Alternative medicine, massage & reflexology
August 6, 2008
 Reflexology practice |
Reflexology Practice: In a quiet office on North York Street, Ken Aldridge practices reflexology. The word may not be familiar to some, but practitioners say reflexology has been around for thousands of years. SOURCE: Some swear by reflexology |
| Mary Cagle, 63, a retired secretary, said she found Aldridge in the phone book only because she was looking for massage. “The circulation is not good in my legs,” she said.
“Since I started coming to him two months ago, I stopped taking my pain pills. Yesterday, I got on the treadmill and walked two miles.” Cagle says that even daily aches and pains have responded to reflexology. “This morning I had a spot on the ball of my feet but now he’s mashed on it, and it doesn’t hurt anymore,” she said. Cagle said her family has noticed an overall difference in her energy. “I used to not keep up with my husband, but now he can’t keep up with me,” she said. Once a week is all she needs, Cagle said. “I look forward to the sessions with him because I leave here relaxed and with no pain.” Aldridge, 72, provided the textbook definition of what he does. “Reflexology is a science that deals with the principle areas of the feet and hands that correspond to parts of the body,” he said. “It stimulates the blood flow, improves nerve function, and is very relaxing.” The appropriate areas of the feet or hands are manually massaged to achieve the desired result. Years of doing this kind of work show in Aldridge’s strong handshake. The business is called “His Touch Massage Therapy.” Aldridge does the reflexology and his wife, Beth, does massage. A spiritual man, Aldridge said there’s a reason his business card features a drawing of praying hands. “It is religious symbolism that represents His touch through us,” he said. “My wife, Beth, came up with that name. It was a way to kind of put us in the background.” MORE ABOUT THE PRACTICE OF REFLEXOLOGY:
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Reflexology chart
July 11, 2008
 Reflexology Chart |
Reflexology Chart: A reflexology chart, demonstrating the areas of the feet, hands, ears or other body parts that practitioners believe correspond with organs in the “zones” of the body. SOURCE:
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Getting into Reflexology Part 1
July 11, 2008
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 Reflexology |
Learning reflexology: Kevin Kunz explains how to get into reflexology. SOURCE:
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In a lot of interviews I am asked how I got into reflexology. The answer is quite simple really. I picked up a reflexology book off the bookstore shelf and tried it out. One thing led to another as I found people really wanted reflexology for not only their health problems but also the stress they faced. The rest is history. After over 30 years of practice, 11 books in 19 languages and countless extraordinary experiences with reflexology I often wonder where I would be if I hadn’t picked up that book.
Learning reflexology is getting easier. Back in the seventies when I started there were few books on reflexology. And the books available then weren’t really so richly illustrated as books are today. A lot of reflexology was taught without textbooks.
But even back then it was fairly easy to get started. You bought a book or learned from some mentor. Then you sought out “guinea pigs”(usually family and friends) and proceeded with what I jokingly call “human experimentation”. After awhile you might even take a reflexology course if you wanted to go further. Sooner or later when word circulated about your skills (and hopefully your results). People outside the circle of family and friends asked if you would work on them. The money question suddenly came up. What to charge and who do I charge? One of many dilemmas you faced. And even more challenging is professionalism. It has only been the last few years where a professional class of practitioners has developed. The lack of licensing bodies and professional associations has meant much of professionalism has been left to the individual. In this short series I plan to help you get into reflexology whether it is for yourself, your family, or as a profession. Reflexology is still fairly simple to get into even with increasing requirements for professionals. Please send me your questions. I will do my best to answer them. I wish you the best with reflexology. I hope reflexology will bring the joy to you that it has brought us. Kevin Kunz |
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Changes may put reflexologists out of work
July 8, 2008
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South Africa: change in ‘therapeutic’ legislation: The term “therapeutic” might be removed from the names of the professions of aromatherapy, massage therapy and reflexology. SOURCE:
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There is the fear that scores of aromatherapists, reflexologists and massage therapists will be put out of business if proposed changes to the registration of therapeutic health practitioners go ahead.
The Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA) wants to petition the minister of health to change legislation so that the term “therapeutic” is removed from the names of the professions of aromatherapy, massage therapy and reflexology.This means people in these fields would be known as practitioners. They would also have to register with the health council.Tracy Chambers of the SA Association of Health and Skincare Professionals said this would influence the entire industry, as anyone wanting to practise reflexology or aromatherapy would have to comply with council regulations.
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The council has said the reason for the change was to prevent people from practising as therapeutic therapists without registering with them.Chambers said the distinction between therapeutic – meaning that it was used for healing – and non-therapeutic treatments was misleading, as both required the same knowledge. Registered therapeutic practitioners would also be barred from offering treatment in any circumstances other than medical referrals.“It impinges hugely on the industry,” Chambers said.
Gayl Hansen, director of the Cape Institute for Allied Health Studies, said the proposed changes did not look at the “bigger picture” of the need for basic skills at grassroots levels.
There is speculation that practitioners wanting to register with the AHPCSA would have to do a four-year degree – meaning they could practise on a clinical level.
“This is very short-sighted,” Hansen said.
She said the council needed to have multiple levels of entry and training in the health care industry so that therapists with basic reflexology training could still work in beauty salons.
Therapists with clinical training tended to work for themselves, not in a spa or beauty salon.
However, the non-registered therapist without clinical training, but with the skills to do reflexology or massage therapy, would be unable to practise.
Debbie Drake-Hoffmann, the registrar of the AHPCSA, said the change would not put therapists without clinical training out of business.
“On the contrary, if spas employed registered therapists it would ensure the public receivedstandardised quality treatments.”
She said current legislation prevented council-registered practitioners from working for health spas or beauty salons, but the council was reviewing these regulations.
The deadline for comments on the AHPCSA’s proposed changes is July 31.
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