Academy of Ancient Reflexology

Professional Therapeutic Reflexology

A New YOU!

Person jumping chasm between two rocks labeled 2020 and 2021Whew, 2020 is in the books! What an exceptional year of change, challenge, and lessons.

Every New Years Day brings an opportunity to reflect on our desires for the year ahead. Yet this year it feels even more significant, maybe because 2020 was so remarkable.

What do you want for yourself in this new year? Did 2020 change you, or reshape your priorities? What did you learn last year that you will carry forward? What new things would you like to learn?

If you are ready for a very constructive challenge, I urge you to consider making this the year you become certified in reflexology. The Academy of Ancient Reflexology’s Professional Certification Program teaches you how to safely and comfortably help people relax. And wouldn’t you agree the world needs more of that right now?

The program can be life changing. You’ll learn how to perform reflexology, of course! And that is a wonderful, marketable skill. Reflexology is a very enjoyable and highly effective way to reduce stress and to help your clients improve their health. Reflexology is also easy and fun to learn and to give!

But in addition, you’ll learn things about yourself. What truly motivates you? How will you align a reflexology business and marketing plan with your core values? How can you most effectively communicate with clients to be the best healthcare provider you can be?

The Certification is a 315-hour program, with 200 in-class hours that provide training in foot reflexology, hand reflexology, and even a short introduction to ear reflexology. (According to the National Council for Reflexology Educators, most reflexology schools only offer 110 in-class hours, and teach only foot reflexology!)

In-class hours are educational and FUN, and best of all—you get to spend 25 days on Saint Augustine Beach!

Sign up now and pay in full by February 15 to receive a $200 discount! Follow this link to register.

Here’s what one graduate had to say about the Professional Certification Program:

“I’ve learned a lot and have added work that my clients are loving, and [I’ve] even gotten new clients. There’s a fresh buzz in my business, and my brain is full of new ideas. I’m really glad I decided to do this…. It’s really enlivened my practice, and I look forward to what happens next.”

Contact me to see if achieving reflexology certification is the right New Year Resolution for (a New) YOU!

Oils, Lotions and Butters

Glass jar of body butter with spoon and surrounded by pink roses.Although it’s true that bodyworkers use lubricants to be able to easily glide across tissue without causing discomfort, more often we use lotions, oils and creams out of habit.

As an example, when I learned reflexology, I was taught to work ‘dry’. When I learned how to give a Swedish massage it was using an oil; connective tissue and neuromuscular therapy, a butter. It’s what I was taught and how I carried on.

You may have been shown something different. No matter what though, we could all give a little more conscious thought to the use of lubricants so that we can make our work easier and more effective, because too much lubricant (the word means ‘slippery’) decreases real contact.

I still prefer to offer reflexology without lube; I can distinguish between tissue changes better and feel like I am making better contact with my client as well. Anointing the feet with oil or butter at the end has become a luscious way to end the session for me.

Maybe we might better serve our clients if we reduce the amount of lubricant we use to just enough to reduce friction but still allow for ‘meaningful contact’. After all, that is one of the main reasons people seek us out, isn’t it?

 

The Best Gifts: Enrichment and Health

Gift wrapped box This time of year gets so busy with holiday bustle, it’s easy to neglect our own self care.

Maybe we sometimes do treat ourselves, buying some pleasant trinket we like while we’re shopping for others.

Which is fine, of course! In thinking about purchasing a present for yourself this year, I invite you to consider the most wonderful gift of all—the gift of enrichment and good health.

This gift will give back real dividends for years to come. It will give back in income for you, and in improved health and well-being for yourself and everyone you offer your gift to.

I’m referring of course to investing in your education, becoming a certified reflexologist.

This certification program is truly unique. Not only will you walk away with the skills and confidence you need to offer clients advanced therapy to support their health and wellness, but YOU will explore aspects of your personal and professional development that are not found in any other program.

What a gift! To

  • grow as a person,
  • launch a new career,
  • increase your earning potential, AND
  • learn to help yourself and others feel their absolute best with nothing more than the natural, intentional, therapeutic touch of your own two hands.

The reflexology certification program is designed with your health and safety in mind. Due to COVID concerns, enrollment is limited. Please go to the Certification page today for more information.

Contact me directly about whether reflexology certification is the right gift to give yourself, to then give the gift of your skills to the world!

