This is a Specialist Complementary
Health Service for all Women.
Male clients will be seen after a referral from an existing client or certain organisations & charities such as EFFRO.
For more info, an informal chat or to book, pop a message in the green box or Text/Call
07737117393
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.
Research
I undertook my graduate placement in an emergency unit, 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. I am experienced in treating vulnerable people, young people and older people.
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
Massage and touch for Dementia
http://cochranelibrary-wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004989.pub2/abstract
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
Autonomic system responses to odours:
https://academic.oup.com/chemse/article/27/8/703/387697
Clinical aromatherapy for emotional distress
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18935936
Actions of essential oils on the central nervous system
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ffj.2045
Aromatherapy Facts and Fictions: A Scientific Analysis of Olfactory Effects on Mood, Physiology and Behavior.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19125379
Ambient odor of orange and lavender reduce anxiety and improve mood in a dental office. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16095639
Modulation of cognitive performance and mood by aromas of peppermint and ylang-ylang. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16095639
Reduction of Mental Stress with Lavender Odorant.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11806592
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
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
Physiological responses to touch massage in healthy volunteers. http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/20638912
Newborns of depressed mothers who received moderate versus light pressure massage during pregnancy
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0163638305000755
Massage therapy effects on depressed pregnant women https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01674820412331282231
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
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
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/
Reflexology
Cancer treatment and complementary and alternative therapies.
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
Cognitive Facilitation Following Intentional Odor Exposure. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c10f/4a25116c264ffb87b3b08374bb5987ee6ec2.pdf
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
Unconcious odour conditioning in human subjects.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6640017
INSOMNIA
Aromatherapy
The Influence of Odorants on Respiratory Patterns in Sleep. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19917590
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/
Unconscious odour conditioning in human subjects
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0301051183900200
The sleep-enhancing effect of valerian inhalation and sleep-shortening effect of lemon inhalation.
https://academic.oup.com/chemse/article/31/8/731/363897
Non-pharmacologic treatment of chronic insomnia.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10617176
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/
Effects of odor on pain perception: Deciphering the roles of emotion and attention. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14581116
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/
PREGNANCY, CHILDBIRTH, NEW MOTHERS
Massage
Pregnancy and labor massage
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2870995/
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
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
Newborns of depressed mothers who received moderate versus light pressure massage during pregnancy
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0163638305000755
Massage therapy effects on depressed pregnant women https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01674820412331282231
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