I have always been interested in health promotion and wellness, and I felt massage had so many physical and psychological benefits to offer. Massage also appealed to me because it is a modality that can be adapted to almost everyone!

I completed my Diploma in Therapeutic Massage at the Canterbury College of Natural Medicine. I have also completed many workshops that allow me to tailor my treatments to individual needs; these include Ka Huna massage (Hawaiian), Reiki I & II, Indian Head massage and Holistic Pulsing. I am also currently part way though a Certificate in Advanced Sports massage which focus’s on treating common sporting injuries.

I enjoy dealing with general wellness promotion, stress reduction, enhancing relaxation, reducing chronic pain complaints and specific treatment of problematic muscles.  I enjoy working closely with people to ensure that their goals are achieved.

I believe the human body has a natural ability to heal itself; this has led to a strong interest in the relationship between our mental/emotional state and our physical well being.   I am passionate about working with people to help them achieve maximum wellness and enjoyment of life.

When you press your thumb deeply into tissue, using acupressure, there is a sense of connecting, one person to another. With this link established, the Qi (pronounced “chi”) flows. Qi energizes, stimulates and transforms. When acupressure techniques are combined with knowledge of Chinese Medicine, the science and the art, it is possible to influence the entire body and its ability to heal.

What is Acupressure?

Acupressure is a form of physical manipulation that uses the fingers/thumbs to apply pressure to traditional acupuncture points. As well as being used within a massage session, you can teach clients to use it at home. It can correct internal organ malfunctioning, stimulate blood circulation and release muscle tension. It can also help to relieve acute pain, manage chronic conditions and is excellent for promoting and maintaining general health.

The Nei Jing (one of the earliest Traditional Chinese Medicine texts) states that 5,000 years ago, the Chinese discovered that pressing certain points on the body relieved localised pain as well as benefiting other more remote areas of the body.^[1] Soldiers reported that, surprisingly, symptoms of disease were alleviated where stones and arrows had struck or pierced particular parts of the body. As a result, Chinese physicians learned to strike or pierce certain points on the body to alleviate specific illnesses.^[2]

Acupressure may also have developed quite intuitively, through the treating of injuries incurred through labour. In the age of hunter gatherers, injuries such as fractures, contusions and strains were common. When these occurred, people would instinctively apply pressure to stop bleeding and rub afflicted areas to reduce swelling and alleviate pain. Gradually, as understanding of these techniques increased, people synthesised some primitive acupressure methods, which later helped to inform the acupressure techniques used today.^[3]

How does Acupressure work?

The principle behind the use of Acupressure treatment is to increase the circulation and functioning of Qi[4] through the meridians that connect internal and external functions of the body. “Meridians/Channels are an invisible network linking vital substances to organs and carrying nourishment and strength. Meridians/Channels unify all parts of the body which is essential to remaining in a harmonious balance.”^[5]

Once you have assessed which meridians are causing symptoms of pain or dis-ease, you can choose the most appropriate acupressure points. When an acupressure point is manipulated, it activates the associated channel / meridian, allowing qi to flow freely through it. This assists the muscles to relax, balances the meridian, and harmonises the internal organs. This process of nurturing and balancing links the inner and outer aspects of the body, supporting overall health and healing.

Massage styles and Acupressure

Acupressure relates to and can compliment several different styles of Massage. Chinese massage or Tuina (Chinese for “pushing and pulling”), which places emphasis on soft-tissue manipulation and structural realignment, also incorporates acupressure into techniques. Shiatsu, by contrast, is actually a Japanese form of acupressure. Its literal translation is finger (shi) pressure (atsu). Pressure is applied with hands, thumbs, fingers, elbows, knees and feet, depending on the style of Shiatsu practiced. It can consist of simple manipulations and pressure applied to acupuncture meridians and points.[6]

A common question is the relationship between acupressure points and trigger points; palpable nodules in taut bands of muscle fibres. Compression of a trigger point may elicit local tenderness, referred pain, or a local twitch response[7]. While acupressure points can, at times, correspond to trigger points, there is an important difference between the two. Manipulating a trigger point releases tension in the affected muscle and the structures directly surrounding it. In contrast, stimulating acupressure points means working with an awareness of the whole channel in the body, not just the portion of it where the symptom is localised. This means supporting and energising all of the channel’s functional connections, both inner and outer.

When can Acupressure be used?