We’re At A Crossroads

Two hands giving reflexology to foot

I hope this finds you well. I know these are trying times for all of us.

I also know that the things that are challenging us will not last forever. The election mayhem has passed, the social unrest will be resolved, and the COVID-19 crisis will evolve into a manageable condition like so many other conditions we’ve learned to navigate.

We will get through this!

We must not lose hope. I believe this so strongly, in fact, that in the months I was unable to see clients, I decided to devote myself to learning new skills and planning ways to reinvent my practice. What can I offer that is safe and beneficial to clients?

Maybe you are in that same position, at a crossroads. Although the hurdles in our path were not of our making, our response is. This may be the perfect time to choose a new direction forward!

Foot reflexology is perhaps the safest way to offer all the benefits of bodywork to the widest population of clients. Consider:

  • Because the client leans back in a reclining chair or massage therapy table, and the reflexologist is seated at the feet, there is quite a distance between faces
  • When both people wear masks, there is a greatly reduced chance that either will breathe in respiratory droplets or shared air that the other has exhaled.
  • Reflexology can be done anywhere with a portable chair—in an open, airy room or even outdoors!
  • The client doesn’t get undressed or lay face down, reducing potential contact with any surface that a previous client may have touched or breathed on.
  • The Academy teaches how to begin each session with a foot bath, ensuring that the reflexologist’s hands and the client’s feet are as clean as can be. (Anti-viral essential oils can be added to the water, and gloves can even be worn if desired.)
  • Foot reflexology is easy to receive—it can be done very gently and still be highly effective. As a non-invasive technique, it often can be offered to more vulnerable clients for whom massage therapy might not be appropriate.

In these stressful times, people need bodywork more than ever. We’re not getting enough touch! Reflexology offers all the healing benefits of hands-on therapy that is so supportive of our physical health and emotional well being.

You can offer this to clients, safely and confidently, as a Certified Reflexologist. Go to the Certification page and learn more about the 2021 Certification Program. Every aspect of the in-person sessions has been designed to keep students safe and healthy.

Classes start in the spring and enrollment is limited, so please don’t delay!

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation to explore whether the certification program is right for you, contact me directly.

I look forward to hearing from you!

It’s All in How You Look at It

If you were to ask me what is the most often asked question I get regarding certification in reflexology, it is, “Do I need a massage license to practice reflexology?”

My response to that question is never simple and sometimes viewed as an obstacle to working as a reflexologist. It needn’t be.

The issue has to do with the legalities surrounding the professional practice of reflexology in the United States. In this context, the word “professional” refers to anyone who accepts compensation for his or her work. “Compensation” is defined to include cash, barter, trade, tithe, love offering, donations; i.e. anything with monetary value.

Since states have different (or no) laws governing the professional practice of reflexology, it is always in your best interest to familiarize yourself with the requirements of your state if you are thinking of practicing reflexology. Because, it all comes down to where you want to practice.

* Most US states exempt reflexology from any licensing laws.

* Some states license reflexology as a separate practice.

* A few require professionals to hold a specific state-issued license before accepting any form of compensation for their services.

* Some states allow an individual with a cosmetology license to offer reflexology as part of nail services.

In Florida, where I live and offer the Therapeutic Hand & Foot Reflexology Professional Certification, a license is required. One of the state government’s primary mandates is to protect the public; therefore, the state tests anyone whose services involve touching the human body (healthcare practitioners, cosmetologists, morticians, etc.) to determine if the applicant’s knowledge and skill level are such to safely operate a business; i.e. to do no harm. The preferred license to practice reflexology in Florida is a massage therapy license.

Florida does allow someone with a cosmetology or nail tech license to offer reflexology as part of those services though. These practitioners are allowed to do that because the scope of their license includes massaging the hands and feet. It’s important to note that in these situations, reflexology can only be offered in conjunction with the nail tech services, not as a stand-alone service. For that, a massage license is required.

The above information – my answer to this frequently asked question – can feel like an obstacle to some people who want to just practice reflexology. I can understand that, and I can add, from personal experience, that it can also be seen as an opportunity. Certifications in more than one area can work to one’s advantage. Employers love it when they see multiple skills on a resume. The more education you have and the more variety of services you can offer, the more attractive you are to clients and to a business looking to hire.

