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Kathryn Wilson, MFHT, talks about her voluntary work in Nepal, where she taught reflexology to carers and staff at an orphanage
Iwas a primary school teacher for
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24 years, specialising in supporting children with special needs, before I trained as a reflexologist. After completing my initial level three qualification, I went on to train with Dr Carol Samuel, Barbara Scott, Ann Gillanders, Sally Kay, Sally Earlam and Susan Quayle, as well as completing a variety of online courses during the COVID lockdown. I learned a great deal from each and by having a variety of reflexology techniques at my fingertips, I feel I have the skills to adapt my treatments to meet the needs of each individual client.
At the Christmas dinner table in 2019, my family and I were discussing our year and what we’d like to achieve in 2020. My brother runs a charity (driftwoodassociation.org), which supports projects in Nepal. I had always wanted to do something to help with the orphanages and schools that he works with and he mentioned that sensory experiences were what the children responded to best. This naturally led to a discussion about reflexology and touch, and the benefits that both can offer children.
My brother asked if I would be interested in teaching reflexology to the carers and staff at a school and orphanage in Kathmandu. I knew straight away that this opportunity would play to all my strengths and experiences in both teaching and reflexology but this was not an opportunity in another UK town - it was in the heart of one of the world’s most hectic developing cities, in the foothills of the Himalayas. It would also be completely self-funded, apart from the accommodation and food, while I was staying at the orphanage. After some deliberation I decided to throw caution to the wind and my partner and I found ourselves on a flight to Kathmandu in less than six weeks.
Arriving at the city is quite an experience in itself, with lots of high-altitude circling due to limited landing slots, sporadic weather conditions and a short runway in a valley surrounded by mountains. Obviously we made it but before we could get over the flight, my partner and I were bundled into a taxi and driven into the somehow ‘organised’ madness of Kathmandu.
The next day we arrived at the orphanage. My fears of what we might experience dissipated in a second, as soon as we entered the school gates. We were enthusiastically welcomed by over forty smiling, happy children, many of them blind, deaf, or physically disabled, which immediately gave me some perspective on my privileged life back in west Wales. The children were cared for by the most wonderful family and a team of fabulous support workers.
Before getting underway, we discussed common ailments experienced by the children and drew up a list. This included digestive disorders, coughs, colds, headaches, earache and toothache. I then set to work, providing daily reflexology lessons to carers and teachers from the orphanage, who practised on the children.
Immediately I could see the importance of touch and physical connection to these children and how much they loved the oneto-one attention from an adult. They were all very keen to come and have a go and then ask for treatments on a daily basis. It goes without saying that all of the children loved receiving reflexology.
Using Susan Quayle’s The Children’s Reflexology Programme, I started by teaching the different reflexology techniques, which quickly relaxed both child and adult into the session. I also used the teaching cards from The Children’s Reflexology Programme, to show each of the techniques used, as we worked through
Kathryn Wilson, MFHT
Kathryn Wilson, MFHT, has been enjoying the benefits of reflexology for over twenty years, following her initial success with reproductive reflexology. She runs her own business, Cottage Reflexology, from a treatment room in her home in the Pembrokeshire countryside and runs parent and baby reflexology classes in her local town. facebook.com/cottagereflexology Kathyjo215@gmail.com
the various ailments. Again, in line with Susan’s programme, we started and ended each session at the solar plexus, which is incredibly calming and worked well.
The digestive system is a good example of the daily lessons I gave. We would start by discussing how the build-up of toxins in the colon can cause headaches, before working the big toe, which corresponds to the head area. From there, we looked at how the central nervous system supplies nerves to the entire body, and so we worked the spine. We then looked at the immune system and how important it was to keep that healthy. Then we moved on to the digestive system.
I visually explained each part of the body we were working on, and how it was linked to the ailment we were covering. This step-by-step explanation helped the carers and staff to make sense of the moves and techniques and why we were doing these – starting at the mouth, down the oesophagus, into the stomach, through the intestines and right through to the bowel and anus reflexes. Lastly I moved on to the lymphatic system, where I explained the importance of eliminating any waste and unwanted products in the body, as well as the key role of the kidneys for filtering and eliminating excess water. Using this approach, we worked our way through each of the ailments on their list during my time there.
