Massage Taster Sessions

I still have a few spaces left for massage taster sessions on Thursday 4th March at The Chiron Centre, Westbury-on-Trym in Bristol. Appointments available between 1.30pm and 4.30pm. Treatments include Aromatherapy or Swedish back massage, Aromatherapy face or foot massage, Reflexology, Reiki, and Indian Head Massage.

Booking is essential - For more information or to book a taster session call 07851 307 062 or email enquiries@balanceholistics.co.uk.

Check out my previous post on the taster sessions at The Chiron Centre and also a short post on taster sessions in general.

Address: The Chiron Centre, 130 Westbury Road, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol BS9 3AL

Holistic Therapy Taster Sessions

As of Thursday 5th March, Balance Holistics will be working from The Chiron Centre in Westbury-on-Trym in addition to The Healing Rooms. It is a lovely clinic with excellent facilities. There is ample on-street parking nearby with no parking restrictions and it is served regularly by buses from the city centre.

Upon arrival at The Chiron Centre, you will be greeted by a receptionist who will show you to the waiting area where you can help yourself to fresh filtered water and fruit. While you are waiting for your appointment, you can sit and relax on the comfy sofas and flick through any number of the books and magazines on offer, look out on the wonderful garden, or simply sit and listen to the relaxing music being played. There is also the added benefit of being able to pay for your treatment with your credit or debit card.

If you would like to come and check out the Chiron Centre and experience a treatment there, please give me a call on 07851 307 062. Understandably, the prices will be slightly higher at the Chiron Centre but I’m sure you will agree that it’s worth it when you see the facilities and feel how inviting and peaceful it is. Please check the Balance Holistics website for prices.

As a special introductory offer, I will be offering 30 minute taster sessions for £10 at The Chiron Centre on Thursday 4th March. Appointments are available between 1.30 and 5.30pm. Treatments on offer that day include Aromatherapy or Swedish Back Massage, Foot Massage, Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Reiki, and Aromatherapy Face Massage. Booking is essential. Please contact me for more details and to book your appointment.

Run Down of 2009

2009 was a year of training and professional development what with me attending so many courses.

To kick start the year, I went on a Thai Foot Massage course in February over in Newport which was run by TEACH Therapy. The snow that month caused quite a bit of disruption (just as it has recently) with me getting to The Healing Rooms and to clients houses so I had to rearrange several appointments.

In March, I attended a course in Holistic Aromatherapy Facials with the same trainers as the Thai Foot Massage course and shortly after, in April, I started offering this treatment to clients. I also created and started offering the Feet First holistic foot care treatment which is fast becoming a popular treatment.

At the beginning of April, I took a week off from giving massages to go on a week-long Karate training course in Paignton. It was very intensive and I could hardly walk by the end of the week but I enjoyed it very much and hope to attend it again this year. Not long back to work, I provided various holistic treatments at several hen parties across Bristol. I also started working in several residential homes offering therapeutic aromatherapy massage to people with learning disabilities which I have found very rewarding. Another month and another course – I attended a course which looked at essential oils for pregnancy & childbirth.

In May I was asked to provide 15 minute free taster sessions in Indian Head Massage at The University of Bristol’s Staff Positive Working Environment Day. I had an amazing response with over 150 emails requesting a taster session. I ended up doing two days of taster session to try and accommodate as many people as I could. It was a great couple days and everyone found it very beneficial and many of the clients who had tasters have continued to have regular holistic treatments.

In June, I attended part 2 of the advanced massage course that I had started in 2008. The summer holidays were quite quiet with people off on their vacations so it gave me the opportunity to train a little more in Karate and I obtained 5th kyu (purple belt).

In September, I spent a week in London. I attended a course on cosmetic legislation, selling legislation and setting up business with Plush Folly in Hampton. I then went on a 3-day course in Fulham with Aromantic on making natural skin care products (Beginners through to Advanced). Since then, I have been designing and making my own skincare products and building a new website to sell them on. I am currently having the first range of products safety assessed with a cosmetic toxicologist to ensure they are safe to use on the skin. Once the assessments come back, I will start selling them on the Balance Holistics website and on the new Naturalistics website. All products are free from parabens, sodium lauryl sulphate, and other nasty chemicals. They are 100% vegetarian and most of them are vegan. They are not tested on animals. I am very excited about my range of products which include bath melts, massage bars, face creams, foot creams, balms, and ointments to name a few.

