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A certified training course, run by Certified Allied Health Practitioner Elaine Hackner (dip cst saics b soc sci soc wk hons), offering
skills in the healing art of massage is run over 8 months. This
is presented in 3 sections, each 10 x weeks and includes: hand
and foot massage; chair massage; full-body oil massage; benefits
and contra indications; deep tissue massage; liquid body work;
postural awareness and assessment.
A great motivation for running Massage training, is to make
massage available and accessible to people who would not
otherwise have this opportunity, both because of financial and
educational restraints.
The massage training operates on many different levels: bringing
massage (non-sexual, gentle touch) into the home and family; to
the wellness morning where different treatments and modalities
are offered for free to the community; and as a potential income
to the massage graduates, offering corporate sitting massage, or
full body oil treatments in a private capacity. Part of learning
to give a massage involves experiencing it! This has brought a
special element of relaxation into the lives of the people doing
this course.
On all levels, massage is being used amongst friends, family,
community and clients, as an alternative way of coping with
stress and helping to alleviate minor symptoms. Massage is offered
for headaches, sore feet and back pain, rather than a pill - and
found it to be far more effective! One mother on the course
worked daily to do massage and exercises on her paraplegic
daughter. She said that it contributed to her improved ability
to walk and helped her to avoid having an operation. Other
trainees have taken their massage skills into their work. For
example, a woman employed at a centre for people with HIV and
Aids, uses her healing touch along with her counselling skills;
another trainee working at a day care centre for children with
disabilities has brought massage into the daily programme and
has also trained the other staff to give basic massage.
There is another sphere where we are providing massage, and that
is in the homes of bedridden and disabled people in the
community who are in need of care. This provides experience for
our trainees, employment for massage graduates, and a valuable
service in the community. We are raising funds so that we may
employ more massage workers to do
home visits.
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