We have been working hard over the past few days with Jayney Goddard of the CMA and number of other colleagues within our industry and, as promised, this is to update you with what Professional Reflexology is doing on behalf of our Members.
In view of the following directives given in the government document: Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can’t do We are sending the following request to the Cabinet Office, who issued the document, together with the Department of Health and the Department for Business.
Here is our first lot of resources for our "Return to Work Pack" for Reflexologists.
It includes the things we feel are useful for all Reflexologists in the lead up to returning to treat clients. Even if you aren't looking at returning as soon as we can, you can certainly make use of what's in there when you do:
As with our “Guidelines & Strategies” document we released recently, this will be updated as and when we have more information and guidance from the government and will let you know when things get altered.
Three New PR Affiliated Schools
At PR we are pleased to announce that three new Affiliated Schools with four new venues will be teaching the Professional Reflexology Practioner Diploma (PRD) from this Autumn.
This includes our first Affiliated School in Scotland, Jacq Munro's The Munro School of Complementary Therapies which offers two venues, one in Glasgow and one in Aberdeen.
In Sussex, we are joined by the Christina Lyne School of Reflexology.
In North East Lincolnshire and South Humberside by Sarah Matthews' Essential Therapies Reflexology & Holistic Academy.
For more details of all our Affiliated Schools, just click the picture!
PR Podcast #7 with Emma Baxter.
This new episode of the PR Podcast is all about POSITIVITY! In this episode, we are joined by the lovely Emma Baxter of Tiny Toes Reflexage and Lavender Room Reflexology for a timely chat with our own Olivia Hart.
The fun thing about this one is that Emma and Olivia spent a year training together as Reflexologists at the Three Shires School of Reflexology.
They hadn’t caught up properly in a while, so it was great to be able to shoot the breeze and exchange some inspiration, tips and advice about running their businesses, promotion, new ideas and just GOING FOR IT!
COVID-19 Guidelines & Srategies for Reflexologists
As promised last week, we have put together a comprehensive and informative information pack regarding returning to work when regulations allow. Although we are unable to return to our treatment rooms just yet, this guide will help you to feel confident and organised when you do.
These are overall guidelines & strategies for our UK members when they are preparing to return to work. It has been drawn from a number of resources, including current government guidelines on hygiene, washing and sanitisation in the workplace, protocols that have been put in place in countries where reflexologists have been able to return to work, and what we believe will be helpful advice for Reflexologists in managing your practice.
Please note that this is a living document that will be continually updated as more information becomes available. We will also shortly be adding resources to the Member’s Download area - things such as risk assessments and checklists.
Thank you for Your Support
Over the past few testing weeks, Professional Reflexology has done our upmost on advising our members with regards to their reactions to the coronavirus outbreak, and on Sunday 22nd of March took the difficult step to recommend our members to cease treatments. We see this as a positive move with regards to the bigger picture of the nation's health.
However, as 99% of our members are self-employed this decision is bound to cause some hardship amongst them. We would ask you, the clients of our members, to return to your regular treatments as soon as the current crisis is over. If gift vouchers are available to purchase, they make excellent presents to be redeemed when everything is back to normal.
From our members and all of us at Professional Reflexology, thank you so much for your ongoing support. Stay Safe and Keep Well!
PR Podcast with Dr Julia Boon
This episode is another very important one for Reflexology and complementary therapies in general. We wanted to follow up our last episode with Dr Angie Hobbs with another unique take on things, and this time our special guest is Dr Julia Boon who is a senior partner in a busy general medical practice in the Midlands, UK but also trained as a reflexologist and is a huge supporter of it.
As we all know, the relationship between Complementary therapies and the medical profession has often been a point of contention so this podcast is another must-listen for lots of us. Her views on sceptics, how complementary therapies could help the NHS in the future and how she uses reflexology herself are definitely something to be heard!
So thank you for joining us, and we hope you enjoy listening to Dr Boon talking with PR’s Martyn Finke now, on the PR Podcast!
PR Podcast: Dr Angie Hobbs MA. PhD. FRSA
We are back with another episode of the PR Podcast, and we are incredibly excited to say that we are joined by Dr Angie Hobbs (who some of you will have seen on TV, heard on the radio and read her articles in the newspapers).
You’ll hear about Angie’s 25 year Reflexology journey, her struggles with pregnancy, serious illnesses and her coming to trust and rely on the therapy through her professional and personal friendship with her therapist Wendy Finke (from Three Shires Reflexology), plus, importantly for us, overcoming her initial scepticism of the therapy and how she now relies on it as part of her life!
"Did You Know" Facts for Social Media
We have put together a “bundle” of Reflexology Facts for our Members to use on their various social media platforms, websites and newsletters. We’re aware that as business owners it’s difficult sometimes to keep up with everything that needs to be done, so we want to make it easier for you! Please feel free to post these wherever you like with your own wording. These are optimised for Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and are available in a zip file in the Member’s section of the PR website.
Oh, and please don't forget to tag us
Free Personalised Brochures & Leaflets for Members
Since the recent launch of our new PR Members Downloads series, we have had a lot of the requests for new additions and general reflexology leaflets for you to distribute in your area. So, we have produced the first of these and, if you are a PR member, these are 100% free of charge
But that’s not all - we will personalise them for you with your “practice” name, phone number, Email address and website links as well.
