Frequently Asked Questions
Who is a Reflexology / Indian Head Massage / Aromatherapy treatment for?
Reflexology, Indian Head Massage and Aromatherapy treatments are beneficial for everyone, young or old, male or female.
If you are pregnant (in the first trimester) or have major health problems, please let us know and check with your doctor as to whether a reflexology treatment is suitable for you.
Indian Head Massage is best avoided for the first couple of days of the menstrual cycle and the first trimester of pregnancy.
What happens at a reflexology, Indian head massage and aromatherapy session?
Reflexology
After a consultation for reflexology, you will be required to remove your footwear, such as shoes, socks and tights. It is best to wear loose comfortable clothing so that you feel relaxed. If wearing pants, they can be rolled up easily to the knees. Your feet and legs will be kept covered by a towel/blanket unless being worked on.
The treatment will begin with gentle relaxation techniques followed by applying pressure to all the reflex areas on the feet and legs up to the knees. The pressure will be adjusted to your level of sensitivity. Reflexology is not ticklish as a firm pressure is used, however it is not painful either. A lot of people fall asleep during the treatment.
A small amount of cream will be used to help the massage techniques allowing a fast, efficient, flowing motion. Usually one foot is worked at a time then both feet are worked thoroughly during the course of a full treatment.
If a particular part of the body is out of balance, the corresponding reflex areas may feel tender or sore during the treatment. Suggestions may be made for the best course of action to achieve maximum benefit. Generally people describe any areas of tenderness as a 'good pain' or 'sweet pain', which is bearable and beneficial.
Indian Head Massage
As for the Indian head massage, jewellery such as earrings and necklaces as well as glasses will need to be removed. Disrobing is not required but optional if you are concerned about your clothing being touched.
The face, head, neck, upper back, shoulders and the upper arms will be worked on. A small amount of oil will be used and that can remove a makeup. Traditionally oils are used for the whole areas, however at our clinic, only a small amount of oil will be used for the face. Our choice of oil is usually Jojoba oil that is suitable for all skin types and readily absorbed into the skin, leaving the skin soft and supple, not greasy. As an option, Argan oil - well known for a fantastic anti-ageing properties, could be chosen with an extra cost.
Aromatherapy
In the aromatherapy session, your tailor made oils will be blended to benefit you the most followed by a consultation. You will need to disrobe down to underwear so that the oils can be massaged into your skin. You will be covered by towels and only the body part being worked on will be uncovered.
The whole body on both front and back sides will be worked with the oils. The areas include the head, the face, the back, the hip, the arms, the upper chest, the abdominal area, the legs and the feet. Our usual main carrier oil is Sweet Almond oil, so if you have nut allergy, please let us know in advance to alter the oil.
At the end...
After your treatment, a glass of water will be offered. It is important to drink plenty of water (room-temperature or lukewarm) to help flush toxins from your body. It is also recommended that you avoid alcohol, eat light meals and have a good rest on the day of your treatment.
How long and how often?
A typical foot reflexology/aromatherapy session lasts about an hour depending on the age and state of health of the person receiving the treatment. Indian Head Massage lasts about 30 minutes and Detox Foot Bath is usually for about 15 minutes.
The first session tends to be longer as a thorough health, diet and lifestyle consultation is undertaken. This will involve finding out about any medication that you take, recent operations and illness and your reasons for trying reflexology.
The exact number of sessions required varies depending on your state of health. It is generally recommended that you have 4-6 weekly treatments initially then the sessions could be reduced to fortnightly, monthly or whenever you feel the need. Chronic conditions including fertility issues may take longer to respond.
Cancellation and other policies...
We appreciate your cooperation by letting us know 48 hours in advance if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. This will allow us time to offer the newly available appointment slot to another client. While we understand that unforeseen circumstances occur, we would like to ask that you please respect the time that we have reserved just for you. The sooner we have the information, the more likely another client can be seen during that time :) This policy also applies to appointments to be paid for by Gift Certificates. Gift Certificates will be forfeited without 48 hours prior notice.
If you arrive late for your appointment, you may not be able to receive the full treatment and the time left will be used to its best advantage. Please note that you will be charged the full fee for the period of time you were scheduled.
We ask that you please be courteous of your therapist's time and attention as well as your fellow clients will. Thank you.
