There is a vast amount of help to keep us well and fit available however what do they help with, or even more important, how can you benefit from what is out there?

Within our search facility we have created sections where those practicing within the directory can inform you as to what their practice can do for you. Each month when our newsletter goes out we will inform you of the recent health assistance added to our directory and ask a practitioner in this field to explain it. As well as the professional opinion, there will also be testimonials from service users to provide you with as much insight as possible.

Would you like to tell us of a service that has particularly helped you or are you a health professional that would like to tell about the service you provide? Please contact us here and we shall be in contact with you shortly.

Things are always changing here in the Steps office – just like the weather off the end of the quay not more than two hundred yards away.  This is because we are a small but close knit and dynamic team and we very often have as many ideas as we have cups of tea during the day – which is why when an idea starts working, we get really excited.

The idea that our efforts are based on of course always remains the same: bringing quality healthcare from whatever source to those who need it.  We are all about making everyone feel happier and healthier in their everyday lives and we know this means different things to different people.  Some may be seeking to shape up with a gym or personal fitness instructor; others may want to find out more about the simplicity of Emotional Freedom Technique and others the peace that comes after a session with a really good Craniosacral Therapist.  We aim to draw links between what are often considered more conventional forms of treatment and alternative or complementary therapies. Most of the time the difference between them is the amount of scientific evidence to support how and why they work just in the way that a caveman, for example, would have the scientific knowledge to understand the workings of a radio.  Some would call it quackery, others a higher form of wisdom – either way, our aim is not to judge but to allow others to work out what works for them.  After all, you don’t have to be around very long to work out that one size most definitely does not fit all.

So how do we go about promoting health and happiness?  Firstly we have a great directory of therapists and other skilled professionals who believe in what they do.  This expands daily and our aim is to make going to see one of these practitioners as normal as going to see a doctor or a pharmacist.  Most of our members belong to nationally recognised professional bodies which is why we recommend prospective clients ask to see their credentials for safety and to uphold the integrity of these hard working people.  Secondly, we want to serve as a central source of information about as many forms of health provision as possible, regularly adding and updating material.  We also publish an email newsletter which anyone is welcome to sign up for and we are always on the look out for material from practicing professionals.

That’s enough of what we do now: what are we doing next?  Everyone likes something for free, so for the next few months we are offering a free enhanced profile to new professionals signing up to our directory.  It will mean a greater diversity of therapists listed on the site with more contact details.  We’re already starting to see a positive effect and what is there not to like about that?

Right, kettle on.  I feel another idea blooming.

EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Technique. It is also known as Meridian tapping and is based on the ancient Chinese Meridian Energy system which forms the background of acupuncture and shiatsu. EFT is a technique developed by the American Gary Craig and which has since been endorsed and adopted by an increasing amount of psychotherapists and psychiatrists who are now integrating EFT as an effective tool in their practice. 

The theory that supports EFT stems from quantum physics discoveries, which revealed that we are made out of energy, and that energy is projected thought. So we can literally make ourselves up with our thoughts! Negative emotions or thoughts, not only can, but do, disrupt our energy system. When sustained over a period of time, when recurrent or left unresolved, chronic problems or pains, traumas, anxieties, will eventually block the flow of energy in the body. That blocked energy can manifest as physical, emotional or mental imbalance or disease. 

EFT can be thought of as a form of ‘emotional acupuncture’ without the needles. It works with the practitioner tapping (on or alongside) the client on the meridian points in the energy system while thinking of the problem presented. This tapping helps to release the ‘knots’ of related emotions that have formed in the body and restores a healthy flow of energy throughout the system. Stress is greatly reduced if not altogether eliminated.

EFT is a very safe technique to use and can be learnt very rapidly so that it can be practiced at any time of day, or night (for insomniacs!). Using EFT, I cured my dry eyes and stopped using drops many times a day. EFT can also be used to alter ‘moods’. In that respect it becomes quite a blessing to use EFT to shift a momentary sadness, or irritation, when we need to be clear headed to perform a task. EFT can also help us generate energies when we feel tired and cannot rest. In my clinical practice, I have noticed that the use of EFT has proven itself to be very useful for unblocking and healing strong emotions such as deep fears, anger, traumatic memories, phobias and addictions as well as for reducing body symptoms and pain, such as headaches, overall body pain and phantom pain for amputees.

