As we turn the clocks back, this should be a signal to you that it’s also time to double down on your selfcare. You need to act now to prepare for the colder days, darker nights and pre-Christmas frenzy in the most healthy, happy and stress-free way. Here are my five top tips to help you thrive and not just get you through the next couple of months.

I can honestly say that I haven’t yet found anything that makes me feel as deeply relaxed as a full reiki session.

I describe it as a ‘reset button’ for body and mind. If you are feeling out of sorts and not yourself but can’t quite put your finger on why… reiki is the answer.

A full reiki session takes 50-60 minutes. You remain fully clothed throughout and have the option to lay on top or under a fluffy blanket depending on how warm you think you might get and how you feel most comfortable.

In my last blog, I shared the main reasons why we ultimately fail when we try and make a change to improve our wellbeing, whether that be diet, exercise, stress management, mindfulness, sleep or finding more time for self-care.

Now you understand better what leads to failure, I want to share with you the five steps I teach to boost your chances of success and make long-lasting positive change.

September always feels like a fresh start for me, and I know many of you feel the same. Holiday season is coming to an end and many of you are returning to a normal work or back-to-school routine.

It seems like a perfect time to get back into those ‘good habits’ around diet, exercise and selfcare that may have gone by the wayside over the summer.

But just like all those resolutions we set ourselves in January, our September good intentions to eat better, move more, practice mindfulness or book in some self-care time, will quickly be forgotten if we don’t go about making changes in the right way for long-term success.

This month I have been sharing stories of personal transformation experienced by some of my clients recently.

Today, I want to share not only the story from my client’s perspective but also how working with her has changed my own life too.

Client three is a teacher who originally came to me in April 2023 for a head massage and holistic facial during the Easter holidays because she had realised, she was close to burn out and needed some extra self-care to get her through the next term.

In my last blog, I shared the story of personal transformation for one of my clients after she made the decision to put her own needs and self-care first.

This week, I wanted to share another client story with an even more incredible outcome.

Client 2 came to me for Reiki and Indian Head Massage back in October 2023 after coming out of an unhealthy and controlling relationship.

She said she felt very ‘stressed’ and on edge so thought this might help her to relax.

A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step” - Traditional Chinese Proverb.

I’ve been thinking about this quote a lot recently after witnessing phenomenal transformations for some of my clients.

I wanted to share their stories anonymously with you in this month’s blog posts to hopefully inspire and support you too.

Please read on for my first story.

Maintaining hormonal and emotional balance can be a significant challenge for many women at all life stages.

The effects of hormonal fluctuations coupled with the demands of daily life often lead to stress, overwhelm, and burnout, making it crucial to find effective ways to manage these pressures.

One powerful approach is through the use of holistic therapies like Indian Head Massage, combined with high-quality products designed to support women's health.

As Father’s Day approaches on June 16, it's the perfect time to show appreciation for the important men in our lives by focusing on their health and wellbeing for a change.

Holistic treatments are not just for women, or those who identify as female, and I am proud to support men through my treatments and products.

We are well into Spring now, with all of its promise of re-births, new growth and fresh starts. Even if all this optimism hasn’t inspired you to Spring clean your house, tidy up the garden for Summer or de-clutter your workspace, it is common at this time of year to feel like a change is needed in our lives – but where to start?

Around 78% of all school staff are stressed. If you are a teacher or work in a school, this won’t come as news to you, and in my roles as the wife of a Primary head teacher and a wellbeing coach, it is definitely what I see playing out.

As you gear up for May half-term, how do you make sure you get the most from just one week away from the workplace to fully rest and re-charge?

April showers bring forth May flowers…which in turn bring forth the misery of itchy eyes, a congested nose and blotchy, sensitive skin. If you are one of the UK’s estimated one in three adults who suffer with allergies or hay fever, then keep reading for some plant-based natural remedies available through me as your Neal’s Yard Independent Consultant.

Bees - those small, industrious creatures buzzing around our gardens and fields – might seem like insignificant insects, but their impact on our wellbeing goes far beyond just producing honey or making us think of a lovely, warm summer’s day. Bees are vital pollinators. They facilitate the reproduction of flowering plants by transferring pollen from one flower to another, enabling the plants to produce fruits and seeds. Without bees, many of the foods we rely on would become scarce or disappear.

80% of the thoughts we have on a daily basis are about things that have happened already in our past or might happen in the future – just take a moment to stop and think about that! We constantly replay, ruminate on and analyse past actions and events. We try to pre-empt, imagine or predict actions and events in the future. It is a normal part of human nature aimed at keeping us safe by helping us learn from our mistakes and avoid potential perils in the future. Interesting fact… the area of the brain responsible for rumination is larger in women than men!

The damaging effects of chronic stress on physical and emotional health are much talked about in the media, and deeply felt by many of us in our daily lives in the form of sleep issues, high blood pressure, auto immune and chronic pain conditions, anxiety, irritability and even obesity. But did you know…? Within each of us is a silent hero who plays a significant role in regulating our body's response to stress and harnessing its power could be the key to a truly stress-free future and it is something you can take control of.

When a baby or young child is upset or stressed, we often use the power of touch to soothe them; we stroke their hair, rub their shoulders or pat their back lovingly. This instantly comforts them and helps them to feel safe and loved. As adults, we crave this same sense of touch to soothe and comfort our over-stimulated and over-burdened nervous systems. However, our very British prudishness means this source of comfort and safety feels often as if it is only available to us, at best, in our one-to-one intimate relationships.

Yet, it is within our power to offer ourselves this sanctuary and relief either through professional massage or by incorporating some simple self-massage techniques into our daily self-care routines.

According to Government prescription data, in 2017-2018, just over a quarter of all adults in the UK were dispensed at least one prescription for a drug in the five main categories – Benzodiazepines (anxiety, Z drugs a.k.a sleeping tablets), Gabapentinoids (epilepsy, neuropathic pain and anxiety), Opioids (non-cancer chronic pain) or Anti-depressants. A truly shocking figure.

Drugs like these are important but might there be something else that could be prescribed alongside these to help boost their effectiveness or maybe even prevent a need for them in the first place?

We all experience stress on a daily basis, but can it actually be dangerous for our health? In today's fast-paced world, stress has become a silent killer, lurking in the shadows of our everyday lives. Whether it's looming deadlines at work, financial worries, or personal struggles, stress finds its way into every corner of our existence. But why does it affect us so profoundly, and what can we do to combat its destructive influence?