Too 'touchy feely'?

I became interested in Aromatherapy & Massage through a desire to improve my own health and wellbeing and that of my family - when my children were young.  It was initially my interest in the possible healing properties of essential oils that led me to take an ITEC course on Anatomy, Physiology & Massage, this being required before I could learn Aromatherapy.  Through this course, I began to realize and experienced the benefits of touch and how healing it can be.

Of course how healing it can be (or not) depends a lot on the level of comfort we feel about  the person who touches us and how we are touched. Our experience of touch is personal to us, it is our experiences in life that influence how we respond to others, we are particularly influenced by our parents and family.

Sometimes it can be a simple lack of touch , or a general 'awkwardness' of the people who cared for us, experienced in our early days that may mean that we are not comfortable with what is often described as 'touchy feely' stuff.

An article discussing the benefits of touch to humans of all ages and the effect that this may have on growth & development of infants and on recovery & rehabilitation from illness is offered here as a thought provoker. See article (will open a new window)

 I am  a 'Complementary' rather then 'Alternative' therapist - From my own experiences, and 'questioning' I have found many 'therapies' complement each other and I believe that it is important that each person finds what works for themselves, keeping an open mind can be difficult at times, but very helpful!

For when Massage is unsuitable.

Massage can sometimes not be suitable for some people that are unwell, or recovering from operations.

The 'm' technique® is a very safe and gentle method of touch that has been found to help people of all walks of life it is especially suitable for anyone of any age who may be fragile, critically/ terminally ill, or highly stressed, as it can evoke a rapid and profound relaxing effect.

 Used in hospitals/ hospices it has been shown to improve the wellbeing of the patient and is renowned for its beneficial effects on the following conditions:

Essential oils can also be used in conjunction with this technique to enhance the effects.  When used regularly in conjunction with conventional medicine the comfort level of the patient can be greatly increased resulting in less dependency on medication to control pain.  The overall wellbeing of the patient can be significantly improved which can lead to a shortened recovery period.

The whole experience can be deeply calming and the client is lulled into a deep state of relaxation.

This method of touch has been used in America since 1994. It was registered by the Patent and Trademark Office of the United States Department of Commerce in 1997, and approved as a specialized method of touch in March 1998. It is also registered in the UK. The 'm' technique® is currently being taught and used in hospitals, hospices, nursing colleges and massage schools.

 Please see Nurturing Massage or  www.mtechnique.co.uk for more information

Cochran report - October 2006

Massage intervention for promoting mental and physical health in infants aged under six months

The aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness of infant massage in promoting infant physical and mental health in population samples.  See report (will open a new window)