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Background and training 

Having spent most of my life in the creative arts, I decided in 2009 to pursue my interest in people and healing.  I trained in Holistic Massage, Clinical Aromatherapy and Reflexology, and subsequently graduated with First Class honours (2013) from the BSc Complementary Therapies programme at Cardiff Metropolitan University.  I was also awarded a prize for my research into the use of Aromatherapy Massage in the management of Chronic (long term) Insomnia.

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More recently, in 2018  I began my journey to train as counsellor - initially training as a CBT counselor - obtaining a level 7 PGC in CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) counseling skills, began training as a CBT therapist before switching to a more integrated approach. CBT can be great but one therapeutic approach cannot suit everyone. I then went on to train Integratively (Dip L 4) - this means I use a mix of Humanistic, Person-Centred approaches, along with CBT, according to what best suits the client. I have my own personal daily mindfulness practice, and since qualifying as a counselor I have trained as a Mindfulness Teacher and am Qualified to teach mindfulness to groups and also one-to-one. This includes teaching the 8 week Mindfulness Now program- which is approved by the British Psychological Society. I have also undertaken further CPD (Continuing Professional Development) - with Dr Gabor Mate in his Compassionate Enquiry approach, also Emotion Focussing, OCD, Grief and working with People with Alzheimer's/Dementia.

I'm a registered member of the BACP (British Association for counseling and Psychotherapy) (MBACP: Reg. number 398007) and follow their code of ethics. 

I regularly work with people living with Alzheimer's / Dementia - both in their own homes and in residential care settings in my work with Effro- part of Platfform Wellbeing.

I am fully insured and have a full DS check as I work regularly with vulnerable people.

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Research  

I undertook my graduate Complementary Therapy placement in a residential short- stay mental health crisis house, running a weekly day clinic working with clients suffering acute mental health crises, using Massage, Reflexology and Aromatherapy to support clients, aid their relaxation, and ease their stress.  This experience left me convinced of the valuable role that Complementary Therapies can play, alongside conventional medicine, in aiding healing through creating a calm, supportive space for deep relaxation.  

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Working holistically

As your therapist, I value the opportunity to work with you holistically.  During the consultation we will discuss your personal circumstances and requirements and consider which therapy, or combination of therapies, might best suit you. 

It's about you!

You may simply be seeking a relaxing treatment to ease everyday stresses and strains, or perhaps you are looking for support through a time of stress, upheaval or change.  However you feel at the time, your treatment, or series of treatments will be tailored to support you in your journey in health and well-being.

Further reading and research

This is just a selection of research in these fields – however, please bear in mind that researching complementary therapies is chronically underfunded and it is notoriously difficult to research many therapies at the level required by double blind trials, due to the hands on nature of therapies- placebos are sometimes impossible. For this reason, many of the studies listed here would not necessarily be considered to constitute evidence of effectiveness of the treatment involved.

 

ALZHEIMER’S/DEMENTIA

Aromatherapy, massage and Dementia

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/treatments/alternative-therapies/aromatherapy-massage 

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Massage and touch for Dementia

 http://cochranelibrary-wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004989.pub2/abstract

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ANXIETY; STRESS; DISTRESS; LOW MOOD

1 in 4 people in the UK will experience some form of mental health issue this year.  If you are one of those people, it is important to get help - the first step is your GP. Opening up to close family or friends is also recommended. The mental health charity MIND are a good resource https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/

 

Aromatherapy

Stress and Aromatherapy: 

http://www.ifaroma.org/files/9114/3930/0258/Massage_World_Article_-_Stress_and_Aromatherapy.pdf

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Autonomic system responses to odours:

https://academic.oup.com/chemse/article/27/8/703/387697

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Clinical aromatherapy for emotional distress

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18935936

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Actions of essential oils on the central nervous system

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ffj.2045

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Aromatherapy Facts and Fictions: A Scientific Analysis of Olfactory Effects on Mood, Physiology and Behavior.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19125379

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Ambient odor of orange and lavender reduce anxiety and improve mood in a dental office. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16095639

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Modulation of cognitive performance and mood by aromas of peppermint and ylang-ylang. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16095639

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Reduction of Mental Stress with Lavender Odorant.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11806592

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Complementary and alternative treatments for late-life depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbance: a review of randomized controlled trials.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17960959

