Academy of Ancient Reflexology

Professional Therapeutic Reflexology

The Answer is No – and Yes

cameraI have struggled for years when asked if I teach reflexology classes online or have videos of the demos from my continuing education classes.

In response to the first part of that question, it took time and a lot of self-examination to feel comfortable just saying,

“No, I don’t teach hands-on classes remotely.”

I’ve watched how education has moved more and more towards Internet learning over the years, and how many bodywork teachers and schools are converting their programs to these new formats.

I’d ask myself,

“Am I shooting myself in the foot here?”

“Will people interested in learning reflexology just click off my website to pursue someone else’s classes because they’re more convenient?”

“Am I a dinosaur?”

I would drive myself crazy!

But the truth – my truth – is, I just can’t do it.

I have taught hundreds of people reflexology for over more than a quarter of a century, and I have NEVER – I repeat, NEVER – had even one person who was able to watch the demo and then execute the techniques and flow without some feedback and correction from me. I just don’t think it’s possible, even for a very seasoned therapist.

I don’t want people to purchase a video of my work and then start offering it incorrectly, claiming to have learned the protocol from me. That doesn’t sit well with my ethics.

It’s important to me that people leave my trainings having been given adequate attention at the tables; that they leave with some level of confidence and skill regarding what was demonstrated; that their time and money was well spent; and that they leave with something useful to add to their practices.

That said, I also totally get that people who have attended the Therapeutic Hand & Foot Reflexology Professional Certification, the How to Relieve Chronic Foot Pain workshop and/or the Traditional Thai Reflexology workshop might really appreciate a visual resource for review purposes. There’s a lot to remember in those classes.

So, it’s time to say YES to the request for a visual resource of hands-on procedures!

I have spent a lot of time this year researching and developing a platform that would provide video access to the hands-on protocols of the above trainings for those people who have attended.

The students in this year’s Certification program were the first to enjoy the benefits of a hybrid program, and are loving having videos of all the live instructions. From my end of things, I see the impact having review videos has had on their hands-on work.

I am super excited to announce that beginning with the next weekend workshop in Winter Park (Orlando), Florida on August 20 and 21, attendees of all How to Relieve Chronic Foot Pain classes will be given access to a video of the hands-on protocol that I teach in this highly-popular training. The video has been shot, and my videographer, Chrissy Martinez, is editing it right now.

Anyone who has taken the workshop in the past is invited to send me an email at karen@academyofancientreflexology.com if you would like to receive an invitation as well. (Please mention when and where you took the training.) You have all paid for this information – I’m thrilled to be able to offer you the gift of live images of how to execute the techniques for your review. I really want to see you all out there offering this great service to the public, and I think this resource will support that.

Beginning with the September scheduled dates, the same bonus will be available to all past, present and future attendees of the Traditional Thai Reflexology training.

I love technology and love exploring ways in which to use it to make my life easier and to offer more value to the people I interact with. I feel certain that these videos will contribute to your success. Let me know below what you think!

 

Completion, Certification and Licensing

licensingI receive numerous phone calls and communications from people who mistakenly use words like “certification” and “licensing” when stating what they are looking for from one of my trainings. So, I thought I would explain the differences between a certificate of completion, a certificate of competency and a license.

Certification is not a legal designation. It is an acknowledgement of knowledge and/or skill issued by a teaching organization or a non-governmental testing association (like the American Reflexology Certification Board or the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork). Certification does not give you the legal authority to conduct business (ie. be compensated for your work).

A school can issue two different kinds of certificates:

~ A certificate of completion indicating that the individual was present for the hours stated and participated in all activities to the best of their ability. No testing of knowledge or skills is required. These are the certificates that the Academy gives for one or two-day workshops.

~ A certificate of competency is given at the completion of a lengthier training once all assignments and tests have been successfully completed. A certificate of competency is generally awarded for specialized programs such as reflexology, massage, aromatherapy, etc. by the school or non-governmental testing association. It basically attests that the individual is competent enough to provide the service without causing harm to the client/customer. The curriculums are comprehensive, and require hundreds of hours of training. The Academy awards such a certificate for its annual 315-hour Therapeutic Hand & Foot Reflexology Professional Certification.

