Our shoulders carry more than tension — they hold emotion, pressure, and stress. They carry babies, toddlers, rucksacks, school bags. Laptops, nappies, clothes. Work and family pressure. And our experiences settle into our shoulders as extra tension, adding to our emotional and physical load. Through individually tailored massage, I help women in Oxford release tension and find lightness again, in body and mind.
My 75 minute appointments allow time to really understand you and your needs and my unique special touches help you to relax the moment you walk through the door. Massage appointments take place in my dedicated cabin, pictured above, overlooking my garden, hidden away in the heart of Headington, Oxford. You’re welcomed with a warm foot-bath, choice of herbal tea and time to talk about what you need. Your massage lasts 60 minutes with time allowed to change and suggestions to help you get the most from your appointment and support yourself.
Book your massage in Oxford here today and let me lighten your day.
Receiving a foot massage must be one of the loveliest experiences. Giving a foot massage is an act of love – either to yourself, or as a gift to someone else. It’s so simple, can be done in two minutes and can improve sleep, rest, relaxation, a sense of gratitude and bonding.
You can do this for yourself or ask a partner. No oil is needed but if you want to use some, any kind will do, olive oil, coconut oil or any other moisturiser. I often massage my own feet as part of a my bedtime routine – blog on this coming soon – and it makes a huge difference to how relaxed I feel and how quickly I fall asleep.
Set yourself up in a comfortable, supported seated position, in bed or on a comfortable sofa/chair. Take a quick body scan and note if you’re holding tension anywhere in the body. Inhale noticing, exhale releasing each part of the body below:
Rub the hands gently together to create warmth. Take some deep breaths and bring your awareness into the sensations in your feet. Notice how the feet feel – their temperature, quality of the skin, if they feel achy or a bit puffy from standing all day? Relax your shoulders and bring one foot into your hands in whatever way feels comfortable for you to do this. You might want to support yourself with more pillows/cushions behind your back, under your knee, anywhere that needs support.
Begin by cupping your hands around the forefoot – the part in front of the toes – and stroking upwards towards the knee. You can pause at the ankle and take some circles.
Taking hold of the fore foot, gently curl and uncurl the sides of the foot towards and away from the midline of the foot, if this feels good for you.
Bring your hands to the underside of the forefoot and massage in a circular motion using your thumbs, into the fleshy pads under the toes.
Coming to the mid-foot, thumbs one on each side of the sole and stroke gently along the arch. I like to stroke towards the toes using the side of my thumb but find what feels good for you. Remember to relax your shoulders and soften your whole body.
Taking both hands to the outside of the foot, use fingers and thumbs to knead up the side of the foot. Again you can stroke/gently pull the flesh towards the outside of the foot.
Cup the heel in the palm of your hand, and using either the palm and fingers of that hand, or fingers of the other hand (or both), knead into the underside of the heel. You can work up to the ankle and around the ankle joints.
Notice how the massaged foot feels compared to the other. Repeat on the other side.
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