I’ve never had reflexology before, but have always fancied trying it. Speaking to my friends who have, I heard every opinion from “it’s just a lovely, relaxing foot massage” to “OMG, it made me feel so emotional & I burst into tears!” and a few experiences somewhere in between!
So when an old school friend of mine, Rachel Carney, got in touch to ask me if I’d like to try a treatment, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. Rachel is a local mum of two, and as such, knows just how important a bit of self-care and time-out is for busy mums.
Rachel runs her practice, “Feet Up Reflexology” from the treatment rooms above Pannal GP’s Surgery, but also offers mobile reflexology appointments across Harrogate & Knaresborough for those who can’t get to her. She absolutely loves her job and that much was clear from the start. She is passionate about the benefits of reflexology, both from a health & well-being point of view, but also for relaxation, and time-out I our ever increasingly busy world.
Naturally I was running late for my appointment (no surprise there for anyone who knows me) but Rachel immediately put me at ease & into relaxation mode with her lovely warm personality. I haven’t spoken to her for 20 years (God we’re getting old..) but that didn’t matter. She’s warm & really easy to chat to.
Rachel sat me down initially to run through a fairly thorough health questionnaire. Did I have any underlying health concerns or issues, what was I hoping to achieve from the session etc. This took around 10 minutes. After that it was shoes & socks off and I was up on the bed.
Rachel made sure I was comfy with extra pillows and then proceeded to get to work on my feet. The process itself is similar to a really good foot massage, but more intense somehow. It was never uncomfortable at all, but it was fairly firm in parts, and Rachel applied specific pressure to parts of my feet that wouldn’t normally get a look-in, for example, the very end of my toes.
Rachel worked on one foot at a time and it felt absolutly lovely, it was extremely relaxing. She explained that the different parts of the foot relate to different parts of the body. She could tell that I had shoulder stiffness (an ongoing issue from being hunched over a laptop!) and she spent extra time working on the corresponding area on my feet.
Inevitably I did end up chatting with Rachel throughout the whole treatment (which was an hour all together) however she said that she takes her lead from the client. Some people want to talk, some prefer quiet. Either is absolutely fine.
After finishing, my feel felt slightly tingly and this remained all evening- it was a really pleasant sensation and when walking I felt bouncier- like I was walking on new soles! Strangely enough, I also felt like I’d had a back massage, even though clearly I hadn’t! I have to say, even aside from the tingly feet & the relaxed back, I thoroughly enjoyed the session purely for relaxation. There was no rush of emotion from me but I definitely felt the benefits of reflexology and will gladly go back soon.
Reflexology is available to everyone from new borns to end of life care. The only people that Rachel advises against it for are those in the first trimester of pregnancy. Rachel even did it on her own babies as there are believed to be benefits for digestion & sleep with very young kids.
Amongst other things, it is thought that reflexology can aid:
– Back Pain
– Stress-related Conditions
– Digestive Disorders
– Fertility
– Menstrual/menopausal
– Sleep Disorders
– Hormonal Imbalance
– Relaxation
– End of life care
Rachel is currently offering all Mumblers a 10% discount on their first treatment. Just quote Mumbler when you book.
Pricelist:
1 hr treatment in Pannal Treatment rooms £35
1 hr treatment in your own home in Harrogate or Knaresborough £40
(prices correct March 2020)
To book a treatment or to ask any questions then contact Rachel on:
Call: 07974 913442
Email: Feetupreflexology@yahoo.com
Facebook
Instagram
Address: Pannal Doctors Surgery, 37 Station Road, Pannal, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG3 1JN
Disclosure: Rachel didn’t charge me for my treatment however I can honestly say it was fantastic.
