About You
There are many reasons why you may be here, you may be male or female, you could be at any stage of your life and I am happy to talk to you via e-mail or phone to see if you think I am right for you.
Take a look and see if you recognise your self and if you don’t then ask the questions, either I can help you myself or quite likely point you in the right direction to find what it is you need.
The Three Stages of Womanhood
Often known as the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone, these are archetypal concepts and to live life fully no matter what our age we can embrace each aspect at different times to suit our needs.
We have all met girls who are ‘old before their time’ maybe you are one of these, life sometimes gives us responsibilities and experiences, which mature us beyond our peers.
Or, how about the elder woman with a childlike playfulness? What a gift to be able to access that freedom and joy at all stages of our life. The Mother? Well, whether you have children or not the ‘Mother’ phase is also the most creative one, creating the life that you choose whilst also taking responsibility for those around you when needed.
The Maiden
A time of discovery, starting menses, learning to take responsibility for ourselves, discovering sexuality, asking the questions and exploring the answers.
Did you know?
A woman’s pelvic bones do not fuse until 23/24 years old, this pelvic bowl which contains our reproductive organs has room for change throughout our lives but never more so than in this phase.
Your uterus doubles in weight and increases in size through the course of each menstrual cycle. That’s why you might feel ‘full’ or bloated just before you bleed.
Around ovulation you have greater access to your vocabulary, maybe by as many as 200 words!! – This is the time to ask for what you want and nail those discussions.
Pain with periods in NOT normal or necessary.
Dark blood at beginning or end of your cycle suggests that your womb is in a sub optimal position.
If you are a young woman this work could enhance your whole future, easing menstrual problems, self esteem issues, digestive conditions and providing an education that should be every woman’s birthright.
The Creative / Mother
So, here you are in the middle of your life, neither child nor elder. Maybe you are waiting to have children, you have chosen not to, are unable to or maybe you are a Mother. This work is for you to support your self where ever you are in life’s journey.
Painful periods, endometriosis, polyps, fibroids, digestive problems, lack of libido and recovery from sexual trauma are just some of the conditions many women will address at some stage in their life. I can assist you as you explore your options.
In my work I have seen many women find the solutions they are looking for and this therapy has been a key component to seeing improvement’s across the board.
Today we have more women than ever before reaching their 40’s childfree. I believe these woman have an important role to fulfil in society providing resources that are currently unmet and I am honoured to work with this group.
This creative or mother time is when you are outward facing, negotiating for a life that suits you whilst juggling the needs of employers, family and partners, spending time ‘in tune with your womb’ will help you on your path.
Fertility
Whether you are preparing to get pregnant naturally, getting ready for Assisted Reproduction or you want to keep your self ‘fertility’ ready, this work is a piece of your jigsaw.
Did you know?
Your ovarian Artery arises from where your diaphragm attaches in your mid lumbar area. This means when you take a deep breath or relax the diaphragm through various techniques you could be improving blood flow to your ‘eggs’
When your mother was inside your Grandmother’s womb she had already created the egg half of you. Think Russian dolls, you grandmother carried you inside your mothers ovaries and your mother carried your eggs as she created you and your ovaries in her womb!
Women are born with around 2 million eggs but only ovulate about 400 over a life time. We start developing follicles 4 to 6 months before ovulation so what you were doing several months ago will affect the quality of the egg you release this month.
Abdominal therapy is becoming increasingly popular with women and couples on fertility journeys. I love to work with women who are looking to conceive but I have to admit the baby is actually third prize in my book.
First prize is always going to be the woman’s health both physical and emotional, second prize has to be her relationships, with her partner if she has one, friends and family. Third prize, is a happy healthy pregnancy producing that longed for child.
Pregnancy
I can make you feel fabulous, whether you are sailing through your pregnancy with nothing other than a loss of visuals when it comes to your feet or you feel sick as a dog and ache all over, I can make you feel better!
It is not often I make such big promises but this is an area I know I can deliver. Gentle care at any stage of your pregnancy will enhance your experience and treatment will be modified for all your concerns.
Through my years of experience as a Doula and Chairing Doula UK I can help you explore birthing options and find ways to support the birth of your choice be it in hospital with every drug available or at home with nothing more than some candles, a wing and a prayer.
During my training with Dr Arvigo I was lucky enough to spend time with Miss Hortense Robinson a Traditional Midwife from Belize, she was unable to read or write but was a genius who presented at conferences to Health Care Professional’s impressing them each time with her wisdom and brilliance.
My passion for working with women started with pregnancy and birth and I now teach therapists many of the tools that Miss Hortense shared with Rosita over their years together.
Post Partum: 40 days to melt into motherhood
Most women spend their pregnancy caring for them selves, worrying about getting the right nutrition for the growing baby and making sure to provide them selves with what they need.
