Adding value for your massage clients

As consumers tighten their financial belts, it is the businesses and therapists that add that little more value and provide that extra, unexpected dash of service, who will prosper.

I loved the tip in this month’s Massage Mag about using add-ons to deliver more value to your massage clients.

The article outlines how to do a lovely foot massage, spa style, either on your massage table or a chair in your treatment room.

Such a simple idea, yet I can count on one hand, the number of times I’ve actually been offered this sort of treatment when I’ve paid for massages.

Speaking of hands, you could do a similar treatment on your client's hands.

It doesn’t take much effort or cost a whole lot more to add value to your clients. How have you added value to your clients recently?

Free talk on the Value of Marketing to New Therapists at Q Academy

I'm very excited to be speaking about the Value of Marketing to New Therapists at the Q Academy's (Brisbane Campus) Careers Evening this Thursday from 7.00pm - 7.30pm.

Prospective massage students are welcome to attend this free event. Please contact Q Academy on 1300 20 40 80 for more information about the Careers Evening.

Hope to see you there!

Slumber party!

For any insomnia sufferers, the Sydney Morning Herald ran a great article this week on getting a good night's sleep.

"Poorly manufactured beds and bases, inappropriate lighting, the wrong bedding, bad usage habits and inadequate airflow can all contribute to us getting a dreadful night's sleep."

The article suggests many things, including decluttering your bedroom, to get a better night's sleep.

Did you know that regular massage can also help to relaxed a stressed mind and body, and therefore promote sleep?

Revive launches innovative new marketing workshops for holistic therapists

I'm very excited to announce that Revive Holistic Marketing has launched its marketing workshops and marketing services for holistic therapists.


Revive Holistic Marketing was created in 2009, after it became clear to me that there was a need for further training for massage therapists and other holistic therapies practitioners. Nationally accredited courses such as the Certificate IV in Massage Therapy, Diploma of Remedial Massage and Diploma of Aromatherapy, provide excellent technical training, however therapists often do not receive specific and thorough guidance on how to market their services.

The Expedition to Success – Marketing Your Holistic Therapies Business workshop provides therapists with a solid overview of marketing, and offers practical tools and templates to help them launch or grow their businesses, and attract and retain clients.

Designed for newly qualified and practising massage therapists, aromatherapists, reflexologists, Chinese medicine practitioners, naturopaths, homeopaths, astrologers, numerologists, energy healers and virtually any holistic therapies practitioner, participants require no previous experience in marketing.

Workshops are currently scheduled to run in Brisbane, Byron Bay, Cairns, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Newcastle and Sydney, with more locations to be added throughout the year. The workshop fee is $385 per person and includes course materials, a complimentary listing on the searchable global therapy directory, Local Therapy, a 50% discount on a custom 6-page website (this offer is valued at $125) and more.

Revive’s workshops can also be customised for, and delivered to, natural therapies colleges, holistic therapies associations and other related organisations throughout Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

I’m passionate about holistic therapies, and my vision is to help holistic therapists grow successful businesses, while raising awareness of the benefits of holistic therapies in the community.

Therapists invest substantial time and money in gaining and maintaining their holistic therapies qualifications. By better understanding how marketing can drive sales and revenue, therapists who attend our workshops will also learn how to convert that investment into profit quicker, while earning continuing professional education points (CPE points).

Feel free to check out the site, or to contact us if you have any queries about the workshops.

Therapists Unite for the Red Cross Bush Fire Appeal

The Australian spirit has never been more amplified than in the wake of the tragic bush fire disaster in Victoria. It feels like everyone is trying to do their bit to help the Victorians who lost their homes and loved ones, and the massage therapy industry is no different.



















I received an email this week via the Australian Association of Massage Therapists, announcing a national fund raising event whereby massage therapists offer massages to the public, with all proceeds going to the Red Cross Bush Fire Appeal.

Endeavour College, in conjunction with ANTA, ATMS, RAoA, AAMT, AACMA and IFA has organised a fundraising event to take place in the following locations (more locations are being confirmed):

• BRISBANE Queen Street Mall – confirmed 8am to 4pm Friday February 27, 2009
• MELBOURNE City Square – confirmed 8am to 7:30pm Friday February 27,2009
• PERTH Murray St Mall - to be confirmed

If you do happen to see the armies of massage therapists and reflexologists out at these venues, pop in for a treatment and help support a really worthy cause.

A night of pampering with All Pampering

I met Nathalie Panic-Vaucher by chance a few weeks ago and we got chatting about what we did. She said she runs pampering events for women, with her business partner Kym Morris, via their company, All Pampering.

She suggested I come along to their next Ladies Escape, held last night in one of the function rooms at Fitzy's, Logonholme.

Nathalie and Kym are full-time mums and business women, who believe that every woman deserves to be pampered. They run regular pampering events designed for women to take time for themselves. They are the Queens of "Me Time"!

The room was dotted with "stations" which we would later move around, and a range of products were on display. It was like a mini Mind Body Spirit expo, with candles, skin products, massage products and the like. The atmosphere was really relaxed and calm, a little sanctuary away from the madness of the week.

Nathalie opened the evening, taking us through a brief guided visualisation to help us calm our minds and centre ourselves.

We were invited to try some polynesian dancing, demonstrated first by the lovely Ruby. It was hilarious. Whether or not any of us will make professional polynesian dancers is another story, but we had a bit of a boogie and a big giggle.

