by SharonHartnett | Jun 10, 2014 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, mind body & spirit, Structural Integration
Have you taken the time lately to examine your feet?
Did you know that the feet are good indicators of what is going on with your overall health?
For your wellbeing, you might want to consider setting aside a little space in your schedule for some TLC to this part of your body.
As a Massage Therapist for 17 years, I have seen lots of feet. The care that people put there ranges anywhere from between a “0” up to a “10”.
Most common for the best feet- women who like to have pedicures and get their feet massaged monthly often sport around healthy feet. Believe it or not, this extra attention really shows. When your pedicurist or massage therapist work with your feet, the professional ones will let you know if they notice any unusual sores, stiffness, and personally-you will feel if there is pain by touch or certain movements. Also athletes who listen to their feet and find their center and balance also have better posture in how they stand and move through life.
I see more unhealthy feet with the elderly. Sometimes Seniors can’t reach down and touch their feet so they get neglected. In these cases, I have seen open sores, felt the lack of circulation, noticed yellowing and dryness, and ingrown nails. But there are also younger people who have issues. I have seen young women who wear high heel shoes every day and their feet lose their natural shape and then start to resemble shoes. They are no longer able to stand correctly fully on their feet which pulls the whole body out of alignment. Another issues that frequently comes up is the pain associated with Plantar fasciitis. When people don’t wear the proper shoes to support their feet, this very painful condition in which a thick band that connects the heel to the toes becomes inflamed.
So what can you do to take care of your feet?
Taking Care of Your Feet
As you can see from this reflexology chart, the feet, as is the whole body, is interconnected. People who have studied the feet in particular, or who have massaged them for years, can usually begin to correlate certain relationships. This chart can be helpful to you too in identifying any possible problems. Try practicing massage at home or receive massage by your favorite therapist and ask for particular attention to the feet. Allow yourself to become mindful and feel into the sensations… whether pleasure or pain. In the picture above, you can get an idea where you are tense and be curious about the part of the body that is associated there. Knowledge is power and understanding your body is key to your health.
If you have a challenge reaching down or visual problems seeing your feet, ask your caretaker or partner to give you some feedback. For example, if there are yellowing nails- it may be time to see your podiatrist for fungus problems. Keeping your physicians updated on any unusual conditions will help them to decide how to test you for health issues such as diabetes or neuropathy.
Make sure that you change your shoes often. From a Structural Integration perspective, walking in old worn out shoes that are already a reflection of your footstep will worsen your alignment. Different shoes support differently. That makes sense. Engage the whole foot as a whole as much as possible. Keeping your foot balanced is healthy.
Structural Integration and Massage can be great in taking care of your feet. It improves circulation, increases lymphatic flow, engages the nervous system, touches into the reflexology points, enhances flexibility and helps you to feel more grounded and at ease in your whole body. After all, your whole structure comes through your feet as you move through life. So it’s important to bring your attention to this connection of structure.
I know it can be easy to ignore the feet. Everyday they move us around, they do their job so that we forget to feel mindful. However, this is the exact reason why we should change our thinking. For longterm health- pay attention to what is working and make sure that the feet are well taken care of. Let your feet be an indicator of your overall health and wellness. You deserve happy and healthy feet!
For a link to more information on feet:
http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/cf/slideshows/what-your-feet-say-about-your-health?ap=825#slide=1
Warmly,
Sharon Hartnett LMT
Columbus, Ohio
(614) 372-6598
by SharonHartnett | Jun 10, 2014 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K
Better Sleep is Possible.
Sleep problems are more common than you think. Many parents face the challenges of helping their children to get enough sleep through the night.
Young babies might wake up for feedings, early childhood issues may include separation anxiety, or perhaps the older kids have to get up at 5:30 in the morning to get ready for school. Whatever is interrupting your child’s sleep cycle needs to be addressed to stop sleep deprivation. Children need about 9 hours asleep to feel healthy throughout their day.
Some ways to address sleep issues is to:
- Make bedtime a positive experience.
- Be consistent with bedtime each night.
- Cut down on caffeine and sugars many hours before sleep.
- Eliminate TV and computer time for some quiet time before bed.
- Read until sleepy.
- Focus on relaxing activities rather than stimulation.
- Massage can reduce stress and works wonders in helping one to sleep more deeply.
Peaceful Rest
From a Craniosacral perspective, reducing stress and anxiety through CST is one of the main objectives.
This is accomplished by:
- Speaking in a gentle voice.
- Using a Very light touch
- Work within the child’s boundaries. Listening to body and vocal cues allows a therapist to honor what is needed in the moment.
- Balancing the child’s neurological system through working with the cerebrospinal fluid.
- Restoring better posture through fascial work.
- Supporting emotional release as it occurs.
- Allowing play during sessions.
Touch when done with clear intention and heart can be very relaxing and therapeutic.
Craniosacral Therapy has been successful in releasing restrictions and improving overall functioning of the mind/body/spirit connection.
If you are interested in sessions or would like to learn how to work with your child, contact Sharon Hartnett LMT for a free 15 minute telephone consultation at:
(740) 966-5153
Columbus, Ohio
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
For more information on the benefits of Massage, check out:
http://www.massagemag.com/pediatric-massage-therapy-for-autism-part-two-research-and-benefits-of-massage-therapy-for-children-with-autism-2-24015/
by SharonHartnett | May 29, 2014 | Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration
Are You looking to find some Back Pain Relief?
Lumbar strain and injury can result from accidents, overuse and certain traumas.
The severity of your pain can range from mild to severe, from discomfort to muscles spasms. Wherever you are in your process of healing, Structural Integration can help you to find longer lasting pain relief.
