Through 20+ years of practice in Massage Therapy and other holistic modalities I have come to specialize in the individualized treatment of women. Not that it was intended, my practice has just evolved that way. Throughout the life of a woman she faces a myriad of physical, emotional and hormonal changes. (and no, this is not to say that men don’t as well). I've watched those changes over the years in practice and am always in awe, not only in how each woman's individual body deals with them but the strength each woman has in resolving emotional and physical challenges. Women face different challenges to their male counterparts, be it in the workplace, societal expectations or their role within the family unit. I was told recently that my uprooting my life to relocate to Calgary was a “brave thing for a woman, especially of my age” to be doing…. Hmmmm. Would the same thing have been said if a man was making the same changes? I think so. I think as human beings, male or female, we can become stagnant in our lives and that can be a very comfortable place to be. When anyone chooses to change all of that it does take some courage, energy and resolve. So whether change is brought about due to physical changes in age, hormones, etc. or whether we are initiating the change, we can draw upon holistic therapies to help ease our bodies and minds through them. Massage Therapy helps the physical changes in muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints whether a fast growing teen, pregnant, menopausal or arthritic. An added benefit that many women experience is that it assists in becoming more body comfortable and body confident...a great self esteem builder! Craniosacral Therapy benefits physical change through unwinding the fascia that tightens around muscles, organs and the body from injury or stress. It also assists the body to release past traumas that can cause fascia to wind tight and stay tight. Craniosacral therapy is also helpful for learning disabilities, TMJ, concussion symptoms and headaches…things that can be experienced at any age. What I've also discovered that often, when a more aggressive therapy is not working, the body will respond to the gentleness of Craniosacral. Reflexology stimulates all of the nerve endings in the feet and/or hands, and through that opens up the circulation, encouraging the body to relax, and in that, begin self-healing. Read more about this healing art.... (click here) Reiki brings balance to body, mind and spirit which can be essential to working through those periods of raging hormones that continue throughout life, easing the stress and tension brought about with exams, raising a family, being in this life and dealing with societal expectations. Reiki is a gentle reminder for the mind to rest and the body to heal. Throughout my years in practice I have been honoured to share sessions focused on the health of women be they newborn or 98 years in age, and every age in between that. I’ve been witness to watching these women travel through life’s changes with more ease upon their journey and that has been a priceless gift. What stresses and challenges to you feel, as a woman, you experience differently to men?
What steps do you take to ease and meet those stresses and challenges? Have you tried holistic health modalities?
0 Comments
A client, brand new to Reiki, shared the thought that the secret to Reiki was the time out from the world. That very rarely in this day and age do we take the time to completely remove ourselves, physically and emotionally, from having to be or do. That when we do take that time, even just for 30 to 40 minutes (or longer), that the quality of rest is so profound that the body and mind feel as though they have had 8 hours of sleep. On some levels I do have to agree. A reiki session encourages that level of deep relaxation, and when in that state our body’s innate ability to heal itself is given the space it needs to do so. That can be a really healing experience on an emotional/mental level as well. When we take the time to get quiet, put what is bothering us on the back burner for a time, and while it percolates back there, we often come up with resolutions we may not have thought of in our harried, busy state. So why have a Reiki session if you can get the same results with a “time out”? Well, probably first and foremost is that not many actually take the time to relax this deeply, on a regular basis. The flow of energy that is Reiki goes to a deeper level on both the physical and emotional levels. While it may not be apparent at the time of your session, you will often notice, for many days afterwards, a sense of deep peace and harmony. The balance between mind, body and spirit that is brought about through your Reiki session gives you much greater energy to draw upon as you continue through your day to day activities. Accomplishing those activities in a less stressed state is not only good for you but beneficial to those around you. You end up having more to give, from a centred, balanced and harmonious place. What are your thoughts about Reiki?
What have been the short and long term benefits to your sessions? Do you actually take the time, each day, to be in a peaceful and relaxed state? Upcoming holidays have you stressed out? It's not unusual. Actually we all feel somewhat stressed over them...good and bad stress, but stress none-the-less Whether we stress about watching what we eat versus enjoying ourselves, getting enough sleep versus keeping the party going, blowing the budget versus buying something really special, feeling like a scrooge because we really can't stand the holidays...the list goes on and I'm sure you have many more you could add. A little pre-planning, and I mean right now, can go a long way to not only surviving but really enjoying a holistic holiday season (yes, even for the grinches!). Let's put some plans into action together! It always seems that I have to get that universal kick in the butt before the concept of self-care crosses my awareness. In complete opposition to what I encourage with my clients. Yes, guilty of doing, more than being. A recent round with a cold/flu virus knocked me back...again...seems this year I've caught everything that is going around. I probably should have received the message the 2nd time around with a cold but it took this last knock for me to sit down and reassess. My body had been talking pretty loudly before the virus...knowing I needed to do more yoga and meditation, take more time for soaks in the tub and "do nothing"time. But as many of us do, I kept putting it off until I "had the time". Well the universe made sure of that. Despite it's title as being for gardeners, this clip that I discovered has really great gentle stretches for most weekend warrior activities. What I like is the information given to work with YOUR body and where it is now in it's ability and flexibility, and not to push to a point of pain. I would recommend these stretches to my dance students and clients who are more physically active on their time off. It is really well done! The dictionary describes a Weekend Warrior as "someone who participates in what is usually a very strenuous activity only on the weekends, or part time." Can you guess who books in for sessions the most in the early days of the week, especially during the spring? Weekend Warriors, especially the gardening variety! The Hips...such a key area for so many aspects of a woman's life! Physically they take the weight of our upper body and help us to move in so many directions. Emotionally they are the body's junk drawer as they carry our stress and unresolved emotions. An amazing network of muscles, ligaments, bones, the root chakra and our nurturing energy it is said the hips cradle the soul. A good hip massage opens up our movement, relieves stress on our lower back and allows us to move more freely while also releasing the build up of stress. Our root chakra feels more grounded and stable as energy flows unrestricted. Probably the first and most important thing that I had to come to terms with is that stress is a personal situation. We can become somewhat dismissive of stress when we compare our lives to others and think they have it worse. The realization that what may seem trivial to one person can be a high stressor to another, is important. Also, allowing ourselves to admit that stress is having an impact on us and on our lives which in turn impacts those around us. Measuring ourselves against others does nothing to enhance our own lives With Winter’s cooler weather we often change our routines and tend to huddle in, cover up and hibernate. On an energetic level this is a great time to go inside and review the past year … what has worked and what needs some change. It’s a time to reconnect with our spirituality.
On the physical side the colder dryer weather can leave us with dry, flaky skin, achy joints, cold or flu symptoms … so let's address those. May sound strange…but there is a direct connection. With over 7,000 nerve endings in our feet, our entire body is constantly stimulated and circulation increased when we walk barefoot. This includes the stimulation of the glands that release all of those feel good hormones. Wonder why we feel so much better in the summer? It’s not just the sunshine. |
Teresa Graham,
|
|
|