That baby gets born and BAM suddenly ‘mother’ is bottom of the pile. Food is eaten cold, Caffeine becomes an essential nutrient and meals are now a piece of toast grabbed in between feeds and household chores….
Now is the time more than ever that reaching out for support is vitally important, from your peers, your family, friends and a massage is a great way to reset your dials.
Many cultures regard the first 40 days as sacred and I want to help you find ways to make your initiation into motherhood as sweet as possible. You can chose from home visits or come to me (bring someone to hold the baby so you can relax).
I also offer post natal wraps either as a service or as something you can do for your self. These wraps are an asset after any birth to support the belly and help regain your shape but are particularly useful after a C Birth.
The early months after birth are a mixed bag of untold joy and some dark times that not many talk about. When we make room for support in that first 40 days we are gifting our baby, ourselves and our partners the best possible start to family life.
The Wise Woman
"There is no greater power than the zest of a post menopausal woman"
Margaret Mead
This has the potential to be the most wonderful time of your life and sometimes we just have to clear up a few issues to step into the joy.
Right now you may be feeling crap, hot flushes, broken sleep, anxiety, heavy bleeding, loss of libido and forgetfulness. These are some of the more common symptoms of menopause but lets face it these are also signs of a life too full or fast for your own needs to be met.
As we slide into Peri-menopause and before we plunge into actual menopause (that’s a full year after your last bleed) we have an opportunity to do some life laundry, this is the time to address what’s not working and sometimes that full on hormone moment is just what you need to take you there.
Did you know?
Your womb shrinks back to an almost pre pubescent size by the time you menopause. Part of the heavy bleeding might just be your womb clearing out so ‘she’ can shut down on the cleanest possible space.
One study shows only 5% of post menopausal women have sexual problems - that means once you sort out your ‘stuff’ if you would like a full and satisfying sex life you could have one like never before.
49% of women experience mild symptoms of menopause – that’s nearly half of us, yet much of the world would have us believe mad menopausal suffering is inevitable.
The majority of women experience a minority of menopausal symptoms for 2 to 3 years.
Until surprisingly recently ideas like those touted by Brooklyn GYN Robert Wilson in his book ‘Feminine Forever’ were the default setting when thinking about menopause. He believed a menopausal woman was ‘an unstable oestrogen starved’ woman who was responsible for ‘untold misery of alcoholism, drug addiction, divorce and broken homes.’ That is the legacy we are living with right now and it’s time to change the dialogue and rewrite the story.
I am all for accessing the help you need at the right time in your life and if you choose HRT then I fully support that choice and we can still work together.
However with regular abdominal therapy and self care we can ease the menopausal journey and I like to think we can take charge of the compass and find a way that works for each of us as an individual.
I offer one day workshops on Menopause. If you would like to learn what is happening to your body, some self care strategies to support you through this transition and explore what menopause means in the 21st century then head over to ‘workshops’ for more info and dates or maybe you would like to read my blog on menopause here.
The Man
This work is for you too! Often referred to as ‘womb massage’ this is in fact abdominal massage and therefore you fit the bill.
Why might you need abdominal therapy?
Digestive issues can be supported by gentle release of the diaphragm, if this is where you hold tension then learning our self-care techniques may well be part of your story.
Fertility Support, when a couple embark on a fertility journey it is a great idea for you both to be in optimum health and I can help you get there whether you have a specific condition or not.
Bladder problems, maybe night time urination, problems with retention or emptying completely effect you, trying this gentle non-invasive treatment may bring you some relief.
Anxiety, poor sleep, burn out and addiction are common complaints for many people in these high-speed times. A gift to yourself in the form of receiving time and treatment from someone who can hear you and support you in a professional environment could be exactly what you need to move forward to a place of ease.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a particular time in my cycle that I should see you?
It is best if you are not on the first or heaviest days of your period but if that is the only time we can get to meet we can modify the treatment to suit you.
Can I come if I think I’m pregnant?
Yes! I love to treat pregnant women no matter what the stage; we will, how ever make modifications depending on where you are in your pregnancy. (I do have some wonderful cushions that allow you to be super comfortable as you get bigger.)
How many treatments will I need?
This will depend on what we are working with – some times just one treatment is enough if you go home and do your self-care massage daily. I normally like to see you at least once a month for three months but there are other conditions that benefit from more regular visits. We will create a treatment plan that suits you and your needs.
How will I feel after?
Normally you will feel wonderful after the treatment but some times, later in the day you may experience a few cramps or be emotional or tired. We will discuss this in your treatment but most people are fine to get on with their life, having said that I do recommend an early night to make the most of things.
Will it work?
I make no promises but what I do know is that I have seen remarkable improvement in many men and women and this therapy is invariably a catalyst for change.