Structural IntegrationRelieving Back Pain
Want to find more freedom and grace in your step? It’s smart to investigate finding a way to correct your posture in order to live in more ease in movement. A healthy spine and relaxed surrounding soft tissues will help you to feel happier and healthier all the way round.
Structural Integration in particular is a method of bodywork that aims to restore balance, increase energy, and improve flexibility. If you are experiencing extreme pain, usually the fascia, musculature and ligaments are overly short or overly-extended. Structural Integration is comprised of a ten series of treatments that work on the fascial web that spans the whole body from superficial layers to the deeper containers holding the viscera, skeletal systems and other internal structures. Through the touch and treatment by the practitioner, neurologic receptors fire and the fascia shifts into a gel-sol transformation. What this means to clients is better and softer functional movement. The connection and release of fascial adhesions also relieves the musculature to relax back into its natural form. Fibroblast repair allows for better circulation and fluid exchange.
Gameplan:
If your back is in severe pain now, speaking to your physicians office would be helpful to see if you need to go in for a visit. If they advise you to stay home, it is helpful to ice your back immediately after an incident, apply some compression and get some rest. Massage therapy can be very helpful if it is a soft tissue injury.
If your back issues feel more chronically uncomfortable, finding a healing plan would be the best bet. Usually chronic softer pain is an indicator that muscles and approximate tissues are overly short, tense and overstretched. From a holistic perspective, rotations and twists in one part of the body could be causing misalignments throughout the rest of the body. Finding a massage therapist who knows how to work with fascia would be a great bet to helping you to find your line and more comfort in day to day movement. For each session of Structural Integration, a certain recipe of techniques is applied with a uniquely tailored experience to bring you back to center. When the whole body is addressed holistically each week, the body begins to relate to itself in a more healthy way. Each session is built on the foundational ones behind it to help you to find the freedom and movement you long to feel. Look up Structural Integration Therapists in you area. Write down your questions and make sure they are addressed in a phone interview. If there are no SI therapist near you, research myofascial and Craniosacral Therapists (upledger). They can also focus on unwinding painful patterns and restoring health and wellness in your tissues. If your skeletal structure feels out, you may want to find a reputable chiropractor to make adjustments after the soft tissue restoration.
For more information, call Sharon Hartnett LMT
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
740 966-5153
Columbus, Ohio
by SharonHartnett | May 28, 2014 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration
What is Depression?
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depression, major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and depression may make you feel as if life isn’t worth living.
More than just a bout of the blues, depression isn’t a weakness, nor is it something that you can simply “snap out” of. Depression may require long-term treatment. But don’t get discouraged. Most people with depression feel better with medication, psychological counseling or both. Other treatments also may help.
This is how it is defined by the Mayo Clinic with the Link right here: Mayo Clinic
massage helps create positive change.
So what are some of the “other” treatments that may support wellness?
Here is a link to the position held by the American Massage Therapy Association:
http://www.amtamassage.org/approved_position_statements/Massage-Can-Reduce-Symptoms-of-Depression.html
AMTA Consumer Survey Facts
More Americans are incorporating massage therapy into their regular health and wellness regimens to assist with medical conditions:
• 88% of individuals view massage as being beneficial to overall health and wellness
• 88% of individuals believe that massage can be effective in reducing pain
• 75% of consumers surveyed claim that their primary reason for receiving a massage was medical (43%) or stress (32%) related
• 53% of people say their doctor has recommended they get a massage
In recent studies, Massage, which includes touching and working with the soft tissues of the body, has been shown to reduce stress and also take the edge off of depression. These effects are due primarily to the parasympathetic and hormonal levels shifting to reduce stress and anxiety. While massage and bodywork does not cure depression, these changes do help clients to better cope in day to day life.
For people who are feeling alone and disconnected from life, reaching out and finding the right type of therapy may be helpful for you. Intimate massage touch and skill can help you feel rejuvenated and more open to life.
Clients often leave their massage sessions feeling happier and more relaxed.
At Lighten Up Therapies in Columbus, Ohio, we offer three main modalities of bodywork:
-
Craniosacral Therapy
-
Structural Integration
-
Reiki and Brennan Healing Science
Each of these techniques holds the client in confidentiality, sacred listening, and with an intention to help you to reconnect to your health and wellbeing.
If you have any questions,
please contact: Sharon Hartnett LMT 740 966-5153
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
by SharonHartnett | May 28, 2014 | Craniosacral Therapy
How do you find a Craniosacral Therapist in Ohio?
Well first you might have to try and figure out how to spell it correctly. Craniosacral Therapy is now becoming more well known and widespread, but many people haven’t used this term much until recently with the growing education during the last few years. So if you don’t know how to spell it, just do your best, and most likely, you’ll find a practitioner near you! Maybe that is how you found this page.
Who might benefit from working with a Craniosacral Therapist?
- Looking for a a relief from tension, pain and compression?
- If you are longing for a holistic approach to healing through the mind, body and spirit connection.
- A desire to strengthen your alignment and create a healthier lifestyle full of balance and vitality
Craniosacral Therapy provides benefits for the following conditions:
- Migraines and Headaches
- Chronic Neck and Back Pain
- Autism
- Stress and Tension-Related Disorders
- Motor-Coordination Impairments
- Infant and Childhood Disorders
- Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
- Chronic Fatigue
- Fibromyalgia
- TMJ Syndrome
- Scoliosis
- Central Nervous System Disorders
- Learning Disabilities
- ADD/ADHD
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Orthopedic Problems
- And Many Other Conditions
What is Craniosacral Massage?
Because Craniosacral is a light touch massage therapy, it’s gentleness can be used to help almost every person from babies… to seniors.
Sharon Hartnett LMT
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
(740) 966-5153
