Stress and Anxiety - Cherel Waters

"M" is a 42-year-old nurse who came into my clinic room to ask what was the difference between Reflexology and Reiki.

I discussed both, whereupon she told me she had suffered a nervous breakdown twelve months ago and had spent a year going back and forth to a psychologist. She asked if reflexology treatments could help her. I explained the benefits of balancing the body's systems and how reflexology can reduce stress and induce deep relaxation. She booked her first treatment for two days hence.

1st Session

M arrived very tense and anxious for her first session. She said it was very difficult walking through the door of the clinic. We discussed what would happen in this session - that I would be working the meridian pathways and each of the reflexes for the major organs of the body. I asked her what she wanted to achieve from the treatment. Her answer "to feel like a whole person again, not like two people in one body as I feel now." "Wow!" I thought, "this is going to be a challenge." We proceeded taking her medical history and other than her nervous breakdown she had no other serious or minor illnesses. She had dermatitis of her hands and a little on her feet, and finger nails were bitten down to the quick. Her psychologist attributed her breakdown to the death of a close relative, which brought back memories of her father's death many years ago. We decided on a treatment plan of two sessions each week until M felt a difference in herself.

On examining her feet I found a circular area of dermatitis on the ball (R) foot plantar surface in the 4th zone; the toes cold, muscle tone and colour good. The treatment found tension in the chest/lung/heart region, & diaphragm reflex. Tender reflexes (R) thoracic spine, (L) lumbar spine, breast reflexes dorsal surface. Meridians showed congestion St (R); GB (L); M's foot tensed up many times during this first treatment and relaxation movements helped a little. Her eyes were closed during the session and her jaw and mouth were held tight. I finished the session with lymphatic drainage and solar plexus hold.

At the end of session M reported that during the session she felt a release on her left side and pointed to her descending colon area.

2nd Session

M reported that she felt very angry and had not stopped crying for the last two days. She felt this was good for her. However, she was very anxious about this session. First I worked the toes - meridian pathways. Liv; GB (L & R); K/Bl (L & R) ; St (L) were all extremely sensitive. I started with a light touch working the whole foot - which was still tensing up, and her face and jaw looked tense. As I worked I began using techniques as Chris Stormer recommends - visualising colour for each organ as I worked the area. Pituitary and adrenal reflexes were extremely sensitive. I finished the session with lymphatic drainage and solar plexus hold.

M reported feeling light around the stomach region and (R) side colon area, but was still tight above the waist, and pointed to her chest, throat and jaw.

3rd Session

M was dreaming a lot each night. She still felt very angry, and as if she had a tight elastic band around chest and throat. She could not relax her jaw and thought she was grinding her teeth at night. I started the session with relaxation techniques and noted her feet did not seem as tense. However all meridians on (L) foot were sensitive, and only Liv and GB on (R) foot. During the session I worked the lungs, heart, breast reflexes well. The diaphragm area was very tense - diaphragm lift helped. I worked the 1st joint of the big toe well to assist the jaw to release. I finished this session with the Brazilian Toe Hold (BTH) technique.

M reported feeling much more relaxed during this session until near the end of the session when she became very anxious. I concluded that the BTH had been confronting to her so we had a long discussion at the end of that session and she was feeling calmer when she left the clinic.

4th Session

M said she felt lighter, not as depressed, and coping a lot better - hadn't felt this good for ages. There had only had been one crying period since the last session. I worked the meridian pathways well at start of session. (R) foot toes were all sensitive; (L) no sensitivity at all. I did a full work out on the feet with extra attention to lungs, heart, breast and jaw reflexes, and an extra deep workout on liver & spleen reflexes. (R) foot tensed up during treatment and I observed the mouth/ jaw did not look as tense or locked up as with previous sessions. I finished with lymphatic drainage and solar plexus hold.

M reported that she felt a little lighter in the chest region - there were still elastic bands there but not as many. My own observation at this point was that the tension was being held in the right side of her body and it was more difficult to move this tension/ energy.

5th Session

M reported having some good days and some bad days, although she felt calmer. She had been looking forward to this session and wanted to try the Brazilian Toe Hold again at the end of the session. I work the meridian pathways well with all points sensitive on (R) foot, and only Liv. on (L) foot. I felt tension in the liver reflex during the session and worked it deeply with strong pressure. I did a full work out all systems and once again worked heart, lungs, breast and jaw reflexes. Also more polarity was introduced into this session - working the spine, sacral spine to shoulders, cervical spine to shoulders. The aim was to get the energy coming up the body and across the body to release some of the tension. I finished with the Brazilian Toe Hold much to the delight of M, who was very relaxed during the session and also at the end of the session.

M reported that she felt like she had been through a light show as she had visualised all the colours of the rainbow and was amazed that she was so at ease.

