This year international Reflexology week spans from 21 to 27 September 2020, the same week where South Africa will be on the lowered National Lockdown Level One. As South Africa moves to Lockdown Level One from 21 September 2020, there will be more freedom and normality in the country, so no better time to have international Reflexology week. In today’s post, we’ll consider Reflexology week.
Having been in a National Lockdown state of emergency since March 2020, the lowering of the lockdown level from level two to level one is welcomed by every citizen in the country. Many have experienced severe stress during the lockdown period in all aspects of life ranging from spiritual to emotional, from physical to social to sexual, from financial to career. The lowered level of lockdown promises more freedom and relaxation of many restrictions in order to enter a more normal living environment, although sanitising protocols and face mask-wearing will still continue.
International Reflexology week comes at the right time; the same week where South Africa will experience the first week of level one of the national lockdown. The additional freedom may be the ideal time to schedule a Therapeutic Reflexology session to provide your body with the well-deserved opportunity to experience relaxation while “helping the body to stimulate its own healing process” (in the words of Pam Adams, a fellow Reflexologist from England). Your body deserves the attention, especially if you have neglected your body during the past few months of lockdown. Don’t feel bad, it happened. The staying at home lead to many people being in their homes, but the fridge was not locked down so we may have eaten a bit too much and many have experienced unhappiness, depression, and emotional stress while others have experienced social stress and spiritual stress due to being isolated from friends, family and church environments.
As the lockdown level is reduced, it is the ideal time to get out of your comfort zone of being isolated at home and making a Therapeutic Reflexology appointment to spoil yourself again; you deserve it.
International Reflexology Weeks is about promoting the profession of Reflexology internationally, so let me take some time to explain the healthcare profession I have chosen as my therapy of choice.
Firstly, globally the profession is known as Reflexology, but in South Africa, there is a distinction made between Reflexology and Therapeutic Reflexology because Reflexology is often practiced within the beauty and spa industry around the world. In South Africa, the beauty and spa industry have been making use of a form of Reflexology which can be said to be a foot massage, although that may soon change as the Minister of Health already indicated that Reflexology should be regulated by a statutory health council, namely the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA). The profession of Therapeutic Reflexology in South Africa is a recognised healthcare profession formally regulated by the which means that is cannot be practiced within the beauty and spa industry as it can only be practiced in a professional healthcare setting with restrictions regarding the premises and so forth. Compare Therapeutic Reflexology to Physiotherapy with regards to premises and a good understanding will provide clarity as to the professional premises. Similarly, Therapeutic Reflexologist may not advertise or provide promotions, discounts, or treatment specials as the beauty and spa industry often promotes, because healthcare professions are professionally regulated and as such, are not allowed to cheapen the profession with promotions. Think about your Medical Doctor who is similarly regulated and also does not offer promotions because the healthcare profession is valued as a profession in healthcare.
With that being said, Therapeutic Reflexology is a healthcare modality that is non-invasive and extremely relaxing. The Therapeutic Reflexologist provides pressure point therapy on the reflexes (or nerve endings) of the feet, but may also do so on the hands, face, ears, and body (like the arms and legs). Therapeutic Reflexology is a holistic therapy and therefore you may experience emotional relaxation and destressing along with the physical relaxation and reduction in stress levels.
Therapeutic Reflexology is extremely relaxing and patients experience the ultimate form of relaxation during a treatment session. The treatment does not only stimulate the body’s healing processes and allows the body to attempt to heal itself or at least balance itself, it also improves circulation and increases the ability to balance emotional imbalances.
Any person may benefit from Therapeutic Reflexology and if you have any health conditions that you may think is a concern, please speak to a Therapeutic Reflexologist about it. Therapeutic Reflexologists are part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team and just because you have a specific health condition, does not exclude you from therapy; it may in actual fact assist you and benefit you. If the Therapeutic Reflexologist is in any doubt, a diagnostic practitioner will be contacted before commencing treatment or treatment may be adjusted to accommodate you with your health condition; the Therapeutic Reflexologist is a healthcare professional and will do nothing that may cause you any harm. You are safe in the hands of a properly qualified and AHPCSA registered Therapeutic Reflexologist.
As you are entering level one of the lockdown, make use of International Reflexology Week to spoil yourself with a good quality Therapeutic Reflexology treatment session; your body and mind deserve it!
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Christo A. Scheepers: Therapeutic Reflexologist
Dip.T.R.(Cum Laude) [IARAMT]
AHPCSA: A11945
Pr. No.: 1080000737453
Tel. 072-800 7243