Spring bulbs are pushing through the soil and catkins are dangling from the trees, uplifting signs that winter is on its way out and spring will soon be here but also heralding the start of hayfever season, which often begins in March. For some people hayfever is a mild irritation, for others it can cause significant misery, severely impacting their ability to enjoy time outside.

Symptoms

• Runny or blocked, itchy nose
• Sneezing
• Excess mucus
• Blocked, inflamed, painful sinuses
• Red, sore, itchy, streaming eyes

Treatment Options
Many people rely on antihistamines along with nasal steroid sprays and eye drops for symptom relief, and for more severe symptoms immunotherapy may be an option, but not everyone is comfortable taking medication. Antihistamines can leave you feeling drowsy, sometimes with other side effects like dizziness and headaches, and they dry the mucous membranes thickening the mucus and often causing greater congestion.

Acupuncture can help without causing side effects, particularly with nasal and sinus symptoms. It is most effective when started before symptoms begin enabling a root cause approach to help regulate the immune response but can also help reduce symptoms during a flare up. A review of 13 research studies which included 2365 people with allergic rhinitis (hayfever), found acupuncture to be a safe and efficacious treatment improving their quality of life.

Reducing exposure
The most effective way to help is to reduce exposure to pollen. Keep an eye on pollen counts and be more vigilant when it is high. According to the Met Office, who publish a pollen forecast. along with other useful information on hayfever, tree pollen allergies generally run from March to mid-May, grass from May to July and weed pollens from the end of June to September.

• Limit time outside, choose where you spend time, head for the coast

• Wear a sunhat with a brim and wrap around sunglasses
• Smear a light layer of vaseline around the rim of your nostrils to trap pollen
• Change top half of clothing and wash face and hands after being outside
• Wipe pets with a damp cloth to remove pollen
• Keep windows closed
• Limit line drying of clothes and bedding
• Wash clothes regularly

Other measures

• Avoid or limit wheat, dairy, greasy foods and sugar which can all encourage mucus
• Diet has an impact on immune regulation, an antioxidant rich, anti-inflammatory diet like the mediterranean diet may help
• Use a Neti pot to flush nasal passages with saline which can help with nasal symptoms and congestion

If you have not experienced acupuncture before then rest assured it is a very gentle relaxing treatment, and for hayfever it is best to start a course of treatment before symptoms begin to flare. Please get in touch if you’d like to book or find out more.

Why does it feel sooo good having a massage? What is it that creates that afterglow and gooey
buzzing well-being? What if we could have it on tap?

A yoga teacher friend of mine exclaims " you gotta participate, be receptive, open", when chatting
about good massage treatment.

The answer is: oxytocin - and yes, you can get it "on tap" in form of a spray. Tough that is not the
best option in the long run.

Oxytocin was originally discovered in 1906 by a British scientist Henry Dale in connection with
breast feeding and child birth and that might be where most of our general knowledge and
familiarity about it lays. More recently you might have come across oxytocin in popular culture being referred to as the "love hormone" advocating hugging.

Research by Swedish scientist Kerstin Moberg Uvnäs over the last thirty years, confirms that
oxytocin not a substance exclusive to mothers, but has much wider existence and importance as
an ingenious substance in all humans as well as in animals.

It's primary function and existence is to create and aid our ability to bond and develop social ties.
But it does have further additional functions that are rather incredible. Apart from a general sense of well-being it reduces fear and aggression, is relaxing and calming, increases pain thresholds and
deepens our relationships. It also supports out immune system, breathing, sleeping and wound healing. A long and impressive list of attributes.

Nature has given us the ability to produce this marvellous (but complex) substance and it is released into our bloodstream when we touch or are being touched. Even being in proximity with others that mean us well will stimulate production. That explains the joy of good company. But our production capacity has individual variations - in some oxytocin flows easily and abundantly, in others not so.

Like everything else nature hands us from birth we have different predispositions but our life
circumstances also play a significant part in this instance.

The last bit here is crucial and why administrating oxytocin as a bliss spray is not best option.

The missing component to experience self-produced flow of oxytocin and well-being buzz is trust.

Trust in being touched. Trust it is safe to be touched.