It was then time for the first pampering session - a back and shoulder massage. We paired up and were given a Joya Massage Roller. I had seen massage rollers before, but nothing like the Joya version, which used a solid gemstone as the roller ball. The Joya comes with about 20 different crystal/gemstone roller balls. Each stone has different properties - I think we were using an aventurine stone, a green stone linked to the heart chakra, which helps to promote self-determination and individuality.

We were instructed how to use them, and then invited to give our pamper pal a back and shoulder massage. It was great - having been to the gym the day before, I was in dire need of a massage! The Joya was excellent as you could use the stone roller ball side to get into tight muscles up and down the back and around the shoulders, and the smooth birch wood side provided a firm surface to finish off with long, flowing effleurage strokes.

There were nibblies and music throughout the evening, and we had brief talks by the ladies who were displaying their products.

Loraine, a PartyLite consultant, talked about the range of PartyLite candles, essential oils and all other things smelly and burny. The room smelt delicious! Loraine runs candle parties - another discovery for me from tghe evening. Candle parties - like Tupperware parties! What a great thing to do with a bunch of girlfriends over a few chardies.

More pampering followed, and we teamed up with our pamper pals again to give each other a hand and foot massage. All Pampering supplied the creams, balms, towels and everything we needed. They used all-natural products from the Diva range.

It was interesting to observe the 16 or so women at the event, many of whom at the beginning of the evening were total strangers, and by the end were nattering away like we'd known each other for years. Some had kids, some didn't. Some worked full time, some were full time Mums. Yet we were all happy to be chatting, and doing and receiving a bit of pampering. You get that with women!

The evening finished at about 10.00pm and we said our goodbyes, smiles on our dials and armed with all sort of goodies and brochures related to pampering. It was a really nice way to spend a Friday night.

The next All Pampering Ladies escape is on Friday 13th Feb, and then there's an All Albout Me Expo on 22nd Feb. See the All Pampering events calendar for more details.

The knee bone's connected to the shin bone....learning anatomy and physiology online!

Having studied anatomy and physiology over a period of 9 months for my massage studies, I can tell you that having a great teacher makes all the difference to the way you perceive the subject.

The body's amazing systems are complicated and you have to learn an entire new vocabulary! Distinguishing between veins and lymph vessels can be overwhelming when you're up to your eyeballs in massage practice and the ITEC exam is looming.

I'm loving that Essentials for Health has made their A&P course available online via a virtual classroom. Even better, Jane Johnson is teaching the course.

Jane is one of the UK's leading Anatomy and Physiology teachers and is a practicing physiotherapist. She taught most of the A&P days when I did my studies at Essentials for Health last year, and it was Jane's passion about the human body that really made learning about it enjoyable. I've never seen someone get so excited about a debate over the pisiform bone, or the prospect of organising a field trip to a dissection lab!

The course covers all the body's systems:

• Skeletal
• Muscular
• Cardiovascular
• Respiratory
• Endocrine
• Skin
• Cells
• Reproductive
• Urinary
• Neurological
• Digestive
• Lymphatic

If you need to do Anatomy and Physiology as part of your holistic therapies studies, this virtual classroom sounds like a really viable way of doing it from the comfort of your own home. Click on the Essentials for Health image below for details.

Still loving those massage school clinics!

In my mission to try as many massage school clinics as possible, I ventured into the Australasian College of Natural Therapies clinic in Sydney last week.

I booked in for a one hour remedial massage, as I hadn't had that type of massage for ages. Remedial massage is deliberately firm and really gets into the muscles and tissues. It's in these kind of massages that you often "discover" tense areas in your body that you weren't even aware were tense.

The clinic was professionally run, and the treatment rooms were basic, but clean and comfortable. My therapist introduced herself to me, did a quick postural assessment and ask where I'd like her to focus on. Neck and shoulders please...a very typical reply!

She was using a massage balm instead of oil and we discussed the pros and cons of oils vs balms. The balms didn't seem as greasy as oils, but still provided good glide - this is important when you're trying to roll smoothly over tense or dense areas of muscle.

Interestingly, the therapist started working on my lower back and detected tension there (surprise surprise for a person who'd went most of the week curled over a computer!). She then started to work on my glutes - another area where a lot of people store tension - and repressed anger, I once learnt in a personal development course. I was trying to pay attention to the techniques she was using (if I like the way something feels in a treatment, I always ask the therapist to show me what they're doing), but started to drift into the land of nod. Even though the massage was very firm, it still had the overall effect of relaxing me.

At the ACNT clinic, instructors actually come into the treatment room mid-massage to observe what their students are doing. This is the first clinic I've visited where that's happened! I had been asked prior to the massage if this was ok. The instructor observed for a bit then started to give my therapist some tips about how to work particular areas up the side of my shoulder. He then demonstrated on one side of my shoulder while she tried on the other side.

Hands on training like this is invaluable for therapists, and I was really impressed at the quality of teaching, and the supervision of students. I believe that the more clinic hours students do under such close supervision, the better therapists they'll be when they go out to do it commercially.

The ACNT clinic offers a wide range of treatments including massage, naturopathy, herbal medicine, nutritional consulations, aromatherapy, homoeopathy, reflexology and beauty treatments.

At $30 for a one hour remedial massage, this is one of the best value massages I've had - particuarly as the clinic is in the city (Foveaux Street, near Central Station).

The clinic is available to the public - check out their website, call to make a booking on 02 9218 8855 or email clinicreception@acnt.edu.au. I highly recommend it!

Be positive about your health!

I'm sure we all know someone who loves to bask in their ill health.