Luckily the children and staff knew fairly good English and although the anatomy and medical terms were a bit tricky, with lots of miming and noises, we soon understood each other! I had also taken a children’s ‘About the body’ book with me, which meant I could show different pictures to illustrate which part of the body I was referring to. Knowing some basic sign language also helped, as many of the carers and staff sign when communicating to the deaf children at the orphanage.
As well as the reflexology, I also taught some English language and physical activities, as they do very little in the way of physical education. I taught them how to dance with colourful scarves, and how to use large gym balls for different exercises. I also introduced them to some parachute games. They all loved these activities, too, and we were very grateful to the local schools and a physiotherapist who kindly donated the resources we needed.
I have many precious memories from my short time at the orphanage, which includes treating a 6-year-old boy nicknamed ‘The Tornado’, who really relaxed into and enjoyed his treatments. At first the staff were reluctant to let him join in with the sessions, as they assured me ‘he cannot sit still for a minute’. I decided to use this little ball of energy as my model for each session and he invariably fell asleep. When I went to prepare the room on my last day, he was lying on the floor waiting for me and just five minutes into the session, he was asleep. The staff were so shocked and impressed, they sent for the principal of the school to come and see!
Another lasting memory was the interest my work ignited in a 24-year-old blind man. He came to the orphanage after losing his sight to a landmine, at just seven years old. It also claimed the life of his best friend. He wanted to learn the skills so that he could carry out reflexology on the younger children in the orphanage. He was truly amazing. I taught him using my own feet and although he couldn’t see, his deep sense of touch and connectivity made him a great reflexologist.
This was a week I will never forget, where my combined skills and experiences helped to make a difference to the lives of underprivileged young people who needed my support the most, in one of the poorest regions of the world. I would highly recommend an experience like this to all reflexologists out there with a nagging sense of wanderlust. T
Long COVID research
We take a look at two pilot studies looking into complementary therapy approaches to support clients with symptoms of long COVID
THE ANOSMIA, ACUPRESSURE, AROMASTICK AND AROMAPOT PROJECT
By project leads, Dr Peter Mackereth, Paula Maycock and Ann Carter
Before COVID 19 emerged, anosmia (the inability to detect odours) was a relatively unknown term outside of medicine; however, olfactory disorders are not new health concerns. Nasal polyps, enlarged turbinates*, as well as degenerative disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease can result in difficulties to detect odours. Patients who have had laryngectomies or tracheotomies may also experience hyposmia (decreased ability to detect odours) due to a reduced or absent nasal airflow. Head trauma and local disease, such as cancer (and some cancer treatments), can be linked with long-term disorders of taste and smell.
For several years, our project team has worked in cancer care with patients experiencing symptoms such as anosmia and xerostomia (dry mouth) - often referred to as ‘difficult to treat’ concerns. To help ease these distressing side-effects of treatment, with some success, we have used various therapies such as acupuncture/acupressure, massage, essential oils and reflexology, often in combination.
The challenge is that most of these symptoms require a series of treatment combinations and ongoing advice and self-care. What we do know is that these challenging symptoms can affect quality of life, in particular depressing a cancer patient’s mood and reducing their appetite (Bernhardson et al, 2009).
Long COVID patients can ill afford the detrimental effects of anosmia, which is often experienced alongside fatigue, breathlessness, muscle and joint pain and insomnia. As therapists, we know that interventions that combine touch techniques with aromatherapy can have benefits on wellbeing. From our review of the literature, we have found that even odour-evoked memories can alter mood and be useful for helping with psychological and physical health concerns (Carter et al, 2019). For someone who has altered ability to smell, even using regular recall of an aroma could be potentially of benefit.
Importantly, there are many factors that can increase and decrease nasal resistance. Both smoking and alcohol increase nasal resistance, as does infective rhinitis - all can compromise the ability to detect odours. Research studies have shown that marked sensation of increased airflow was demonstrated when substances such as camphor, eucalyptus, L-menthol, vanilla, or lignocaine were applied to the nasal mucosa (Chaaban & Corey, 2011).