The 'formula' for wellbeing (and all benefits of oxytocin) is simply put:
Rubbing skin + trust = oxytocin production

You might have noted, if you are still with me, that oxytocin also increases trust and a feeling of safety. It's there for us to strengthen the bonds between those who means us well, but not to be reckless and unbounded. It can take some building up to, but in the long run it is preferable to encourage our own capacity by gaining trust rather than override our natural abilities with an external administration, better stimulate our own production. Massage is fantastic and a top choice for this and all body therapies are beneficial in encouraging the production, provided of course, the recipient feels safe and trusts the therapist.

The touching of soft materials, stroking animals, yoga, even singing in a group will also
have a positive effect and can be a place to top up your oxytocin and could be a starting point for
those who are not comfortable with touch.

I might be preaching to the converted here but it might be good to try to understand when others have reluctance and resistance to touch and how important it is to go easy, but also to remember how beneficial it is.

Returning to my yoga friend who has it worked out that for maximum benefit of massage she needs to be open to receive. In other words, to trust and the bliss will be there. This, I know, was not always the case but rather developed over time.

We are never alone truly.
We are born from two (biological mother and father), brought up by at least one if not half a village.
People do not choose solitude to thrive in life. It is their last choice for survival when they have been mistreated one too many times.

Or they choose it for the purpose of transformation. A form of challenge for spiritual cultivation.
 
Touch is medicine

Therapeutic touch is consensual structure in which the client and the therapist give each other space so the therapeutic qualities of change can emerge.
It is chosen and developed as a container, in which one can allow themselves to be exposed. To give up their thriving and fighting against discomfort.

True rest requires safety.

Just like yin and yang are complimentary, one needs a safe environment in which they can free up their defences (muscles and nervous system for an armour).
A good massage or Acupuncture treatment is based on non-verbal communication. Although the practitioner may seem to be in a place of power, it is their priority and responsibility to keep listening to their clients. Both via touch, sight and hearing.
A good session is like a non-stop dialogue in which the therapist gives just the right amount of stimuli, which allows the person lying down to fully relax. To dissolve into the new structure that is being co-created.
Of course this can look in many different ways. Yet, a firm and steady hand can provide so much relief.

Rest is so vital. Especially so today, when our society is geared towards productivity via burnout.
In a time when we feel challenged, burnt out or more sensitive than ever, therapeutic touch can make a world of difference. It can be a puddle of safety in the ocean of turbulence.

As we are approaching the energetic year of the Yang Fire Horse, it becomes even more important to tune into that quality of rest that our being craves so much.
We can find this in many different forms, in poetry, Tai chi, nature walks or massages.

A good thought to keep in mind, is that rest also requires effort. It is by far not the same as zoning out whilst watching digital content.
Rest is best described in the meditative world as “calm abiding”. A state where we are present yet simply abiding in peace. In the lake of consciousness undisturbed by thoughts and feelings.

I strongly advise you to put time aside for rest regularly. Whether it’s in meditation or during an acupuncture session, frequent ‘abiding’ makes a world of difference. It leads to deeper and longer baseline of a calm, safe, confident sense of self.

If you need some support with Rest in your life, do not hesitate to reach out to me or the rest of the fabulous WNT team.
 
PS: Perhaps Confidence is something you wish to work on this year? Please read my other article on Starting the year right: with positive emotion and community. 
 

Hi everyone,
Hope you all had a lovely festive period!
I am back in London. Recharged with inspiration and ready for 2026.

So let's start the year with something positive :)Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending a talk by Maitreyabandhu (a Buddhist scholar and practitioner), who shared many lifetimes' worth of wisdom around positive emotion.

Why is it so important?I think we can all agree that life is often challenging.
Yet it is also immensely beautiful.

Depending on the state of our mind, our experience can be of beauty or of suffering.
Positive emotions allow us to have a deeper capacity to stay present, appreciate and act creatively in our everyday life.

What sort of positive emotions are we talking about?Maitreyabandhu believes that our generation has been gradually losing its natural access to positive emotion.

This shows up as:
- a disconnection from nature, including our physical body
- a loss of community. the lack of feeling seen, loved and appreciated
- a missing cosmic connection. The experience of being part of something much larger, like the universe, humanity or the divine
Happiness, appreciation, and love, amongst others, are extremely potent positive emotions, yet they are not so readily available for someone living a busy metropolitan lifestyle.

