Facial Reflexology Sue Ehinger
Facial Reflexology is the brainchild of Lone Sorensen, evolving over the course of her 30 years experience as a complementary health therapist.
The face has fascinated Lone for reasons of its proximity to the brain. Early experimentation using foot reflexology and facial acupressure on children with special needs yielded such remarkable results that it started Lone on a quest to develop a healing therapy on the face that has earned her three honorary awards from the Argentinean office of the World Health Organization in 2001.
Facial Reflexology is a marriage of several healing systems: the oriental meridians, acupuncture points, South American facial maps and clinical neurology. Utilizing these systems on the face also addresses four of our five senses: smell, hearing, sight, and touch.
Lone began her study of reflexology in Denmark in 1978 where she was amongst the first to study the discipline. She also studied acupuncture and laser therapy then ran a clinic and school in Denmark for about ten years. She was always very interested in facial acupressure points because of the success of her work with children with hyperactivity and learning difficulties. With them, she used a combination of 16 facial pressure points and reflexology on the feet. She also felt disappointed with the lack of results from foot and hand reflexology when trying to treat certain conditions. She found that working on the face gave results more quickly. Lone believes that facial reflexology is so effective because it works in such close proximity to the brain and central nervous system.
Lone moved to Argentina, to find that reflexology was completely unknown there. She began to practice and teach reflexology and zone therapy on the feet, hands and face. While visiting a town called Cophau in the mountains between Argentina and Chile, she noticed American Indian women practicing a form of facial zone therapy. It was from these women that she learned the facial reflexology technique which she now uses as a diagnostic tool. Lone remained in Argentina for twelve and a half years during which time she founded three reflexology schools.
During further travels in Cuba, Lone learned a system using 564 nerve points and 31 acupressure points in the face, which she combined with the technique learned in Cophau. She also met Dr Chun, a Vietnamese doctor, who worked with the oriental system of charting the face to reflect body organs and systems. She then incorporated his methods and experience into her treatments.
Following her research Lone began to work with the Dr Phillipe Pinel Institute in Buenos Aires, developing new therapies for brain-damaged children. With a system called Stimulation Temprana (early stimulation) Lone has achieved excellent results. She never claims to be able to cure, but she has been able to help patients who were unable to walk, talk or eat to gain or regain these faculties - thus greatly improving their quality of life.
She has also helped coma patients, and people suffering with such conditions as Multiple Sclerosis, Downs Syndrome, and Motor Neuron Disease; the more serious the disease or condition, the more intense the treatment.
Her current method of facial reflexology and face mapping has been developed over twenty-three years of work with clients. It combines the following techniques to provide an holistic and comprehensive treatment:
1. Acupressure to stimulate nerve endings, the meridians, the blood circulation and lymphatic drainage.
2. American Indian Zone Therapy to stimulate the nervous system and identify any blockages or irregularities within the body systems.
3. Vietnamese Traditional Medicine to stimulate the general release of tension in facial reflexes and the clearing of any blockages within corresponding vital body organs.
4. The Vietnamese System to stimulate:
a) the brain cortex to improve movement in the physical limbs
b) the brain cortex to improve the function of the senses
c) the brain cortex to relieve pain, and to improve pain control
d) the brain cortex to improve the general psychological state
5. The map of the muscles, tendons, joints and spinal chord are stimulated through using the zonal map of the physical body.
6. Facial acupressure points to stimulate lymphatic drainage.
7. Balancing the psychological “Body”.
The basic treatment procedure comprises these seven basic steps as well as up to six additional protocols which are used to tailor an individual treatment session for the client’s health requirements. A treatment begins with rotation work on thirty-five facial points, each of which fulfills three criteria: they are an acupuncture point, important blood circulation area and also rich in nerve endings.