New research suggests that people who focus on ill heath (whether it is perceived or real) could actually be talking themselves into illness, and even an early death.



















Healthy Pages reports on an article in the Medical Care journal, where researchers from Duke University discovered the astonishing difference in survival rate for 3,000 heart patients who were requested to describe their health as 'poor' or 'very good', irrespective of their condition. Those who said 'very good' were three times more likely to survive.

"This report supports the results from Johns Hopkins University who questioned 5,000 people over 65 years of age about their health. Those who said 'poor', regardless of their actual condition doubled their risk of death within five years."

A positive attitude about health can ward off mental distress and may help provide important protection against diseases," says Professor Gunnar Engstrom, MD, from Lund University, Sweden."

The article also goes on to suggest that laughter can play a huge role in physiological stimulation that leads to a number of health benefits by reducing stress, and boosting antibodies that fight infection.

Holistic therapies such as massage and reflexology have similar benefits, in that they have also been proven to reduce stress, and improve the body's circulatory systems - which assist in the production of antibodies.

Next time that person you know is moaning about their ill health, suggest that they watch a funny movie, have a giggle or have a massage!

Choosing massage supplies - where do you start!

Massage therapists have a reasonably limited number of "tools of the trade" - you'd think a comfy massage table, oil and towels would pretty much be it.

Not so! I've tended to choose my oils based on word of mouth recommendations - certainly, when I was training we quizzed the teachers about which oils they used and recommended, and it's always useful to ask what other therapists use. In the UK, I used carriers oils from Absolute Aromas, but there are a huge array of balms, lotions and carrier oils, and an even larger range of essential oils - the delicious smelling oils used in aromatherapy- to choose from.

The texture and smell of the oil, lotion or balm can have a dramatic impact on the quality of the massage. If it's too greasy, the therapist will have difficulty keeping contact with the client's body, and if it's too dry, it's difficult to get "glide" - so the massage will feel jerky.

In reflexology class this week, our teacher has been discussing the Young Living range of oils, and has brought in various samples for us to smell and use. We don't use any oil in reflexology, but therapists will often use essential oils in diffusers or oil burner while they're doing a treatment. Similarly, reflexology can be done as part of a massage, so the issue of oils typically comes up in any gathering of massage therapists.

The people at Young Living do a great job of marketing - I love the names of their oil blends. Of course they have blends with names that you'd expect, such as Joy and Peace and Calming, but something like Highest Potential makes me want to go out and try it straight away.

According to Young Living's website:

"Highest Potential™ is an exotic blend of therapeutic-grade essential oils designed to increase your capacity to achieve your highest potential. It combines the uplifting and inspirational qualities of Australian Blue™, with the power of Gathering™, to hlp bring greater unity of purpose. Jasmine is added to enhance self-confidence, while ylang ylang calms, soothes and helps release feelings that might otherwise get in the way."

It's like a super blend of oils, which includes: Australian Blue, [a blend of blue cypress (Callitrus intratropica), ylang ylang (Cananga odorata), cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica), blue tansy (Tanacetum annuum), and white fir (Abies concolor)], Gathering essential oil blend [galbanum (Ferula gummosa), frankincense (Boswellia carteri), sandalwood (Santalum album), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), rose (Rosa damascena), spruce (Picea mariana), geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) and ylang ylang (Cananga odorata)], jasmine (jasminum officinale) and ylang ylang (Cananga odorata). Wow - how's that for a list of ingredients!

Apparently, Young Living's oils are therapeutic grade, and the company claims it is the largest supplier of essential oils in the world. My first impression of the company this week is that their oils smell and feel great. I've ordered a seven-oil starter pack to check them out, and can't wait to work with them, or simply use them around home.

One of my massage study buddies in the UK also put me on to Tui - Balmes and Waxes. I'd never used waxes in my massages, but I was keen to learn more about them. Tui points out that waxes have an inherent benefit over oils in that oils are easily spilled, and can become so concentrated on bed linen that it proves impossible to wash out. Yuuuuuk!

Tui's products are a blend of natural, organic beeswax and high quality vegetable oils. I like the fact that there are no artificial preservatives, emulsifiers, colouring agents, stabilisers or chemical additives are used in their products. I also ordered a couple of their blended waxes and one balm to try out in the coming weeks.

I think it's important for therapists to choose their oils carefully and to be able to offer different products for different situations - some people prefer that oil is not used, particularly if there are no shower facilities in the massage room or clinic, and they have to go back to work or out to an appointment after their treatment.

I also think trade shows are a great way to check out new products, particularly if you're new to the industry.

I'd love to hear other people's views on oils and suppliers in Australia or the UK - feel free to post your thoughts on the blog.

Student clinics at massage schools - great value and great experience

Massage Schools Queensland (MSQ), the school where I'm currently doing my reflexology studies, runs a student clinic, whereby students practice on members of the public, at highly discounted prices.

I'd come across the clinic concept when I did my massage studies in the UK, and had to participate in one clinic day. It seems to be different in Australia, or certainly at this school. Cert IV students at MSQ are required to do 40 hours of massage in the clinic, on top of their 100 or so practice hours outside of the school.

I think it's a great idea that benefits the soon-to-be massage students by giving them a broader range of experience while they're still under the guidance of teachers, while giving the public access to massage and other therapies such as aromatherapy, remedial massage and reflexology at greatly reduced prices.

