all might perceive a shared experience. I am thankful for the reminder this article gifts me: that my way – my vision – is but one of many valid ways in which to experience this wild and crazy ride.

Dusk on the River

And, by the way, I will write on those other topics at some later!

Discount Deadline Approaching

I realize that your thoughts and attention may well be elsewhere right now, but I want to remind anyone who is planning on attending next year’s Therapeutic Hand & Foot Reflexology Certification program that January 2nd is the deadline for receiving a $100 early-registration discount.

Visit here to read the details of the training. Click here to go directly to the application form. You will have the opportunity to determine your own tuition, based on where you live and how and when you wish to pay.

Is This Class for You?

Imagine relaxing with your partner, parent, child or best friend and being able to easily and confidently offer that special person a soothing and relaxing hand or foot reflexology session. Better still, being able to treat yourself to the benefits of reflexology!

Well, my exercise teacher and some of the women in my class imagined exactly that a few months ago and took action. At their request, I spent four hours instructing them in basic reflexology. None were professionals; yet all left with skills that they could immediately use to help themselves and their loved ones.

I have been asked by others in the group to repeat the class, and have decided to open it up to the general public this time. If you are a “lay” person (or a massage therapist curious about reflexology), this is your chance to learn how this amazing discipline works and how to apply some simple techniques yourself. Join us on January 21st. I will explain the basic theories, show you how our organs and glands are represented through the reflexes on the feet and hands, and guide you on how to effectively support your body’s systems through the reflexes.

Reflexology for You and Your Loved Ones

Stand Out in the Crowd!

A number of years ago, a friend who ran an antique business decided to specialize in a particular line of authentic dinnerware that was very popular and difficult to locate. With access to a substantial catalog of products, she was able to advertise a large inventory of hard-to-find items for would-be collectors. Her results taught me a big lesson.

What I learned from her business decision was that narrowing services and products actually increases, not decreases, one’s reach. I had always thought that specialization would limit one’s market, but as I learned from subsequent research and other people’s success stories – the opposite is true. By choosing specialization over diversification, a business actually gets to claim a bigger piece of the pie.

Let’s look at the field of bodywork, as an example.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2009 there were 150,000 working massage therapists in the United States. That’s a lot of practitioners vying for the same clients and dollars. Successful massage therapists have learned that in order to thrive they must stand out in some way.

Some folks – like yours truly – have chosen to put their passion into action, and concentrate their education, marketing and services in one or two areas. For me, it’s reflexology and aromatherapy (a perfect marriage, by the way).

The benefits and advantages to having a specialty are:

1. You become – and become known as – an expert in your field. By specializing in reflexology, I have become the “go-to” person in my part of the world. When people think reflexology, they think of me. People travel significant distances to receive sessions and study with me.

2. There’s no waste of money or time in attending trainings that “might” interest you or benefit your work, or just to earn your required continuing education credits. You know where you interest lies and can focus all your resources on your area of interest.

3. Your clients benefit. Because your expertise and training is centered on one specific approach, you are able to offer more effective, individualized sessions. Results will soar; word-of-mouth will grow your clientele.

4. Following your passion guarantees that you will never lose interest in your career, never “burn out”. The possibilities to expand your knowledge and services are limitless.

5. Your specialty’s professional association will include only like-minded individuals who share your enthusiasam, challenges and clinical experiences.

6. Less competition.

I urge you to make 2012 the year that you follow your passion; uncover the niche that you can own; serve more people more; create the financial success you deserve.

If reflexology is the discipline that’s been calling you, then fulfill your dream now. Allow yourself to stand out in the crowd!

 

Celebrating World Reflexology Week

How do reflexology students fulfill one of their requirements for certification, market themselves and honor the field of reflexology? They throw a reflexology party and invite the city to attend!

A requirement for completion in the Academy’s Therapeutic Hand & Foot Reflexology Professional Certification is that each student organize and conduct a community outreach program or some other directed independent study. Some folks choose to offer a presentation and mini-sessions to their local teachers, nurses or fire fighters, as a way to thank them for their ongoing service to the community. Others choose to educate and teach a small targeted group (such as the elderly, or those suffering from diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome or Parkinson’s disease) on how they can help themselves with reflexology.

Three Florida participants in this year’s certification decided to band together and really celebrate. Terri Bishop-Brahen (from Ponte Vedra), John Guinta (from Jacksonville) and Adrianne Metz (from Titusville) rented a space at the University of North Florida and then wrote and distributed an invitation to the Jacksonville community to join them in celebrating World Reflexology Week (held annually during the last full week of September). Their September 25th party was broadcasted as a four-hour educational and experiential event not to be missed. John also prepared an article that was published in the city’s Natural Awakenings magazine. As phone calls started coming in, they wisely decided to recruit another set of hands; Jacksonville certified reflexologist, Elke Schreiber, joined the team. On the day of the event, the four arrived 45 minutes early (along with a photographer) to dress the room with reflexology posters, handouts, fun relevant give-aways, music and refreshments. Much to their surprise, there were already people waiting at the door!