I practiced reflexology in Toronto, Ontario where a license was not required. When I moved to Florida, I legally had to obtain a massage therapy license before I could hang my shingle. Attending the Florida School of Massage was one of the best decisions of my life; both in terms of the knowledge I acquired and the personal growth experience. Without a doubt, everything I learned in my massage and hydrotherapy training supported, and continues to support my reflexology practice.

Some people who contact me choose to complete massage training first and then take the Therapeutic Hand & Foot Reflexology Professional Certification as advanced training. Some do it the other way around, choosing to ease into the field of bodywork by first completing reflexology training (less time commitment, money and complexity). Either way is fine.

Like the Florida-based woman who called recently (and the inspiration for this article): someone looking to get out of her current work field who has held a lifelong interest in reflexology. Rather than see the requirement for licensure as an obstacle, she got excited. Like me, she has most times been a little less than satisfied with the massage aspect of pedicures, and immediately saw the niche she could create for herself as the nail tech that includes effective reflexology. Yes!

It’s all in how you look at it.

The 2021 Therapeutic Hand & Foot Reflexology Professional Certification begins on April 1 and will be the last time I offer this enriching program. After 30 years of teaching reflexology, I have decided to move on to other interests. Act soon, if you wish to acquire the knowledge to be able to skillfully offer foot and hand reflexology to your community. Because of social distancing requirements, enrollment in all classes next year will be limited.

If you wish to see a current listing of stipulations regarding the practice of reflexology in the United States, please visit this link.

Planning the Future; Letting Go

I have two big announcements to make today.

#1  We have just selected and published the dates for the 2021 Therapeutic Hand & Foot Reflexology Professional Certification in Saint Augustine, Florida. I have booked the same lovely new Marriott Courtyard at the beach as we had planned on holding the program this year. I am completely confident that by April of next year, our ‘new normal’ will have solidified into a working model in which we can safely gather, learn together and have fun. I sincerely hope you will join us because what I am about to say right now does not come easy. However, here goes:

 #2  After months and months of deep thought and self-examination, I have decided to end my career as a reflexology educator to professional practitioners. I will teach next year, and perhaps in 2022, and then close it down. This is a big step to share publicly what has been on my mind for a while now; hitting ‘Publish’ makes my decision real and somewhat scary.

I have taught reflexology for 35 years, so it is a big part of who I am and how people know me. I will write more on this later but suffice it to say if you have ever wanted to learn how to be a skilled and highly qualified reflexologist with a strong foundation on how to build your business so that you will stand out in the crowd, ACT NOW. Because of what I imagine will be limitations regarding the number of people that can safely gather together, the class size will be small.

Do Adults Need Touch?

Much has been written about the importance of touch in childhood development.[i],[ii],[iii] but, what about adults? Turns out our need for touch does not diminish as we age. We unconsciously reach out to shake the hand of someone we’ve just met, greet people we know and love with a smile and a hug, hold hands with people we love, and offer loving touch to someone in pain.

Well, at least we used to.

Now, the idea of getting close puts us on alert; dredges up primordial fear and even anxiety in some. What to do then during these times? Here are some simple suggestions you can incorporate into your lives and share with clients that you are maintaining contact with:

* Stimulate your own touch receptors by massaging a luscious warmed oil all over your body before taking a hot shower or bath. In Ayurvedic medicine, self-massage is called Abhyanga and is credited with stimulating circulation and helping to eliminate toxins. Traditional oils of choice are sesame and coconut but use what you have.

Put a little oil into a glass container and then warm in a pot of water. Start with your feet, circle the ankle joints and then continue up the legs with long strokes. Do the same with the arms. Massage the oil into your abdomen in a clockwise direction as you look down at your own stomach. Finish with long strokes across your upper chest and gentle strokes on the face (avoid the eyes). Don’t use too much oil. Some will be absorbed into your skin; the rest will be washed off in the shower.

Try it for a change on the weekend and see what you think. Take your time and really feel your touch.

* Give yourself a hand or foot reflexology session. Do it mindfully, not as something to do with your hands while watching an adrenaline-pumping television drama. Refer back to the short video on March 25’s blog for a simple reflexology procedure you can do on yourself that will help support your immune system right now.

* If you live with furry friends, love ‘em up a lot! They will go mad and so will you.

* And remember to move your body to help release more endorphins, our body’s ‘feel-good’ hormones. Blast a favorite piece of music and dance! Take a walk around your neighborhood – I bet you usually just drive out of it every day and likely miss a lot of what’s there.

