Reflexology For Mental Health

Reflexology Reflexology for Mental Health

Mark Woollard

Mental health conditions are varied, and many with a broad spectrum of disorders to consider. It’s important to remember that as Reflexologists we are not Doctors or Psychologists. Therefore, when treating a client who presents themselves with a mental health concern, I will concentrate on what I call the Spirit, Emotion, Mind and Stress reflexes. When presented with a client with mental health issues, I find this list of questions invaluable in ascertaining their wants, needs and hopes. As I’ve said previously, these questions are by no means exhaustive:

• Have you seen a doctor? • What is their diagnosis? • Have you been prescribed medication? • How are your sleep patterns? • On a scale of 1-10, what would you say are your stress levels? • Do you practice any relaxation techniques? • Are you anxious or prone to panic attacks? • Do you suffer from headaches or mood swings? • How are your bowel movements? (I often find a client with mental health concerns will have a reactive bowel, be it diarrhoea or constipation.)

As always, I will double thumb walk the specific areas I like to concentrate on. By double thumb walk, I mean six times instead of the usual three.

The digestive system as a whole is my first port of call when re-working. This system of the body is sensitive to emotion, including anger, anxiety and sadness. Stress, depression and other psychological factors can put the brain-gut connection out of sync.

Re-working the head reflex may seem obvious, but don’t underestimate its importance. Many clients complain of headaches so to soothe the head is a vital contribution in improving your client’s mental health.

Panic attacks, anxiety and breathing troubles are common complaints in mental health so paying attention to and reworking the lungs, diaphragm and solar plexus is

invaluable. Encourage your client to practice diaphragmatic breathing as you work these reflexes.

I would even go as far as to tell your client to practice this technique on a daily basis as diaphragmatic breathing is known for helping to manage the symptoms of conditions as wide ranging as irritable bowel syndrome, depression, anxiety and sleeplessness.

Never be scared of ‘overworking’ the solar plexus either as this helps immensely with stress and balance.

We all know the endocrine system is the collection of glands that produce hormones that regulate metabolism, growth, development, sexual function, sleep and mood, among other things. Hence being one of the major areas/systems that should be re-worked in this client scenario.

Pay particular attention to these glands:

• Pineal- produces melatonin which modulates sleep patterns.

• Thyroid- produces hormones which regulate brain development and mood.

• Adrenals- produces cortisol which helps you respond to stress.

• Pituitary- it goes without saying that this master gland should get extra attention.

It controls many other hormone glands in the body and many bodily functions just wouldn’t function without it.

I always end the session with three deep thumb pressures on the solar plexus, encouraging my client to engage in some diaphragmatic breathing to calm and ensure they end the session relaxed.

I also like to perform this Reflexology/Massage relaxation technique at the beginning AND the end of the session.

• Feel the aura all around the foot. Without touching, slowly move your hands around the feet, about 1-2 cm away so you and the client can feel the heat and energy.

• Stroke the feet with both hands.

• Effleurage movement, up and down the feet and ankles.

• Windscreen wipers with alternate thumbs down the sole of the feet.

• Make a fist and push into the sole of the foot, push and release all the way down.

• Cup the ankle bones either side of one foot firmly. Rock the ankle gently to and fro for 10 seconds each foot.

• Cup and squeeze the leg up to the mid-calf, first one leg, then the other.

• Spinal stretch from heel to big toe with thumbs.

• Push the flat of your hand against the sole of the foot (solar plexus on foot to solar plexus on hand). Hold for a minute on each side with deep breaths.

• Rotate each ankle clockwise x3. And anti-clockwise x3.

• Hold foot with fingers over top of foot and thumbs on solar plexus. Pull them towards you, lift and push down on solar plexus. Repeat both feet.

• Pull toes, holding base of each toe whilst pulling.

• Rotate each toe, clockwise and anti-clockwise x3.

• Another spinal stretch.

• Stroke the feet.

• Final effleurage movement, up and down the feet and ankles.

mental health

Case Study

Sarah, 36 came to me after suffering from depression and anxiety since her early teens. The doctor had prescribed her anti-depressants which she had been taking for twenty years.

After a particularly bad spell of anxiety and panic attacks, she started to worry that her medication was no longer effective. Worried that the doctor would simply increase her dose, I advised her to see me for monthly sessions.

Within three months of sessions, her anxiety levels had dropped to the lowest levels she could ever remember. And she was delighted that she had suffered from no panic attacks.

Nine months on and she has now had her dose of anti-depressants reduced. I also advised her to alternate her Reflexology sessions with some Reiki treatments and she is the happiest she has been in her adult life.

Mark David Woollard has fifteen years of experience working as a Reflexologist and Massage Therapist. Based in South West London, he worked in salons for ten years before becoming a freelance mobile therapist.

As well as Reflexology and Swedish Massage, he also offers Reiki, Indian Head Massage and Holistic facials. He is a qualified teacher and enjoys passing on his passion and knowledge to the ‘therapists of the future’.

For any questions, tips or information email markdavidwoollard@live.co.uk

Reflexology Diseases and Disorders of the nervous system

Part 2

By Ruth Hull

Reflexology is a holistic therapy that treats a person rather than a disease and every treatment should involve a thorough working of all the reflexes of the body as well as the reworking of any reflexes that are found to be out of balance or congested.