Why do people struggle with positive emotion?There is a genetic predisposition to prioritise any sense of danger for the sake of survival. Unfortunately, this strategy has become maladaptive with our current lifestyle. As most of us are living up in our heads, overflooded with information. Boosted by a hyperactive nervous system, which is also overfilled with the energy of a multitude of (negative) emotions residing in the body.

The most commonly regarded positive emotions are not something we can easily (if at all) generate when we are isolated, overly cerebral or have no time to simply be.
Of course, there are countless practices out there which can be utilised in order to generate loving kindness or compassion, yet they fall short when we do not have genuine connections in our lives.
Connection to others and to ourselves.

What is the solution?
The Buddhist answer is simple:
- Live a slow life
- Stay deeply embodied and present
- Live in a community with individuals who share the same values as you

Now, that is beautiful, but this might not be available to you if you are:
- not a person of faith or interested in Buddhism
- do not know how to connect with such individuals
- have a full-time job and other responsibilities
- already living at your capacity

Perhaps you have a really supportive group of friends. Some deeply loving family members. Potentially a job that allows you to spend more time on your own. Yet there is something still missing.

Here is an alternative solution:

Whilst this is not a better solution than actually walking on the (Buddhist) path of dedication itself. It is also not exclusive of that.
What I am presenting to you today can be an excellent (and free!) alternative or addition to your preexisting journey towards a better, deeper, loving life.

Here is what you get:

Imagine a place where you can naturally unfold all the shapes, identities and habits that keep you away from experiencing joy and love as your everyday baseline.

A community where, instead of ‘working on yourself’, you are actually having fun with like-minded people.
Where goofing around allows you to truly be yourself as you are
right now.

A magic toolbox, stuffed with all the goodies that lead you to positive emotion.

A completely practical approach. Where you can finally get out of your head, down into your body. Where pen and paper become your friend. Where your phone actually brings you slow, nourishing content, instead of a wired nervous system.

In this community, we only have three laws to abide by:
1. Have fun
2. Be kind,
3. Keep the momentum

The best part?

It’s all free!

All it costs you is to bring a little bit of passion with a little bit of effort. 
So you can be present with other individuals who pretty much want the same things as you do.

Living a life free of Shame and full of confidence so you can be as Free as a bird.

What am I really talking about?

What ‘it’ is is an Online Community, run on a platform (Skool), which is naturally geared towards interactions, thus building a community.
With access to a free Academy designed to help you become the most Confident version of you that you can be.

What is the catch?

The catch is that I cannot do it without you. I cannot build and maintain a community without people who prioritise their own well-being, so they can make the most of their lives, whilst also being truly helpful to those around them.

So what I am asking you is to come, join us, and give each other a chance to build a community where we can experience what Maitriyabadhu talked about:

An embodied community filled with love and belonging.

What this is not:

It is not a miracle cure. It does not substitute in person friendships and connections.
It doesn’t make all the wars stop around the world.
But it is a start towards living a life more connected and deeply loving.

It is also not complete. 
I am currently putting together the materials for the academy, which are going to be quite extensive -and deeply transformational- as we head towards summer.

The amazing thing is, is that the more you interact in the community, the more you can influence the material I am putting out there.

It will be personalised to the needs of the group. So the "funding members" have an excellent opportunity to shape the material.

How can you join?

You can click on the button below, which will take you to the Skool website. 

The community is currently called the Beyond Shame Academy.

I am putting a little extra focus on getting people from a state of Shame to a sense of Confidence. However, it will be a truly holistic experience. Perhaps with some Tai chi material in there, in the future. :)

It will ask you to create a free account. Where you can be yourself. Otherwise, you are welcome to take up an alias if you would rather contribute without your real identity.

Because you matter!I hope to see many of you there!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to drop me an email or to ask me in person.
Have a wonderful start to the year!
Compassionately,
Miha, the Acupuncturist 

We are thrilled to welcome Becky to the WNT folds this year and excited for her to build her base with us. She is qualified with a level 5 sports massage diploma and has quickly become a popular practitioner with rave reviews. Becky is working at WNT on a Sunday morning from 9am-1.45pm and we are happy to offer these Sports Massage Sundays as a convenient time for many to get your regular massage outside of work or training hours. 