Until I'd participated in a clinic day and received a massage at one, I'd always been a bit sceptical about whether I wanted a "beginner" practicing on me. However, I was extremely impressed at the quality of the massage I had at the MSQ clinic last week - done by one of my reflexology study buddies after our class.

Everything about the clinic, the pre-treatment consultation and the massage was professional. It was more thorough, in fact, than many massages I've paid full price for.

I think the main benefit of student clinics is that the students are keen to do their massage well, and are constantly receiving feedback from tutors and other students in class, and then put it to practice immediately in the clinic. It also simulates an actual clinic environment, so students gain relevant experience in the logistics of back-to-back appointments, changing treatment rooms over and building rapport with clients in a short period of time. It's also a great, cheap way to try out massage if you've never had one.

I completely recommend the MSQ clinic and am looking forward to another massage in a couple of weeks.

Check out your local massage school's clinic - chances are you'll save money and get a great massage treatment!

Fixated with feet!

I'm nearly halfway through my reflexology unit and I continue to be amazed (and mortified) about what my feet are revealing about the inner workings of my body and mind. It's SO interesting!

Heather, our teacher, goes off onto what she calls digressions, but for us, they're the most interesting parts: like how the hands relate to how you're managing life and the things around you - basically how you're "handling" things. And the feet are about stepping forward in life.

We're getting down and gritty with bunions and calluses, heel fissues and puffiness, all of which have their own meanings. Bunions for example, which cause the big toe to bend away from the centreline of the spine reflex, represent moving away from one's path.

Heel fissures, which are deep, sometimes open cracks at the base of the heel, are directly related to the base of the spine, and can represent carrying extra weight or burdens in life.

We're learning which part of the feet correspond to the spine, and how working the spine reflex on the foot can actually reduce tension in say, the lower back! How cool is that!

The recommended textbook, "Better Health with Foot Reflexology" is an equally fascinating read, as it goes into the numerous reflexes in depth.

Today after class, I'm getting a therapeutic massage in the college's clinic, so will be checking out for similarities and differences in massage techniques. I can't wait.

I wonder what my feet will reveal today!

Reading the feet - reflexology reveals all

As part of the conversion of my UK massage qualifications to a recognisable Australian qualification, I have to do 30 hours of reflexology studies. I'll be doing this in 10 x 3-hour lectures over the next 4 weeks, and I started the course today at Massage Schools of Queensland.

Our teacher is a veteran in reflexology, having been one of the first people to be licenced to practice and teach reflexology into Australia. She's been doing it since 1984 and clearly knows her stuff. I was hooked after the first 10 minutes of discussion about reflexology.

According to the Reflexology Association of Australia, this modality's governing association in Australia, reflexology is:

"A gentle, holistic therapy based on the principle that certain parts of the body reflect the whole. Reflex points, which relate to all parts of the body, can be found in the feet, hands and ears. A reflexology treatment is a systematic working of these points, stimulating the body's own natural healing process, resulting in better health."

The reflex points are typically depicted in a map like the one below. The highlighted area below shows the area on the foot that represents the liver, for example. Theoretically, if this area is a bit tender or numb while a reflexologist is doing a sequence across your foot, it could indicate a problem with the liver or surrounds.





















I had this experience first hand in the class today, as the teacher demonstrated the sequence on me. After a couple of months worth of farewells and reunions (and the associated drinking that seems to have gone with that), this area of my foot was really sensitive! She pointed out this sensitivity before I could even start justifying the cause...! So, lotsa of fruit, vegies and healthy eating for me in the next few weeks.

In any case, it was an eye-opener, and I can't wait to learn more about the various reflex points, and see this stuff in action for myself.

Reflexology has actually been used for thousands of years. Like massage, our forebears recognised the benefits of touch and have been practicing various forms of reflexology for years.

Reflexology is good for you because it:
- reduces stress and tension
- improves circulation
- balances the nervous system
- boosts lymphatic function thereby reducing oedema, reducing toxicity and improving immunity
- stimulates sluggish, congested systems
- reduces pain
- enhances the body's natural healing process, improves sleep, increases energy and vitality

And, just as you can read the feet, you can read the hands in a similar way. Cool huh!

If you are interested in finding a qualified reflexologist in your area, the Reflexology Association has a state-based search. Or ask your massage therapist - they may be able to help out

* The foot map image is the copyright of dorling kindersley books, who seem to have some cool resources for reflexology students or anyone else interested in their feet!

Shiatsu massage saves the long haul flight!

If you've ever flown across the world, you'll know how grim you feel after the first 10 or 12 hour leg from Europe to some point in Asia, and the unbridled joy of then having to fold yourself back into a cramped economy seat and endure another 8 or 9 hours. Ugh...travelling is awesome but long haul flights are horrendous.

I had a two-hour stop over in Singapore on my way from London last week, and for the first time ever, decide to have a massage in the spa at Changi Airport.

Rainforest by SATS is a nice little oasis in the middle of one of my favourite airports in the world. Indeed, Changi Airport is frequently voted as the airport people would most prefer to be stuck in for 24 hours. It's clean, efficient and full of great shops.

For a minimal fee you can use the spa's shower facilities, and they offer a range of massage and beauty services.

I had never had a shiatsu massage before, and opted for the 1-hour full body massage - any excuse to spend as much time horizontal in the middle of my long journey home!









Shiatsu originated in Japan, and uses predominantly the fingers and palms of the hand to apply pressure to the body. It also works on clearing blocks in the meridians, or energy lines that run all over the body. The seated massage course I did with Touchpro UK works on the principles of shiatsu, and acupressure points.

