Treatments Provided
Gentle treatments tailored to restore your body’s natural balance and vitality.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the application of fine needles sometimes with moxa (a warming herb) or a gentle stimulation, to specific points on the body that affect the underlying energy (qi) flow within the meridian system of the relevant organs of the body – this in turn brings an internal release of stagnation that usually eases chronic, painful conditions.
I’m often asked if the insertion of needles is painful. The vast majority of the people that see me often remark how painless the treatment is. Acupoints are distributed around the body, from the top of the head to the tips of the toes!
Tui Na Medical Massage
Originating in China, Tui Na (pronounced ‘twee-nah’) is recorded in the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine since 2300 B.C. as one of the five major therapies of the time. Tui Na uses the TCM theory of channels and collaterals and the flow of the Qi energy as its basic therapeutic orientation.
Through the application of massage and manipulation techniques, Tui Na seeks to establish a more harmonious Qi energy through the system of channels and collaterals, allowing the body to naturally heal itself. Tui Na has remained an organized and systematically developed system of massage since that time.
Chinese Herbal Remedies
Chinese herbs have been used for centuries. The first herbalist in Chinese tradition is Shennong, a mythical personage, who is said to have tasted hundreds of herbs and imparted his knowledge of medicinal and poisonous plants to farmers. The first Chinese manual on pharmacology, the Shennong Bencao Jing (Shennong Emperor’s Classic of Materia Medica), lists some 365 medicines of which 252 of them are herbs, and dates back somewhere in the 1st century C.E. Han dynasty. Most people find the preparation and subsequent drinking of raw herbal remedies unpalatable and so capsules containing a concentrated powder formulae are most often prescribed and easily taken.
Chinese Dietary Guidelines
Diet is critical for daily health and well-being and can play a major factor in the treatment, or cause, of a complaint. Once a person’s underlying pattern of health is diagnosed then food can be recommended to help assist the body recover as effectively as possible. Within Chinese Dietetic practice, food is identified as having a particular nature and area of effect in the body and this coupled with the cooking method used can help to restore qi to a higher level. Foods to avoid are also suggested to ensure that a person’s diet does not hinder the affect of other forms of treatment, e.g. Qi Gong, Tui Na etc. In general, eating the same food day in day out is not as effective as listening to what your body needs.
My Journey
Having realised that working in the IT field was no longer my ‘Soul’s purpose’, and after having qualified in Reflexology and Swedish Massage in the mid 1990s, I started to search for the employment that would bring me the greatest satisfaction. After considering many different modalities of treatment, and having realised that I actually like helping people where I can, I discovered the Practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). I studied with Maria Mercati at the Bodyharmonics Centre (BHC) in Cheltenham, who has sadly since passed away, and the tuition was practical and insightful. I found that the previous training within the Li Family System had honed my ability to sense energy within a person which of course is a huge help when it comes to the practices of TCM. Having started out part time in 2009, I continue to practice full time to this day – honing my skills to best be able to help those I see. And like a fine wine that improves with age, so do Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine – there are no shortcuts.
Training at the Bodyharmonics Centre, England
- BHC Traditional Chinese Acupuncture
- Microsystems Auricular Acupuncture
- BHC Certificate Electro Acupuncture
- BHC Certificate Chinese Patent/Formula Herbs
- BHC Sub-Cutaneous Acupuncture for pain relief
- BHC Master Practitioner Tui Na Chinese Medical Massage & Manipulation
- BHC Diploma Traditional Chinese Medicine
- BHC Diploma Sports Injury Massage, Maintenance & Rehabilitation
- Certified On-Site Practitioner
Training within the Taoist Arts Organisation, UK
- 4th Level (Tengchi) Instructor – Feng Shou Kung Fu
- 3rd Level (Tengchi) Instructor – T’ai Chi Ch’uan
- NVQ level 2 Sports Coaching Diploma
Professional Membership of Recognised Organisations
- Acupuncture Acutherapy Council
- UK Oriental Member – Professional Practitioner
- Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) Registered
- British Council for Chinese Martial Arts
Continuing Professional Development
- Regular Quarterly Instructor Weekends within the Taoist Arts Organisation
- Advanced Shoulder Acupuncture
- Advanced Electro Acupuncture