There are two ways acupressure can be most useful for the massage therapist.  One is addressing common ailments seen in the clinic, such as tiredness, insomnia, sinus problems, headaches and stress related symptoms, to name just a few. When dealing with these, treatment may incorporate not only points related to meridian theory, but also specific locations around the body known as ‘empirical’ points. These are key acupressure points that are highly regarded for their functional effect on such ailments.

Another useful application of acupressure for massage therapists is to treat musculo-skeletal problems, with a focus on meridian theory. Where is the problem and which meridians traverse the affected area? Through stimulating points on the related channel, above and below the ailment and/or locally, a functional effect can occur. The stimulation of these points encourages qi flow in the meridian and assists in reducing pain by moving the qi through the affected area.

Clinical study confirms benefits of Acupressure

A recent study published in the British Medical Journal has shown that Acupressure is effective for treating back pain in terms of reducing disability and pain scores and increasing functional status. The study, which compared Acupressure and Physical Therapy[8], showed that overall Acupressure was more effective in these areas both immediately after the treatments and at the 6 month follow up. [9]

In my personal practice I have had some great successes using acupressure. In one case, a 40 year old female client presented with chronic headaches which she had been experiencing for 10 years.  During six massage sessions over a 4-5 month period, I incorporated acupressure into my treatments, using both meridian theory and empirical points with excellent functional effects. The client experienced a great reduction in her pain levels (from 9/10 to2/10), with the result that she needed less medication to treat her symptoms.  She also reported a marked increase in her ability to function effectively at work.

There is huge potential for the use of acupressure clinically with its clearly defined framework of Chinese Medicine and intuitive approach during palpation; the science and the art. These two are like night and day, one filled with reason, the other intuition. Together there is a whole approach, a balance, harmony and therefore, health.

Chang, Dr Steven Thomas, ‘The Complete Book of Acupuncture’, Berkley Celestial Arts, 1976

Li, Bin, (Tuina Practitioner/Teacher), Chinese Tuina/Massage Notes, CCHH, 2005

Tukapua, Cameron, Form and Movement Notes, CCHH 2005

‘Huang-di Nei Jing Su-wen’(Inner Classic of the Yellow Emperor), Beijing, People’s Press, 1963

Shiatsu Therapy Association of British Columbia  -www.shiatsutherapy.ca

Travell, Janet; Simons, David; Simons, Lois (1999). Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual (2 vol. set, 2nd Ed.). USA: Lippincott Williams & Williams.

Tony Hsiu-His Chen Treatment of low back pain by acupressure and physical therapy; randomized controlled trial, February 17 2006, British Medical Journal 2006;332 (25 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7543.0

Veith, Ilza (translation), “The Yellow Emperor Classic of Internal Medicine’, Berkley, University California Press, 1949

As I write this, I have Maja (17 days old) sitting on my lap. Her mother had a homebirth in Wanaka and I had planned to be at the birth, yet Maja decided to arrive 2 weeks early…the beauty of letting life take its own course…

Acupuncture and Massage Therapy are great additions to any woman’s experience; from fertility, to pregnancy, the childbirth itself and then post-natal care.
Chinese medicine has been well designed to create balance, physically, mentally and emotionally. Relationships strengthen, bodies change shape, a deeper sense of home is created and careers make room during the transformational period surrounding childbirth. Embarking on this journey to nourish a child means that supporting oneself is well worth cultivating.

How does Acupuncture work?

Every phenomenon in the Universe is a manifestation of Qi originating from the Tao (Oneness). The character for Qi is ’cooking rice’. It can be as immaterial as vapour and as dense/material as rice. This is how Acupuncture, which influences the Qi, can treat simultaneously on a physical and mental/spiritual level.

Qi energizes, stimulates and transforms. The principle behind the use of Acupuncture is to increase the circulation and functioning of Qi through the meridians that connect the body both inside and out. “Meridians/Channels are an invisible network linking vital substances to organs and carrying nourishment and strength. Meridians/Channels unify all parts of the body which is essential to remaining in a harmonious balance.”
Treatment
In your first Acupuncture treatment you will be asked about all aspects of your life, including your present and past well being, in order to develop a clear picture of your overall health. This assists with diagnosis and treatment and helps the practitioner to make appropriate lifestyle and dietary recommendations. Treatment may include acupuncture, moxibustion (herbal heat treatment), massage or tuning forks (sound healing).

It is important to note that while a woman is pregnant it is not necessary for needles to be inserted on the abdomen. Points away from the belly can be stimulated since the Qi moves through the meridians/channels to treat the local area.

