About me
I help relieve and empower adults who want to feel better, gain resilience and stay well.
My work is rewarding, especially when clients with chronic problems or in need of relief feel comfortable and relaxed in my care. Advanced remedial massage and sports massage help clients relax, while an open dialogue about the physical problem and history helps clients feel comfortable (as do my professional qualifications and experience).
Some clients come to me for my classes alone, learning ancient movements that teach students how to relax, improve their body and deepen their awareness. The process helps many students work through chronic ailments and promotes a resilient wellbeing. I am honoured to be entrusted with passing down the over 1800 year-old skills of Dayan Qigong and Chun Yuen Shaolin Kung Fu in these weekly classes.
I live for the moments when a client expresses surprise about feeling less pain, especially when they arrived reporting pain levels of 8/10 - 10 being the worst. Clients often feel surprised that sports massage can help. However for some, massage is not the solution. Some clients need more advanced clinic techniques while others pursue a long term approach - regular attendance of my weekly classes and practicing at home.
Some of the most enjoyable moments for me are surprising moments for clients; they often happen during class or remedial exercise clinic work - clients discover how to get out of pain or reduce it significantly, naturally and on their own. Empowered, they feel less dependent on pain medication or costly treatments for managing the day-to-day.
Clients may go on to attend my weekly exercises classes so that they don’t fall back into bad habits and related pain levels. I enjoy a long-term, therapeutic alliance with these clients. It gives them a chance to check in with me about day to day niggles, and for me to raise their awareness about changes in their movement or setbacks before they get worse.
I have a particular interest and experience with helping those with chronic conditions, particularly joint hypermobility (EDS), fibromyalgia and more.
More about my career journey
I am CNHC registered, ISRM LVL 5 soft tissue therapist, Premier-trained LVL 4 specialist exercise referral personal trainer and a traditionally authorised Qigong and Chun Yuen (Shaolin Kung Fu) instructor. I also have a specialism in exercise and lifestyle strategies for managing chronic back pain which does not need medical intervention.
In the 1990’s I left an investment banking job on Wall Street to help a start up equity investment fund and its corporate social responsible investing. I left the rat race, not wanting to be trapped in a way of living that didn’t feel authentic to me. After managing a large equity fund and designing ways to reinvest profits to help poor communities, I relocated to the UK in 2003. I moved for love and a did a post-grad degree. My husband and I take diving holidays in warm places. I enjoy daily meditation and working in my asian-inspired garden.
My career journey altered paths when I put it on hold to meet a health challenge - so I understand how critical:
- physical health
- lifestyle habits
- client experiences when seeking help; and
- motivational, available, safe and effective professional services...
...are in determining quality of life. I underpinned my experience overcoming personal health challenges with qualifications in order to help those who started seeking my advice as they saw my health improve and thrive. My practice has grown from referrals made by past clients, healthcare professionals, Tse Qigong Centre members and others.
More about my health journey
After two years of remedial rehabilitation at home I started training for a triathlon with just one minute walking, one minute indoor cycling and one length of a 15 m pool, but to be honest I couldn't swim those 15 m initially.
The same year, I started training in Qigong, pronounced chee gong and also spelled as Chi Kung or similar derivatives. This traditional Chinese art stems from similar roots of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) over 1800 years ago. Qigong consists of gentle, dynamic movements that promote good health starting with relaxation, posture and natural breathing. Practitioners stimulate their own acupuncture points channels actively through movement and meditation under the guidance of a qualified teacher ‘Sifu’. It is not a martial (fighting) art and was accessible for me even in a weakened state. Qigong is for health. Western medicine has begun to evidence its benefits for promoting and maintaining physical health.
A few years later with triathlons completed and qualifying as a Traditional Chinese Qigong and Shaolin Kung Fu Instructor, among other mindbody-related professional Western qualifications, I am living a fun and rewarding quality of life previously thought impossible.
As I recovered, others began asking me for advice or referring others to me for help. I realised I had developed a new expertise and way of serving others. My approach to qualified services preserves and honours the traditional Chinese skill in Qigong whilst working within the safe and effective, professional approach we are familiar with in the west for exercise rehabilitation and soft tissue therapy. I find the most effective techniques often are similar western and Chinese methods - they just came to similar conclusions via differing paths.
Persistence, belief, self growth + kindness, knowledgeable instruction and effective professional treatment at critical times were key to my health recovery. I would like to help you Find Your Way to a better quality of life through helping you improve your physical wellbeing.
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