What do you want on the Well Mother Blog?
Hello to everyone. I am posting the first Well Mother Blog to get the discussion going and find out what you would like to talk about on the Blog. The idea is that it is like an interactive newsletter. For the moment I will be the only one who can post things: but if you enjoy posting and have topics that you want to discuss then email me and I can consider adding you in to post things. I hope that people who have attended my courses will make comments on posts and also that perhaps clients might also like to share their experiences of maternity bodywork, or other related topics. It is an open Blog. So look forward to hearing what you want.
Suzanne
Research on massage and shiatsu and maternity care
Research space
This is the space for you to comment on research. What research do you know of or are doing on shiatsu, massage and maternity care? How we can use research to validate our work? What constitutes “robust research”? If you have any research plans and want some support from the massage/shiatsu community in regard to maternity work, I would hope that we can offer this here. I want to faciliate links between people.
I hope in this space we can put up links to useful research which as been done. There will soon be an updated Systematic Review of Shiatsu and Acupressure research. This has been commissioned by the Shiatsu Society and undertaken by Professor Nicky Robinson and her team at Thames Valley University. It will be available soon for download on the Shiatsu Society website. http://www.shiatsusociety.org/content/research
ASA Ruling; what can we advertise?
Research is a hot topic at the moment as the ASA (Advertising Standards Agency) has now withdrawn their ruling on Shiatsu that we can state it is good for back and neck pain, sports injuries and stress and we can only say it is good for “well being”. They have applied this to all CAM therapies. The ruling they have made which referred to the CST (Cranial Sacral Therapy) association states that Cranial Sacral advertising was stating :
“” a list of various medical conditions, (which) would be interpreted by readers to mean that CST could treat the conditions named in the ad. We considered that those claims were breakthrough claims that required a body of robust scientific evidence, such as clinical trials conducted on people, in order to substantiate them.”” http://www.asa.org.uk/ASA-action/Adjudications/2010/9/Craniosacral-Therapy-Association/TF_ADJ_49005.aspx
At the moment they seem to be saying that “robust scientific evidence?” equates to clinical trials, but clearly these trials are not relevant to holistic therapies as opposed to drug based interventions. Clearly the whole issue of “placebo” is hard to include: sham acupuncture always seems a little strange to me! And people know if they are receiving bodywork or not! It can only be compared to relaxation or non focused touch. Or nothing; no intervention. So it is not possible to have double blind controlled trials. We are working on so many levels: it is hard to isolate one factor. And indeed is that really what we want to research? Various CAM organisations are challenging the ASA ruling and so we wait to hear the outcome. Meanwhile we can list what our therapy does and give information about it as long as we as the individual therapist don’t claim to be able to “treat” specific conditions. But we aren’t treating conditions but people!!!
Well Mother Research Project
I want to set up some kind of Well Mother research project . I am not currently sure exactly what this would be. Perhaps it would be supporting other people’s research in the field, or perhaps some therapists may set up their own project. I just feel that I have access potentially to so many clients and therapists and so much work in the maternity field that there must be some way of pulling together all our joint knowledge. It could involve a project involving sending questionnaires out to the therapists who would distribute them to the clients. The purpose would be to evaluate the benefits they attain from maternity bodywork. It could include what kinds of conditions people seek help with and what kind of benefit they get. This is a general idea and needs to be fine tuned.
Perhaps there is a PhD student out there who might be interested in such a project.
Hopefully I have put up a few ideas here for you to think about and comment on. Best wishes
Suzanne
Shiatsu for Japan
Shiatsu Treatments to Help Japan Tsunami Crisis
Lots of practitioners throughout the UK, and indeed throughout the world, have decided to donate their expertise for free in order to raise money for the Japanese.
We are doing this because we value the richness of the learning that we have received from Japan and we want to support our fellow humans in their time of suffering.
Shiatsu developed originally in Japan. It is a form of therapeutic touch and includes appropriate pressure on specific Acupressure points and gentle stretches of meridian pathways. The aim of it is to support the body, by releasing tension and promoting relaxation. It stimulates the deep organic nervous system, and aims to improve general well-being. Regular treatments can be beneficial as part of supporting emotional and physical well being.
In the UK, the fundraising events are organised by the Shiatsu for Japan Campaign (www.shiatsuforjapan.org.uk) . Practitioners will be offering sessions and all proceeds will be donated to Rose Charities (www.rosecharities.org.uk), a charity funding medical aid to the victims of the Tsunami.
I will be taking part in the Bristol event which is at the Relaxation Centre, All Saints Road, Clifton, Bristol on Saturday 23rd April from 10-5. I will be working from 12-5. To book your session in Bristol call/text 07789 200685 or email: tim.mason@dsl.pipex.com
Upcoming event: Shiatsu Roadshow for Air Ambulance
Watch out for this event which will be happening this June/July
This is a Shiatsu tour to introduce Shiatsu to various locations in the country with the proceeds going to support the Air Ambulance.
It will be in Bristol on 30th June and I hope to be there offering sessions.
For more information contact:
