But back to now and if you need a different kind of gift idea, vouchers for massage and bodywork, are available from some of our practitioners.

We thank you for visiting Healthworks this past year and all our practitioners wish you a happy, blessed and healthy new year.

Many of our practitioners will have a break over the holiday time yet some will be working so if you are in need call us on 01309 676691.

Have a very happy and peace filled Christmas time.

All at Healthworks

Shiatsu is a powerful form of energy-based hands-on bodywork. that has its roots in Japanese and Traditional Chinese medicine. It is based on the principle that we experience health and wellbeing when we are in a state of balance or relaxed awareness. Balance means that our energy, known as ki (also called chi or qi in Chinese Medicine), flows through our body along pathways known as meridians.

Sometimes, particularly when we are stressed, our energy can become blocked, depleted or we have trouble shutting down at the end of a day, thus disturbing our natural state of relaxed awareness.

Fiona, who studied at the Aberdeen School of Shiatsu and The Shiatsu School Edinburgh, is fully qualified and is a member of the Shiatsu Society. She first discovered Shiatsu more than 15 years ago and has been having treatments on a regular basis since then before spending the last three years training as a practitioner.

Speaking of her delight in joining Healthworks, Fiona said:
“Studying Shiatsu has been a fascinating journey and one where the strong connection between mind and body becomes ever more apparent. Shiatsu has helped me in many ways and now I am keen to offer this wonderful therapy to more people.”

Fiona can be contacted via email; fionashiatsu@gmail.com or 01309 677759 or 07753 619628

Healthworks, the Forres based Holistic healthcare centre is looking for a self-employed therapist to join its multi-disciplinary team.

We are looking for someone who has some professional experience and would now like to join a supportive team in one of our treatment rooms. Our room rents are moderate.

Modalities already on offer range from The Alexander Technique, Counselling, Craniosacral, Osteopathy, Reflexology, Nutritional Therapy to Spiritual Healing and Reiki.

We would particularly welcome interest from a Homeopath, Bowen Technique, Body Talk, Herbalist, or Shiatsu therapist.

Healthworks is committed to excellence in client/patient care and each practitioner is required to have a professional qualification, membership of a professional body, insurance indemnity and be registered with Disclosure Scotland.

Located at 5,Bank Lane, just off Forres High Street, Healthworks has, over 16 years, earned a good reputation within the town and area and attracts clients from within a 30-mile radius.

It is the largest Complementary Health Centre outside Aberdeen and Inverness.

If you are interested and would like to know more please contact Wilfried Schenk, Practice Manager on 01309 676691, e-mail wilfried@healthworks.wanadoo.co.uk or Michael Hawkins, 01309 671552, e-mail hawkmlight@yahoo.co.uk.

www.healthworks.uk.net

This was Healthworks Craniosacral therapist Joanna Legard’s experience as she waited for her client to come one afternoon.

Her young wheelchair bound client eventually arrived with his breathless and apologetic Mother and another treatment began.

Later Joanna was even more surprised to see the Mother and the son on the front cover of The Sunday Herald and. . . find herself featured in a blog written by her client’s Mother that praised her skills.

An extract of the blog is given below:

...”Once there, getting Jack out of the car took another few minutes and finally I arrived, windswept and interesting at HealthWorks where Joanna was waiting patiently for me!  She wasn’t in the least bit fazed by my lateness, reassuring me that “things happen” and it “can’t be helped”.

We had a quick catch up and she asked “were you on the radio or am I thinking of someone else?” I laughed and said “yes it was definitely me and now the Sunday Herald just did a quick interview with me while I was waiting for Jack!
I was feeling particular sick at this point because when I am with my friends and family, I have no problem being the centre of attention because I am with people who know me well but putting myself and Jack in the spotlight like this was inviting a whole lot more attention than I would like and felt comfortable with.

Joanna was very gentle with Jack not pushing him too hard as he was still wiped out from the seizure but he was sneaking a peek at her quite a few times and she even managed to coax a half smile from him. I always feel so tired while I am sitting next to Jack in these sessions! I think it is a combination of me relaxing a little and getting a blast of Cranio while sitting next to Jack.

Jack always sleeps really well after these sessions and his muscles are so much more relaxed. I’ve been taking him to Joanna for over 2 years now and his muscles were so tight back then compared to what they are like now, it has been a huge help.

She doesn’t have any equipment or gimmicks, she just uses her hands.

Holly once sat in on a session and she said that she could feel the effects of the Cranio just by being in the room.  She likened it to a wave pushing up against her and she tried to push it back but it was so strong and it gave her a headache!

I on the other hand don’t get anything like that at all and if I didn’t see the effects of her work first hand I probably would be a bit of a sceptical. .

The full blog can be read by visiting:

http://lyndylou-whocares.blogspot.com/2011/01/its-gone-crazy.html?spref=fb

Or visit Joanna’s page:

While some of our practitioners are enjoying a holiday we are not entirely closed and if you need a treatment it is best to contact individual practitioners via their web page.

A happy and healthy New Year to you,

Everyone at Healthworks

Indian Head Massage is practised worldwide and includes modern western techniques. The treatment works specifically on the area surrounding the head, scalp, face, neck, shoulders and upper back and can help alleviate migraine headaches, sinusitis, tinnitus and…..promote hair growth, reduce insomnia and stress related conditions.

Wendy trained and studied at Moray College, Elgin and practises her holistic therapies across Moray.  She is a member of FHT (Federation of Holistic Therapists) and CNCH (Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council) who are the voluntary regulatory body for holistic Therapies.

Wendy specialises in Indian Head Massage and has regularly seen the many benefits that are gained by this treatment.  She is looking forward to joining the team at Healthworks and hopes to introduce Indian Head Massage to Forres and district.

Wendy will start practising at Healthworks from November. She can be contacted on 01807 590518 or Healthworks, 01309 676691.

Healthworks the complementary health centre in Bank Lane, which is a registered Scottish charity, offers the widest choice of any complementary health centre outside of the major cities.

Therapies ranging from Aromatherapy Massage, Body Talk, Cranial Osteopathy, Indian Head Massage, LA Stone Therapy, Remedial Massage, Reflexology, Counselling, Nutritional Therapy, Alexander technique, Reiki and Spiritual Healing are all on offer.

All practitioners are qualified, experienced and committed to excellence in client/patient care.

Healthworks has been at the holistic heart of Forres life since 1994.

Financial assistance has been a feature of Healthworks modus operandi and practice manager Wifried Schenk is highlighting again that financial assistance is available:

“ We have a bursary fund, so as many people as possible can benefit from what we offer. As we move into Autumn and Winter time people are understandably concerned about possible cuts and their income. We are offering financial assistance for those who are unable to afford the cost of a block of treatment sessions.”

Wilfried can be contacted on 01309 676691 or Healthworks 5 Bank Lane, Forres.

I had heard a lot about BodyTalk over time. People kept saying how it had helped them – they had tried many other therapies and it had been BodyTalk that had made the crucial difference. This merited investigation!

A BodyTalk practitioner had been attending our Annual Health Fairs and I had noticed she was always kept busy from opening to closing time. I asked around and learned that BodyTalk is an energy therapy that works on the basis that the body has an innate wisdom to heal itself and the entire system is in constant communication to achieve optimum health.

If you cut yourself, you don’t have to engage your conscious mind to start the healing and likewise, your body and mind are always striving for this balance. However, through life and the stresses that go with it the body/mind can be put under pressure and then the communication can be compromised, which can lead to ill-health.

Then earlier this Summer Evelyn McPherson approached us and asked to bring The BodyTalk System to Healthworks. We said Yes!

Evelyn is a Registered General Nurse with 17 years experience, mainly within the NHS setting but at the moment within the private sector.

She told me that her interest in BodyTalk began a few years ago when she discovered it accidentally while looking for a Massage Therapist; that was the extent of her knowledge of complementary therapies.

Evelyn had a few sessions of BodyTalk as a client and found that they helped her tremendously. She attended the Access Training in 2007, but it wasn’t until November last year that she felt ready within herself to take the training further.

She says “I love the results that BodyTalk brings, the clients state that they feel very relaxed after a session and usually feel that the priorities that have come up in a session are very relevant to them.

While it does not diagnose or treat specific ailments, it has been shown that with the balance achieved through BodyTalk, my clients have experienced an increase in general wellbeing and have exhibited improvements in many areas including arthritis, sports injuries, emotional, learning and digestive disorders, chronic fatigue, stress and viruses.”

Evelyn is a Certified BodyTalk practitioner. She works on a Wednesday morning at Healthworks but other times can be arranged subject to availability.

Evelyn can be contacted: evmcpherson@aol.com or www.bodytalkbyevelyn.co.uk

– Article by Healthworks Counsellor, Michael Hawkins

Alison will be offering Aromatherapy hand massages as part of the evening’s attractions. Make up and hair demonstrations will be given as well as a nail ‘file and polish’ and, rather exotically, participants will be able to experience Indian Head Massage.

The pampering evening is open to all.

Alison Leishman has worked at Healthworks for many years and is a fully qualified professional clinical aromatherapist. She is a graduate of the Shirley Price International College of Aromatherapy (one of the longest established training bodies in the country) and a Member of the International Society of Professional Aromatherapists.

She is noted for the sensitive and empathic approach she brings to her work with clients.

Alison’s particular massage technique is flowing, gentle but firm and very relaxing. The treatment has been described as uplifting, soothing, calming and nurturing. If appropriate, advice will be given on using essential oils at home. Alison has a special interest in working with the elderly, including dementia sufferers. Even those who are bedridden can enjoy and benefit from massage. When someone is unable to take exercise massage can encourage the circulation and digestion to work better.

An aromatherapy treatment is so effective because it combines the many benefits of massage with the powerful healing properties of essential oils.

Alison can be contacted on 01309-672864 or via alisonleishman@hotmail.com

Organised by the International Council of Reflexologists, various events are taking place in over 30 countries worldwide aimed at promoting greater public awareness of the health benefits of reflexology.

Reflexology is a complementary therapy based on the premise that the feet and hands contain maps of the whole body. Applying pressure and massage to reflex points on the feet and hands stimulates a positive effect on the corresponding  parts of the body, creating balance and encouraging the body to heal itself.

Healthworks resident reflexologist, Grace Pirnie, is helping spread awareness of world reflexology week in our corner of the globe. She said:

“For me it is about educating people about the health benefits of reflexology, and starting from Forres and district, this helps to create a healthier world. The benefits of reflexology have been gradually recognised and now reflexology is highlighted globally.

I am delighted to be continuing the Healthworks tradition of offering Reflexology as one of its core therapies and I look forward to helping expand public awareness of reflexology, not only during this week bit in the coming days and years.”

Grace is highly qualified and experienced, from the tips of her fingers to her toes, and experienced. She has trained in Advanced and Meridian reflexology, Maternity reflexology, Baby reflex – and is qualified to teach Reflexology to parents to use on their own babies. She has also trained in Light-touch Reflextherapy.

Grace is a Member of the Association of Reflexologists and the Federation of Holistic Therapists.

World Reflexology Vouchers are available at HealthWorks, offering a discount on Reflexology Treatments.

For more information contact Grace on 01309 671504 or via grace@lighttouchtherapies.co.uk. You can also visit her page on this site.