A license is a permit to work legally in a jurisdiction, often following testing and proof of competency from a recognized school. A license is issued by authorities to allow an activity that would otherwise be illegal to practice. A licensing requirement also provides the issuing authority the administrative control to set conditions and limitations that would serve to protect the public.

While I’m at it, I’ll define compensation. Many people are under the erroneous impression that they can practice reflexology (in a jurisdiction that requires a license) as long as they don’t accept money for the service. Compensation is defined much more broadly than that. Compensation also includes barter, tithe, trade, donation, “love offering”, and anything else that you walk away with in exchange for your service.

Please note that neither the licensing agencies or the taxation arms of governments take kindly to someone practicing illegally.

I hope that clears up some confusion for people thinking of entering the manual therapies field.

Healing the Knee Without Surgery

An Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear, one of the most common knee injuries to occur, regularly lands people in the surgical theatre. I recently read the abstract on a five-month study substituting manual therapy for surgical treatment. The study resulted in complete restitution of the ACL. Very exciting and promising to people who prefer to avoid the knife.

But first, let me explain what we are referring to when we say ACL.

Anatomy of the Knee

Knee ligamentsThe knee joint is the result of three bones meeting: the femur (your thigh bone), the “shinbone” (the tibia-the larger of the two bones in your lower leg) and the kneecap (patella).

Ligaments are fibrous rope-like connective tissue bands that connect bone to bone. Their job is to stabilize the bones in place, so there is not much give-and-take with ligaments.

There are four primary ligaments in your knee:

  • Collateral Ligaments. The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is on the inside side of your knee; the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) is on the outside. Their job is to control and protect the sideways motion of your knees.
  • Cruciate Ligaments – live inside the knee joint, crossing one another to form an “X”. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is in front, connecting the patella to the tibia; the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), in the back. They control the back and forth motion of your knee. The ACL also prevents the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur and provides rotational stability to the knee.

Ligament Damage

Injuries to ligaments are called sprains and are graded according to severity.

  • Grade 1 Sprain. Mild damage to the ligament. It’s been stretched, but is still able to stabilize the knee joint.
  • Grade 2 Sprain. The ligament has been stretched to the point where it is now loose. This is sometimes referred to as a partial tear.
  • Grade 3 Sprain. The ligament has been torn in two. The joint is unstable. This is known as a complete tear.

ACL Injuries

High demand sports like soccer, football, running or basketball are more likely to incur sprains or tears in the ACL. Unfortunately for women, our incidence of ACL injuries is higher than that of men. Sorry.

Damage to these important ligaments can happen in many ways:

  • Changing direction rapidly
  • Stopping suddenly
  • Slowing down when running
  • Landing from a jump incorrectly
  • Direct collision

Symptoms

People often report hearing a “popping” noise from the knee and a sense of the knee giving out from under them. Other symptoms include pain with swelling, loss of full range of motion and/or discomfort when walking.

The medical profession treats ACL damage in a number of ways: anti-inflammatory medications, knee brace, physical therapy and surgery.

Until reading the study I referenced in the opening paragraph of this post, I was unaware of manual therapy being able to cure a grade 3 (total tear) in the ACL.

After reading it though, I was reminded of the numerous times I have given Thai Foot Reflexology to people with knee pain; how they felt so much better afterwards and could move around with less or no accompanying pain or restrictions in the knees.

I remember specifically one woman in particular. She had put off her inevitable knee replacement surgery for as long as she could and called me when she found herself restricted to her bed, unable to walk at all. She was still weeks away from her appointment and asked whether I might be able to help her. I replied honestly and said I did not know, but was willing to give Thai Foot Reflexology a try, if she was.

I explained that in the session I would work on her feet, lower legs and knees, with the intent to move stagnant energy trapped within the sen lines (energy pathways) of her body. I hoped that perhaps that might bring her some relief while she was waiting.