In September, I also signed up to Twitter - you can follow Balance Holistics at http://twitter.com/balanceholistic.

Despite the recession, Balance Holistics was very busy for the first half of 2009 although it did take a slight dip during the summer when people were off on their holidays and then picked up again just before Christmas with everyone buying gift vouchers as presents.

This year, I have tried a wide range of different holistic therapies to further my knowledge including acupuncture, sports massage, osteopathy, trigger point therapy, and bowen technique. I found them all enjoyable and helpful in different ways.

So as 2009 was a year of training, 2010 is a year of expansion. During the first half of the year, I plan to start working within two other complementary therapy centres across Bristol in addition to The Healing Rooms. More details on the locations and clinic times will be posted when the details have been confirmed.

I wish everyone a happy and prosperous 2010.

Take Control of Stress During the Credit Crunch

Photo by lusi.

Every day when I watch the news it seems like the financial state of the UK and the world is ever declining. With large retail chains going in to liquidation, car plants temporarily ceasing manufacturing, Government bailouts, and endless job cuts - I wonder how it all will end.

It’s no wonder that this has added to our worries causing stress to build. Not only can the stress of the credit crunch affect our psychological state causing us to worry about keeping up repayments on our mortgages or rent, paying bills on time and whether or not we will be made redundant like so many other people in the UK, but it can also have a physical affect on our bodies.

Stress can manifest in the body in many different ways causing symptoms from headaches, to sleeping problems, from stomach upsets to aches and pains.

Although, there is not much we can do on an individual level to help the recession, it is important that we look after ourselves and keep any stress at bay. Many people are not renewing gym subscriptions and eating cheaper, but less healthy foods just to save some money but by doing this it is costing their health and wellbeing.

There have been several reports in the news recently about how the credit crunch is affecting the nation’s health and wellbeing with an increase in insomnia (as surveyed by NetDoctor), an increase in calls to the Samaritans helpline, and it appears that “Credit Crunch Stress” is affecting a large proportion of us even if we aren’t directly being affected by the credit crunch yet.

Treating yourself to a massage is probably something you wouldn’t think of doing especially when money is tight but it is imperative to look after yourself more than ever during this stressful time. Even if you just had a 30-minute back massage or Indian head massage once a month, it would help your wellbeing no-end. Massage is very good at combating stress, anxiety, and depression. It also helps to alleviate many physical symptoms which may be experienced due to stress.

Other ways to help lower stress levels is to take relaxing hot baths, burning aromatherapy essential oils, regular exercise, meditation or breathing exercises, and keeping a diary to name but a few.

Balance Holistics treatments start from just £15 and can also be received in the comfort of your own home so you don’t have to pay out for petrol or bus fares. Taster sessions are also available on the first Tuesday of the month - £5 for 15 minutes (a maximum of one taster session for each treatment per person). More information about the treatments offered can be found on the Balance Holistics website.

Holistic Therapy Taster Sessions

Taster sessions are a great way to find out more about the different Holistic Therapies that are available. It also gives you the opportunity to try a treatment that you may perhaps not have considered trying before.

If you are unsure about which treatment is for you, or don't want to commit to a full treatment then try a taster session first. Balance Holistics offers taster sessions on the first Tuesday of the month at The Healing Rooms on Gloucester Road, Bristol for only £5 for 15 minutes.

Although it is only a 15-minute treatment, you will still feel relaxed and refreshed after and it gives you the opportunity to see what is involved in the treatment and how it can benefit your health and wellbeing.

The dates for 2009 are as follows:
Tuesday 3 February
Tuesday 3 March
Tuesday 7 April
Tuesday 5 May
Tuesday 2 June
Tuesday 7 July
Tuesday 4 August
Tuesday 1 September
Tuesday 6 October
Tuesday 3 November
Tuesday 1 December

Why not take this opportunity to try out a Balance Holistic treatment – such as a relaxing Aromatherapy Massage, a Reiki session, some Reflexology, or an Indian Head Massage? (a maximum of one taster session for each treatment per person)

Booking for taster sessions is essential. To book, please contact me on 07851 307 062, or email. Further details can be found on the Balance Holistics website.