My therapist, Angie, showed me to the treatment room. There were three couches in the room, and two people were already in the process of their massage.

Shiatsu massage is typically done on clothed clients, on a standard massage table or the floor. It seemed to be a really versatile form of massage - perfect for an airport spa enviroment, because there were no oils involved. I don't think I'd have liked an oil massage before climbing back onto the jumbo tin can.

The massage techniques were firm and brisk - it always amazes me how petite women like Angie can apply so much pressure.

I recognised some of the techniques Angie was applying, from what I'd learnt in my various courses. There were certainly a lot of circular frictions around the knots in my shoulders, which creaked and crunched away. I could feel Angie's elbow at work too - using the point of the elbow to get into tight muscles saves the therapists hands, and you can get extra leverage and pressure by bending the elbow. Fwaw...this was the perfect antidote for long haul flights.

The massage was comprehensive, including my head and feet. I find I tend to curl my feet into weird positions in the plane, so it was great to have them straightened out.

Angie and I chatted about massage, and different techniques. She'd been doing shiatsu for years.

When the massage finished, I felt revived and more alert than I had when I came in. I will definitely opt for a massage to break up future long haul flights.

The Great Soapy Turkish Hamam Adventure

I have a confession to make: I was a Turkish hamam virgin until last week.

Yes, I had heard about Turkish steam baths and how the tradition had passed through the Romans to the Byzantines, and then onto the Turks. The Moroccans have a similar system, although for some reason unbeknownst to me, I declined to have one when I was there over Christmas.

Anyway, three weeks in Turkey gave me absolutely no excuse not to try a legendary hamam, and it was really just a matter of finding time in the busy tour to schedule one.

A free afternoon in the small town of Selcuk presented the perfect opportunity.

We had been roaming all morning around the ruins of Ephesus – the mother of all archaeological sites in Turkey. It was an extremely hot day, and we’d been clambering down ancient cobbled streets amid hordes of tourists. One nearby cruise ship alone had offloaded 51 busloads of passengers into the site, and we then had to battle our way through the throng of eager vendors on the way out of the site. It was nothing short of hot, sweaty chaos.

Little did I know that the theme of hot, sweaty chaos would continue...

Linda and Bill, a lovely Canadian couple from my tour group, decided they were up for trying the hamam. We agreed to set off into the town’s centre later that afternoon.

I had read and heard various things about the protocol for bath houses. There were typically separate bathing rooms for men and women, and men attendants massaged men and women attendants massaged women. Sometimes there were even specific days and times for men or women to use the hamam. Also, it seemed that in some bath houses you stripped of completely, while others gave you towels or sarong-like gizmos to wrap up in, while others recommended you wore underwear or a swimming costume throughout the whole process. I erred on the side of caution and wore my swimmers.

The bath house was near the police station, and we greeted a man who was sitting outside smoking.

Inside, the lobby was dimly light and there seemed to be few people. We explained what we wanted – the sauna/steam bath, loofah wash down and oil massage. It all seemed to be quite straightforward.

We were issued with a tartan-like sarong and ushered into a small change room, where we could leave our clothes. They placed our valuables in a rickety old safe.

The man then nodded in the direction of the steam room. At this point, I thought Linda and I would move into a separate area from Bill, and that women attendants would appear...

There was in fact one large steam room, with two men already in there. Linda and I were making rapid eye movements to each other and Bill, as the logistics of the situation started whirling, dervish like, round our minds. At that point I was saying a million silent thank you’s for my swimming costume, and also that I’d not come alone.


















A large octagonal marble platform, about knee height, sat in the centre of the room. Smaller cubicles with showers and curtains lined one wall, and there were two higher marble slabs at the back of the room.

The high domed ceiling had small light holes that cut through the steamy haze. I don’t know what the temperature was in that room, but it seemed hotter than it had been at Ephesus...

A third man – a huge Turk wearing only the same sort of sarong we were wearing, entered the room and motioned for Bill to sit on the slab at the back. Linda and I watched on. The Turk filled up a bucket of water and, without warning, unceremoniously dumped it over Bill’s head. He motioned for Bill to move over to the central slab and lie face down with his head in the centre of the octagon. Bill apparently wasn’t in the right position, so the Turk shunted Bill’s feet with his huge hands, sliding Bill into the right position. I was desperately trying to hold back nervous giggles.

Linda and I got the same treatment, and then the water man tipped water over his own head and joined us on the slab.

At this point, four of us – two men, and two women were lying on a hot marble slab in a wet sarong. We visitors were not quite sure how long we were to stay there, or what would happen next.

The Turk broke the silence and uttered the words “makes good photo. Photo?”

Linda and I stared at each other at about the time our jaws hit the marble...In hindsight, that would have been the perfect photo.

“NO. No – no thank you. NO PHOTO,” we both sputtered. It was hard to relax after that. I was checking out the steam room for hidden cameras.

We lay face down on the marble until the Turk rolled over onto his back. That seemed to be a natural cue for us all to do the same –when in doubt, copy the locals! It was then completely silent except for four people’s breathing and the dripping of water, and my sarong decided to make fart-like noises. Under the circumstances, I felt the need to explain that it was the sarong. Oh god...was I ever going to relax?

As I wondering how much longer I could restrain myself from (1) laughing hysterically; and (2) suffocating on hot steamy air, another sarong-wielding Turkish man came into the room, patted the slab at the back and motioned for Bill to lie face down on it.