We set up the appointment. Since she could not travel, I went to her home. Since she wasn’t mobile, I did the session on her bed.

Following the session, she reported feeling very relaxed and in less pain. The big surprise came the next day though, when she called to say that she was able to get out of bed and walk (with the aid of a walker), something she had not been able to do for days.

Needless to say, we were both elated. I continued to give her Thai Foot Reflexology sessions twice/week until her surgery, and was thrilled that I had something to offer that brought some relief and hope to a fellow human being. I LOVE WHAT I DO!

Upcoming Thai Foot Reflexology trainings.  

The Tension of Opposites – The Essence of Life

Yin/YangWhen teaching Thai Foot Reflexology, I am often asked why we start sessions on the left foot with women and on the right with men. I usually just give the simple explanation that in the Thai model the left side represents the feminine and the right, the masculine.

 

Here’s a little more detail:

 

In all the eastern practices, elements are seen as opposing forces. You are probably familiar with the Chinese model of yin/yang: night/day. Adjectives associated with yin are: cool, inside, receptive, quiet, female, soft, water, earth, dense, moon, dark. For yang: bright, warm, male, sun, outside, expressive, hard, loud, expansive, fire. Both are necessary for existence; you can’t know one side without the other.

 

In Ayurvedic medicine – from which Thai bodywork arose – these opposing rhythms are referred to as the Ida and Pingala energies. In part, they flow along the opposite sides of the spinal column, ending on the lateral edge of the fifth digit of both of the feet; the Pingala on the right, the Ida on the left. Hence, in Thai Foot Reflexology we begin on the left with a woman, and on the right with a man, so as to re-enforce the more dominant rhythm of the client.

 

Whereas in China energy lines are referred to as meridians, the energy conduits in Thai medicine are called sen. The two forces mentioned in the paragraph above are known as Sen Ittha and Sen Pinkhala. Sen Pinkhala, the Father energy, is metaphysically represented as electricity; Sen Ittha, the Mother energy, is represented as magnetic. These two forces interact together to activate the coiled energy, called Kundalini, at the base of the spine, and awaken our dormant, libidinal and spiritual forces.

When I first read Carl Jung’s statement “The tension of opposites is the very essence of life itself.” I had to smile. I thought first of human relationships; how opposite personalities seem to be attracted to one another and work out their differences often through tensional interactions. And certainly, according to Thai medicine, that statement would be true. The tension created by the dynamic interplay of Ittha and Pinkhala is what creates the harmony and balance required to live a healthy life. This homeostasis is one of the primary goals of Thai Foot Reflexology.

I hope you’ll join me this year to experience the effects of Thai Foot Reflexology yourself.

 

 

Is Thai Reflexology Really Reflexology?

Fb imageI’m often asked the difference between Thai Foot Reflexology and the conventional form practiced in the west. The other day I got into a conversation on a Facebook reflexology group page I follow that took that conversation even deeper. The exchange started with a woman’s struggle (her word) around the term Thai Reflexology. She wondered how someone practicing this age-old therapy could call it “reflexology” when the techniques were so different from what she knew. Is Thai Reflexology really “reflexology”?

Her comments sent me back to an earlier time in my reflexology career. Back in 1983, I learned what is now referred to in the United States and Canada as “conventional” reflexology, based on the theories and techniques developed by Eunice Ingham, known fondly as the “grandmother” of modern reflexology. For more than 10 years, I just assumed that reflexologists all over the world practiced reflexology as I was taught, happily thumb and finger-walking their way around an ancient map of foot and hand reflexes corresponding to other parts of the body. And then…

I was exposed to how people taught reflexology in other countries: Dr. Tae-Woo in Korea, Father Josef in Taiwan, Lone Sorenson in Spain, Chris Stormer in Africa, Sharon Stathis in Australia. Ayurvedic reflexology, cranial-sacral reflexology, Thai reflexology, limbic reflexology – the list goes on and on.

