We are excited to share with everyone that on Saturday, March 15th, Licensed Massage Therapist, Amber Holt, will be at the New Moon Gallery offering Reflexology sessions! She will be in store from 1:00-5:30. Sessions are a minimum of 15 minutes for $15 (although you are welcome to sign up for more time if you would like.) Call ahead to sign up for appointments (423-265-6321), but walk-ins are also welcome!
Amber was gracious enough to answer some of our questions about Reflexology and her work with it. Below is her interview with the New Moon Gallery:
NM: Can you tell us a little about what Reflexology is? How does this practice affect the body?
Amber: Reflexology is the art and practice of treating the whole person by applying finger pressure on reflex points on the hands, feet, and ears. It is a type of alternative medicine. The reflex points are energetically related to the internal organs and glands, which are mapped or laid out on the hands and feet that correspond to specific areas on the body. The Aim of Reflexology is to restore the body’s natural equilibrium and encourage the body to heal itself at its own pace.
The idea of reflexology is not new. In fact, It was practiced as early as 2330 B.C.E. by the ancient Egyptian Culture. Reflexology was introduced to the United States in 1913 by William H. Fitzgerald M.D. It was modified in the 1930’s and 40’s by Eunice D. Ingham. The Ingham method are the practices and procedures used by modern reflexologists.
It may seem a little far out there to think that someone pressing on the pad of my foot could affect the reflex to my jaw, or that pressing on the tips of the toes is linked to the reflex to the brain….but it was the reflex to the jaw that first led me to really believe and see the effects of what reflexology can help do in our body’s natural healing process and function.
NM: How did your interest in Reflexology begin? How long have you been practicing?
Amber: My ex-husband used to grind his teeth at night. While this was not an irreconcilable difference, it did cause me some concern for his dental health and frequent headaches. While there are many other wonderful and effective therapies for TMJ (Temporal Mandibular Joint) Dysfunction, my ex was neither interested, nor cared to be touched in the head or mouth area. Luckily for him, I was fresh out of massage school in 2006 and excited to use my new knowledge pertaining to reflexology.
I had a Professor who was an RN who also had extra training in reflexology. I shared with her my concern and she helped teach me a specific routine to help relax the reflex to the jaw. When I began the specific work I was admittedly a skeptic. Then, 3 sessions later, he totally stopped grinding his teeth and we could both sleep at night!
Much of the the western medical world views reflexology as a pseudoscience because there is little to no medical evidence that can show exactly what is going in the body when someone receives any type of energy work. While it is important to remember that reflexology cannot be used to specifically treat or diagnose any medical condition, it can be used to partner with western medicine. Some holistically minded medical doctors are seeing the validity of energy work and practices like reflexology.
NM: What do you do during your Reflexology sessions, and how long is a typical Reflexology session?
Amber: If you come to my office for a reflexology treatment you can expect a 60 or 90 minute session spent relaxed and cozy on a massage table while I systematically stimulate all of the reflexes in the energy zones on your body. I also use hot towels and aromatherapy. In every reflexology session I perform, I also use "Reiki" (loosely translated from Japanese as "Life Force Energy") along with healing crystals that connect to the different Chakras or energy centers in the body. I hope to share more with the New Moon blog in the future about that aspect of the healing work that I do.
NM: How do you feel about the use of holistic practices along with medically certified practices?
Amber: When Lauren with the New Moon Gallery first asked me to write something about Reflexology for the blog she had asked me specifically how I felt about the use of holisitc practices along with medically certified practices. It took me months of pondering and bouncing ideas and a little research to realize that I have so much more to discover!
Personally, as a medically trained Neuromuscular Therapist, I have relied heavily on knowledge of the human anatomy. There are medical studies that help prove that the work I do with the soft tissues help affect the structure and function of the human body. But there is something more to healing than palpable scientific fact.
There is an innate ability in each of our bodies to heal themselves. I believe that as an alternative health care practitioner, it is my honor to help each person who walks through my door to get better aligned with their body’s natural healing ability. I have discovered that the healing work that I do cannot just be described as only relevant to the medical massage world, or only relevant to the energy work world, but rather the marriage of the two. The combination of both in our lives produces the most beneficial results!
NM: Tell us about your massage studio in Red Bank.
Amber: My office is located just around the block at 620 Cherokee Blvd Ste #110. I also offer Neuromuscular Massage Therapy & Reiki treatments. My office is open by appointment only so call or text at 423.443.6861 Keep in mind that I tend to book up 2 months in advance.
Thank you, Amber, for taking the time to answer our questions! Once again, Amber will be at New Moon Gallery from 1:00-5:30 on Saturday March 15th. Call ahead to schedule an appointment, but walk-ins are also welcome!
The sweater that Drew wears when he and Amy go to Planned Parenthood is also worn by Amber and Sarah in the following episodes. Super cute, they share clothes. :)