I continue to think of you often and send healthy ‘vibes’ your way. I’m starting to think of how I can give back when all this isolation has passed – that gets me excited! I’m looking forward to a rekindled business model later in the year.

 

[i] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2865952/

[ii] http://www.changingminds.org/explanations/needs/touch.htm

[iii] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201310/loving-touch-is-key-healthy-brain-development

Feed Your Second Brain Wisely

If your thoughts these days are those of dread, fear and hopelessness, you’re not alone.

Many people are feeling the effects of uncertainty and prolonged stay-at-home orders. One thing you may be noticing is that your digestive system is not functioning as it usually does. Stomach aches, constipation, diarrhea, and unusual reactions to certain foods are common complaints when people are living under stressful times.

Researchers have discovered why this is so – and that’s good news. Armed with information, you can do something to restore a smooth operation within your body’s core.

Science has a better understanding now of the relationship between the stomach and the brain than it did 100 years ago. The gut is now acknowledged as the body’s ‘second brain’. It turns out there is an equal number of neurotransmitters lining the gut as are found in the brain!  One hundred million to be exact! These transmitters provide a two-way avenue of communication between the brain and stomach, with the brain communicating as much to the gut as does the stomach to the brain.

What that means is that your stomach is responding directly to your thoughts and to the hormones released as a result of those thoughts.

Perhaps now, more than ever, it is paramount to get a handle on any negative repetitive thoughts that circulate in your head.

I decided the moment I sheltered-in-place not to let the stressful events around me threaten my comfort and my life. I took steps to keep tension at bay.

Here are some ways in which I manage my monkey mind:

* I start each day with a meditation. Before eating, checking emails or social media. First thing.

I recently completed the free 21-day meditation on Finding Hope in Uncertain Times that Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra offered, and was delighted to learn today that they have extended this spot-on series to May 15. I have sat in on many of their mediation series and think this is one of the best. I got so much out of it the first time that I started round two today. It’s a great way to set the tone for the day. They each share something very inspirational and hopeful for a few minutes and then you meditate. Total time is 20 minutes.

* Then I move. I have learned that if I don’t do this early in the day, it rarely happens. And movement is one of the best ways to relax a stressed-out nervous system and energize your spirit. The more you can get your heart rate up, the better; but even a slow stretching or yoga routine done to quiet music will help a lot. Or do both!

* Do nothing but eat. Eating while watching the news or scrolling through your newsfeed will heighten your sense of dread, release more cortisol into your system and shut down your digestive processes. Eat slowly, paying attention to how everything tastes and feels in your mouth. Avoid drinking liquids while you eat (dilutes your stomach’s hydrochloric acid). Oh, and never eat when you’re upset. As you heal your gut, you will find that your thoughts are lighter and more positive.

* Create some structure in your day. (I just revealed mine above: meditate, exercise, eat.) The brain likes structure. The experience of familiarity provides a sense of security and safety.

* Spend some time outdoors. Breathe in the air and feast your eyes on the greenery surrounding you.

* Limit the amount of time you allocate to watching newscasts and scrolling through social media. I am working towards just once a day. Things don’t change so much or so quickly that you have to be glued to these platforms all day. Never engage in these before eating either or before going to bed. Believe me, your digestive system will be very happy if you fill most of your day with happier, more positive stories of what is going on in the world. And there are plenty.

* Work on your digestive reflexes before you eat and/or before going to bed. On your feet, they are located in the arches; on your hands, the palms. Thumb-walk and spend a little time holding places that have more sensation than the rest; breathe slowly and rhythmically a few times.

* In addition to the above, think about what relaxes you and changes your mindset when you’re caught in a negative loop. Creating art? Getting lost in a novel? Laughing through a comedy movie? Tackling a tough Sudoku or crossword puzzle? How about starting a small garden? Here’s a foolproof way to grow your own food, if, like me, your thumb is barely a mint green!

Make your mental health your priority – please.

Feel free to share this if you have clients suffering from gut pain and disfunction right now.

An Amazing Life – The Road Taken

I’m sure you’ve heard this before: Follow your passion.

Well, I don’t buy into that statement.

My passion is not “out there” to be followed like some puppy chasing a ball.

My passion is inside me. And it’s something that developed from following my curiosity. I wasn’t born with the many passions that propel me through my day; they matured by my paying attention to what interested me and then checking those interests out.

It wasn’t always that way for me, however.

