Meet Karen Livesey, the Shiatsu practitioner joining our team in May 2024

We are excited to have established and experienced local Shiatsu practitioner Karen Livesey join our team this month. Karen starts with us on 1st May, she will be working on Wednesday mornings and offering her Shiatsu treatments on our massage table along with some delicious facial rejuvenation treatments. We have interviewed her to share a bit more about who she is and what she is bringing to WNT.

Welcome to the WNT team! 
What are you looking forward to about joining us?

 I enjoy being a Shiatsu and QiGong practitioner, and having practiced for many years now feel the need to be more part of a team of practitioners.
That’s why I was excited to find West Norwood Therapies and am looking forward to being a part of your friendly tribe.


You are a long established Shiatsu practitioner, what is one of your favourite things about treating people with Shiatsu?

My favourite thing, is when a person experiences a strong mind body connection and is visibly calmed and changed by it. Shiatsu combines deep pressure on meridians and points in someone ( as in acupuncture) with touch and gentle stretching which connects to their fascia and is deeply releasing.
Shiatsu & Inner Qigong are particularly effective ways to feel more connected and navigate the challenges of life, in addition to being a powerful way to address musculo-skeletal aches and pains; myofascial release of held tension and stress; improved sleep and digestion and growing an increased sense of inner calm and wellbeing.

Inner QiGong, is based on the five element, and meridian philosophy of Chinese medicine. 
It’s a simple practice which embodies the states of each element and energy, giving people a way to raise what they need through regular practice. If a client is interest I will offer them some QIGong as a way to continue working on their energetic state. If you’d like to know more, please take a look: https://seed.org/inner-qigong-tasters/

I believe people know what they need and how to move towards it once they come home to themselves. My role is to provide clear and safe connection to enable them to do this.


Facial rejuvenation sounds blissful! What do you enjoy about using that with people?

A facial treatment offers the chance to release and reset from all the held tension in the face, head, neck and shoulders. 
Using shiatsu with light oils and scents of clients' choice, hot stones and towel the treatment offers a deep relaxation. The client remains clothed, the massage with oils is for the shoulders and face. I also treat the hands and feet as part of the session to make it a full mind body experience. Guaranteed to  leave you feeling lighter and brighter.


Anything else you'd like to let people know?

An interest in a meditative approach to life started at fifteen, when I was introduced to Aikido, by a forward thinking English teacher. Aikido is a martial art based on a philosophy which focuses on harmonizing with your opponent to bring peaceful resolutions to situations involving conflict.

 It fuelled my belief that a strong mind-body connection is essential to health. Since then, meditation and experimentation have underpinned my life as a creative, in film-making and in practicing body work. Recently I completed an integrative course in coaching with WiseGoose, and feel this skill helps me  to listen to what’s going on for the client and adds to the holding of them.