A brief history of reflexology
How reflexology works and how it can help you
The benefits of treatment
What you can expect from your treatment
About Ken

A brief history of reflexology:

Reflexology is a science that deals with the principle that there are reflex points in the hands and feet that relate to all of the organs, glands and parts of the body. Reflexology uses a unique finger and thumb technique to work these reflexes and in turn make physical changes to the body.

Reflexology has its origins as far back in history as 5,000 years ago, where Egyptians and Chinese are known to have used techniques to work the feet to improve overall health.

Eunice Ingham passed on the skills and techniques to her nephew Dwight Byers who is still teaching today and is the founder of The International Institute of Reflexology. His text “Better health with foot reflexology” sets out the Ingham technique and also maps the reflex areas of the hands and feet.

How reflexology works and how it can help you:

Reflexology works on the principle that there are reflex points in the feet and hands that relate to all of the organs, glands and parts of the body. Making use of the unique Ingham technique taught by the International Institute of Reflexology I will work the reflexes in your feet and if needs be your hands to identify stresses and imbalances in your body.

I view every client as an individual tailoring treatment to suit your needs. You can be rest assured that your treatment will at all times be professional. If at any time you feel that you are not getting what you need from your treatment then I will work with you to find a solution referring you to other health professionals if the need arises.

The benefits of treatment:

• Relaxing the body to get rid of work related stress and migraine headaches;
• Easing crippling period pain and helping to improve all menstrual problems;
• Boosting energy to overcome chronic fatigue;
• Alleviating some of those irritations in pregnancy such as water retention that’s stopping you wearing your favourite shoes;
• Easing the pressure of sinusitis/ear problems & dizziness;
• Getting rid of that nagging back pain & general body tension that’s stopping you sleeping, working and playing at your best.

I've listed more specific conditions that I've helped with on the FAQs page

What you can expect from your treatment:

One of the joys of reflexology is that you can remain clothed for your treatment only needing to remove your shoes and socks so that direct work can be done on the reflex areas of the feet. So there's no embarrassment about how your body looks with your clothes off! You'll sit in a specially designed LaFuma RSX Relaxer Chair that reclines you backwards into an almost lying position (Most clients try and take it home with them because it's so comfortable) and have a pillow placed under you feet. I will do an initial assessment of your feet looking for hard skin, callouses, different textures or colours to the skin before assessing how the energy in your body is flowing at the start of your treatment. I will then work the reflexes in both feet.

Most people find the treatment very relaxing and sometimes clients fall asleep during a session. The session is for you so if you want to chat to me as I work your feet that's not a problem but your equally welcome to lie back and let your worries be worked away. There will be times during the treatment when I will find troubled areas on your feet and these will often cause discomfort until the area has been fully worked.

At the end of the session I will advise you on aspects of your health that have shown as problem areas and also advise you on possible foot care and general health ideas. We'll discuss a treatment plan for you so that you are clear about what type of time period you can expect to see results within and we'll book in your next appointment.

Reflexology really stimulates the body into making changes and as a result water intake during and after a session is vital as it helps to wash away toxins in the body so don't be surprised when I offer you a glass of water to drink before you leave your session.

About Ken:

My life's taken a few twists and turns but looking back it's always been leading me to the path that I'm on now as a practitoner. I trained as a professional musician and as a child was a chorister at Westminster Abbey later gaining a degree in music at the University of Surrey.

Whilst at University I was taught singing by the superb Ashley Stafford who, as well as teaching voice, is a practising Osteopath and strong believer in complementary medicine. I went to see Ashley following a car accident where a number of my vertebrae had been shifted by the impact and where having a knock on effect on my singing. I came out with a much better posture and body structure after only 4 sessions. As a result of having osteopathic treatment I became aware of the enormous value that alternative treatments can have both for the voice and also on the body in general.

This led me to explore for myself a discipline, which I could use to enable others to attain better health through complementary medicine. I have found that Reflexology is an holistic & non-invasive therapy that can help to restore balance and health in an individual. My personal goal is to introduce as many people as I can to the wonders of reflexology and that's really why I wrote this website.

I went for the best reflexology training in the world believing that my clients health was the most important part of what I wanted to do. As a result I am a registered practitioner with the International Institute of Reflexology. The training process was tough but I strongly believe that the techniques and quality of practitoner that the Institute produces is by far the best. I am also a Reiki practitioner and make use of this gentle healing energy in my reflexology treatments.

Having qualified and set-up my private practice I was fortunate enough to be offered the post of Registered Reflexologist working for Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust as part of the Integrated Medicine Service. A post that I held from October 2005 to April 2011. The post was the only one of it's kind in the UK as I was a salaried employee with my own patient list. I worked alongside and took referrals from hosptial consultants, GPs and other NHS health professionals to treat with patients using Reflexology. The types of referrals ranged from patients with cancerous hard tumours through to chronic pain and ME/CFS. My approach to practice fitted hand-in-hand with my NHS colleagues as I don't see my treatment as a replacement for what they do but as something that works as part of the patients care pathway.