One thing I think 2020 has taught us is that we all need to take control of our wellbeing and see what steps we can take to keep ourselves fit and well.
So, I am looking at 2021 as a year of EMPOWERMENT.
If anyone needs medical advice then absolutely your GP, NHS 111, LIVI, even A&E are the places you should seek help from.
However, there are many examples where we just need someone to help us assess and inform us about what we could do to help ourselves.
Whereas last March, when we entered the first lockdown it was a huge learning curve for everybody! However, NOW there is a wealth of resources that are available on the internet that you can tap into. Massage therapists, fitness instructors, yoga, nutritionists, counsellors, homeopaths, meditation and other complementary health practitioners have all developed and refined skills to enable them to deliver services online.
And they work! That’s not just anecdotal, there is evidence behind it.
I teach Advanced Clinical Massage and last March students were already working on their research project to complete their BTEC level 6 (a degree level qualification) when Covid-19 and lockdown struck. Imagine being halfway through your dissertation and then it all comes to a stop.
They took stock of the situation. They received support and then they completed their work by taking it all online.
And it worked!
Previously there was ZERO information about how self-directed massage could help individuals using video conferencing. Now we are establishing fact-based evidence on its effectiveness. This is just in one field. However, many complementary therapists are able to report about the success of online work.
Online self-care might be a new concept to work but it is no longer to be viewed as a second-best choice. In fact, there are benefits to having a blended way of working that help all of us and it means using online as well as face to face opportunities to treat.
Covid-19 is not going away anytime soon. With that in mind, what can you do to help control, manage and resolve issues for yourself?
If you have a musculoskeletal, stress or anxiety issue then contact one of the many Jing therapists who are working online and they may be able to help you. With online treatments you are not confined by geography. However, if you want to support a therapist near you check out the therapists directory https://www.jingmassage.com/therapists/therapist-map/
Online massage therapists will take you through a detailed consultation. They will assess you via a video call to see where your ranges of movement might be restricted or causing you discomfort or pain. They will listen to discover what are any anxiety and stress factors that are going on in your life. They will talk you through a guided self-care program that might include self-massage, hot or cold treatment strategies, stretches, meditation, and exercises.
Just as in clinic, improvements are usually felt after the first session, but it can require several sessions to peel back the layers to discover the root cause of the problem. Treating the problem is always a joint effort!
So, in answer to the question 'Can online self-care massage help me?' Try it and see for yourself.
Susan Harrison
www.powertouchtherapy.co.uk
