Hypnotherapy, affirmations, the law of attraction, NLP, positive thinking, the Silva Method - there's a long list of modalities and techniques that claim to be able to help you think positively and be able to manifest whatever you want, just by using the power of your brain.  So you want to be wealthy, healthy or happy - just think yourself so.  It may not be quite as simple as that, but it's most people would recognise that a strong focus and a positive attitude will be more likely to get you towards your goal more quickly.  And it's not just goals that can be influenced.

It's claimed that mental images produce changes in the body on a physical, chemical and immunological level that can affect health.  What you see in your mind’s eye can change specific immune system responses that may affect such things as white blood cell count.  It may sound a bit far fetched, but there is beginning to be some research to suggest that this might be so.  Visualisation is taught to people undergoing cancer treatments or suffering from anxiety or depression.

Guided imagery – more often known as visualisation – is an important tool in influencing a variety of health problems.  It provides benefits and poses virtually no risk.  The principle is that vivid imagery sends messages from the cerebral cortex to the lower brain.  From there the message is relayed to the endocrine and the autonomic nervous systems, which affect a wide range of bodily functions, including heart and respiration rates and blood pressure.

And visualisation can also be used to improve personal performance: it’s a way of programming your brain (and body) to help achieve the required outcome.  Athletes place as much importance on mental preparation before an event as they do on physical preparation.  It's a really simple process and since you can't stop thinking, you may as well direct your thoughts to a more specific outcome.

Why not give it a try yourself.....

1. Think of a situation for which you’d like a specific outcome – being calm at the dentist, passing an exam, making an impactful presentation, being more confident, etc. 
2. Now sit down and relax.  Observe your breathing for a few moments – you don’t need to do anything, just observe your breath coming in and going out again.
3. Imaging the situation as you’d like it to be – in as much detail as possible – and as if it had already happened.  How would you feel, what would you see, are there any sounds or smells that you’d be aware of?  Take as long as you need to prefect your ideal scenario.
4. Then really connect to it emotionally - feel the calm, excitement, triumph or whatever the predominant emotion would be once you were successful.  And feel it now, as if the event  had actually happened
5. Repeat as often as you can, and await a positive outcome.

A word of warning – imagining passing an exam without doing the revision may not work – you still need to undertake whatever preparation is appropriate in addition to the visualisation process.

And talking about focus, I'd just like to remind you that I have a special JULY OFFER: £10 off your first treatment of Reflexology or Indian Head Massage, so please help me spread the word.  This offer is only available for treatments booked in July, so don't delay.  To book just call Doris on 07724 197627.

Retirement is that halcyon time when work has ended and we often feel that life is really begining.  It's a stage in life when our time is our own, we can slow down and relax a bit more and we're free to do whatever we want, whenever we want.

Many now see retirement as a time of change and the beginning of a new stage in life - a time to spend on new projects, travel and hobbies or perhaps continuing with work on a part-time basis or even starting a new business.  All of this needs energy and vitality and Reflexology can be the perfect support.

Reflexology can be applied vigorously or lightly depending on the needs of the client, so it's easily adapted to older clients with stiff or inflammed joints but equally can be a stimulating, vigorous treatment for more robust clients.

As a holistic treatment Reflexology works on a  physical, emotional and energetic level.  It's common, as people age, for them to feel that they can't do as much as they could when they were younger and that feeling can undermine confidence, especially if it's accompanied with health challenges.  One of the most common pieces of feedback I get from clients is that Reflexology helps them "cope better" - that feeling that they're going to be able to deal with whatever life throws at them.  I'd call that confidence!

Reflexology is an easy treatment to have - it only requires the removal of socks and shoes, so there's not a lot of fuss and bother and no stripping off - perfect for the more modest of us.

And it's relaxing.  

The benefits of relaxation - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual - are usually under-estimated.  Being relaxed:

• puts our body in a state of equilibrium and that can help reduce inflammation - particularly useful for joint pain
• helps to put our thoughts in perspective, so those anxieties begin to seem less important

And a Reflexology treatment is about connecting and caring: caring about ourselves and allowing ourself to be cared for.  Who doesn't need that!

If you'd like to treat your mother to a Reflexology treatment on Mother's Day just call Doris on 07724 197627.