Why Did We Leave Corporate Careers To Start Up ANANDA HEALING?
Recently, I had to do a presentation to a room full of strangers who had little or no idea about Ananda Healing, who we are, why we started the business, our ethics, our passion. So, I told them our story, our why!
It struck me afterwards, that probably few of you know the whole story and so I decided to share it with you too
Firstly, who are we? Lets start with Duncan, Duncan is a Reiki Practitioner, Master Hypnotherapist, and Master NLP Practitioner (Neuro Linguistic Programming). He comes from a very practical, no nonsense background, his family had a carpentry & building business, they ran a small holding and the extended family were all farmers. He left school to join the Royal Marines and then the Police Force. Maybe not the background you think of when you think of a therapist? He loves Mathematics, computers and logic (I prefer shopping myself!). But how you go from IT to Hypnotherapy and NLP? To Duncan it is simple – if you can program a computer, you can program a mind – if you can fix a bug in a pr0gramme, you can fix a problem in the mind! And I have seen him do this so many times, and sometimes at lightening speed! It never ceases to amaze me.
I have seen him fix phobias, fears, self-esteem issues, sports performance, smoking and weight – he is the registered Hypno-Band practitioner for the area (some of you may have heard Paul McKenna talking about this recently – it is basically providing the benefits of a physical gastric band but without the pain, risks, surgery of massive cost! Not to mention an over 70% success rate!). Duncan is also amazing at dealing with children’s issues, including self-esteem, bullying, psychology impact of divorce etc.
So now you know a little bit about Duncan but why did we set Ananda Healing up? What was behind this ‘crazy’, according to my Mum, decision to give up successful corporate careers to start a therapies business? What are out core values?
We are passionate about well-being, we want people to feel good about themselves. We want to help people see that there is always a choice.
Both Duncan and myself have had to come to terms with serious health issues in the past and continue to live with these now. Duncan was a serving Police Officer, aged just 28, when he broke his back whilst riot training. He could have just given up at this point but he didn’t. He took a masters degree, carved a new career and, this is the interesting bit, if you ask him about the accident now, he would tell you it was one of the best things that has happened to him.
I too have had a difficult ride with regards to my health, since babyhood really, including a heart condition and Type 1 Diabetes but I would echo Duncan’s thoughts. I would say the decision that made the greatest difference to me personally was learning to meditate. My dad considered meditation to be as important as learning to read and write, but then my dad was something special – a story for another day. For Duncan it was learning to become a Hypnotherapist & NLP Practitioner. We always say to our clients, “Everyone’s journey is different and you have to find what works for you” – we are just here to facilitate.
We both took responsibility and made positive choices – choices regarding our lives and our well-being. Many people do not even know that have a choice. My Dad, who I have already explained was extraordinary, always told me “You may not have a choice in what happens to you but you always have a choice in how you deal with it” AND THIS IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE WISH TO GIVE OUR CLIENTS
Before we started Ananda healing though we took time to talk and form our ethos that would drive and guide our philosophy. We decided that money would not drive our business, service would. We made the conscious decision to provide the very best for our clients, even if that meant recommending they go to someone else! And we have stuck to that throughout.
We began by specifically offering treatments that enhance well-being and by doing so we saw this was giving people back some control. I could go on about the research on massage etc and the chemical/physiological changes that happen in the body but, again, that is for another day. Gradually we also discovered that beyond the holistic therapies, our clients also responded profoundly with treatments that made them look good, which in turn made them feel good. It started when I was asked, many times, by clients, if I could recommend a skincare range that was natural and, or, provided help with problem skin, children’s skin etc. It took me two years of research and putting some very strange stuff on my own skin until I eventually found Arbonne, the Swiss formulated, botanical skincare range – it is phenomenal! (Do let us know if you would like to trial it). It really is the skincare industry’s best kept secret as it is only available through consultants such as ourselves. Forget what the Celebs are advertising – this is what they are using!.
Because of our discovery about how people look and the effect on their well-being since starting Arbonne, we have decided to now start moving more into the beauty side of the business. We have recently launched the Gelish 21 day manicure system that DOES NOT DAMAGE YOUR NAILS and DOES NOT CONTAIN FORMALDEHYDE.
During the summer we will be launching other beauty services BUT THIS WILL BE DONE, AS ALWAYS, WITH YOUR WELL-BEING AND HEALTH IN MIND.
Your well-being is our passion.