Becky says:
I'm very proud to be part of the team at West Norwood Therapies! Having received excellent and effective treatment from Tessa, I knew the standard of treatment was very high! I’m excited to work alongside highly experienced specialists who are dedicated to supporting the wellbeing of the local community in such a warm, inviting, and comfortable space.
I am passionate about treating those with chronic pain and long-term musculoskeletal issues; I aim to instill confidence, provide comfort, and lessen the strain on daily life. I strive to empower every client with a little more understanding of what is happening in their body and why things feel the way they do.
Each session is completely personalised to the individual in order to achieve the greatest results when targetting specific areas of discomfort or concern. No two bodies are the same and neither are their treatment plans. Specificity is key in finding the most effective improvements in each session and realistic results that last beyond. I'm looking forward to seeing and treating everyone bright and early on Sunday mornings before they enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Hi everyone,
Here I make a return again with these articles before the quiet period of Winter. This holiday season is always a time that I find deeply inspirational. But if I am honest, Autumn is a season that I often struggle with.
So many ghosts (from the past) come to visit, that it can be truly overwhelming. But there is hope!
Today I wish to talk about how we can find hope both by the recognition of our human condition and by the grace of needles. :)

The Channel of a Bright Future

In Chinese Medicine, we often refer to the meridians (channels) as a fixed set of tools with equal importance within our toolbox. Yet they are much more than that.

Channels are energetically living entities within us that allow our mind and body to connect to one another, and everything else beyond our understanding (beyond the ‘I’). 

They also have a sort of hierarchy which is based on time and space.

The Eight Extraordinary Meridians are the ones formed first, and those which lie deepest to our core.

One of these channels is called Yang Wei Mai (Yang linking vessel). It brings a fascinating purpose within our development. Its function is related to how we perceive the future based on our experiences of the past.

What is even more interesting is that it has a message. Which is, if we focus our efforts in the right places, life can be bright, and full of optimism for the future.

It organises all Yang within the body with a special notion to our protective energies (Wei qi).

I like to refer to these as troops within the body and the mind. When we are mentally stable and physically healthy, these troops wait at the border (where pathogens may enter), waiting to be dispatched. They also retire inward towards the evening, so they can rest.

What happens when we allow chaos to reign our troops against our best wishes?

When we experience something physically or mentally traumatic (especially in early childhood), these troops can get stuck with very old orders, such as ‘be vigilant, as an attack is incoming any minute’.

Thus, the mind never rests. It creates unnecessary tension internally (which, over time, can translate into autoimmune conditions) and may also create illusory scenarios to which the troops are dispatched.

Worry and control: A common example of this is worrying about a possible future scenario. This worry often creates conflict not just in our minds but also between us and others. Pre-mediating a fight that is solely based on our own fears. These heavy feelings give birth to a desperate need for control. Which leads to further and further discontent and aggression.
Another example of what we may call the “Future disease”  is the inability for someone to take steps towards (a brighter) future. We can get so stuck in our view of life, like we have already ‘decided’ how it is going to play out.

Passivity and victim-hood: People with such personality traits often take a passive stand in life, in which things keeps happening ‘to them’. This sort of victim mentality creates an illusion of a ‘set future’ which may feel comforting for those who have gone through traumatic experiences.
Yet it is the anchor which prevents people from taking agency in their lives by finding the slightest bit of momentum, which could result in a mountain of change in the long run.

Going back to the troop analogy, when our General (the Liver) and the Empress (Heart) have lost their vision and clarity, these troops scatter or accumulate in different places. Often resulting in fighting themselves (autoimmune and inflammatory conditions). 

How can we turn things around for the better?

One way to counteract this chaotic state is to ascertain our priorities in the given moment.

Yang Wei Mai is also a channel associated with purpose. As it has the ability to ascertain where our troops are needed the most. Thus, setting priorities becomes an essential aspect of anchoring, centring and focusing the mind in the prospect of supporting the body in moving out of a state of dis-ease.

