Ear Candling Now Available!
VRT is Here!
Trained at the feet of Lyn Booth (UK)
VRT is a unique reflexology technique originally developed to help orthopedic conditions but has subsequently proved successful in treating many health problems

Contact Details:

WHAT IS REFLEXOLOGY?

REFLEXOLOGY IS A HANDS-ON SELF-HELP technique that uses the body’s own energy centres to heal itself, a form of holistic therapy that connects to and heals the imbalances in our internal energy flow through the direct power of touch, easing physical pain and increasing our sense of wellbeing.

The ancient healing art of reflexology has been known to man for many thousands of years. The earliest evidence of reflexology was found in an Egyptian relief dated between 2500 and 2300 BC but it has evolved over centuries of traditional practise in India, Indonesia, China and Native American culture, where the foot is respected as a link to the Earth and its energy. It is only in recent years that Western science has begun to accept the link between mental health and physical strength but Eastern philosophy has been based on this holistic concept for thousands of years.

In 1913 Dr. William Fitzgerald, an American ear, nose and throat surgeon, introduced the reflexology therapy to the West. He noted that pressure on specific parts of the body could have an anaesthetising effect on a related area. Developing this theory, he divided the body into ten equal and vertical zones, ending in the fingers and toes. He concluded that pressure on one part of a zone could affect everything else within that zone. Thus, reflex areas on the feet and hands are linked to other areas and organs of the body within the same zone.

In the 1930's, Eunice Ingham, a therapist, further developed and refined the zone therapy into what is now known as foot reflexology. She observed that congestion or tension in any part of the foot mirrors congestion or tension in a corresponding part of the body. Thus, when you treat the big toes there is a related effect in the head, and treating the whole foot can have a relaxing and healing effect on the whole body.

Touch provides the basis for this healing. Touch is one of the most powerful and neglected senses, especially in the Western world. The physical benefits of massage are obvious, most of us instinctively rub tired or aching muscles, but recent studies on the effects of touch deprivation in babies have demonstrated the more fundamental place that touch plays in human development, alertness and physical growth.

THE BENEFITS OF REFLEXOLOGY

The basis of reflexology is homeostasis and balance. The body is a finely tuned machine that is synergistic with everything working together for the benefit of all. When this body is balanced we call the balance homeostasis. This balance maintained by a system of glands, organs, nerves, and chemicals. If one gets out of balance it will be felt throughout the entire body.

Reflexology focuses on stimulating reflex points on the feet to maintain good health. It is a form of massage therapy based on the assumption that our body's physiological composition is replicated in miniature on our hands and feet, and that by applying pressure to reflex points, you can relax and balance the whole body and help treat a range of disorders. Congestion around reflex points in the feet mirrors tension disease and injury in the corresponding organs, glands and body parts. Working on the areas of tension releases energy to the corresponding part of the body. Thus, for example, stomach problems can be treated by pressure just below the ball of the foot, and headaches by pressure on the big toe. Most of the reflex points are on the soles of the feet, but there are some on the top and round the ankles. According to reflexologists, a disorder in any part of the body is reflected by sensitivity in the corresponding area of the feet. Reflexologists do not claim to diagnose illness, but a good therapist can usually tell where there is a weakness in the body. Patients are frequently amazed at the accuracy of reflexology in pinpointing some detail about the state of their health. The feet are very complex structures, and foot problems can result in postural and other disorders. Corns and calluses may cause problems in the corresponding parts of the body. It is extraordinary how often people with lung problems have calluses on the balls of their feet (the area corresponding to the lungs), and people with neck problems have bunions.

REFLEXOLOGY - A COMPLEX ART

Leonardo Da Vinci referred to the foot as “the greatest engineering device in the world." The feet contain almost a quarter of all the bones in the body: each has 28 separate bones and an intricate web of muscles. These bones are arranged in arches that help the foot to support the weight of the body and provide leverage when walking. There are three arches: the main, high arch runs along the inside edge of the foot; lower ones run along the outside edge and across the base of the toes. The sole has a thick layer of tough tissue covering many small ligaments and muscles. There are more than 7,000 nerve endings in each foot and by stimulating specific pressure reflex points, reflexology can access the body's nervous system and energy channels - also called meridian lines - working to release blocks in the flow of energy and toxic build-up to enable the body's systems to function properly.

Even if there is no scientific explanation of how reflexology works, the therapy is very successful. At the very least, massaging the feet in this way is incredibly relaxing, and this has general beneficial effects on health. Reflexology may be an ancient complex art but its basic elements can be quickly learnt and practised with immediate beneficial effects. Correctly performed, sensitive massage to pressure points on the feet can relieve tension stored in the muscles and by encouraging the release of endorphins - our bodies natural painkillers - create pleasurable physical sensations enhancing mood and improving overall health.

It is important to trust the person giving the reflexology massage and to choose a comfortable environment where you feel relaxed and calm to gain the most benefit from the therapist's positive energy. Music extends these benefits, providing a soothing, rhythmic background for the massage by surrounding you with melodic harmonies which as healing fingers will 'walk' your troubles away.

QUALIFICATION DETAILS
Committee Member Reflexology Association of Australia (Vic chapter)
Member Australian Association of Massage Therapists

Rebates by many Health Funds