6th Session

Now three weeks since M first came into my clinic, the change in her was very noticeable. She had a sparkle in her voice for the first time, and she looked relaxed. M felt like a lot of pressure had been taken off her chest - no more elastic bands - but her jaw was still very tight. Her anxiety levels had reduced dramatically and she said she may even go shopping with her husband first time in a year. I worked the meridian pathways well, and these showed a change had occurred - St, GB, and K/Bl sensitive on (R) foot; St sensitive on (L) foot . Extra attention was given to the jaw reflexes, with gentle to medium pressure on all other systems. I finished with lymphatic drainage and solar plexus hold.

M reported that she almost fell asleep during the session and her jaw did not feel tense now at all.

7th Session

M injured her back at work and had pain her thoracic region. She had had a headache for three days since the injury. M intended to see a physiotherapist for treatment as required by Work Cover. I worked the meridian pathways well - Liv (L & R) and St (L) sensitive. Bladder reflexes puffy, medial ankles (kidney meridian) and lateral ankles (bladder meridian) were extremely tender. Lower thoracic spine reflexes needed sedating to assist back pain. (Ear Spinal Reflexes were worked as well.) All systems were worked with extra attention to lungs, liver and colon - for emotional issues. I used polarity on the spine - session finished with Brazilian Toe Hold.

8th Session

M had two weeks off work to recover from her back injury. She continued with physiotherapy as required and wanted to continue working with reflexology. She said she was surprised that she was coping so well, particularly with her injury. Her jaw region still felt tight and I suggested that Bach Flower Remedies may help. The session begins with meridians being worked well. GB, K/Bl on (R) foot and St, K/Bl on (L) foot were extremely sensitive. The Stomach meridian had been coming up throughout all of the sessions and I contributed this to the jaw tension. The thoracic spine reflex was extremely tender andwais sedated. I worked all spinal reflexes well, including all supporting muscle reflexes, and muscular regions of the back. I worked all systems well especially digestive organs: stomach, liver, spleen and pancreas. Liver reflexes were holding tension. I finished with lymphatic drainage and solar plexus hold.

M felt a little tense at end of the session and attributed that to her back. She chose some Bach Flower Remedies and we discussed them together. A remedy bottle was made for her and we decided that she should reappoint for a weeks time, as she is seeing the physiotherapist every other day.

9th Session

M reported that her teeth had been aching and that the Bach Flowers were moving some emotions for she had been very teary again. She felt she must keep working through the pain - and we decided to continue with the polarity and finish with the Brazilian Toe Hold. Meridian pathways were worked well: GB, K/Bl (R) foot and St (L) foot showed sensitivity. Head zones, teeth and jaw were worked well, and lungs and colon for release of emotional issues. The ball of (L) foot was very red around the heart reflexes during and at the end of the session. Brazilian Toe Hold brought up some emotions and tears were released.

M felt very calm at the end of the session - the tears were like a release. However, she said, "my jaw is tensing up again".

10th Session

Dermatitis had flared up again on (L) foot. It had subsided after the third session and M thought it had gone. Her teeth were still tense. Her nails were still growing and she had not bitten them since starting the sessions. M said this was wonderful progress for her and she was very proud of her nails - they were painted with blue nail polish. I worked through meridian pathways well: Liv (R) foot and GB (L & R) were sensitive. I did a full work out on all systems during this session and extra work on all spinal reflexes to assist the back to recover and for her nervous system. I did polarity on spine, spine+cervical spine, shoulders. I worked adrenals, lungs and colon for dermatitis, and jaw and teeth reflexes for the tension felt in the area. I finished session with lymphatic drainage and solar plexus hold.

Conclusion

M's response to the 10 treatment sessions was very positive. During this time M was able to go to work without feeling stressed prior to each of her shifts in a busy local hospital. She had been shopping with her husband for the first time in twelve months and she did not have an anxiety attack. She is not crying every second day and in her own words "I can't believe that after such a short time 1 am coping so well, 1 have not felt this good for months." Each treatment session with M has been a learning experience for me in many ways. I have learnt that:

(1) It is of paramount importance to treat the client as an individual.
(2) We should listen prior to each session to what is happening at that time.
(3) We should work to assist each problem.
(4) We should allow the body to show through the reflexes of each foot where the tension is being held today.
(5) We should work wholistically.
(6) Working with other forms of treatment is OK, eg. Bach Flower remedies, herbal remedies, massage, homoeopathy etc.
(7) We should understand that reflexology does not have all the answers and sometimes clients & move on to another modality.

I am constantly surprised by the results shown with reflexology, and my experience with M has reminded me how powerful the treatment session can be. M has decided that she is going to try another modality to help her to go further with her treatment. I believe reflexology has also assisted her in making this decision by allowing her to feel that she has a little more control over her emotions. She is listening to her own body and assessing its needs.

( Cherel Sue Waters has been practising reflexology since July 1997. She works at a Clinic in Umina on the Central Coast - NSW. She is an Officer of the NSW branch and is fully committed to furthering her knowledge of reflexology and the promotion of reflexology in the community.)