SPLASH went another bucket of water over my Canadian friend, and then the Turk began to use a hand loofah to start sloughing apparent grime off him. I’d heard that this part of the process was particularly rough and that people came out feeling raw but very clean. Linda and I were attempting to keep flat on the central slab, but ended up cocking our heads and straining our necks to observe what was going on. She asked if I would like to be temporarily adopted as their daughter, and I very quickly agreed.

We each followed suit with the loofah-ing. It was the ultimate exfoliation! My skin tingled – probably due to my newly-acquired Ephesus sun burn, as much as the fact that the top three layers of my epidermis were being scrubbed away. Actually, it wasn’t painful or remotely uncomfortable.

After more time back on the central slab, our attendant motioned for Bill to head back to the “work bench”.

This time, he had what looked like a huge net bag full of suds, and dumped it all over Bill. Very quickly, Bill was hidden in soap. This went on for some minutes, and once again, Linda and I followed suit.

I shall point out the obvious – marble, water and three tonnes of soap suds make for extremely slippery conditions – especially when two very large hands are loofah-ing you within in an inch of your life. The attendant asked me to turn over, and I swear it was nothing short of a miracle that I actually made it onto my back. Think of a beached whale laughing hysterically, incapable of rolling itself over, and you should get an image that just about mirrors my experience.

We were then told to shower off and head out to the lobby. Once in the lobby, a dry sarong was wrapped round our middle, a different coloured towel draped around our shoulders, and yet another towel twisted around our heads, turban style. We were then offered hot tea.

And that’s when it dawned on us that we were missing the perfect Kodak moment. There was not a camera amongst us, so we simply chuckled at the memory that we will collectively file away into amusing travel moments folder.

The tea was surprisingly refreshing and no sooner had we drunk it, we were being ushered upstairs for the oil massage. I’d almost forgotten that part of the order.

Once again, it was male masseurs – two of the guys who had been in the steam room. The Turkish style of massage was far more brisk than what I learned in Swedish massage. It was certainly firm, although my masseur went fairly gently. Not so for Bill, who was apparently pounded.

After the steam, wash and scrub, the massage was heavenly. Perfect conditions for the oil to work into the skin and ease my sun burn. I came away feeling like a newborn!

I couldn’t help myself, and had a quick chat with the masseur about various massage techniques – his style of percussion, and the one I’d learned etc. I always find it fascinating to compare different styles of massage.

The whole process lasted about an hour and cost us 35 Turkish Lira each, or about £12-14. Ironically, I read my Lonely Planet Guide Book when I got back to the hotel, and its report on Selcuk Haman was very good - "Everything is thoroughly clean and respectable". Indeed it was.

The Great Soapy Turkish Hamam Adventure was one of the most nerve-wracking, memorable and (eventually) relaxing experiences I’ve had while travelling.

Thanks to Bill and Linda for sharing the memory, though I’m kinda glad there’s no photographic evidence. :-)

Ayurvedic massage in Bratislava's Old Town

With my relocation to Australia looming, I took the opportunity to have one last quick weekend in Europe.














I chose to go to Bratislava, Slovakia's capital, simply because I hadn't been there, and had read that it's Old Town was picturesque.

True to it's word, it was indeed quaint and pretty. It was also fairly small, so by the end of my second day I thought I'd just about discovered as many new things in the old town as I was likely to. By chance, however, I took a different route through the cobbled streets back to my hotel, and stumbled across a large sign that said Ayurvedic Massage Centre.

Ayurvedic massage is something I'd read about, but had not yet tried. All I knew was that it originated in India and was more than just massage - it was an entire way of life that included massage, healthy eating and fitness.

So in I went, curious to find out more about how this Ayervedic Massage Centre called Darsana had found its way into Bratislava's Old Town.

The owner, Mark, was helpful and happy to explain how he'd come to set up the centre. He said he saw an opportunity to bring a different form of massage to Slovakia. Having looked around the city myself, I'd only seen Thai massage advertised. So - competition seemed pretty limited and he felt that with the increasing standard of living in Bratislava, people would be ready to pay for more exotic forms of pampering.

He explained that he'd been to India some ten years ago and liked the ayurvedic style, and had in fact, just returned from India earlier in the week. He had brought in massage therapists from the Indian state of Kerala, where ayurveda originated.

The centre itself was lovely - granite floor everywhere, neutral tones, and dimly lit. He explained that the building was originally from the 14th Century, and he'd had a hard time doing the re-fit because there were so many heritage-related regulations. He'd done a fantastic job though - it was calm, quiet and felt like a million miles away from the narrow little streets of Bratislava.

He was kind enough to show me around the therapy rooms, explaining that the wooden massage tables were authentic ayurveda style. They looked enormous, and had a two-step wooden box for the therapists to stand on while they were massaging.

Mark explained that Abhyangam is a popular ayurvedic massage that focuses on the body's seven different energy centres - called marma. I gathered that these must have been synonymous with chakras, which I was familar with, but will have to investigate further.

He then unveiled a curtain to reveal another treatment room. It looked like a huge metal pressure cooker, which he explained, pumped out steam infused with herbal oils. Called Swedanam, it was like a mini-sauna for one. He demonstrated how the client would sit on the chair, with their head poking through a hole in the top of the box, and showed where the steam was pumped out. I had visions of claustrophobia or getting stuck in there, but he assured me it was a common procedure in India and ayurvedic therapy.

Having now heard quite a bit about ayurvedic massage, I decided I needed to try it, and booked in the following day for a 45 minute Abhyangam massage, a 20 minute Shiro abhyangam (or Indian head massage), a 20-minute facial massage and a 15 minute session in the pressure cooker.