9 Healthy Reasons To Make A Massage Appointment Today (the benefits of massage)
With more and more research now being done to support the health and well-being benefits of massage, we are delighted to share this blog with you. It has been taken from the Huffington News (we would recommend this online site to anyone interested in all things health & well-being) and each point is supported by research. We hope you find them interesting and some surprising, so here goes -
1. Managing anxiety and depression as it reduces the stress hormone ‘Cortisol’ Could be useful for the January blues?
2. Eases pain, especially back pain and arthritis – just ask Amanda’s Mum – she can play golf again!
3. Improves sleep due to it’s effects on the delta brain wave pattern associated with deep sleep. Our clients would definitely confirm that!
4. Boosts immunity by increasing the number of white blood cells
5. Reduces PMS symptoms including pain, bloating and mood swings
6. Improves alertness (though probably not whilst you are having it done!)
7. Reduces the number of tension headaches and migraines in sufferers
8. Your skin loves it! It increases blood flow & lymphatic drainage giving you plumped up radiant skin.
9. Massage relieves the symptoms associated with serious illness including cancer – All of the cancer patients we have on our books will agree
So, officially, regular massage is good for you! But you already knew that didn’t you?
Need to book yours? Call 01342 842098 or go to the link below for further details
http://www.ananda-healing.co.uk/treatments-services/massage/
How to choose the right therapist for you-My Top Tips
OK, so you have decided you need or want a treatment and need a local therapist – what do you do now? Google one? Look one up in the Yellow Pages? Then you find there are 20 in your area alone so which one? Well here are my top tips for finding the right one for you.
1. Ask your friends if they know anyone. Personal recommendation is always a good place to start, especially if you know someone who has actually tried the therapist themselves.
2. Once you have a name, hopefully by recommendation, but if not, the same applies, give them a call. Ask them some questions. Do they sound friendly? Knowledgeable? Do you think they are someone you could trust and be happy in their company for the hour you are paying for!
3. Ask them to clarify their qualifications and experience. No therapist who is qualified is going to mind you asking.
4. Are they listed with any governing body, ie. The Beauty Guild
5. Are they insured? This is vital! You are putting your well-being in their hands. You need to know you are covered.
6. Confirm the price and length of time the treatment will last before committing. You don’t want any embarrassing surprises on the day.
7. Check if take your means of payment. Again, many small business do not take credit or debit cards. (We do btw!)
8. Do they insist on a proper consultation before treating you? Yes, this may seem like a waste of time and invasive, especially if you are busy, but it is vital to all concerned that an accurate picture of your health is gained BEFORE any treatment takes place. Personally, I would be very concerned if no discussion was had and no medical history taken.
9. Discuss your expectations with the therapist. You don’t want to waste your time and money and you don’t want to waste theirs.
10. Trust your gut! It will tell you when you have found the right therapist for you.
I hope you have found this informative and helpful. Let me know if you have or if there is something else I should have added. Its all about sharing!
Contact either Amanda or Duncan on 01342 842098 to discuss your needs. It costs you nothing for a telephone call and we always promise to make sure you get the right treatment for your needs.
STRESS – Is It Killing You?
STRESS – Is It Killing You?
We have always know that long-term stress is bad for you – the constant and prolonged release of the stress hormone cortisol is associated with a number of serious effects including high blood pressure, suppressed immunity, decreased bone density, impaired cognitive performance and many others. However, have you noticed the amount of recent research on exactly how bad it is for you there has been lately?
A recent study for the Lancet by Prof Andrew Steptoe indicates work related stress causes a 23% increase in the risk of heart attacks
Researchers in the US have now analysed the brain tissue from depressed & stressed individuals and discovered a brain shrinkage. It is believed the stress blocks the formation of new nerve connections disrupting the circuits associated with mental and emotional function, how stress and depression shrink the brain
More recently, Professor Sarah Berga of Emory University of Atlanta has released her research on the link between stress and infertility
SO - WHAT CAN YOU DO?
You have got to work. You can’t give your teenagers away (nice thought maybe) and the house/garden etc is not going to do itself. (Roll on the invention of the self-cleaning house we say!)
It is all about finding something you can do , for yourself, to reduce your personal stress levels and increase your levels of relaxation. What you do is going to be down to personal choice, but you have to find it, schedule it in and commit to it. After all, how hard would it really be to schedule in a weekly massage take a 20min walk in the park/ practice meditation? ANSWER – Not very hard, unless your stress levels are already becoming chronic and impacting on your mental well-being – then what? We would always recommend you visit your GP to get a correct diagnosis and then, any good GP will recommend a talking/counselling therapy. Again, who you choose should be a personal choice but we would recommend an ‘off the record’ chat with any potental therapist before committing. We always provide a free consultation either in person or by telephone before we would even allow a client to make an appointment for our hypnotherapy or NLP. You really need to feel you could trust and feel comfortable with your therapist to ge the best results.