My three students each took the podium to introduce the history, theory and benefits of reflexology, describe the difference between reflexology and massage, and answer specific questions posed by the very inquisitive crowd. Guests were then offered the opportunity to receive a 20-minute session on either their feet or hands. No one declined!

What surprised the therapists most was that people stayed the entire four hours! Even after they received their own taste of reflexology, folks chose to stand around and watch the reflexologists at work.

So, what did these reflexologists gain from conducting a community outreach (other than course credits, confidence and more outreach ideas)? Here’s what they had to say in response to that question:

“We learned how hungry the public is for reflexology. More people are interested in reflexology than we realized. That is a boom to people like us just starting a business. The diversity was pronounced: young and old, husbands and wives, mothers and sons, all kinds of ethnicities represented. Most people who were at our event knew something about reflexology and had come to it after impersonal and unproductive experiences with western medicine. Our time has finally come!”

Reflexology Rocks!

I clearly remember the first time that I experienced a Stone Therapy session. Back then, there was so much buzz about adding hot and cold stones to a bodywork session, I admit to a lot of skepticism. I decided to try it out anyway. And am I glad I did! The experience I had changed my relationship with myself.

I immediately began to seek out a qualified and experienced teacher, so that I could provide my clients with a similar experience. After hearing the same unbelievable feedback from my massage clients, I began to wonder what it would be like to incorporate stonework into an already deeply relaxing reflexology session. Well, the rest is history. Although it’s been a couple of years since I taught Reflexology Rocks!, I feel moved to do so again.

Stones are part of the earth element; they help us to reconnect with the earth’s grounding, stable force. Used as an extension of one’s own hands, hot and cold mineral stones enhance and often elevate a client’s experience of reflexology to one of almost primordial sacredness. (I didn’t make that up! Those are words I often heard from many nearly speechless clients.)

Rooted in the ancient Tibetan and Native American traditions, Stone Therapy seduces the mind/body to surrender all traces of mental and muscular tension – a logical adjunct to reflexology, don’t you think?

Chilled stones calm and cool inflammatory conditions while heated stones lull the recipient into a deep experience of themselves that almost defies definition. Together hot and cold stones provide a vascular workout for the entire body, both stimulating and relaxing the circulatory system at the same time. As contradictory as this may sound, it is this unique interplay of heat and cold that deeply relaxes and re-energizes a tired body. Homeostasis and balance restored: the prime intention of a reflexology session, right?

I invite you to join our small group on Saturday, November 12 in St. Augustine, Florida from 10am to 2pm, where you will learn how to safely incorporate aromatherapy and hot and cold stones into a hand or foot reflexology session. Stones and all related equipment will be provided in class; resources to purchase your own tools and accessories will be made available. Read more here.

Consider making a weekend of it. Participate in the Reflexology and Essential Oils – The Perfect Marriage class on Friday, November 11. Read how you can take advantage of a one-time only reduced fee.

Reflexology Clinics

The participants of the 2011 Therapeutic Hand & Foot Reflexology Professional Certification have been studying and practicing since February, and are now more than ready to offer their services to the public. If you live within driving distance of St. Augustine, Florida, you may want to take advantage of their offer. If you’ve never received a professional reflexology session before or are a reflexologist deprived of work yourself, there are many compelling reasons to join us. You can:

* receive the benefits of a reflexology session focused on your personal needs. You can choose from a foot session, hand session and/or a combined hand and foot session;

* check out your interest in studying reflexology. Discover how a session from a certified reflexologist differs from that of someone who attended a weekend workshop. Talk to your therapist about their experience in the program;

* take advantage of the unbelievably low cost: $25 for one session; for two (same person), $40; for three (same person), $60.

* spend a fun-filled, relaxing day in historical St. Augustine and its gorgeous beaches;

Here’s the schedule:

Foot Reflexology Clinics:

Saturday, July 30

10:30am            1:30pm            3:30pm

Hand Reflexology Clinics:

Sunday, July 31

1:30pm              3:30pm

Monday, August 1

3:00pm

Combined Hand & Foot Reflexology Clinics:

Saturday, October 1

9:30am             10:45am            2:00pm             3:45pm

Sunday, October 2

10:45am            2:00pm             3:45pm

Sessions are 75 minutes each, including hydrotherapy services. Please contact me at 904/553.4067 or karen@acdemyofancientreflexology.com if you are interested in reserving sessions for yourself. Act now. Appointments are booking quickly (no surprise!).