When I arrived the next day, I was shown into the change room and then into one of the therapy rooms. And so began the full body massage.

The massage therapist used a lot more oil in this form of massage than what I was used to in Swedish massage. And the focus seemed to be far more on long flowing strokes up and down the body rather than pressure work in specific areas.

The oils were scented - infused with herbs, the therapist explained, and they sought to work on re-balancing the three energies known as Doshas – Vatha, Pitta and Kapha. Vatha governs the principle of movement, the Pitta dosha is the process of transformation and Kapha is responsible for growth and adding structure.

In any case, I felt that my Dosha's were getting the right royal treatment as I pondered how amazing it is that there are so many forms of massage, all originating from different parts of the world, yet all so beneficial to one's wellbeing.

By the time I was flipped over, I felt oiler than a McDonald's french fry, but I knew that the oils and herbs were doing wonderful things to relax my body and mind.

Onto the facial, and the therapist used the most delicate strokes around my face. It felt as light as rain drops, but was incredibly relaxing. I could have snored half way through, or perhaps I was just dreaming that I did. It was drool-worthy, in any case. Then it was time to slide off the table (and I mean SLIDE), into a chair for the head massage.

Indian Head Massage - which I had tried before - is typically done on a seated client. You can elect to have it with oil or without. I went with the oil version, and the therapist began a series of rather more vigourous strokes around my head, layering in oil to the point where my hair was a mega greaseball.

Look at pretty much any Indian's hair and you'll see its typically shiny and strong - head massage is apparently a really important part of their lives. Massage of the scalp promotes hair growth and hair quality, and can help to reduce tension in the scalp, neck and shoulders.

Twenty minutes of head massage passed dreamily by and I was then shown into the pressure cooker room for my 15-minutes of Swedanam steamin'. The therapist explained that the temperature in the pressure cooker would increase, and that I could stay in there for up to 15 minutes.

She stayed in the room for pretty much the whole time, checking in on the temperature, and basically making sure I didn't faint. I felt fine, but I could see how some people may be prone to fainting in that environment. The oils simmered away - heat and steam helping my skin to absorb the oils and further promote relaxation. It was lovely! 15 minutes was about enough.

I was then led into the chillout room. I really like clinics and salons that provide a chill room. It can be fairly daunting leaving a relaxing massage and heading straight back out into the busy world. This one was warm and comfy and I was given tea and a huge fluffy blanket to sit under for a while. This process helped the oils to absorb even more.

Another client was sitting there, alo chilling out. She looked suitably happy and relaxed. We discussed our treatments and how wonderful they were, and also our surprise at finding this ayurvedica centre in Bratislava of all places!

When I left Darsana more than two hours after I'd arrived, I felt very relaxed and clear-headed. My niggling lower back ache was gone and I was smiling. Massage definitely switches on the smiley button for me.

I walked out into the warm Slovakian sun and had a light lunch in the bustling courtyard just under Michael's Gate.

It was a perfect way to spend my last morning in Bratislava. The combined cost of the four treatments equated to about £60.

More is better: you can't overdose on massage!

MassageTherapy.com is running an interesting article about the benefits of massage. The article outlines some studies by the University of Miami's Touch Research Institute (TRI), that consistently reinforce the huge benefits of caring touch to infants.

It also describes the growing adoption of massage by the medical community, both with post-surgery patients and terminally ill patients.

It highlights the ability of massage to reduce stress and promote relaxation, and concludes with the obvious fact - it leaves people feeling great!

My favourite quote is from Dr. Maria Hernandez-Reif, one of the lead researchers at TRI who, along with colleague Tiffany Field, has been proving the efficacy of massage for years. She says that "massage is not a "drug" on which you can overdose."

I couldn't agree more!

A dreamy hot stone massage

I was lucky enough to be in Singapore over Easter, and paid a visit to the uber-relaxing Willow Stream Spa, on Level 6 of the Fairmont Hotel. It's just opposite the iconic Raffles.

Formerly known as the Amarita Spa, it's apparently one of the biggest day spas in Singapore, with about 35 treatment rooms.

From the moment you walk in past a couple of huge water features, you're treated like royalty. The spa feels huge - no boxy little rooms here.

Once the consultation forms were complete, we were ushered down into the Ladies Spa, changed into our fluffy white robes and slippers and entered the pre-treatment room.

It was a chill zone - just a quiet room with about 10 couches segregated by sheer curtains, where you could sip ginger tea and chill out before your treatment. It was a nice touch and really got us away from the hustle and bustle of the outside world, which now seemed a million miles away.

Mum was having a 90-minute deluxe facial, and I was having a 90-minute East Meets West Stone Massage. I was particularly interested in the hot stone massage, as it's a course I want to take this year as part of my continuous professional development requirements as a massage therapist.

Mum and I chatted quietly before our therapists called us into our respective rooms. The treatmeant rooms themselves were also spacious, with a small shower in the back corner. Again, another nice touch, as clients who are having body wraps or other treatments that require showers, can stay in the same room throughout the treatment.

I settled onto the massage table as my therapist finished warming the large, smooth basalt stones. Basalt stones are used in this type of massage because of their ability to retain heat. They also allow the therapist to apply firm pressure in tension-filled areas.

I'm sure I drifted off into the land of nod almost as soon as the first stone was placed on my back, because I don't remember much of the rest of the treatment. So much for taking notes for research purposes!