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The Use of Massage Therapy for Reducing Pain, Anxiety, and Depression in Oncological Palliative Care Patients: A Narrative Review of the Literature

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3168862/

 

Massage

Complementary and alternative medicine for sleep disturbances in older adults. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18035236

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Physiological responses to touch massage in healthy volunteers. http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/20638912

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Newborns of depressed mothers who received moderate versus light pressure massage during pregnancy

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0163638305000755

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Massage therapy effects on depressed pregnant women https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01674820412331282231

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Effects of Aroma Inhalation Therapy on Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and the Autonomic Nervous System in High-risk Pregnant Women

https://kjwhn.org/search.php?where=aview&id=10.4069/kjwhn.2017.23.1.33&code=2102KJWHN&vmode=REF

 

CANCER PATIENTS

http://www.velindrecc.wales.nhs.uk/complementary-therapies

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Aromatherapy

Effects of Aromatherapy on Depression, Anxiety and the Autonomic Nervous System in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Adjuvant Radiotherapy.

https://kjwhn.org/search.php?where=aview&id=10.4069/kjwhn.2017.23.1.33&code=2102KJWHN&vmode=REF

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Massage

The Use of Massage Therapy for Reducing Pain, Anxiety, and Depression in Oncological Palliative Care Patients: A Narrative Review of the Literature.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3168862/

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Reflexology

Cancer treatment and complementary and alternative therapies.

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-help/about-cancer/treatment/complementary-alternative/therapies/reflexology

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Use of reflexology in managing oedema.

http://www.tenovus.org.uk/research/innovation-grants-2012/use-of-reflexology-in-managing-lymphoedema

http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/991/news/33017

 

COGNITIVE FUNCTION; ATTENTION; MEMORY

Aromatherapy

The influence of essential oils on human attention 1: Alertness. https://academic.oup.com/chemse/article/26/3/239/295115

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Cognitive Facilitation Following Intentional Odor Exposure. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c10f/4a25116c264ffb87b3b08374bb5987ee6ec2.pdf

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EMOTIONAL RESPONSE TO AROMA MEMORY

Aromatherapy

Emotion experienced during encoding enhances odor retrieval cue effectiveness. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.468.5852&rep=rep1&type=pdf

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Unconcious odour conditioning in human subjects.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6640017

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INSOMNIA

Aromatherapy

The Influence of Odorants on Respiratory Patterns in Sleep. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19917590

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Clinical implications of the causal relationship between insomnia and depression: how individually tailored treatment of sleeping difficulties could prevent the onset of depression. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3405397/

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Unconscious odour conditioning in human subjects

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0301051183900200

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The sleep-enhancing effect of valerian inhalation and sleep-shortening effect of lemon inhalation.

https://academic.oup.com/chemse/article/31/8/731/363897

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Non-pharmacologic treatment of chronic insomnia.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10617176

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Complementary and alternative treatments for late-life depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbance

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17960959

 

MRSA

Aromatherapy

The effect of essential oils on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus using a dressing model.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15555788

 

PAIN

Aromatherapy

The Effectiveness of Aromatherapy in Reducing Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5192342/

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Effects of odor on pain perception: Deciphering the roles of emotion and attention. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14581116

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Massage

The Use of Massage Therapy for Reducing Pain, Anxiety, and Depression in Oncological Palliative Care Patients: A Narrative Review of the Literature

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3168862/

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PREGNANCY, CHILDBIRTH, NEW MOTHERS

Massage

Pregnancy and labor massage

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2870995/

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Complementary therapies for labour and birth study: a randomised controlled trial of antenatal integrative medicine for pain management in labour

http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/7/e010691

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Read to find out how to do perineal massage during pregnancy and for information on the benefits of massaging the perineum before childbirth.

https://www.nct.org.uk/pregnancy/perineal-massage

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Newborns of depressed mothers who received moderate versus light pressure massage during pregnancy

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0163638305000755

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Massage therapy effects on depressed pregnant women https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01674820412331282231

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Effects of Aroma Inhalation Therapy on Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and the Autonomic Nervous System in High-risk Pregnant Women

https://kjwhn.org/search.php?where=aview&id=10.4069/kjwhn.2017.23.1.33&code=2102KJWHN&vmode=REF

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