As my horizons widened, I expanded my personal definition of reflexology to include all these wonderful approaches and beliefs. I came to the conclusion that any therapeutic work done on the feet or hands that has both the intention and the protocol to affect the body’s physiology was reflexology, no matter the technique.

One of the things that often attracts massage therapists to Thai Foot Reflexology is the short amount of time it requires to learn how to offer the session. It’s a relatively small investment of time and money to explore interest in offering footwork and to witness the acclaimed benefits with clients.

Unlike the conventional model of reflexology, which takes hundreds of hours of training, Thai Reflexology can be learned in only two days. The reason for this is because the session is delivered as a sequence of techniques followed in a particular order, whereas conventional reflexology requires a much deeper study of reflex locations and techniques and how to confidently customize sessions for individual client needs.

Thai Reflexology developed in a country that relied on an understanding of energy and how its status in the body defined wellness or dis-ease. Based on explicit trust of the nature of the human body to seek homeostasis, Thai Reflexology works solely to assist the body to return to equilibrium, as opposed to directing influence to specific organs.

Thai Reflexology is a good way to stand out in the crowd, whether you practice conventional reflexology or massage therapy. We have one more workshop this year and it’s Thai Foot Reflexology! Please join us.

 

Invite Us Over!

A year ago, I created an in-depth, experiential teacher-training program in reflexology with two of my exceptional grads, Shea Knight and Jenny Runde. I created the program for two reasons: first because I was forced to admit that there is a limit to how much I can do on my own (and stay sane!), and secondly, I recognized that many people, for various reasons, cannot travel to study. Expanding the roster of teachers and our ability to travel seemed the obvious solution to wanting to accommodate the growing number of requests that come in for qualified training in reflexology.

We’re currently working on our 2014 teaching schedules, so if you are interested in learning reflexology… well then, invite us over!

As the host, you will be our “point” person; you will be responsible for organizing the logistics (with our guidance) and in return will be compensated for your time and efforts.

Read the details on the Academy’s Facebook page.

What the Clients Have to Say

I wonder if I sometimes sound like a broken record when I rave about Thai Foot Reflexology. I can’t help myself though – the client experiences are always so thrilling to hear.

Here are comments from a therapist of 10 years just starting to practice Thai Foot Reflexology – I mean she just completed the training last weekend!  Read her impression and that of her first lucky recipients. After all, the “proof is in the pudding”.

Client #1

When I finished the Thai Reflexology session, he said that he felt “like a bird flapping his wings”. He reported that during the session he first felt a warm, tingly feeling in his feet, then lower legs, then his whole body.

~ That’s the energy moving folks. KB

Client #2

The second client, a woman who must use a scooter to get around (due to MS), celebrated her 76th birthday receiving a Thai Foot Reflexology session from me. She said she felt like the blood in her legs was carbonated…which she explained was “a good thing”.

~ Again, the experience of energy being stimulated and blood flow increasing. KB

Client #3

My fibromyalgia client stated that she had been having a “bad fibro attack” for the past two days. She left after her Thai Foot Reflexology session feeling absolutely no pain!

~ Pain reduction – a common occurrence. KB

I am very excited by the results, Karen – all clients said they would like to repeat, maybe once a month! I have several others to work on in the next few days – can’t wait to see what happens with them! Thank you for your wonderful presentation of this material; it was a great experience and I rarely feel that way after a seminar or workshop!  

Next Thai Foot Reflexology trainings:

August 10 & 11, 2013 – Calgary, Alberta (cut-off for discount is July 5)

September 28 & 29, 2013 – Fargo, North Dakota (cut-off for discount is August 20)

October 19 & 20, 2013 – Peachtree City, Georgia

Cha Yen Recipe

In a previous post I wrote about Cha Yen, Thailand’s popular cold tea drink. Many of you requested the recipe for this delicious beverage and I’m going to share my easy recipe for it today.

If you attend any of the upcoming Thai Foot Reflexology workshops, I will personally serve you a cup of it myself!

