Janine Young Reflexology

Reflexology is a complementary therapy based upon the principle that the entire body is represented by reflex points on the hands and the feet. A gentle pressure applied to these reflex points can stimulate a response in the corresponding part of the body encouraging it to function more efficiently.
A reflexology treatment can provide deep relaxation which helps the body to heal itself and enables it to restore and maintain its natural balance.

Reflexology is a holistic therapy, which means the whole person is being treated not just the symptoms of disease. If one area of the body is out of balance, then others will also be. Reflexology helps by stimulating the body's own healing process allowing the individual to achieve physical, emotional and spiritual well being. Reflexology is a gentle and non-invasive treatment which can be preventative as well as bringing relief from a wide range of acute and chronic conditions.

The Ancient healing art of Reflexology has its roots in ancient Egypt, China and India. The earliest known pictorial evidence was discovered in the Egyptian Tomb of the Royal Physician, Ankmahor, at Saqqara, Egypt. This dates back to around 2300BC. A picture of which can be seen above.

Modern History of Reflexology dates back to the early 20th Century when an eminent American ear, nose and throat specialist, Dr William Fitzgerald first discovered the anaesthetising effects on various parts of the body when pressure was applied to certain areas of the hands and feet. Dr Fitzgerald developed an early form of Reflexology which he called 'Zone Therapy' in which the body was divided into 10 longitudinal zones. These zones are like segments of the body and run from the toes, up through the legs and body to the head and then down the arms to the fingers.
Dr Fitzgerald found that there was a flow of energy that linked the various parts of the body within a particular zone, and that areas within the same zone affect one another.
This 'Zone Therapy' was further developed by a physiopherapist, Eunice Ingham who had been very interested in Dr Fitzgerald's work. Eunice Ingham realised that the ten zones could be accessed via the feet and hands, she concentrated on the feet and through her work she mapped reflex points for the entire body onto the feet.
She found that by applying pressure onto these 'reflex' areas a therapeutic effect on the corresponding part of the body in that zone was achieved. Eunice Ingham further developed 'Zone Therapy' into what is known as Reflexology today and she is often referred to as the 'Mother of Modern Reflexology', publishing her first book on the subject, 'Stories the feet can tell' in 1938.

Doreen Bayley trained under Eunice Ingham in America and brought Reflexology to the UK in 1966.

Reflexology is a gentle, non-invasive therapy, which is suitable for almost anybody of any age from babies to the very elderly. Treatment may bring relief from a wide range of acute and chronic conditions.