This is our way of saying thank-you for your support! All you need to do is fill in the form with the information, and we will email them, ready to print, within 3 working days. (Don't forget to log in first)
“What is Reflexology” (a 3-fold, 2-sided information brochure in colour or black & white) “What is Reflexology” (A5 2-sided flyer in colour or black & white)
PR Podcast # 003 with Jan Williamson
Based in Devon, Jan Williamson is Principal of The School of Precision Reflexology She is an experienced Reflexology tutor, yoga teacher and author. She teaches precision work through her CPD courses, both in the UK and abroad.
Precision work is unusual in that it is not reliant on force or physical pressure to achieve its aims. Each client is treated as an individual and receives the benefits in a manner that is effective for them at the time that they receive the treatment. In this way, each person's own energies are used in the healing process and will be appropriate on all levels of their being – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
Members.... Please ensure that your Directory details and your webpage are up to date and published.
Publication does not happen automatically, because we cannot post Member details on our website without your permission, and it is up to each Member to make sure that their entries are up to date. It is really easy to update your membership details. Log into the Member Area, and open the ‘Edit My Details’ menu. For example, if you move or change your telephone number you can change this under ‘Edit My Personal Details’. This contains contact details PR need for Member registration, but are not published.
‘Edit My Webpage and Listing’ details are those which will appear in your directory listing and on your personal webpage. Please remember that everything that you put into your practice details will be published, so for example, if you work from home and do not want your full address to be published simply don't complete that section. You must publish your postcode for the directory, but you can just use the first part for privacy if you wish e.g. SW19 or CV34.
Please check your details to make sure that they are correct. It will only take a couple of moments do so, and it would be a shame not to take advantage of these free benefits giving such great publicity for your practice.
A Significant Decrease in PMS Symptoms
A controlled study* carried out among a group of volunteers who had previously complained of distress from PMS symptoms has shown a significant decrease in these symptoms following reflexology treatment.
Taking place in California, the study ran over six months with the participants recording their symptoms, both physical and psychological, throughout. During the middle two months, the volunteers were divided into two groups each of these being treated by qualified reflexologists; however, individuals in one group received eight 'genuine' reflexology treatments and the other group eight placebo treatments. Within the placebo group, the therapists worked with areas not relevant to the treatment of this condition. Both groups believed that they were receiving genuine reflexology.
Reflexology and Hay Fever
Most of us look forward to spring and the promise of summer but to others, it can be miserable because of Hay Fever.
Some get minor symptoms whilst others can be confined to home with the windows closed. Runny nose, sore itchy eyes; sneezing and wheezing, hay fever can ruin your summer.
It can bring on sinus problems and trigger asthma. Hay Fever is now so common that during summer months weather reports are accompanied by a pollen count prediction often sponsored by a brand of anti-histamine preparation But for those of us who prefer a complementary approach what can we do?
Hagar Basis, principal of the PR Affiliated Reflexology Academy in London recently talked with Israeli Reflexology Association about her approach to reflexology and fertility issues.
Hagar teaches internationally and last year was a speaker at the Reflexology in Europe Network (RiEN) Conference in Brussels, and later this year she will be speaking in Taiwan at the ICR conference once again presenting Reflexology for Women’s Health
1. Is conventional medicine in England being supportive of alternative medicine and specifically reflexology in case of fertility issues?
Complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) like reflexology are treatments that fall outside of mainstream healthcare in the UK. Complementary therapies in NHS (National Health System) hospitals are usually provided free by volunteering therapists.
I Believe Reflexology Really Helped My Bell's Palsy
For anyone who has had it, you know how scary it can be. Luckily for me, I’m aware of the condition and diagnosed myself rather quickly. I couldn’t close my eye, lift my lips to smile or feel the left side of my tongue. A virus causes the trigeminal nerve to stop working, basically, causing facial paralysis and the face to drop.
Scary, but not life threatening!
Day One wasn’t fun...
You don’t know how much you use your facial muscles until they no longer work. Eating, drinking, pouting (no selfies for me for a while...) were all extremely difficult. My words were slurred, ironically the hardest thing to say was “Bell’s Palsy.” I couldn’t blink, causing my eye to dry up making it difficult to see.
In Praise of Reflexology: a Client's Experience by Prof. Angie Hobbs PhD FRSA
Prominent British Philosopher gives us a fascinating insight into her reflexology journey...
"As a Professor in Philosophy, I approached reflexology twenty years ago with some wariness. I have a PhD in Ancient Philosophy from the University of Cambridge and I am not, I think, at all 'suggestible'. I am trained in rational scepticism; I like to see a strong argument based on evidence.
Reflexology can be many things to many people. But please don't think of it as a foot massage. Reflexology is a precise complementary therapy, not to be confused with beauty treatment. Nor thought of as an alternative to conventional medicine, but as complementary to any medical treatment being received.
We believe that it is essential in choosing a reflexologist that you should be able to have complete confidence, safe in the knowledge that your therapist is well trained, fully qualified, and competent to treat you and your problem in a professional manner. All Professional Reflexology Members PRM meet our stringent requirements for Membership.
A controlled study* carried out among a group of volunteers who had previously complained of distress from PMS symptoms has shown a significant decrease in these symptoms following reflexology treatment.
In Praise of Reflexology: a Client's Experience by Prof. Angie Hobbs PhD FRSA