But I do remember the feeling of the therapist using the rocks like an extension of her palm, and massaging my back in long effleurage strokes. And I remember her placing stones in my palms and down my spine as she massaged my legs. The combination of the heat, oil and pressure was blissful. I'm sure my snoring was less-than-glamorous, but this 90-minute treatment was perfect for my weary, jet-lagged mind and body. I came away feeling relaxed, refreshed and happy.

What felt like days later, I emerged from the treatment room back into the chill room, to find an equally blissed out Mum. We were both grinning like clowns and wished we could afford to have these sort of treatments every day.

We could have stayed in the chill room for as long as we liked, or used the pools, showers or other facilities in the spa.

Each treatment cost around AUD$215, and in my opinion, was entirely worth it. I've always been impressed with the quality of treatments in Singapore, be it massages or pedicures, and the Hot Stone Massage at Willow Stream Spa was amongst the best I've had.

The road to massage...Part 1

In October 2007, I qualified as a holistic massage therapist, taking about 10 months to simultaneously complete the BTEC Professional Diploma Course in Holistic Massage Practice and the ITEC Diploma Course in Holistic Massage part time, at Essentials for Health.

I'd never actually set out to become a massage therapist, but after I did a Reiki course a couple of years ago, I felt like I needed to learn more about the human body. And so began my exciting and formal journey into holistic therapies.
I researched various schools and options, and decided that a massage course which included studies in Anatomy and Physiology would give me a solid grounding for Reiki and any other related modalities going forward. I eventually chose Essentials for Health, one of the UK's leading massage schools. I did their 1-day Massage Magic workshop to check out the school and its teachers, and loved it! I enrolled virtually straight away in the next diploma course.

I also liked that EfH ran their courses on weekends, and that they offered both the ITEC and BTEC qualifications. The BTEC Professional Course remains the highest level of massage course offered in the UK, and is the equivalent of an NVQ level 4 qualification. That said, the ITEC qualification is currently more widely known throughout the UK and internationally, so it was great that EfH taught both curriculums via the same course material.

The first weekend rolled around, and I remember wondering WHAT I'd gotten myself into. We were shown massage couches and various oils and the teachers were referring to body parts I didn't even know I possessed!

That first weekend, I also met a wonderful bunch of keen, newbie students like myself, who had come from all over the country (and world) and from all walks of life. Some people had already decided that massage was what they wanted to do full time, others were in full time jobs they were bored with and wanted to escape from, and yet others simply wanted to learn how to do massage properly, so they could treat their family and friends. We met our teachers too – fantastic massage therapists with oodles of patience and humour.

The weekends rolled by, usually following a format of one day of massage practice and one day of anatomy and physiology. We learnt how to effleurage (and how to spell it) and knead and percuss and apply friction - all part of an entirely new vocabulary. In the A&P classes, we delved into the structure of cells and the contents of blood, and all the while, I was thinking that I could get by with knowing that the knee bone was connected to the shin bone. Apparently not!

We were told we needed to log at least 100 hours of massage practice outside of the course before we sat for our exams. Although you might think it would be easy to give away free massages, the logistics of arranging massage sessions with mates in between busy jobs and social lives became a major challenge!

Then came the case studies – where we needed to do 2-hour full body massages on 6 different people, for 4 weeks in a row. We were required to write up full case notes describing our client’s lifestyle, what they required from each massage and what the results of each massage were. I reckon I spent as much time writing up those beloved case studies, as I spent doing the actual massages!

The road to massage...Part 2

Meanwhile, the A&P classes were getting torturous. Did I really need to know the structure of arteries and veins to give a good massage? Did I need to know what the fourth layer of skin was called, and how its characteristics differed from the second and fifth layers? My head was caving in with information overload.

While racking up my practice hours, and relieving the stress and improving the wellbeing of my clients, my own stress levels were soaring as the exams loomed. I’ve done exams before – years of them – but never anything that involved the assessment of a practical skill. Well, not since I did my driving test....and let’s not talk about that incident with the pedestrian...

The big weekend came – 2 days of exams, one for ITEC, one for BTEC. Each day contained a theory and practical exam. ITEC was first, and we were assessed with military precision on a 45-minute full body massage. The multiple choice questions were fairly straightforward. I was feeling confident.

The BTEC practical exam was pretty straightforward too – we’d been assessed continually throughout the course, so more or less knew where we stood as far as our techniques were concerned. The BTEC theory exam was another story. It was truly one of the scariest exam papers I’ve ever seen. Some 35 pages thick, the monster written paper tested our understanding of the 13 body systems...inside and out, as it were. Looking back, I can’t even remember the questions. I just remember they were excruciatingly detailed and hard. I was sure I was going to be re-sitting that exam! We all felt the same.

Four days later, in a completely unexpected flash of efficiency, we received our ITEC results – we’d been told not to expect them back for 6-8 weeks. I passed. One down, one to go.

Qualifying under ITEC meant that I could arrange my full professional insurance and begin practicing. I was so elated about getting through the ITEC exam that I had all but forgotten about the BTEC results.

When I received the call from the EfH office to say that I’d passed the BTEC exams, I laughed, screamed, then cried all in pretty quick succession. I realised at that time how much I wanted to get through that exam.

I was asked often throughout that course whether I intended to do massage full time. Up until the end of last year, I’d always thought that it would be a part time interest, but a few more advanced courses later, and some twists and turns in life, and I am now clear that it is what I want to do. Whole heartedly!

Did this course change my life?

Yes.