However, sometimes it helps to have a basic understanding of certain diseases and disorders so that you can, in addition to giving a full treatment, spend some extra time focusing on reflexes that will deepen the effects of your treatment. In this chapter you will find suggestions for reflexes that can be worked for some specific diseases and disorders. Please be aware that these are only suggestions and that there are many different approaches to treatments.

Please also be aware that the following information should not, in any way, be used. to diagnose a condition. Reflexologists are not medically trained and should not diagnose conditions or attempt to treat them in the place of conventional medical treatment.

Study tip

If you forget everything else, try to remember the following: • If there is pain, work the brain • If there is inflammation, work the adrenals • If there is mucous, work the ileocaecal valve • If there is stress, work the solar plexus and diaphragm • If there are toxins or waste, work the organs of elimination (lungs, liver, kidneys, large intestine, lymphatics and skin) • If there is infection, work the lymphatics, liver and spleen

Motor Neurone Disease (MND)

Degeneration of the motor system. Characterised by progressive weakness and wasting away of muscles and eventual paralysis. Affects both skeletal and smooth muscles but does not affect the senses.

Direct reflex • Brain • Spine

Associated reflexes • Entire musculo-skeletal system • All endocrine glands • Solar plexus

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Autoimmune disorder in which patches of myelin sheaths and underlying nerve fibres of the eyes, brain and spinal cord are damaged or destroyed. Nerve transmission is disrupted and symptoms include weakness, numbness, tremors, loss of vision, pain, fatigue, paralysis, loss of balance and loss of bladder and bowel function. Occurs in periods of relapses and remissions.

Direct reflex • Brain • Spine

Associated reflexes • Entire musculo-skeletal system • Thymus • Adrenals • Solar plexus • Reflexes of areas affected (e.g. eyes, bladder or bowels)

Muscular Dystrophies

Group of inherited muscle-destroying diseases that lead to muscular weakness. Characterised by progressive atrophy of skeletal muscle due to degeneration of individual muscle fibres.

Direct reflex Entire musculo-skeletal system

Associated reflexes • Brain • Spine • Solar plexus • Sciatic nerve • Relaxation techniques to improve circulation

diseases and disorders of the nervous system - part 2

Neuralgia

Severe pain along nerve pathway. Generally characterised by stabbing or burning pains.

Direct reflex Reflex area for nerve affected (e.g. work sciatic nerve if neuralgia is in legs or feet, arm reflex if it is in arms or hands, face reflex if it is in face, etc)

Associated reflexes • Brain • Spine • Entire musculo-skeletal system • Relaxation techniques to improve circulation

Pain and Referred Pain (Synalgia)

Pain is an unpleasant bodily sensation and is a reaction to injury, illness or harmful bodily contact such as heat. Referred pain is pain that is felt in a different part of the body to where it is produced. It arises because sensory nerves from different parts of the body often share nerve pathways in the spinal cord.

Direct reflex Reflex for area affected

Associated reflexes • Brain • Adrenals • Solar plexus Associated reflexes • Brain • Cranial nerve • Spine • Sciatic nerve if legs affected • Relaxation techniques to improve circulation

Parkinson’s Disease (PD)

Progressive disorder of the CNS thought to be due to an imbalance in neurotransmitter activity. Symptoms include tremors, rigidity, impaired motor performance and slow muscular movements.

Direct reflex Brain

Associated reflexes • Cranial nerves • Spinal cord • Entire musculo-skeletal system • All endocrine glands • Solar plexus • Diaphragm

Sciatica

Inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Symptoms include pain, numbness or pins-and-needles down back of leg. Can be caused by lower back tension, herniated disc, osteoarthritis, diabetes or pregnancy.

Comment Refer your client to a doctor for a medical diagnosis of their pain.

Paralysis

Impairment or loss of motor nerve function. Symptoms vary from muscle weakness, spasticity or flaccidity to complete loss of function. Has many different causes.

Direct reflex Reflex for area affected Direct reflex Sciatic nerve

Associated reflexes • Brain • Spine (especially lumbar and sacral) • Entire musculo-skeletal system • Relaxation techniques to improve circulation adequately. Stress can break down the body’s defences, making it more susceptible to illness.

Direct reflex Solar plexus

Associated reflexes • Diaphragm • Brain • Cranial nerves • Spine • All endocrine glands • Entire musculo-skeletal system • HP-6 acupoint on wrist

Stroke (Cerebrovascular Accident/CVA)

Occurs when the arteries to the brain become blocked or rupture and brain tissue dies. Symptoms can include sudden weakness or paralysis of face and leg on one side of body, slurred speech, confusion, loss of balance and coordination and sudden severe headaches. Risk factors include old age, narrowing of arteries (artherosclerosis), high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking.

Direct reflex Brain

Associated reflexes • Cranial Nerves • Spine • Reflexes to areas affected • Entire musculo-skeletal system • Relaxation techniques to improve circulation

This extract is from Ruth Hull’s ‘The Complete Guide to Reflexology’ Available from massagebooks.co.uk

Ruth Hull is a freelance writer who specialises in natural health. Born and educated in Zimbabwe, she completed a degree in Philosophy and Literature before studying and practising complementary therapies in London. She now lives in South Africa and is married with two children.