We believe prolonged and/or chronic stress is a silent killer of our age. Do not ignore it. Have a look at some of the symptoms listed below:
- Difficulty with sleeping
- Palpitations
- Constant tiredness
- Aching/tense muscles
- Deminished Libido
- Weight gain or loss (not due to dieting)
- Increased alcohol or drug intake
Do more than one of these apply to you?
Yes? GET SOME HELP
Massage, Meditation, Hypnotherapy, Athletes & You
Massage, Meditation, Hypnotherapy, Athletes & You
With everyone glued to the splendour of the Olympics and those amazing athletes, we can only wonder at what it has taken in training, sacrifice and determination to get them there. We strongly suspect that whatever admiration and awe we are watching with now will only increase with the start of the Para Olympics.
We have been lucky enough to look after a number of marathon runners this year at Ananda Healing. We have seen first hand what it takes to drive yourself forward through rain, pain and mental torment – when every fibre of your being is telling you to stop. Athletes seem to be built from stronger stuff than us mere mortals, but are they? Could it just be they have a stronger why? It seems to us that the only thing that separates us is their reason why. Could it be that if you dug deep and found a reason to do something that became so strong it would elevate you to a different league in your chosen area?
Some of you may also be wondering where Ananda Healing fitted into the sports training programme. Well, mainly with massage but also with meditation, hypnotherapy and NLP. Research is now proving the benefits of massage to athletes, with improved cell repair rate, in particular. Meditation – we you know that is our pet subject and everyone should do it! Duncan is also finding a number of sports people in particular are benefiting from the mind training techniques of Hypnotherapy & NLP which is invaluable to them to improve their game – the mind needing as much training as the body!
So you are not a top athlete or even aspiring to be one – how can you benefit from therapies?
Everyone can benefit from massage in particular as it lowers blood pressure, reduces pain (even in chronic conditions such as arthritis), releases “happy” hormones to improve your feelings of mental health and well-being. . As for meditation – again, don’t even get us started – we have a recent client who has just finished her meditation course who says she cannot believe the impact it has had on her life; she feels centred and peaceful for the first time in years! And finally, the hypnotherapy & NLP – maybe your first step to improved health is to give up smoking? Perhaps you don’t want to run a marathon but would just like to get through the day without that fear, phobia or habit controlling you?
If you’re having difficulty in getting your why clear and bright enough to drive you, speak to us about our Vision Boarding & Goal Setting workshop!
We made a promise to ourselves when we started this practice – we would be here to serve and to do what we could to improve life for you. That drive started us out four years ago and it drives us today – THAT IS OUR WHY!
Meditation, Massage & The Menopause
What I have found interesting is the number of women who come through our doors presenting vague symptoms of feeling below par but when you actually start working with them they open up to the distress they are feeling due to menopausal symptoms. It is almost as though women are still worried about talking about menopause. For every woman it is different and every woman will have to find the way that works best for her. Fortunately there are now people out there, like Kathryn, to give guidance and “break the silence”
Obviously, the one option most people know of is HRT (hormone replacement therapy) but what if you decide this is not for you, or that you still want to explore alternatives?
Fortunately, we now have some research to measure results for both massage and meditation and their effectiveness.
A recent study by the Tehran University of Medical Sciences gave a group of women either a plain oil massage, an essential oil massage (using lavender, rose, rosemary or evening primrose) and measured the results against a control group. The massaged women, especially the group using the essential oils, showed a decline in their menopausal symptoms
To me, as a massage therapist, I do not find this surprising. A regular massage is not only relaxing but also lowers blood pressure, lowers stress levels and increases you sense of wellbeing. All of which is good for anyone but when your menopausal symptoms include irritability, sleep problems and depression, it is not hard to see how a regular massage would help.
What about meditation then? Again, the benefits are so many for everyone, young, old, male, female. For me, I would recommend everyone meditate. I would even have it taught in schools along with the maths and English! But what is really interesting is the research from the University of Massachusetts with regard to menopausal symptoms. The research showed a reduction in the distress associated with hot flushes and insomnia. It also showed improved physical, psychosocial and sexual functioning. Impressive, don’t you think?