In the last 12 months, our team has embarked on a pilot project with volunteers. The process seeks to evaluate the combination of twice daily aroma trainings, using three separate pots, each with a pad infused with a different single essential oil. Prior to the inhalations from each of the three aromapots, the volunteers are asked to carry out a tapping routine of specific acupressure points which link to olfaction and gustatory function. During the day, our participants supplement this routine with using an aromastick with the same combination of essential oils used in the three pots. Participants are advised to hold the aromastick 2 to 6cms away from the nostrils, then use a gentle breathing technique, which we call ‘3 Breaths to Calm’. This involves breathing in through the nose and then out through the mouth (Carter & Mackereth, 2019). Usually, this activity can be done before a coffee or tea break and
Dr Peter Mackereth was the clinical lead of the complementary therapy and wellbeing service at The Christie for more than 15 years. He is currently an honorary researcher and lecturer at The Christie and a volunteer therapist at St Ann’s Hospice. Paula Maycock is a senior complementary therapist at The Christie, Manchester. Ann Carter has worked as a complementary therapist and teacher since 1989 in hospices and the acute sector. Search for 'integrated therapies training' at christie.nhs.uk
Acupressure points which can be stimulated through gentle tapping
before lunch, so approximately three times a day, linked to consumption of food and drink.
Using questionnaires, we are collecting data at the start of an individual’s personal project and after five weeks of adhering to the routine. Our initial pilot work with six participants revealed improvements in anosmia after three to four weeks of using the protocol. We are also intending to gather qualitative data via interviews with volunteers about the experience of living with anosmia and using our aromatherapy and acupuncture protocol. Our purpose in using the protocol is to stimulate the participants’ parasympathetic response to the triggers of selected aromas, combined with gentle acupressure, so promoting olfactory and gustatory function. Currently we have four students, all aromatherapists, from our recent online ‘Therapeutic Uses of Aromasticks and Aromapots’ course assisting with the project.
We hope to present our work in 2022, once the data has been collected from a larger sample.
*Turbinates are several thin bony elongated ridges forming the upper chambers of the nasal cavities – these increase the surface area allowing for rapid warming and humidification of inhaled air.
For references and further reading, visit fht.org.uk/IT-references
BOWEN THERAPY STUDY
By project lead, Jo Wortley
In February 2021, I joined forces with Dianne Bradshaw* to launch a quantitative observational study that would look at whether Bowen therapy might prove a helpful intervention in improving the symptoms and wellbeing of people affected by long COVID.
The initial aim was to recruit 60 to 70 qualified Bowen practitioners, who would provide a series of six weekly Bowen sessions to self-elected clients (participants) who had been experiencing symptoms of long COVID for six months or more and were eligible to take part in the study. Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile (MYMOP) questionnaires were to be completed by each participant, with all of the Bowen practitioners taking part receiving online training to help them understand the aims and objectives of the study and how to use the MYMOP questionnaires appropriately, in order for the data to be valid.
As with many complementary therapy interventions, in a ‘real world’ situation, Bowen sessions are adapted to meet the needs and presenting symptoms of the individual client, which may change from one session to the next. For this reason, the Bowen practitioners taking part were not required to follow a ‘standardized’ treatment, however they were asked to only use moves learned during their core Bowen training (modules 1 to 5).
At the time of writing (December 2021), I am pleased to report that 30 practitioners managed to complete a series of six treatments with at least one study participant, producing a total of 26 valid sets of data. While I am yet to fully collate and compare the data, the initial results look very promising, with the majority of participants seeing an improvement in one or both symptoms that they were seeking help with, as identified in their MYMOP questionnaires. When comparing data taken from Weeks 1 and Weeks 7 only: n 14 out of 15 participants reported an improvement in their fatigue; n 12 out of 14 participants reported an improvement in their mobility (walking, jogging or running); n 20 out of 22 participants reported an improvement in their general wellbeing.
While these results look very positive, we do need to understand what happens to people who have no intervention over a 7-week period, to establish whether this is ‘normal’ recovery.
It was also very pleasing to see that the vast majority (22 out of 24) highly recommended Bowen, rating it between 8 and 10 out of 10.
While it’s involved a lot of time and effort, it’s exciting to be leading the way with this study and once it has been published, I will of course ensure that FHT members are made aware of the key outcomes. Although this study obviously focuses on Bowen therapy, it is important that as a community of professional therapists, we all share as much information and best practice as we can, to ensure the long-term safety of our clients and to also demonstrate the potential role that therapies may have in helping to support clients with long COVID, where appropriate.
* Dianne, an experienced Bowen and McTimoney practitioner who worked on both humans and animals, sadly passed away several months after the study was launched. T
Jo Wortley is a Director and Senior Tutor at the College of Bowen Studies, which offers an FHT accredited practitioner qualification in the Bowen Technique, alongside a range of Bowen masterclasses.
