In 2004 when first looking for training courses in massage therapy I had the option of doing a full beauty therapy course with level 2 massage qualification, doing individual training courses in different therapies or doing an intensive two year level three complementary therapy course with a mixture of therapies included. I had very little interest in beauty therapy (having grown up as something of a tomboy), doing individual training courses cost a lot more money, so I went for the two year complementary therapy course which included anatomy and physiology, holistic and Swedish massage, aromatherapy, Indian scalp massage, nutrition and diet and reflexology qualifications.
At the time I was eighteen and I was very sceptical about anything that you couldn’t scientifically measure. I started the Reflexology course thinking that it was an absolute load of rubbish, how on earth could squeezing someone’s big toe, balance and release energy in the pituitary gland? I could appreciate the history behind the therapy and I did find it quite fascinating that the Reflexology charts used today are very similar to foot charts found in Ancient Egyptian pyramids, suggesting that there was “something in this therapy”. But I still couldn’t get my logic driven mind around the idea of an invisible energy field, meridain lines and Qi.
In our training courses we practised on each other but without the touch of an experienced therapist, I did not find any benefit from the treatment and hated, and I mean teeth set on edge, hated my feet being touched. I scraped through the exam and declared that, although qualified, I would NEVER practice this therapy.
Nearly two years later, a friend of mine was taking an advanced Reflexology course and asked me if I would act as a model for her class, having done a lot of modelling for massage classes before, I felt that I couldn’t say no and agreed.
Wow! This was the turning point in my career. Having an experienced passionate reflexologist working with me was unbelievable, I could feel the energy lines in my system opening up and my logic imprisoned mind opened up with them. I went back into studying the therapy and felt reborn with a new appreciation for not just reflexology but my massage therapy as well. I started to understand the true meaning of holistic and was able to tap into my natural healing energy and understand it for what it is and how to use it properly within all of my treatments to bring my clients a purer healing experience.
Kayleigh Purser
Kayleigh Purser Therapies
www.kayleighpurser.wixsite.com/therapies
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