Pro tip: when you find yourself spiralling downwards, remember that spiralling already has given you a momentum. You are already doing, it's just not the kind of doing that will lift you up. All you need is a little nudge to change the direction. Upward we go when we bring to mind our priorities (or purpose in life) and start acting on it. It does not have to be a massive leap. It can be enough to decide to go out and get a breath of fresh air. Change brings freshness. In that momentum we can brainstorm new ideas. As long as we keep going, there is hope for a brighter tomorrow. 

Realistically speaking, making the right decision can change your experience (of the present moment) in a split second. How can you make your next hour of life marginally more pleasant?

In Acupuncture we have an amazing opportunity to directly connect with this deep aspect of our psychosomatic being, which can bring forth purpose, optimism and excitement for the future.
When we activate the Yang Wei Mai, we simply bring it into a more open state. We vibrate the channel so it comes alive to be more resonant with our priorities.

Of course, it is not magic. Change requires an immense amount of honesty. To really see ourselves (with the help of others) as clearly as possible. To see when we have the opportunity to act on our priorities, and to kindly make the decision which brings us onto an upward cycle. 
We all deserve to live out our lives in a way that brings us closer and closer to our purpose.

What are your priorities for the week?

Curious to set priorities that will support you through this festive season?
Come and see me for an acupuncture treatment.
Simply drop an email with your availability if interested.
I am also offering -reduced rate- Online sessions where we can dive deeper into your beliefs and systems, which are (hopefully) supporting you all year around.

Pregnancy is an extraordinary journey, a milestone and the beginning of one of life’s most exciting transitions. It is such a privilege to treat women at this time of their lives often through enormous change - physical, mental and emotional. Acupuncture offers effective, time honoured treatment which I frequently combine with massage. It is medication-free, very safe and can be used at all stages of pregnancy.

When do women come for treatment?
Over the years I’ve treated women through every stage of pregnancy, including midwives, sometimes starting right from the first positive test after fertility support, up to the onset of labour. I most commonly see women in the first trimester and then leading up to the birth:

• First Trimester: This can be a particularly challenging time, marked by fatigue, often nausea, sometimes with vomiting, and for women with a history of pregnancy loss there may be added concerns.  It is often compounded by wanting to keep the pregnancy under wraps while juggling work and other responsibilities. Many women find acupuncture especially helpful for both physical relief and emotional support.
• Second Trimester: Often described as the “easiest” phase, many women feel well during this time, and it is often an ideal time to start local antenatal exercise classes, like yoga or pilates, and take a break from acupuncture. Other women may start to come for treatment during this time as the aches and pains, particularly in the pelvis and lower back can begin to niggle or may be much more disruptive.
• Third Trimester: With the baby growing, aches and pains can continue to be an issue for some. Then as the birth approaches the whole focus naturally shifts. In the last weeks I tend to see women mainly for birth preparation  but also to encourage breech babies to turn.

What can acupuncture treat
Acupuncture can help with a wide range of pregnancy-related issues, including these well researched issues, which we’ll explore in more detail below:

• Morning sickness and fatigue in early pregnancy
• Pelvic and lower back pain
• Anxiety, depression and emotional overwhelm
• Turning Breech Babies
• Birth preparation

The list is far from exhaustive and women often seek treatment for conditions, unrelated to pregnancy, for which they do not want to take medication. Please do get in touch if you are wondering if acupuncture can help you.

Easing Morning Sickness
Feelings of nausea may follow hot on the heels of the celebratory news of a positive pregnancy.  Some women find that snacking regularly is enough to keep the nausea at bay but at the other extreme some women can barely tolerate water and crackers and may also be vomiting. Staying well hydrated is important but that can be difficult. It can be relentless and a miserable struggle from one day to the next. Acupuncture offers a calming, way to help ease nausea which should also settle naturally as the pregnancy progresses.

Relief for Lower Back and Pelvic Pain
As your baby grows so does the pressure on your body especially the pelvis. Pelvic girdle pain, felt in the lower back, hips, and pubic area, often begins in the second or third trimester and may make it difficult to walk, sleep, or even get comfortable sitting down. Acupuncture helps by improving blood flow, reducing inflammation and can help to relax tight muscles, sometimes alongside some gentle massage. Women typically report improved mobility, reduced pain, and a greater sense of ease after treatment.