June 15 & 16, 2013 – Jacksonville, Florida

August 10 & 11, 2013 – Calgary, Alberta

September 28 & 29, 2013 – Fargo North Dakota

Recipe

A traditional cha yen (tea with milk) is made with China black tea, milk, sugar, star anise, vanilla bean, clove, cinnamon, cardamom and orange rind. I have experimented with those ingredients and eventually settled on a version that starts with a high quality purchased Thai tea blend. Here’s my healthy recipe for one cup:

1 heaping t. Arbor Teas’ organic Thai tea blend www.arborteas.com

¼ t. orange rind

smidgeon of crushed cloves (not powder)

big pinch of crushed cinnamon stick

1&1/4 t. coconut sugar (can substitute maple syrup)

2 T. coconut milk

Put first four ingredients in a teapot (preferably one with an infuser).

Pour ½ c. boiling water over tea ingredients and steep for 4 minutes.

Pour tea into glass or cup. Discard tea ingredients.

Stir in sweetener.

Add ½ c. cool water. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes.

Refrigerate until cold.

Stir in milk.

ENJOY! Go native – use a straw!

Cha Yen

I have three Thai Foot Reflexology workshops coming up this spring – with a little treat promised for all who attend. I’ve been tweaking a recipe I have had for awhile for cha yen, the very popular chilled tea that Thais love to drink.

Thais generally take their tea “on the go”, drinking from a small plastic bag with a straw sticking out. The Thai tea typically sold in restaurants and from street vendors and market stalls unfortunately has eroded in quality to not much more than an artificially flavored and colored weak version of its original delicious self. I am happy to report that I have created a healthy, organic, refreshing cha yen that I am excited to share with everyone who attends. Participants will leave with the recipe also. Yummmm.

February 23 & 24 ~ Gainesville, Florida

April 20 & 21 ~ Saint Augustine, Florida

June 15 & 16 ~ Orange Park (Jacksonville), Florida

Same-same

I love the Thai colloquialism “same-same”. Reminds me of the western response to certain questions: “It depends.”

You know what I’m talking about if you have ever had a client ask, “How long will it take for me to recover from….?” Well, that depends – on how long the condition has existed, what caused it, the current strength of the individual’s immune system, how often the person is willing to schedule regular therapy sessions, the client’s compliance with “homework”, the level of stress in the person’s life, the person’s willingness to eliminate (or at least reduce) lifestyle habits that exacerbate the situation and introduce habits that support health, and the person’s belief system regarding her ability to change the situation.

When students ask me how Thai Foot Reflexology compares to our western model, I respond in the way the Thais do with “same same”, which translates as “similar and not the same”. Again, think of clients with the same health imbalance or injuries; they each experience their pain and recovery differently.

As far as the difference between Thai and western reflexology goes, in the west, the focus is on points, with the intent to improve the functioning of the related organs and glands. As a reference, we look to a map of reflexes reflected on the feet.

Although the Thai practitioner certainly shares the same desire to foster better health within the organs, the focus is more on encouraging the flow of lom (energy). The traditional Thai practitioner rarely thinks of points – in fact, the charts visitors find everywhere in Thailand these days were created simply to satisfy foreign students’ demand for one! Thai practitioners trust that every part of the body is being stimulated through their well thought-out and time-proven protocol. The ordered sequence of moves and techniques are all designed to systematically open up the sen (energy lines) and free blocked lom. With that accomplished, the body is then free to restore itself and to correct whatever imbalances are present within the organs and glands.

This attitude of same-same asks that the practitioner be willing to give up the ego-driven illusion of “fixer”, and to enter into the role of witness and facilitator; to trust the wisdom of the client’s body to direct the individual’s journey back to health. I know that for myself (a woman born with a strong western inclination to understand and control everything!), working within the realm of ambiguity and uncertainly taught me that the responsibility and possibility for healing lays within each of us, not outside. Same-same. Only our paths are different.

2-day Thai Foot Reflexology trainings:

Taos, New Mexico – September 29 & 30

Minneapolis, Minnesota – October 6 & 7

Houston, Texas – November 10 & 11