Hello and Happy Autumn to all! Hope this update finds you all well and happy.

It’s been a very rainy and eventful time with lots of changes happening on a global scale and personally I’ve been through a move/relocation since the new year arrived.  Very excited and happy to announce the arrival of my new clinic space in Wollongong.  I’m open for massage consultations/treatments on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays with late evening appointments and early morning appointments available as well as weekend availability.  The new space is home to some lovely professionals who I have recently gotten to know a bit more about and I am so very grateful to be working alongside of them all.  Whatever it is you are after to help facilitate your healing and wellness journey I’m sure you can find someone to help here at our little community clinic. From holistic chiropractic care, remedial massage to nutrition and neuro kinesiology, we have a lot to offer in our wonderful rooms. 

I wanted to share with you all a little story about a recent continuing education day I attended.  It was once said: “One who works with the hands is a laborer, one who works with the hands and the head is a craftsperson, one who works with the hands, the head and the heart is an artist” This quote certainly rang true after attending this education day.  The instructor was so attentive, caring, kind and full of knowledge.  Everyone who attended felt so warm, friendly, and inspiring.  The course I attended was focused on Abdominal Scar Massage. 

As the class began, we introduced ourselves, went through the practical components, then as you do with all practical, hands-on courses, we joined as partners together and began working on one another.  OKAY, so, after almost two and a half years being in some sort of isolation, most of us not even being able to practice or run our businesses and having experienced loss/trauma for most of us this brought many emotions to the surface. To begin with, it was the first time most of us were together in a live, in person setting for many years, secondly it took utter bravery to have someone touch our physical scars.  For me, personally it was so inspiring to witness so many of the participants being brave and allowing us all to witness literal physical scars not to mention the vulnerable personal stories behind those sacred scars.  When it came time for me to receive the treatment, I realized why I had signed up for this course.  It hit me literally the moment my massage partners intentions went to the scars on my body. When I was two weeks of age, I had major abdominal surgery and having this specific scaring work done was very touching for me personally.  Subtle in approach but profound in its effectiveness!  To truly love the skin, you are in takes courage to really see the beauty in all aspects of the multidimensionality of scars.   Read that again.  Let it sink in.  After this day I felt even more prepared to help clients who need post-surgical scaring work done. Specifically, those with c section scars who are coming in for post-natal massage and keyhole surgeries, laparoscopies, and the like.

On a clinical and practical level working with the body’s tissues, scars, muscles etc. is a very dynamic process. Scaring therapy is no different.  Scaring therapy can be helpful in the integration of the bodies healing process.

 As massage therapists we address your injuries, help your nervous system to relax, develop a plan of care for you but it is not often that we talk about the subtle practice we include as wellness practitioners. Working with you holistically to address your needs through paying attention to the body, mind and spirit is a truly unique treatment process and falls in alignment with my value to serve the public with wellness at the forefront of all I do to serve the community. This level of care often involves a relationship and networking environment with other professionals.  Why? Because sometimes clients present with issues that are beyond my scope of practice. Referring out and working together to approach client’s health and wellbeing and addressing each person with the correct level of care and expertise is not only ethical, it is vital.

A good reminder I always tell clients is: The decision to be well is ultimately up to you in the end and the role of massage therapists alongside all other supportive health professionals (talking therapists/psychologists if you need for trauma, your GP, art therapy, body oriented therapies: kinesiology, osteopathy, chiropractic, acupuncture) is that we are wonderful facilitators and resources, but ultimately you are the one who knows your body best and can act to always insure you stay on the road to healing and recovery!

For many years I’ve witnessed people I serve in my massage and bodywork practice heal and transform through the power of authentic intention, touch, and deep intuition.  Serving the public in this way has been an honor and even more so through the past several years in the changeable environments of the COVID 19 pandemic, natural disasters, war, and global transformation on a large scale.  There is collective trauma held within our society and now the task at hand is huge.  Holding space for my clients is a real gift I give to them each day and the gift they give back to me is appreciation and the understanding that they are empowered within their own bodies, lives, and the tapestry of their stories. The knowledge that they hold the power to heal and that we, as practitioners are just the facilitators reminding them of their own potential is the truest gift. 

I am here to help you with many different massage modalities.  Whether you are pregnant, seeking sports related injury relief, a professional, a business owner or you are a busy caregiver yourself and just need to relax your nervous system, massage can help.  Specialized massage means that your time with me will be catered to your specific circumstance, and we can work together to develop a plan of care for you to meet your wellness goals.

If there is anything you would like to hear or know about pertaining to massage or wellness let me know via email at epochawellness@gmail.com. Please visit my website for bookings which will directly link you to our cliniko appointment system.

I’ve recently posted an article on my website which explains the benefits of massage and bodywork therapy.  It comes from a well known massage association and I think its a great resource. Have a look here: https://www.massagetherapy.com/massage-and-its-benefits

I’ve always believed that one reason people may believe in something and hold hope for it to help them long term is because they believe in it, and it has helped them to transform into a better state of health and wellbeing. 

Rachel Fairweather writes: “We all know that there is a world of difference between a quick rub up and down from an amateur and the exquisite bespoke healing that you can receive from a master therapist.”

This quote by Rachel hit me straight to my soul! My time with the CPE instructor and a few of the fellow therapists I mentioned in my above story who attended the course with me and whom we traded with, felt like a bespoke session that was catered directly at my multidimensional self, speaking straight to my body. Mind and soul.  It mirrored how I hope to help clients on my table.

 As a therapist of 21 years, I often feel this quote by Rachel ringing true after sessions with clients.  It gives me a lot of gratitude to feel this appreciation by clients in knowing that they are getting specialized care from me, care that will help them not only to feel better but to perhaps keep them out of chronic pain and away from issues that sabotage their health, growth, and transformation.  Thank you for reading this lengthy blog and update and I hope to see you all soon.

Take care and be well,

Erin