Turning Breech Babies (start at around 34 weeks)
For babies in breech position there is a simple treatment that can encourage them to flip round into the head down position.  Timing is important as the baby will have less room to manoeuvre later. It involves warming a point on the little toe (Bladder 67) with a dried herb called moxa. I teach women or their partners to do it themselves and supply enough moxa sticks for them to do it at home daily for 10 days. It is supported by research and is a gentle, non-invasive option, so worth trying as it can help to make the birth more straightforward.
It is not suitable for everyone and there are some important safety caveats so don't try this without professional guidance.

Birth Preparation (start at 36 weeks)
These weekly sessions which I like to start at about 36 weeks aim to soften the cervix, balance hormones, relax the pelvic muscles and ligaments and encourage the baby to descend into the optimal position. Some studies suggest that pre-birth acupuncture may reduce the need for medical interventions, such as inductions, epidurals or c-sections and reduce the time in active labour.

I combine body and ear acupuncture, with warmth and massage along the acupuncture channels, focussing on the legs, hips, lower back and sacrum. Some gentle rhythmic hip rocking can also help to open up the pelvic girdle and relax mind and body. Importantly, it helps calm the mind during those last few busy weeks of maybe finishing work and preparation, and the transition to a peaceful, cosy, nesting state of mind ready to give birth. These are really chilled out sessions.

The birth prep treatments build on one another and the benefits have been shown when started early enough.  Starting treatment at 40+ weeks ahead of a possible induction is unlikely to have the same effectiveness and benefits.

Research and Additional Information
 I am very honoured to be a member of the Acupuncture Childbirth Team (ACT London). We are a group of dedicated, specialist acupuncture practitioners treating male and female fertility and women through pregnancy. We share knowledge, experience and keep our skills up to date with regular meetings and speaker presentations from consultants, midwives and other specialists.
 
If you are interested in reading more about the research into acupuncture during pregnancy then take a look at ACT London’s research page. It covers all the things mentioned above and more besides, including fertility.
 
I am also a Member of the British Acupuncture Council (MBAcC), the UK's largest professional body for traditional acupuncturists, which ensures its members are fully trained and follow high clinical standards.
 
Please do get in touch if you’d like to find out more or have any questions.

Unfortunately I can't do pregnancy massage anymore, I used to love it! I love working with pregnant women so I now use facial reflexology which can help with symptoms and preparation for birth, and also facial massage to relax the facial muscles, especially around the mouth and jaw, as the mouth has an associated correspondence to the "birthing organs". So it's always good to remember that relaxing the mouth helps to prepare for birth!

Years ago, after my wonderful natural home birth experience, I wanted to share some of the tools I had used to prepare myself and my body for the birth of my baby in the smoother way possible, stretching to avoid tears. My daughter Desta flew out like a super hero, with her arm outstretched and so the midwives were expecting a bad tear. To their surprise, they found my body intact and immediately asked me: "Did you do perineal massage?". Of course I did! I mastered it! And in view of its benefits I had decided to share this knowledge and skill with as many women as possible. After all, it's not really something that they teach us, as they are so used to performing a rather painful episiotomy that scars us for life. 

Antenatal Perineal massage
Perineal self-massage is very important to prepare for birth. We can avoid perineal tear and unnecessary episiotomy.   Perineal massage helps you to know your body and prepare you for the feeling of pressure and stretching that you may experience as your baby is being born. It will help you to relax and take active part in the birth of your child with increased body awareness. It can help easing pain during crowning: can ease the "ring of fire" so often experienced while baby's head is emerging. It helps to gradually soften and stretch the perineum, ready for birth. It can promote closeness between you and your partner.  

Veronica offer guidance in a easy to read, instructive e-booklet and a Perineal Massage Oil (order one directly with Veronica).
download Veronica's FREE E-BOOKLET Perineal Massage in Pregnancy for a smooth birth

Stepping into pregnancy here for the first time and I am being met with both the excitement and joy of new life and also all the different changes that are taking place in my body. Each day more or less comes with new experiences and I never really know what will come along. Glad I have my yoga practice to lean on and doing my best to take it breath by breath. 