How can Chinese Medicine help me conceive?

We can begin to look after ourselves before conception, to ensure the health of the baby. Acupuncture is useful to regulate and harmonise the menses which makes conception easier. The body can get into a clear rhythm ensuring the release of a healthy egg. Chinese medicine can support internal organ functions, stimulate blood circulation, release muscle tension and is excellent for promoting and maintaining general health.

How can Chinese Medicine help me during pregnancy?
Acupuncture offers women drug-free pain relief which can be a useful preventative treatment before medical intervention. It can assist with many discomforts that are often considered normal in pregnancy; morning sickness (nausea), urinary tract infections, fatigue, oedema, constipation, and musculoskeletal problems to name a few.

Due to the body changing shape, support for the tendons and ligaments can be particularly useful. Massage can help by stimulating blood circulation and relaxing the muscles and tendons, which assists the body to adjust to the physical changes of pregnancy. Back pain, hip pain, pubic symphysis discomfort can all be well supported with massage and acupuncture.

Pre-birth Acupuncture from week 37-39 is a safe and effective treatment to promote natural labour. It involves certain points that assist with dilating the cervix, relaxing the ligaments, and promote the descending of the head. Also at this time, the practitioner can include points to treat other ailments. Research has demonstrated that the mean duration of labour in a group of women giving birth for the first time was reduced from 8 hours and 2 minutes to 6 hours and 36 minutes in the group of women that received pre-birth acupuncture. Midwives have reported a reduced rate of medical interventions with the use of pre-birth-acupuncture.

Using the heat treatment, moxabustion, is an effective way to change the position of the baby when there is a posterior or breech presentation. This can be self administered by the mother with guidance from their acupuncturist. An Italian study showed that 75.4% of babies in the moxabustion group turned compared to 47.7% in the control group.

How can Chinese medicine help me after birth?
Post-birth, women in China would traditionally stay home for a month. In our society this may be considered a long time, yet the less that is done actively at this time then more energy is able to go into restoring the body while caring for the newborn child. Rest is important.
Directly after birth the partner or a support person can massage down the mother’s chest to the abdomen, breathe in on the down stroke, remove the hand and breathe out. This helps to release any blood that may become stuck . Also, in the first week,

it can be helpful to gently massage the feet, every night before sleeping. This descends the Qi which can also help release any old blood in the uterus. On the 4-5th day after birth ‘mother warming’ can be used to tonify after birth. This is using moxabustion on the abdomen to energise and aid post-birth recovery. This can be guided by your acupuncturist and is best not to be used if the mother has a fever or has been feeling hot at night. It can be done in the comfort of the mother’s own home by her partner or support person.
Support for regaining strength, haemorrhoids, constipation, bleeding, abdominal pain, post-natal depression, and breast feeding is all available with Chinese medicine.

As women we are so beautiful, so resourceful and so full of creativity. I watch my friend with her first baby and hear her saying how amazed she is that her body knows what to do so naturally. Being here to cook for her, hold Maja so she can sleep, massage her neck and shoulders after breast feeding and treat her fever is a joy. A deeper sense of love and care emanates giving me the drive to share the knowledge of these tools with women in all stages of their journey.

Arohanui

References:

My counselling training is in Gestalt psychotherapy, which has a strong emphasis on being alert in the here-and-now and developing greater awareness of how our current thoughts, feelings and actions might be contributing to our present situation.  I believe that healthy thinking leads to feelings of wellbeing, calmness and satisfaction with life.  For this reason I encourage clients to take a non-judgemental interest in the habits of their mind and to learn new ways to engage the power of the mind and heart for their benefit.

Before coming to counselling I worked in a variety of occupations, many of which have involved supporting people.  I initially trained as a speech-language therapist and loved working with children on a one-to-one basis where I got to see the best of each child, even though they might be struggling with communicating.  I moved on to work with adults in the hospital system and again found it a privilege to work alongside people as they recovered from, or coped with, illnesses and accidents.

Subsequently I became interested in the housing conditions of people on low incomes and how this impacts on their health and wellbeing.  I joined a team setting up subsidized home insulation and found satisfaction in contributing to the warm and healthy homes programme.

I eventually returned to individual one-on-one counselling.  I love the challenge of meeting people, sharing dreams and hopes, triumphs and disappointments, achievements, struggles and the ultimate satisfaction of coming to accept and be true to ourselves in all the varieties of ways we come as human beings.

