Solution Focused Hypnotherapy
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Massage - the importance of massage in pregnancy
Jun 13, 2023

Massage - the importance of massage in pregnancy

I have been a massage therapist for many years practicing here and there, but only in the past year have I made it part of my main occupation. I have fallen totally back in love with it as I osee, time after time, how it helps my clients with their health and well being, and sometimes quite profoundly.

So, I usually talk about the hypnotherapy side of my business but today I want to extol the virtues of pregnancy massage.

I have been a massage therapist for many years practicing here and there, but only in the past year have I made it part of my main occupation. I have fallen totally back in love with it as I continue to see, time after time, how it helps my clients with their health and well being, and sometimes quite profoundly. It should not be just a luxury - it should be a necessity!

I am also qualified in pregnancy massage as well as for non-pregnant humans.

Of course men can benefit from massage - and do. But what I want to do today is to talk about how this beautiful, calming and extremely effective practice can help women not only connect further with their unborn babies, but also connect with the changes within their own bodies. I also want to remind us of the symbiosis between a mum and her baby and that it's basically a two-for-one! The wonders that can be had with regular massages whilst pregnant include, and are by no means exclusive:

  • lowering of blood pressure - benefits mum and baby
  • reduce swelling - benefits mum and baby
  • relieves aches and pains - benefits mum and baby
  • encourages optimum position for baby (ie from breech to cephalic) - benefits mum and baby
  • moves lymph and other fluids around the body - benefits mum and baby
  • promotes better sleep therefore better mental health - benefits mum and baby
  • reduction in cortisol hormone for both mum and baby - benefits mum and baby
  • promotes mum and baby bonding - obvious who benefits!
  • and the list goes on....

preggers2I don't recommend pregnant women to flop on to beds but sleep is also one thing that can become so disturbed due to pregnancy, and is a root cause of many other issues. It can also be so easily managed by taking care of ourselves, and one of these ways is massage. Massage has been used for aiding sleep for 1000's of years. It has huge benefits and can reduce a multitude of illness and dis-ease within our lives. So when two people are implicated within one body - it becomes a no-brainer.

There are a few misunderstandings of what we can and cannot do when pregnant - like massage - but these I will now blow out of the water!

Pregnancy and massage go hand in hand like mums and babies! Massage not only supports women during pregnancy in a zillion ways but also has huge benefits for the postnatal period. These times in a woman's life are vital. Women should be made to feel empowered and supported by the changes affecting them so significantly, but sadly, this is not always the case. Our pregnancy journeys are often complex and difficult, it's not always bunnies and roses, but it is always a time to reconnect with the body and gather an understanding and acceptance of the multitudes of changes occurring. Massage can bring back control and understanding of these changes and affects of pregnancy, and also provide the space and time that women so need, either during pregnancy, or post birth. So it is so important to remember that when a woman becomes a mum, she is fundamentally still a woman. And she's pretty amazing, beautiful and a wonderful member of the human race. Us women have been ensuring the human race continues, not just by giving birth, but also in so many other ways too - that's another blog - and therefore deserve to have that care and attention given to them, especially while growing and caring for babies.

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Fear of flying & Anxieties: After having a difficult year I decided to try hypnotherapy with Penny and it was the best choice I have made for myself! I'm now able to live more in the moment and have a better understanding of how to cope with or even eliminate my anxieties. I also had 2 sessions dedicated to helping to reduce my phobia of flying which helped me tremendously as I was able to get on a plane again without feeling terrified! Pen is always very positive and relaxed during our sessions and always makes me feel comfortable.

Anxiety/Stress: I went to see Penny as I felt stuck, struggling to cope & unable to move on in life. I had 12 sessions.  I had never really done hypnosis before & really struggled to focus on the words as my mind raced everywhere. Penny reassured me it would still work - which it did. It took a couple of weeks to kick in but I really appreciated the time taken to focus on the issues & Penny's positive attitude really filtered through. Slowly my positivity increased, the overthinking eased off & my sleep improved. This allowed me to problem-solve & plan more changes to make. It was like moving a large rock - once we got it moving progress started to happen & towards the last few sessions things started to speed up. I would recommend Penny to anyone who feels overwhelmed or near a crisis point.

Pain: I had 12 hypnotherapy sessions with Penny. The hypnosis was relaxing & reviving and seemed to link with my subconscious & bring me back to positive feelings. I still use the audio which acts as a kick-start if doubts start seeping in. I also found Penny's voice calming & reassuring. I have no reservations in recommending Penny. I liked her honesty in what the therapy could offer. I have been very happy with the outcome of the hypnotherapy.

Stop Smoking: Both myself and my husband decided it was time to stop smoking. My husband had smoked 20+ a day for 35 years and I had also smoked on and off for years. We can both honestly say we have never felt better thanks to Penny, she made us feel comfortable and was very reassuring, after just one appointment we were smoke-free.  We are now looking forward to extra holidays with the money we have saved and also stress free knowing we can travel and not worry about going without a cigarette.

Stress Buster/Body Image: Pen has helped me massively increase my resilience to stress. Tasks which seemed ongoing and impossible became doable. While work may still be stressful, the speed with which I bounce back is great and has allowed me to put in boundaries, both personal and professional. It has increased my self-confidence and assertiveness and has improved my sleep patterns so much. Penny has also taken me through several weight-loss sessions from which I am feeling the benefits and feel now that I am in the right place to start an exercise regimen and take control of my fitness.

Sleep Issues: I was slightly sceptical over hypnotherapy, probably because I was frightened of being made to do something I didn't want to. But my sleeping was all over the place and I'm a constant worrier, so thought I'd give it a go - I am so pleased with how relaxed I felt and how my sleeping has improved. I feel much calmer now and can rationalise things better than before. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone with for a variety of problems or habits, and Pen's voice is greatly comforting when I listen to the recording when going to sleep. I know I can come for a top-up whenever I need to.

Public Speaking: I wanted to try hypnotherapy in order to deal with the anxiety I experience before speaking in public. My sessions with Pen have helped me reduce this in such a short amount of time it is really unbelievable how effective they’ve been. I now feel calm and focused and those waves of panic that tripped me up before talking in public have entirely gone away. I can’t stress enough how effective these sessions with Pen have been. She is calm and an intuitive listener who instantly puts you at ease. I wouldn’t think twice about recommending her sessions to anyone.

I would highly recommend Penny for helping and supporting anyone suffering with anxiety. My son Louie was suffering from panic attacks and it was heartbreaking watching him missing out on having fun with his friends because of a general fear something was going to happen. Penny was recommended to us by a friend who’s daughter was suffering from anxiety and was attending sessions with Penny to tackle this and couldn’t talk highly enough of her. So we thought it must be worth a try. Louie started having sessions with Penny and the difference was amazing, he started being more confident and less panicky and slowly started getting back to his usual happy go lucky self, which was a joy to see. I’m sure anyone who has a child, family member or friend that suffers from this realises how stressful this situation can be on a day to day basis. So get in touch with Penny, it could change your life.

From Katie's mum: "Pen, thinking just how bad she was and how far she has come! I have no doubt in my mind that if anyone else’s child is suffering then you are the person to help! We are so thankful".

Hypnotherapy.... The final piece of the puzzle that completed and transformed my life. Amazing!

I had hypnotherapy to help me with my anxiety and depression and honestly, it changed my life for the better. I was in a place where I thought there was no escape from these feelings. However, hypnotherapy turned things around for me greatly. My OCD has also died down massively and it has also helped me through the very rough time at school. I'm extremely grateful for Pen's clear and kind understanding and I strongly recommend this to anyone who is having these similar feelings as well, as it will change your life for the better.