I prefer physical touch reflexology, but there are also other forms of reflexology. Read more in today’s post.
Reflexology is an age-old modality where the reflexes (nerve endings) on the feet are being stimulated and since the entire body is represented on the feet, those corresponding areas are receiving the benefit. Reflexology may take on many forms, and in some instances, it is believed that when walking barefoot on the beach, it is providing similar stimulation, or when walking barefoot over rocky areas, reflexology stimulation is being received.
It may very well be, however, in modern society people tend to have softer foot soles due to wearing shoes most of the time. The result is that when making use of rocky reflexology, it is usually quite painful due to people not being used to walking barefoot on stones and rocky surfaces. You understand the pain associated with this type of reflexology as soon as you walk barefoot on the beach, and you must walk over rocky surfaces; it is quite painful. No doubt that it may provide reflex stimulation on the feet, however, I personally do not like pain and therefore I prefer a more professional version of reflexology.
To take it even a step further, I love human touch, and therefore I prefer human touch therapeutic reflexology.
Therapeutic Reflexology is a healthcare modality that provides stimulation on the reflexes on the feet, but also on other body parts like the hands, the face, and the ears. To receive good quality Therapeutic Reflexology, it is crucial to make use of a properly qualified and formally registered Therapeutic Reflexologist. In South Africa, that means that the Therapeutic Reflexologist must be formally registered with the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA), the statutory healthcare council that professionally regulates the profession of Therapeutic Reflexology. Practicing Therapeutic Reflexology without being registered with the AHPCSA is a criminal offense, just like it is illegal for a medical doctor to practice without formal Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) registration and regulation.
The statutory council is in place to protect the public and to ensure that the Therapeutic Reflexologist complies with the basic requirements, which include minimum qualifications and skills based on the completion of the minimum required practical community service hours under supervision. Training involves formal training from a recognised training institution; at present, only the Potchefstroom Academy offers recognised qualifications accepted for AHPCSA registration. No short course training is acceptable, and it will not lead to formal registration; the Diploma in Therapeutic Reflexology is a two-year full-time training programme and the minimum required training for AHPCSA registration. The AHPCSA is a statutory council and therefore no other organisational registration is acceptable for registration; AHPCSA is compulsory.
Therapeutic Reflexology has developed into a modality that provides non-invasive healthcare therapy that is not only seen as very effective but is overall seen as the most popular complementary healthcare modality globally.
There are various forms of Therapeutic Reflexology and may include the more modern version, namely the Vacuflex Concepts which is a registered healthcare device that may be used to stimulate the nerve endings on the feet or on the body by making use of suction cups or vacuum boots. This increases the effectiveness of the therapy; some Therapeutic Reflexologists offer this as a stand-alone therapy, but personally, at Christo Scheepers Therapeutic Reflexology, I always offer it in a combination with the manual version of Therapeutic Reflexology where physical touch is also involved. It is just a personal preference, but since I love to touch, I also want to offer the same effective combination therapy to all patients. This approach has proven to be very effective in providing high-quality Therapeutic Reflexology to a wide range of patients ranging from 2 weeks to 90 years old.
You may be a person that likes some rocky reflexology while walking on the beach. Still, since I personally prefer a softer touch Therapeutic Reflexology where the human touch is involved, I offer that to patients.
If you would like to give Therapeutic Reflexology a try, make your appointment today!
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Christo A. Scheepers, Ph.D.
Therapeutic Reflexologist
AHPCSA: A11945
Pr. No.: 1080000737453
Tel. 072-800 7243