by Katrina Ffiske.

During these Winter months it is important to look after ourselves, eat well and take exercise.
Even with dry January and healthy eating, I still felt very tired and seemed to be having regular headaches.
A friend suggested I have some reflexology as it had helped her when she suffered from fatigue.
How can someone touching pressure points on my feet possibly help? There was only one way to find out – I made an appointment with Harriet Coombes at Reflexology Salisbury.

Harriet has a practice room in the beautiful village of Compton Chamberlayne, 15 minutes from Salisbury. The room is light, warm and welcoming. Harriet takes notes on my health and concerns.
Feeling like a novice, I ask for a simple explanation of how reflexology works. Harriet tells me that: “There are reflex points on the feet that are linked to every part of the body.”
She shows me a clear diagram of all the points on the feet and where each point is linked to.
“By putting pressure on these areas, it is possible to alleviate pain and stress. Daily stressors can resonate through the body creating headaches, pain and general fatigue. Reflexology encourages the body to function properly.”
Reflexology is not something that can be picked up overnight. I am reassured to hear that Harriet trained in 2007 and has been practising in Salisbury and London ever since. She also gives lectures and talks on the benefits of this treatment.
The curtains are closed, music turned on, shoes and socks taken off and I lie back in a comfortable reclining chair.
Harriet begins by pressing firmly on the soles of each foot. For someone who hates having their feet touched I actually find the next 40 minutes both relaxing and surprising.
Surprising, because as Harriet works on the head reflex on my foot it is initially slightly painful, but slowly I feel a release of pressure and eventually feel calm and relaxed with a warmth engulfing me.
How amazing that a small press on the foot can resonate throughout the body.
At the end I ask if Harriet can help if someone has genuine pain? “I always check that my clients have had a proper investigation with a medical practitioner,” Harriet says. “For example, a client had consistent pain in her lower back and came to see me alongside seeing a doctor. After a course of treatment her symptoms were relieved.”

Refloxology points on the feet, with the ‘head’ areas marked

Medical issues with each client are taken very seriously.
Over the next few days, I genuinely felt better: I slept well, had a clearer head and I definitely had more energy.
Since that first visit I now pay Harriet monthly visits to help keep on top of the daily stresses of life.
Harriet also has specialist training in women’s health, supporting them through cycle difficulties, fertility issues and the lows of menopause. www.reflexologysalisbury.com