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REFLEXOLOGY
Where did reflexology come from? The art of Reflexology is traced back to 2,500 BC ancient Egypt, India and China. Over the years various forms of reflexology have been practiced and developed in the USA, Africa and the Far East. How does reflexology work? Reflexology is based on the principle that certain parts of the body reflect the whole. Reflex points are connected to all parts of the body, the glands and organs. These points can be found throughout the body, in the feet, hands, ears, head and face. The left foot represents the left side of the body and the right foot represents the right side of the body. Stimulating reflex points with gentle pressure and massage techniques help dissolve crystallised deposits, clear the energy blocks and bring about balance harmony and a sense of well-being to the body. Reflexology is a holistic therapy that aims at treating a whole person as an entity incorporating mind, body and spirit. A holistic approach is to see your life/lifestyle as a whole. Symptoms or discomfort are regarded as the body's expression of imbalance and attempt to restore a state of balance and harmony ( homeostasis ). Reflexology supports and helps the body to heal and revitalise itself. Reflexologists work on the whole integrated person, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually. However all healing comes from within and active involvement is expected of you. Each of us a responsible in making ourselves as healthy as possible. Which reflexology method? The Rwo Shur (Eastern Reflexology) is employed as a base incorporating other methods such as lymphatic drainage and acupressure points massage to regulate the flow of Qi through the meridians. The Row Shur method uses a combination of thumb-sliding and pressure techniques with the knuckles and sometimes small wooden sticks and tools. Treatment is aimed for relaxation and balancing the body's system. The pressure is constantly adjusted to ensure the maximum comfort yet enough stimulation for the reflexes. The sequence is also adjusted suite each person and for optimum benefits. It is very important to work within your comfort-zone and the session to be nurturing on all levels. |
INDIAN HEAD MASSAGE
Where did Indian Head Massage come from? As the name suggests, it originates from ancient India. It has its roots in Ayurveda which is known as the :science of longevity", one of the oldest healthcare systems in the world that dates back more than 4000 years ago. Ayurveda offers spiritual, philosophical and practical guidelines for how to achieve health and wellbeing. The healing power of touch to restore and maintain wellbeing is deeply embedded in the Indian culture and head massage has to been seen within this context. Massage is seen as one of life's essentials and plays an important part in many major life events in India. Being a head masseur is a fully recognised profession and there is even a special caste attributed to it and passed down through the generations. How does Indian Head Massage work? Indian Head Massage is stimulating yet promotes deep relaxation and a feeling of peace. It restores harmony and wellbeing. The massage helps nerves system to release endorphins, the body's happy hormone and natural painkillers and the touch can send messages of calm and relaxation to the brain. It works on the body's underlying muscles, easing tension and stiffness. It is especially beneficial for stress management as the scalp and the face usually hold much tension under stress and the muscles become very stiff. There are reflex points in the head and the ear by stimulating those reflex points, musculoskeletal system and internal organs will also be addressed. The head massage is also great for beauty. It boosts the circulation and improves the appearance and quality of the skin. The head massage particularly helps to improve the condition of the hair and scalp by bringing the necessary nutrients needed for healthy hair growth. It is an ultimate beauty therapy. The Indian head massage is also known to help aligning body and soul through massage to regain balance and works on the energetic balance of the body through the chakra system, which centres around its spiritual dimension. |
AROMATHERAPY
Where did Aromatherapy come from? Throughout the ancient world, aromatic substances were used by the ancient Egyptians, the ancient Greeks and Romans, as well as in the Middle East and Asia. However it was the 20th century French chemist coined the term aromatherapy. Aromatherapy was developed as a medically based therapy utilising essential oils. The properties of essential oils were proven and researched and could be seen as equal to conventional drugs of the time. How does aromatherapy body massage work? As with reflexology, aromatherapy is a holistic therapy and wonderful preventative medicine. Aromatherapy massage involves the use of natural essential oils extracted from plants for healing. They are made up of tiny molecules and are liquid volatile compounds. Each essential oil has particular therapeutic properties as each plant has different compounds and own set of beneficial healing properties. Essential oils stimulate the sense of smell (olfactory sense) which sends an immediate message to the brain and elicits an emotional response. The oils are also absorbed into the bloodstream via the skin and promote healing and optimise health in the body. For the treatment, usually a few different essential oils will be blended in a carrier oil (s) to suit your needs. The massage is a very gentle, soft touched relaxing massage and works on many levels of our being. It includes energy balancing, lymphatic drainage, acupressure and reflex points stimulation and helps to relax the nervous and muscular systems . Also very beneficial for the skin conditions. It is immensely relaxing and revitalising. A feeling of wellbeing will last for many hours afterwards. Which aromatherapy massage method? "Micheline Arcier Aromatherapy Massage" technique is employed. The technique focuses on the autonomic nervous system and the energetic dimension. It incorporates classical swedish massage movements, neuromuscular techniques that restore balance to the autonomic nervous system, lymphatic drainage, acupressure points massage, polarity therapy technique that rebalance the body's electromagnetic energy field and reflex points stimulation on the feet. |