Christchurch is my home – the hills, plains and coasts of Canterbury continue to be a source of enjoyment and nourishment for me.  I was born here and Christchurch remains my family base.  Though I have lived in Ohakune, London, Timaru, Ashburton, the Solomon Islands and Fiji, this is where my heart is and where I always return.

Abbie Peters - Massage Therapist

I have grown up and studied in Christchurch, achieving a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and Classics, and living in various beautiful locations around the South Island. I then embarked on the kiwi adventure of travelling and living overseas for many years,  pursuing my passion for snowboarding in the French Alps.

This experience sparked my interest in massage and the natural therapies, drawing me back ‘home’ to Christchurch to begin my training in the field of bodywork and rehabilitation.

Having completed my Diploma in Massage Therapy at the Canterbury College of Natural Medicine, I am now a registered remedial massage therapist (RMT) with Massage New Zealand.

experience

I have worked with a wide variety of clients from sports people, pregnant woman, OOS sufferers, those with chronic conditions, the elderly, and those looking for stress relief and relaxation.

I am passionate about people and enjoy designing an effective customised massage treatment to address the individual needs of my clients - helping relax, rejuvenate and realign.

David is passionate about learning and relationships. He is interested in supporting to discover their own knowing and resources. David has also worked as a lecturer, thinking coach, trainer, and researcher. He is influenced by person-centred, psychodramatic, and mindfulness approaches to therapy.

I grew up in Te Wai Pounamu (South Island /New Zealand) in both Oamaru and Dunedin and am a New Zealand and Canadian Citizen.

I have studied in Wellington and Christchurch and spent a good few years travelling and living overseas. Travelling and exploring sparked an interest in the healing arts, leading on to many years study.

I love to sing, especially songs I create in the moment.
I enjoy running, tramping, yoga and more recently have begun learning how to surf.

I love people ; I love music ; I love learning

I love being with people and my intention is always to treat the whole person. The therapeutic relationship is about team work. We will work together for the desired outcome.

I am committed to working with what you want to achieve from the sessions; always with your interests at heart.

I studied Acupuncture through a training programme that taught both a spirit-orientated approach to diagnosis and treatment (5 Element) and a disease-orientated approach to diagnosis and treatment (TCM). I use both approaches in my work.

Experience
Qualifications:
• NDA (National Diploma of Acupuncture)
• Diploma of Acupuncture (NZCCM)
• Acupuncture Award (CCHH)
• Registered Acupuncturist (NZRA)
• ACC Accredited
• Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practitioner Certification

In my Acupuncture treatments I have been specializing in musculo-skeletal ailments and women’s health. The former including acute and chronic injuries involving all joints, especially back and neck. The latter has including fertility treatment, pregnancy ailments and birth preparation and regulating the cycle.

I have been practicing Therapeutic Massage for the last 10 years and am a registered therapist (MNZ) with a Diploma in Body Therapies(Massage Therapy and Neuromuscular Therapy). I love massage and the benefits it has, it continues to amaze me.

I have been Teaching at the New Zealand College of Chinese Medicine since 2006 in Point Location, Musculo-skeletal assessment, Chinese Medicine Theory and as a clinical supervisor in the student clinic.

I am continued with professional education in Chinese Herbal Medicine, Women’s Health (Fertility, Pregnancy) and Musculo-skeletal conditions.

I have been the Canterbury Representative for MNZ (Massage New Zealand) from 2005-2008. I regularly hold
local meetings with members, organize guest speakers, speak to students at the local massage school, liaison
between the association and its members and am involved with peer support.

I have shared my knowledge of the connection between Massage and Acupuncture through teaching Acupressure for Massage Therapists at seminars in NZ and Australia. These have been held at annual MNZ and AAMT Conferences. What the participants had to say about it: ‘Delivery of lecture was great’, ‘excellent’, ‘very well taught, explained and demonstrated’. In June 2007 I presented at the Australian Annual Massage Conference in Melbourne also teaching Acupressure techniques for Massage Therapists.

teaching | presentations
Each time I have the opportunity to teach, it feels natural for me. Teaching is something that I am predisposed for, through my own genuine love of it and the fact that I have grown up surrounded by teachers, with both of my parents being teachers, and all of their friends!

Being involved in the education sector of my profession is important not only for my own personal development, but also for the development of the industry. I see education as a means of expansion, exploration and creativity.