Aromatherapy Massage
Aromatherapy harnesses the power of plants for a treatment tailored to suit the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the client.
Aromatherapy massage involves the application of pure essential oils. The essential oils are blended in a carrier oil and applied to the body in a soothing massage that aims to treat the whole person - mind, body and spirit - making it a truly holistic treatment. The act of massage not only releases muscular tension, it calms the nervous system and encourages the absorption of the oils. Aromatherapy massage can prove effective in the management of many physical and emotional conditions.
Although Aromatherapy massage is designed to be a gentle treatment, I have attended professional workshops on deep tissue techniques. I do not use a "one-size-fits-all" approach with any of my clients and very much work intuitively rather than following a rigid routine. I am also guided by my clients as to how much pressure to use. If you want a gentle relaxing massage - wonderful! If you want those niggly knots working on on a deeper level, I can do that too.
How often should you have a massage?
This is the most asked question after someone has had a treatment! Aromatherapy Back Massage is by far the most popular treatment with my clients, many of whom spend hours a day at a computer. These clients recognise the benefits of regular treatment to manage the tension and strain they feel, particularly in their necks and shoulders. If you are an office worker, or in any profession that causes a build up of muscular tension, I would love to tell you that one treatment will fix everything, unfortunately, I can't. Unless you stop doing whatever is causing a problem, it's unlikely to go away. But you can find ways of managing it. If you are feeling particularly tense, I will recommend that you have 2 or 3 treatments fairly close together and then drop down to regular maintenance sessions every 4-6 weeks - or whatever you can realistically commit to. Couple this with some Yoga or Pilates and you should be back on form in no time. If you are interested in Yoga or Pilates, I recommend you have a chat to Helen at Bodywork Pilates.
Contraindications
As with all treatments, there are occasions when Aromatherapy or Body Massage may be unsuitable.
It is very important to inform your therapist prior to treatment if you have any of the following;
Any recent injuries or operations to ANY part of the body.
Severe bruising or varicose veins.
Skin infections or disorders
Allergies
Asthma
Heart conditions
Cancers
Certain medications
Pregnancy
Epilepsy
High or Low Blood Pressure
Please note that these are just some of the conditions that could contraindicate this particular treatment. All medical conditions should be disclosed at your consultation.
Although Aromatherapy massage is designed to be a gentle treatment, I have attended professional workshops on deep tissue techniques. I do not use a "one-size-fits-all" approach with any of my clients and very much work intuitively rather than following a rigid routine. I am also guided by my clients as to how much pressure to use. If you want a gentle relaxing massage - wonderful! If you want those niggly knots working on on a deeper level, I can do that too.
How often should you have a massage?
This is the most asked question after someone has had a treatment! Aromatherapy Back Massage is by far the most popular treatment with my clients, many of whom spend hours a day at a computer. These clients recognise the benefits of regular treatment to manage the tension and strain they feel, particularly in their necks and shoulders. If you are an office worker, or in any profession that causes a build up of muscular tension, I would love to tell you that one treatment will fix everything, unfortunately, I can't. Unless you stop doing whatever is causing a problem, it's unlikely to go away. But you can find ways of managing it. If you are feeling particularly tense, I will recommend that you have 2 or 3 treatments fairly close together and then drop down to regular maintenance sessions every 4-6 weeks - or whatever you can realistically commit to. Couple this with some Yoga or Pilates and you should be back on form in no time. If you are interested in Yoga or Pilates, I recommend you have a chat to Helen at Bodywork Pilates.
Contraindications
As with all treatments, there are occasions when Aromatherapy or Body Massage may be unsuitable.
It is very important to inform your therapist prior to treatment if you have any of the following;
Any recent injuries or operations to ANY part of the body.
Severe bruising or varicose veins.
Skin infections or disorders
Allergies
Asthma
Heart conditions
Cancers
Certain medications
Pregnancy
Epilepsy
High or Low Blood Pressure
Please note that these are just some of the conditions that could contraindicate this particular treatment. All medical conditions should be disclosed at your consultation.
Essential oils
Now a little note on essential oils. Despite being completely natural, I believe that essential oils can be dangerous if used incorrectly. They must NEVER be applied to the skin undiluted (there are a few exceptions but great care must still be taken) and there are some conditions that can be aggravated by their use. It is much safer to consult a therapist qualified in Aromatherapy if you are not familiar with essential oils and their chemical properties.
I am aware that some people out there disagree with these contraindications and cautions of essential oil use based on the fact that we eat a lot of these plants, therefore we must ingest essential oils in our food anyway. Of course we do! But the amounts in our food our microscopic. For example, to get one the equivalent of one drop of Peppermint essential oil into our system we would need to drink over 25 cups of Peppermint tea.
I think that we should respect the potential power of the chemicals held within our plants and will always err on the side of caution.
I am aware that some people out there disagree with these contraindications and cautions of essential oil use based on the fact that we eat a lot of these plants, therefore we must ingest essential oils in our food anyway. Of course we do! But the amounts in our food our microscopic. For example, to get one the equivalent of one drop of Peppermint essential oil into our system we would need to drink over 25 cups of Peppermint tea.
I think that we should respect the potential power of the chemicals held within our plants and will always err on the side of caution.