Years ago, when people would ask me what my passion was, I felt like a failure. I didn’t have one! I mean, where does one find passion? Are we playing a game of hide and seek here? Is it available on Amazon? I do have Prime, you know!

Here’s where curiosity took me:

🌹My love of scents and where they took me in my head – and why I liked some brands of a particular aroma and not others – intrigued me enough to sign up for a free introductory class in aromatherapy offered when I was a massage student 31 years ago.

🦶🏼My curiosity (and skepticism) about how contact with the feet could affect stress levels and health motivated me back in 1983 to enroll in the Reflexology Association of Canada’s foot reflexology certification program.

❓My interest in the role belief systems play in our ability to experience a happy and prosperous life propelled me to take a weekend course entitled Happiness is a Choice, offered by the eminent Option Institute.

Did I know where those initial steps would lead? Nope.

Did I have a plan in mind to create what’s turned out to be an amazing life for myself? Heck, no!

I was just following a tickle I felt inside; something that had grabbed my attention.

And guess what! Each of those initial steps left me wanting more!

I picked up a couple of books on aromatherapy and read like crazy. That sparked more curiosity and more questions. Decided it was time to spend face-time (the real face time) with someone who knew something about the topic. I took a weekend workshop with Christina Polnyj at Essential Education International, and that did it. Signed up to take certification training in a chemistry-based program, offered by Andrea Butje at Aromahead Institute of Essential Oils Studies. (I loved feeling like the mad scientist while learning how to formulate blends for specific needs!)

Once I finished my reflexology training, I was, to say the least, fired up! I was eager to see how people other than my classmates would respond to the work. I started offering sessions to friends in exchange for their services and taking note of how their emotional, mental and physical lives were changed. And that’s when my curiosity turned into a passion! I just had to offer it to everyone I could in my hometown of Toronto! A business was born!

After the 2-day workshop in belief systems, I felt like an addict – I had to have more! I was mesmerized and loved my teacher. I took another weekend course and then took the plunge to explore all my beliefs in an 8-week residential program that changed my life. That experience formed the foundation upon which I have built my entire life and business.

Every one of these actions was triggered by my curiosity. Following what interested me is what developed the passions that inspire and drive me still today. I didn’t follow my passion; I followed my nose. My curiosity lit the match that sparked the fire that I bring to my work and life.

So, what are you curious about? What gets you thinking “Hmmmm” every time you see or hear something? What will you explore in 2020?

If you have even an inkling of curiosity about reflexology, I urge you to join me for a 2-day introduction in Reflexology for the Hands on May 16 and 17 in Gainesville, Florida.

You’ll either feel inspired afterward or not. But, you’ll know if this is a path to meander for a while longer. You’ll either feel it or not.

If curiosity has already kicked you down this road, and you’re ready to discover where a comprehensive training in hand and foot reflexology might lead you, well, what are you waiting for? Jump in!

Read about this year’s Therapeutic Hand and Foot Reflexology Professional Certification. The program starts on April 4, so don’t waste any time!

Who knows – your curiosity may explode into a passion! And God knows, the world needs more passionate, compassionate people right now with a burning desire to contribute something of value!

What’s Eating You?

Believe it or not, the first piece of research linking stress with digestion was recorded in 1883! The study revealed that the digestive system is much more than a ‘cement mixer’ and ‘delivery truck’. Results showed that our daily food includes emotions and all of life’s experiences, not just edible substances. Everything we take in is ultimately broken down and ‘judged’ by our digestive systems.

And why is a healthy digestive system important? All organs and systems of the body rely on the health of the digestive tract. Without REAL food (not food-like substances) to sustain them, the cells – and ultimately, the organs and glands – are unable to function. It’s that simple.

Importantly, today’s scientists have also discovered that 75% of the cells necessary for the immune system to function effectively are connected to the gastrointestinal tract! And that means a high-functioning digestive system is key to health and quality of life.

Join Marian Thompson, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and me to learn simple ways to reduce the impact of stress on your digestive system. Discover how easy it can be to make wise food choices in the care of your digestive system, and practice simple reflexology techniques to relax and support smooth operation of your ‘second brain’.

This is a free class offered on Thursday, February 6 from 1 to 3 pm. No reservations; first come – first served.

St. Johns County Public Library
Anastasia Island Branch
124 Seagrove Main Street
Saint Augustine Beach, FL 32080