Mind, body and ‘chemins du bien-être’ – shiatsu in Grenoble
November 24th, 2009 | Published in Features, Interviews, Life & Culture | 3 Comments
Rebecca Skillman at work
Rebecca Skillman practices shiatsu from her home near Uriage and also in a well-being centre in Meylan. From the UK originally, she did her practitioner training in Bristol before moving to France at the end of 2004. Grenoble Life wanted to find out more.
Grenoble Life: What is shiatsu and what are the health benefits?
Rebecca Skillman: Shiatsu is a type of massage. It comes from Japan and literally means finger pressure. As well as fingers, I use my palms, elbows, knees – depending on what part of the body is being worked on. I may also include some stretches and other movements to free up the body and release the tensions that many of us develop.
Have a look at www.shiatsuinfo.org to see the range of health benefits (just about every condition can benefit since mind and body are so intricately linked). On the site there’s also a summary of recent research which shows that science is now backing up what practitioners have known for decades about the positive effects of shiatsu. But here in France it’s important not to shout too loudly about this as shiatsu is only recognised as l’art du bien-être – fine as far as it goes, but it can work at a much more profound level for those who want that.
GL: Where did you train and how long have you been practicing shiatsu in Grenoble?
Rebecca: I trained at the British School of Shiatsu, in the UK, between 2001 and 2004 and I’ve been practising in France since the beginning of 2005.
GL: Was it difficult to set up your business in Grenoble?
Rebecca: I am in an association, Chemins du Bien-être, and that works fine because I have a modest level of activity. Since I moved here the auto-entrepreneur statute – a new law aimed at helping small businesses register themselves legally and more simply – has been introduced and I may investigate this further.
GL: Describe a shiatsu session with you.
Rebecca: In an initial session I would spend 5–10 minutes getting to know what the client is hoping for from the session and whatever they want to tell me about what’s going on in their life. The more I understand this the better I can judge what type of session will give most benefit – each session is unique. I think I can safely guarantee that it will always be relaxing on a physical level. But, by putting the receiver in touch with their body, and all the emotions that are bound up with it, shiatsu can also support and release a range of emotional issues and help the person move forward in their life.
A typical treatment lasts 45–50 minutes and takes place on a futon mattress at floor level. The receiver is clothed and the style of touch is a gentle (or vigorous) pressure rather than the sweeping movements of, say, Californian massage. It can therefore suit people who prefer a more neutral and less intimate touch than with oil-based therapies.
GL: Is shiatsu well known in France, compared to in your native country?
Rebecca: Shiatsu is becoming increasingly well known in France. It is supported by professional bodies like the FFST, and if you are looking for a practitioner in any département you can start by looking on their website. Shiatsu is now sufficiently well recognised for mutuelles like Alptis to include it in the therapies they reimburse. That said, the relationship between the medical establishment and complementary therapies is not as developed as in, say, the UK. And shiatsu is not integrated into public healthcare to the same extent.
GL: What reaction have you had from your customers?
Rebecca: People sometimes say they feel lighter – or even that they felt like they had wings! And several have noticed an improved range of movement with muscular-skeletal imbalances. They often sleep better. And the effect can last days or even longer.
Some feedback from my clients:
« Celà a été vraiment très, très efficace, et que je n’hésiterai pas à en parler autour de moi. »
“I felt very good after the massage – positive and energised.”
« Je te remercie pour ce beau travail qui passe par tes mains, tes gestes, ta tête, ton accueil de ta personne et de ton intuition. Une invitation à ce que la vie et l’énergie trouvent un chemin pour circuler. »
“I just wanted to thank you again today for the Shiatsu – it really was a great session. My hips, etc. were really tight yesterday and now I feel great. In general, afterwards, I feel physically better than I have in a while.”
GL: How can we book a shiatsu session with you?
Rebecca: You can contact me by email (rebecca_wwng (at) yahoo.com) or phone (04 76 00 06 13).
November 25th, 2009 at 1:45 pm (#)
It’s great to see more information on complimentary healthcare.
I have also benefited from Rebecca’s shiatsu!
November 30th, 2009 at 12:10 am (#)
[...] Retrouvez cet article en anglais sur le site Grenoblelife.com. [...]
November 30th, 2009 at 6:59 pm (#)
[...] Mind, body and 'chemins du bien-être' – shiatsu in Grenoble [...]