I have recently canvassed my clients who meditate on this very subject and the feedback I received is that meditation reduces stress, improves one’s sense of wellbeing and increases the ability to cope with the symptoms. Interestingly, the reduction in the stress also appears to lessen the symptoms with fewer hot flushes and improved sleep.
As with any anything, it is all about finding out what works for you. Trying out what is on offer and accepting if something doesn’t work for you, that’s OK, just try something else.
Contact us for more details on how we can help you with the menopause, on 01342 842098 or 07917 730944 or email us.
Commuting – The Consequences
Did you know, according to recent research from Sweden, couples where one partner commutes are 40% more likely to divorce?
Other research has shown commuters have increased risk of obesity, insomnia, stress and muscle aches.
What exactly does this research tell you then? Well no more that we already suspected and that is -
COMMUTING REALLY IS NOT GOOD FOR YOU AND IT CERTAINLY ISNT ANY FUN
So what can you do to improve your lot as a commuter?
The first and most obvious thing is to move house or change your job but if that were possible you would have done it already right? So could there be answers elsewhere?
Well, as a therapist I would say “Yes”
The immediate issue to address is the stress. Long term stress has an impact on the mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. In fact, it is argued that the obesity, insomnia and muscle discomfort and even the divorce rate, are all the effects of the stress.
How do we relieve this stress?
This is down to personal choice – it may be joing the gym, jogging, taking up a new hobby. As long as it is healthy it will help – The key word here is healthy. Many a stressed individual has sought relaxation in the form of drugs or alcohol but the answer is not found here, only more problems.
I would certainly recommend regular relaxation treats such as massage to improve your wellbeing. However, by far, the single most significant and achievable change you can make for the benefit of your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing is LEARN TO MEDITATE
It is simple, easy to learn and may well change your life – it will certainly change your health
The NEW Natural Lift Facial Massage – What it’s all about & why we are offering it
As you may have gathered by now, we have a new treatment to offer you here at Ananda Healing – THE NATURAL LIFT & REJUVENATING FACIAL MASSAGE
We are always looking for natural treatments to enhance your wellbeing, so when we heard there was a natural, painless way to lift and rejuvenate you face we had to find out more.
This amazingly relaxing massage is a unique blend of highly effective techniques drawn from Anma Japanese and Indian Ayurvedic origins. The massage combines accupressure, lymphatic drainage and facial reflexology.
The stresses, strains and pollution of modern living, combined with the aging process tells on the delicate facial skin. But what if you dont want to take the surgery or fillers option? Well, now you have a natural, holistic option.
The comments and feedback we have had from our lucky volunteers of the last 10 days include -
Highly recommended- Gilly Sweeting
Just heavenly and my skin feels amazing- Jayne Quinn
At my age, I didnt think it would be possible to see such an improvement! – our most mature client, Barbara, (72years young)
We will have a video to show you very shortly, just as soon as our video editor gets his finger out (sometimes he finds it hard to keep up with the demand)!
It’s always going be all about you at Ananda Healing. So go on – try the Natural Lift Facial Massage and see for yourself
Book today on 07917 730 944 or 01342 842 098
HOW ABOUT THE MINI NATURAL FACIAL NOW AVAILABLE FOR PAMPER PARTIES!!
BOOK YOUR PAMPER EVENT TODAY
Watch the Hot Lava Shell Massage as filmed by Crawley Happy Times
As many of you already know, we were lucky enough to have a visit from Shelley Fagence Traynor of Crawley Happy Times the other week. They had heard all about us and wanted to find out why our clients love us so much. We asked Shelley if she would like to see just how fabulous the Hot Lava Shell Massage is and here is what happened ……………..
http://www.crawleyhappytimes.co.uk/2012/03/healing-the-ananda-way/
Crawley Happy Times visits Ananda Healing
Crawley Happy Times recently visited Ananda Healing to see what it is we do. Amanda gave them the guided tour and while they were there they shot a video of Amanda giving a Hot Lava Shell massage to one of our regular clients, Diane. Have a watch of the video, and in doing so please show your support for both Ananda Healing and Crawley Happy Times.
We would like to extend our thanks to Diane, our wonderful co-star of the video for agreeing to be filmed and giving such a lovely testimonial, and of course to Shelly Fagence-Traynor of Crawley Happy Times for the visit.
If you want to know more about the Hot Lava Shell massage, please contact us by email or 01342 842 098 / 07917 730 944.
