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Providing affordable Shiatsu, Qigong and Self-healing techniques across the community

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  • Home
  • Projects
    • Supporting women
    • Daily Online Qigong
    • Working with Children
  • Contact us

Working with Women

 

“I am working for NHS with Covid patients, and find this work very supportive and calming.”

“Invaluable for self care and righting my boat.”

Lottery Community Fund logoWe are delighted to have received National Lottery funding to be able to offer this to local women who wouldn’t normally be able to access Shiatsu or Qigong and are struggling with their health.

It is a series of six one-to-one Shiatsu treatments for a minimal donation, followed by the offer of a fully funded place on a 5 week Qigong course – aimed at supporting women’s health, and providing self-help skills.

In Shiatsu, our experience, over many years, has been that women come with symptoms such as insomnia, depression, anxiety, PMT, Menopausal or other hormonal problems, during or post Cancer treatment, joint pain, exhaustion, and fatigue. If these symptoms are not addressed early they can lead to more serious long-term health issues.

The project aims to help women to feel supported in their health, increasing resilience and giving an opportunity for empowerment through self-help skills, having a positive impact on long term health.

click for my COVID 19 Update

I am so glad you are considering coming for a Shiatsu treatment. I feel that, at this time, maybe more than any other, touch is crucial. There are however measures which need to be considered to keep everyone safe. Things may be a bit different, so it is important you know what to expect.

These are the things I am required to put into place in order to be able to practice again. I am really hoping I can keep a balance between heartful human physical contact and the measures that need to be taken. Hopefully you won’t notice most of it, but it seems important that you know it will be there.

 

What I will do

I, as always, will wash my hands thoroughly between clients.

I will provide hand sanitiser in the studio which I will use before laying hands on you and after taking notes, and you are welcome to use on arrival and departure.

When possible I will leave the studio door open so that you do not have to touch any door handles

I will clean door handles between treatments.

I will change the waterproof futon covering between each client.

I will clean the body cushion between each client, and as always use a clean head cloth.

I will clean the bathroom between each use and ask my family to use the other bathroom during the working day, I will provide a clean towel after each use. Where possible I will leave the doors to the bathroom open.

Government guidelines state that I should wear a mask and visor during treatment.

Government guidelines ask us not to work on the face. I will have a cloth available so I can work on any uncovered areas of skin.

I will ventilate the working space between clients, and where possible keep the door/ window open for as long as I can during the consultation/ treatment.

 

What I ask you to do

I ask that you do not come to a treatment with any symptoms of COVID 19 (A raised temperature, a new and persistent cough or change to your sense of smell or taste). This is to protect ALL my clients and my family, not just me. My cancellation policy has always been that if you are ill and let me know you will not be charged for your treatment if you cancel, this remains the case.

Our governing body recommends that you take your temperature on the day of the treatment. Do not attend if your temperature is raised.

I ask you to let me know if you develop symptoms of Corona virus after a treatment as I may need to self-isolate to protect my other clients.

I ask that you bring as little extra stuff into the studio with you as possible.

It is recommended that we don’t work on bare skin, so I ask that you wear a long-sleeved top, long trousers and socks. I will have a clean cloth available for working on your hands and face.

You may also want to bring layers of clothing and / or your own blanket as my blanket is wool and not easily washable. You may want to do this even if it seems warm outside, my studio can be very cool.

I ask that you fill in the client consent form below and bring it to your treatment.
Click here to view, download, print the Client Consent form

Government recommendations are that all clients wear face coverings during a treatment.

I ask that you pay online via BACS on the morning of the treatment. Please pay £45 to Kirsty Hurd-Thomas, Cooperative bank account: 04370723 sort code 08-90-66 and reference with your name.

If you are a Shiatsu For Change client and you would like to pay your donation (suggested donation £7) on line please use these details : Shiatsu For Change, Cooperative bank, Account number: 65882386 sort code 08-92-99

“Receiving regular shiatsu treatment … is an essential and transformative source of support for me, living with secondary cancer and the effects of ongoing cancer treatment.”

Shiatsu for Change - five elements - fire

 

For some time, through chatting to clients, it has been clear that, although lots of women need and want treatment and want to become more responsible for their own health, many can’t afford it, and feel their health suffers accordingly.

This project is born from these conversations.

What is Shiatsu?

Kirsty at Shiatsu for ChangeShiatsu is a form of bodywork which originated in Japan. It is given fully clothed on a soft futon on the floor.

The basic idea behind Shiatsu is to help the body adjust itself by helping the Qi to function. Qi (sometimes spelled ‘Chi’ or ‘Ki’) is our life-force. Qi provides the energy for all our life processes.

To help the body adjust itself in this way we use gentle pressure, stretches, holding, joint mobilizations and rocking. In this way Shiatsu is a little like massage. However, Shiatsu also works with the energetic condition of the body helping to re-energize weak areas, relax tension and bringing harmony to body and mind.

This means that your body can transform physically, mentally, emotionally and energetically, helping you change patterns that make you feel ill, stiff or stuck.

Oriental therapies, such as Shiatsu can so often help when Western medicine has not been able to and help in areas that people may not automatically associate them with. In Shiatsu we can work to help support all of the systems in the body, so the work can have an impact on digestive issues, breathing issues, regular and common illness, issues around pregnancy, fertility and menstruation as well as the things that might more immediately come to mind like muscular skeletal problems.

Benefits of Shiatsu

Independent research carried out at the university of Leeds finds that:

  • 89% of Shiatsu receivers felt calmer and more relaxed.
  • 86% said that Shiatsu was effective in treating stress and tension, structural and postural problems, low energy and fatigue.
  • Up to 60% of Shiatsu receivers slept better.
  • Shiatsu receiver’s symptoms were significantly reduced during the 6-month study.
  • Shiatsu receivers had a reduced usage of conventional medicine.
  • Overall, Shiatsu receivers adopted a more relaxed, healthier and balanced approach to life.
What is Qigong?

Qigong is gentle exercise which improves mental and physical health by integrating posture, movement, breathing technique, self-massage, sound, and focused intent.

Qigong opens the flow of energy in meridians used in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. It enhances our ability to feel the Life Force (or Qi) underlying the physical world and to deepen our communication with it.

Physically, slow gentle qigong movements warm tendons, ligaments, and muscles; tonify vital organs and connective tissue; and promote circulation of body fluids (blood, synovial, lymph). Thousands of studies have shown qigong effective in helping to heal life challenges ranging from high blood pressure and chronic illness to emotional frustration, mental stress, and spiritual crisis.

 

 

The group was held with care, expertise and attention. I felt strengthened and grounded by the practice, and felt like I was being invited to explore the wisdom of my female body. These are practices I could easily integrate into my life, which is empowering.

 

If you would like to apply for a place please fill in your contact details here, and we will be in touch.

 

 

Shiatsu alongside Cancer treatment

 

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