There then follows an assessment of the entire surface of the face (except the eye lids) for deposits within the deeper dermis layer of the skin. A slow, deep massaging movement explores facial body maps, (based on those used in the Andes by a nomadic tribe called Mapuches). These maps are aligned with neurologically rich areas of the face that also connect with the various systems of the body. A five-scale grading system is used to assess the worst of the deposits and the area concerned dictates the focus of the rest of a treatment session.
Lone categorizes these deposits as follows:
1st Grade: "Sand"-like grit in facial zone - not serious indicates usual tension in body system or along relevant meridian.
2nd Grade: "Rice"-like grit in facial zone - indicates considerable tension in body system or along relevant meridian and should not be allowed to get worse.
3rd Grade: Swelling or tenderness in facial zone indicates a problem in the corresponding body zone or meridian.
4th Grade: "Pearl"-like lump in facial zone - indicates potentially serious health problem in the corresponding body system or along relevant meridian.
5th Grade: "Stone"-like lump in facial zone - indicates serious health problem in the corresponding body system or along relevant meridian.
Stimulation follows, using three oriental facial maps that address the nervous system and physical body culminating in the seventh and last stage of the treatment – a delicious harmonizing face massage that unites the mental, physical and emotional aspects. Additional procedures include the use of cranial lines, acu-points, hormonal balancing, a choice of 564 facial nerve points and muscle stimulation.
At the same time, a stimulation of the neuro-biological system and the central nervous system is performed by pressing specific points along meridians, and on zones stimulating the blood flow. As a primary effect a deep relaxation is produced, and at the same time a relaxation is achieved in the muscular system, as well as in the nervous system.
At the European Reflexology conference in Ireland last year, I was privileged to hear Lone present a talk on Facial Reflexology and also to attend a mini workshop given by her partner, Marcel where he demonstrated Lone’s techniques. It was fascinating. Subsequently I invited Lone to teach in Australia and a group of reflexologists have just completed a 5 day course with her. What an experience – this work is extremely powerful as the following case from one of the attendees shows:
‘Today I was introduced to a man in a wheelchair and the first thing I noticed was how clenched and turned his right hand was. I asked him if he could open his clenched hand at all. He showed me in a most awkward way and he seemed to have to strain to do so. I then asked permission to touch the side of his face and worked on the right temple area which he loved, and whilst doing so we noticed his right hand was slowly softening and partially opening. I then worked the forehead arm zone. After only few minutes, his hand seemed even more open and when I asked him to open the fingers - amazingly, he was able to open the hand without having to move his shoulder up towards his ear and throw his arm out sideways as he had done the first couple of times. He himself noticed the ease of movement. I too couldn't believe the power of so little face work.
He was smiling and laughing. He had had meningitis as a young boy and has been in a chair since.’
For more information about Facial Reflexology in Australia contact Sue Ehinger at the Australian School of Reflexology on 02 4976 3881 or go to www.reflexologyaustralia.com
Sue Ehinger, (MRRA, MATMS Dip. Reflex., Dip. Nutr.) has been practising reflexology since 1985. Sue completed her initial training in Switzerland followed by studies with the International Institute of Reflexology. She has studied Chinese methods of Reflexology in Beijing as a guest of the China Reflexology Association, as well as learning the Danish approach in Denmark. Sue is a founding member and past president of the Reflexology Association of Australia (NSW), and in 1996 was presented with the Eunice Ingham Award for her contribution to reflexology.
Her experience, which includes working in the medical field of radiography, has established her courses at the Australian School of Reflexology on strong professional foundations. Sue speaks regularly at Conferences around the world including at the International Council of Reflexologists conference in London, in Beijing and in New Zealand. She is passionate about seeing reflexology used by more health professionals and also encourages the use of basic reflexology techniques by family members at home to reduce or manage pain and other common symptoms. Her particular focus is postgraduate training for qualified reflexologists.
Sue practises reflexology and other related therapies from her clinics in Turramurra, Sydney and Nords Wharf, Lake Macquarie.