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Viewpoint Making the most of World Reflexology Week This year I decided to promote World Reflexology Week throughout the whole of September. I downloaded the FHT’s promotional material and every few days throughout the month, I posted different information on my business Facebook page, including an introduction to reflexology, the history of reflexology, what to expect during a treatment, how reflexology can help, and links to the research summaries shared on FHT’s blog. Throughout the month, I also sold prize draw tickets for the opportunity to win a reflexology treatment, with the winner announced at the end of September on social media. Thanks to everyone’s generosity, I managed to raise £140 for Alzheimer’s Society. I was overwhelmed by the response to my posts, which gained me lots of new clients, and existing clients who regularly have a massage treatment also booked in to try reflexology. As well as promoting reflexology to the general public, World Reflexology Week prompted me to re-read Eunice Ingham’s Stories the Feet Can Tell Thru Reflexology and Stories the Feet Have Told Thru Reflexology and interestingly, I got so much more from reading these books the second time around. September 2021 really was all about treating the feet! n Sharon Berry, FFHT
Inclusivity: keeping the conversation going I’ve just opened the recent issue of International Therapist magazine and I wanted to share some thoughts after reading the Editor’s letter. Your inclusion of transgender people in such a matter-of-fact but caring way in your letter is beautiful in its warmth and acceptance. You assume and invite a level of understanding and empathy which is perfectly pitched and which I found very touching. The small things (electrolysis sessions for instance) are often the big things. I have a lot of conversations with friends and colleagues around inclusion, and also with my son who, at 24, has seen some close friends struggle with not being accepted in their gender choices; usually by their parents, not their peers, who are often more understanding. One online resource I have found really interesting is Safe On My Table--Practitioners (facebook.com/groups/1487302727986635) – a Facebook group for therapists in America. The mission of #SafeOnMyTable is to connect transgender and non-binary people with safe and affirming therapeutic bodywork practitioners who are educated about their specific healthcare related needs. The group, which has over 1,500 members, share information about best practices, protocols, advocacy and research. As an FHT accredited Baby Massage Instructor, I also like to think about what I’m already doing in terms of my own courses and treatments, and how I can help to raise awareness among the parents and students I come into contact with. For instance, if the conversation turns to ‘fears’ for their children when they grow up, which can crop up in baby massage classes, this is a good opportunity
to have a balanced and neutral conversation within the group about gender identity. I also think experiences directly told to us by people from the transgender community are probably the most valuable way of educating ourselves. I know there is a lot of ground still to cover, but I think that keeping the conversation going and raising awareness where we can is the way forward. n Ingrid Perrin, MFHT Beauty Beauty
SUPPORTING
ATION TRANSFORM Autumn 2021
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12 International therapist
, MFHT, Rani McMurran electrolysis talks about her gender work with trans to surgery. patients prior
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been lthough I have ysis practicing electrol my for over 30 years, into actual journey
. to the patient practitioner closest to me often referred New clients are (GIC) Identity Clinic But from the Gender through the BIAE. nt or find my details also plays a significa ‘word of mouth’ is nity der commu part - the transgen quickly so word spreads very close knit, provider across a service when they come nal care and exceptio d who has delivere d to travel are also prepare treatment. They onal. professi the right far and wide for
providing clinical to electrolysis services 2004. didn’t begin until NHS England working experience of My very first patients came with transgender local an advert in my from placing electrolysis as ting highligh magazine, hair change ent method of Preparing for l is a prerequisite the only perman ed hair. Genital hair remova (MtF) removal for unwant a male to female contacted by to surgery for Soon after I was male (FtM) genital who was in the and female to patients. transgender patient for transgender oning and looking reconstruction to process of transiti required in order l. Electrolysis is for beard remova fund the different y for skin privatel to prepare the She had chosen procedures, which as ysis treatment g sequences of surgical no her own electrol with her to patient accordin to her work left vary from patient who commitment ion for NHS needs. MtF patients applicat clinical an their to of pursue time to her facial opt for the creation I had completed have chosen to funding. Once usually require happy to will be I’d if cavity nal asked m a noevagi hair removal she ning, the scrotum, perineu stage of transitio hair removal on ations consider her next prior shaft. Complic hair reduction and the penile has which required hair-bearing tissue uctive surgery can arise if the hair. g to genital reconstr ently cleared of to be a game changin not been perman within (GRS). This was ado, I in hair growing Without much This can result the proposal for me. positive cavity and around to make a very the neovaginal ble impossi decided I wanted this of is virtually the wellbeing opening. As this cause contribution to achieve eratively, it can helping her to to treat post-op feel patient’s life, by of functionality, concern in terms patient. her ultimate goal. cosmesis for the der patient l and acceptable My next transgen les for hair remova received to say she had Treatment timesca based contacted me treatment. patient to patient, for NHS funded can vary from authorisation the whole, if I would be of growth. On know density to on mately She wanted can take approxi my details to her full clearance ing willing to submit that I two years, depend Clinic (GIC) so 18 months to also Gender Identity d ’s brief. Patients red as an approve on the surgeon mber could be conside n time/nu in the r for hair reductio need to factor service provide required and their to GRS. I did exactly of appointments is treatment prior d As far as the latter officially approve pain threshold. that and became g my patients may require in 2004, extendin concerned, some help relieve and registered etic creams to to include this nt. topical anaesth electrolysis services der ort during treatme nt for transgen intermittent discomf hair in specialist treatme the ‘kill’ rate of pre-GRS stage. MtF patients, In the in faster patients is achieved much a strict and the gential area inhibiting The NHS has for on testosterone vetting process if the patient is ily, hair comprehensive because, ordinar oners who offer therapy. This is more and registering practiti which s, thicker much nt to patient genital hair is elsewhere of reduction treatme hairs growing e of membership persistent than includes evidenc tion e and Associa on the body. the British Institut permanent the (BIAE). Once My goal is to achieve months before of Electrolysis for three l has been given clearance at least to five funding approva then is based on four the patient can surgery, which taking a hair removal, with each cycle ed provider from growth cycles, register hair , the a choose in their In an ideal scenario ted practitioners 10 to 13 weeks. growth a list of accredi e of active hair ’s GIC will send first full clearanc ed area or the patient directly to a register letter of referral t 39 International
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