Blog

January 2023

The Importance of Self-Care and Relaxation

As we kick off the new year, many of us are thinking about making changes and setting new goals for ourselves. Whether it’s a complete overhaul or just a few minor adjustments, now is the perfect time to focus on self-care and relaxation. And what better way to do that than with a treatment at Summer House at Edenwood Place or St Barnabas House, Gillingham.

I did my first treatment of the year up at the the Summer House at Edenwood Place this week, it is truly a hidden gem. Tucked away from the busy world, I can make it cozy and warm, for the perfect escape. Similarly, St Barnabas House, Gillingham offers a tranquil atmosphere, making it an ideal spot for a relaxing massage and some time out.

 This January I have also started a new baby massage course. The baby is 6 weeks old and absolutely adorable. Both parents attended and this first week they learned the movements for the legs and the stomach. Stomach massage will be a useful addition to the parents toolkit, throughout childhood. Being able to calm an anxious child, tackle stomach aches and aid digestion issues is going to be so valuable to them with this baby as it grows and any more they may have in the future 😊

Self-care and relaxation should be a priority for all of us, and this year I am excited to continue on this journey and make it a goal to build regular clients who recognize the importance of making time for themselves. I am also looking forward to entering the National Massage Championships again in October, as it gave me an enormous boost last year, what a challenge.

So, as we start this new year, let’s make self-care and relaxation a priority. Whether it’s booking a treatment at Summer House at Edenwood Place or St Barnabas House, learning baby massage, or setting new goals for ourselves, In particular I recommend trying out the Hot Stones and Warm bamboo Massage Sticks treatments during the winter season, as they provide extra warmth and comfort, making it perfect for the colder months.

Do make down time part of your year plan, it’s so easy to get swept away with life and put ourselves at the bottom of the pile.

Happy New Year 😊

November 2021

Why have Regular Massage Treatments?

On the day of your massage, you feel warm, looked after, relaxed, sleepy and you wonder why you don’t do this all the time 🙂 That is largely how a massage is supposed to make you feel (although some sports injury types of massage don’t always fall into this description). The muscles are smoothed and softened, the tiny muscles fibres are elongated and relaxed. Great.

As the days go past, you resume all your usual activities, rushing here and there, work or classes, your head fills up with the little things that rule our lives..’remember this event.. Birthdays, work stuff, stuff for the other people in your house maybe, shopping’… busy, busy. You stop focusing of being relaxed and the usual everyday frustrations creep back in.

In an ideal world now is when you should start to listen to your body. Are your teeth clenched, do you do big sighs often, are your shoulders under your ears held with the tension? All of these and many more are the physical signs of the stress on your body. If you allow you body to stay in this state for 6 months..a year, what will happen? Some tangible signs of stress on the body could be headaches, sleeplessness or disturbed sleep patterns, irritability….I am sure you can think of others but of course stiffness and pain in the muscles can be a sign ..a really loud fog horn from your body that it is under stress. Do you listen or just keep going? Do you take time to meditate for example, do you really switch off and relax when you can?

So, the point of having regular massage treatments is to balance or reset. Balancing physical activity with rest and repair. Balancing mental activity, general busyness and stress with rest and repair. Helping your body achieve a relaxed state so that it can work well. Soften the muscle fibres, breathe deeply and fully, allow your mind to drift and lose yourself a little bit, slow the heart rate, be well and resilient.

Some of my regular clients are now retired and I have been seeing them for nearly twenty Years! They are not bored of the treatment, they have watched me grow as a therapist. They value the rest button each and every month apart from when I had to close due to lockdowns and they hated that they couldn’t have their massage for all of those weeks. I have journeyed with them through bereavements, mobility issues, falls, a stroke for one person, general aches and pains and the onset of an older age and a different period in their lives. If the time comes that they can’t make the stairs to my treatment room I will set up a different space for them. We will navigate it all together. Yes we do get stiffer as we get older but it’s my intention to keep people moving and keep the stresses of this life under their own control.

When will you take your first step on this journey of self care?

October – Massage Awareness Month

I am pretty sure everyone is aware of massage therapy, and it’s generally agreed, even by the scientists, that it’s really nice and a good healthy thing to do. So why haven’t we all got a massage therapist like we all have a GP or dentist? I am not suggesting Massage therapy is as medical and I am definitely not suggesting it is life saving, though it would be great if it could be prescribed on the NHS to help the swathes of people trying to manage there stress levels, but generally people know that a massage is good for them but don’t make time to see someone regularly.

So, what is so good about having a massage? Physically there are a number of benefits…softening muscles, promoting good circulation, easing tension, promoting good deep breathing, increasing oxygen to the body, lowering blood pressure, encouraging the release of toxins, promoting good healthy skin… wowsers this does sound good!

But what about the emotional benefits? These are harder to quantify but I will make some suggestions…Human connection, positive touch, the feeling of being looked after, the feeling of being listened to, letting go, drifting away, feeling safe, relaxing, resting….doesn’t this all sound good too? I have had a few of my clients for nearly 20 years, they understand all of the tiny and not so tiny benefits of making massage part of their lives once a month.

To check in and reset or restore. To mull over the ups and downs of life.

Have a very happy and healthy October and as we head into Winter ask yourself what you might gain by taking some regular time out.

NOVEMBER 2022

Ahh, it’s been a while I am sorry! It’s been a big year for myself and my partner, he was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer just before Christmas last year so our year has been taken up with that diagnosis and the following treatment and I am happy to report that he is now back at work and doing really well.

Now here we are again just before Christmas and I wanted to share with you what else I have been up to! This year I was nominated for a Kent Women in Business Award, that was a delight to have that kind of endorsement from others to nominate me and it involved a fancy dinner back in March. I didn’t win but it really was very fun and exciting to know that I had been shortlisted to ‘FINALIST’.

I also entered myself into the National Massage Championship in October. After many years of working in Massage Therapy I decided to challenge myself by being judged! The show was at the prestigious venue Olympia, in London, and I was sick with nerves on the day. But it was a fantastic day, and the biggest buzz to take part in. My youngest grown-up daughter was my client, and I did a full massage and added Hot stones and Warm Bamboo Sticks, keeping her appropriately covered and warm enough (we were judged on these things too) while judges walked around and made notes. A gentleman from the World Championships was walking around filming therapists for a facebook live, it was an incredible experience….and I might even repeat it next year! My score from the day was 75%, I was very happy with that, no prize position but I felt so lifted by the day I didn’t mind at all.

*GIFT VOUCHERS* (A Christmas Present that even the great David Attenborough could approve of 🙂 ) So here we are back at Christmas! Are members of your family becoming more planet aware? Will they appreciate a gift that takes an eco friendly approach into account? Do you struggle to find a gift for the person who seems to have all they need? Here are some good reasons to choose a gift voucher to tick some planet friendly boxes.

*Plastic/ Zero Unnecessary Packaging * 100% Natural Plant Material – Suitable for the Vegetarian/Vegan in your life * Local Business -(no air miles and delays or lost packages roaming around the world ) * Recipient can book a time that suits them – expiry 30th June 2023 * Treat the person who never treats themselves! * Say Thank you to staff/teams *

PRICE INCREASE

Treatment prices are increasing in January after many years remaining at the same cost, so do please take advantage of treatments I offer before the New Year. As well, during December, I am offering an Express Mini Facial to help brighten your skin for party season. A Natural exfoliant, face massage and A Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh face mask – 30 mins – £20.00.

I wish everyone a safe, happy Christmas and may 2023 bring you love and laughter and all things good.

Kind Regards

Juliet

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