Up to now I felt changes and pressure in my sacrum, chest, back (especially my upper back) and that tiredness that just keeps on coming. I haven't had any morning sickness which I am grateful for and have been doing my best to give myself the rest I need. I started to also change my working schedule so it is more sustainable during this time. On top of that I have been doing what I can to make sure I continue to give to myself what I give to others, because when there are so many changes happening, sometimes our good habits can fall apart. So I really had to make sure I got myself to those regular Cranio-sacral treatments cause the tiredness at times tried to convince me otherwise. Once I found myself in those sessions it just helped me tremendously. The pressure I can feel in the sacrum has a chance to be released, as well as the pressure in my upper back & chest and it just gives me some more room and space within my own body again. It has been such a relief to be taken care of and have a space where I can just be in. 

After the treatments here during pregnancy, especially after the one when I had a little longer time in between them, I just really wished that every pregnant woman could have the chance to get this support and space to be in. To help the body and systems in this way has just felt for me like such a freedom and gives me the chance to just be able to enjoy this journey of pregnancy more. Since the pregnancy is ongoing, more regular treatment just seems to be the way that works best for me, so that is what I keep on aiming for now. 

On top of treatments, I also want to learn as much as I can about this new chapter of my life. Especially when we live in a world that can so easily focus on the negative and so much drama. So for me during pregnancy it is so important to surround myself with doulas and birth educators that have a healthy, happier and natural view on it all. The more I do and the more I learn this way, it just gives me the ability to enjoy and look forward to both this pregnancy and also for the birth of my child. So far I have been blessed with hearing and seeing so many powerful birth stories that just uplift my heart in the best way. 

One of the books that has been really helpful for me is Natalie Meddings book How To Have A Baby and you can find it here: https://www.nataliemeddings.com/shop/p/books/how-to-have-a-baby I am also so glad that I get to have Natalie as my doula as well.

Another wonderful soul that I haven been drawn to is a woman by the name Bridget Teyler, who is a doula and birth educator in the US. She has a lot of free offerings online, which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/@BridgetTeyler/videos. She also has a wonderful program you can join and have the chance to step into the possibility to learn even more and get to love your birth. Click here to check it out: https://www.builttobirth.com/ This is the program I joined and it has helped me a lot. 

During my journey of this pregnancy I have tried to do my best to bring in those tools that support me and that allows me to relax and enjoy. I can only assume if you are still reading this, you might be pregnant too. So asking yourself what support can you bring in right now? Are there treatments that can really help you? How often do you need them? How much rest do you need? Checking in also on what kind of souls allows you to be in this state during pregnancy of confidence and relaxation? And make sure to bring those in! 

Ups and downs are often unavoidable in pregnancy as well as in life and hormonal shifts, emotional fluctuations and physical discomforts can be part of the journey for you and your baby. I really recommend, wherever you can, making choices to treat yourself in the best way possible and bring in any support that makes you feel empowered to give you a chance to enjoy any moments you can on this precious journey. 

We are delighted to be welcoming Jeanette Svensson to our team this summer. Jeanette bring Cranio Sacral Therapy (CST) to WNT, a treatment we have been keen to offer for some time and we hope will be a boon to many of you!

CST is a fantastic treatment that is really less of a 'treatment' than an empowering self care session. Gentle touch is used and Jeanette listens with her hands and the body responds. Profound releases can be felt and also profound relaxation. CST is gentle, non-invasive, calming and can be powerful. 

Jeanette grew up with CST, her mum was a Cranial Osteopath so she experienced it through her childhood and came back to it in her adulthood for self care and in feeling it's efficacy she felt compelled to share this with others. Jeanette is also a yin yoga teacher and runs sound healing workshops. She is a space-holder in all of these environments and we think she will be a safe and warm space-holder with us at WNT.

Jeanette is used to bodies with a background in dance and her brand name now is 'Magic of Stillness' which really gives an idea of her approach and how she aims to support people. We are glad she has decided to share some of her magic with us at WNT and we hope you will enjoy benefitting from what she has to offer. 

Read more about Jeanette on her profile page and her own website.
Jeanette will be at WNT various hours over the summer, including weekdays and weekends. You can see her availability and book online here.