Over the past couple of years I’ve been quietly practicing away and doing a deep dive into studying here on this little island of Turks & Caicos. My quest has been an attempt to dive into the complexity of menstrual health, healing my own body as well as learning how to heal others. I’ve been delving into and experimenting with some fascinating natural ways to heal the body that have a beautiful focus on radical self care and empowerment. More recently I’ve been leaning into saying yes where in the past I would have said no – really getting brave about touching those uncomfortable sensations. I’m feeling ready to become more visible and find my own blueprint to sharing what I’ve discovered with you.
Over the summer I traveled to the UK and had the chance to tick off a bucket list item of learning Abdominal Massage from an incredible teacher and therapist, Hilary Lewin. I first came across this method of Abdominal Massage back in lockdown 2020 while listening to an interview with Hilary sharing the wisdom of the menopause process. It was around this time I started receiving the call to return to my roots of hands on bodywork and I knew that when the time was right and the world opened back up again I would attend one of Hilary’s courses.
Well I did it…
I have a new string to my bow – Abdominal Massage!
Hilary so lovingly and powerfully shared the wisdom of this massage which she learned directly from Dr Rosita Arvigo, a Naturopath from Chicago and Miss Hortence, Robinson, a herbal midwife in Belize. It is a form of massage that is based on the work of Don Elijio Panti, a Maya Shaman and traditional healer in Belize.
The course was held in my old stomping ground of Brighton, where I had originally trained in massage back in 2005 fresh out of university after qualifying in accounting. I was as high as a kite at the end of the course having been filled with the experience of sisterhood coming together in sacred circle, sharing wisdom and having experienced the profoundly healing benefits of giving and receiving this massage 4 days in a row.
It had been 17 years since I had been in a massage training room and this time I was a completely different woman showing up to learn and the caliber of teacher so wise and powerful. This time I was a mother, with a far greater understanding of my own body (it’s capabilities and it’s woundings), a felt understanding of the power of natural medicine and a deep thirst and yearning to receive wisdom from a Queen. There was trust and deep appreciation for the ‘sisters’ learning with and beside me. It was a feeling of home coming, of meeting my people and being part of my tribe, the Abdominal Therapy Collective.
I hope my words can convey my enthusiasm and delight at the opportunity to learn this massage and the gift that I know I have in being able to share it with others.
So you may be asking…
What is the big deal about abdominal massage and what has that got to do with menstrual healing?
The uterus is held in place by ligaments and these can become stretched for a variety of reasons, some women may have been told they have a ‘tilted’ uterus and this could be the cause of many ‘female’ problems. Abdominal massage aims to assist homeostasis and hemodynamics, allowing the body to adjust and find it’s own balance. By working deeply into the diaphragm we can impact all the bodies systems and allow you to breathe more deeply and increase circulation in the belly and pelvis. Circulation brings vitality to all your organs – optimizing digestion, energizing the nervous system, endocrine system, and supporting reproductive health.
What to expect from an abdominal massage treatment?
In the first appointment we will spend time taking a detailed case study and finding out how I can best support you. I will hear your story and together identify your needs. Next you receive a deep abdominal massage and back treatment. At the end of your first appointment you will learn a self care massage to carry out at home and have with you for life. I will follow up with an email summary of our conversation and any further suggestions to assist your progress.
If you would like any follow-up appointments we will spend time reviewing your progress with your self massage and any changes based on the suggestions that you have implemented. Your updated needs will be identified. Next you receive a deep abdominal massage and back treatment. There will be time to review your self care massage to carry out at home. I will follow up with an email summary of our conversation and any further suggestions to assist your progress.
You might want to combine the abdominal massage with a pelvic steam beforehand to help bring warmth and circulation into the pelvis.
Online Appointment
If you don’t live in Turks & Caicos, but would like to have a consultation to discuss your case study and be able to learn the self-massage to carry out at home, thanks to the creativity that stemmed from lockdown this is a possiblity. I offer an online appointment through zoom and you would be amazed what can be achieved through this. Find out more details about the online appointment here.
I look forward to the opportunity to share this beautiful practice with you and learn through our experience together.