So, is EFT quite a magical tool then? When there is the appearance of a ‘magical’ happening, it is most of the time that many things have come together harmoniously to allow a swift change to happen. Tapping frees the system, moves the energies and that creates a new ‘you’ immediately. The lasting impact of sessions varies depending on various conditions such as how ingrained the problem is, or how many aspects are associated with the problem presented.

Clinical practice and research have demonstrated that, although not 100% effective, EFT is proving to be an extremely effective tool, which can be used harmlessly on its own or alongside any other medical cures or therapies. As such, it is a technique well worth experiencing and learning, as the results tend to surprise.

Monique Brasseur

You may or may not have heard about the Bowen Technique but you if know anyone like me, who’s life has been transformed by Bowen, you may just know a lifetime Bowen fan and wonder what all the fuss is about.
My journey to be a Bowen Therapist has come from existing in pain, contemplating suicide, through being pain free to training to be a Bowen Technique Practitioner who is now helping others find relief with this surprisingly gentle technique.

Bowen Technique originates from Australia and was named after Tom Bowen a therapist from Geelong, victoria.  Tom Bowen was known as a naturally gifted, self-taught osteopath who developed his own special techniques that helped thousands with injury, illness & disability.   Ossie Rentsch who documented Tom Bowen’s work and started teaching Bowen Technique in the 1980’s after Tom’s death brought the Bowen Technique to the world.  Around the world there are now various schools teaching the Bowen Technique.

Bowen Technique is very interesting as there are a number of theories to how it’s working, however all that matters to me, and probably you too if you’re in pain, is that it works and often spectacularly so.  As a therapist I’ve had to learn patience as clients respond at different rates.  Most clients usually experience change and relief from the very first first session and know for sure after a second fully tailored Bowen session the difference Bowen can make to them - a commitment to those first 2 or 3 sessions is all it takes which is a small price to pay against months, perhaps years, of continued pain or discomfort, at least it was for me and I have witnessed this happen for other clients.  During the decade since I had my first Bowen I have had regular treatments, it usually worked out to around 2 months otherwise I’d start to feel aching and stiff trying to get out of bed of a morning was often the early indicator that I was going out of balance.  Some of my clients also chose to invest in regular maintenance sessions to stay pain free, some have longstanding conditions like fibromyalgia,  arthritis others just enjoy the improvement in health, some just give me a call when they need a boost like before their hay fever usually starts up or the first sign of the sinus’ issue, after they’ve overdone something or fallen. 

How does it work? I’m not a scientist so feel it inappropriate to try to give detail so will refer you to the excellent information on ECBS, BTER & BowTech - also useful sites if you’re interested in training in this marvelous technique, but be warned, many therapists I’ve met don’t use much of their previous therapies after they’ve learnt Bowen!  However I will try to tell it as I understand it… Gil Hedley has a great description in his forum which makes sense to me and that inspires my usual explanation which goes something like this :  The Bowen moves gently move the skin that creates disturbance in the tissue below, this sends impulses through the body which seems to re-start the bodies own healing processes, often relieves the tensions and spasm accumulated in the body to provide relief, somehow they also seems to ‘sneak past’ our resistance and will promote healing throughout our whole body.

So next time you get the chance to try Bowen Technique give it a go you might be pleasantly surprised. 

Sandra Killen

The Top ten tips for accelerated goal achievement......

Many of us set goals every day. Some of us achieve them and some of us don't....  For example if I was to ask you have you ever set a goal and achieved it, you would most likely say " yes ". And on the flip side if I was to ask you have you ever sat a goal that you didn't achieve, you would probably say "yes".  

What are the critical success factors that actually make the difference that makes the difference ? Mostly the are based on the way we work our minds... so here are a few little pointers in to how to maximise your mind space and time. 
When you commit 100% inside of your self to achieving what you want here are some tried and tested ultimate success rules....

1.  Say it the way you want it.....

This may sound simple though, the first step to accelerating your achievement is actually stating specifically and simply what it is that you want. Very Simply our unconscious mind cant process a negative. This means when I say to you  "don' t think of a Blue tree", you have to think of a blue tree in order to know what not to think of...So what exactly is it that you want? A good thing to remember here is feedback, since we will get what we ask for and its noticing and refining the way we ask and what we ask for thats an ongoing feedback cycle. Specific and simple because things are taken very literally by your unconscious mind (see Number 2) 

2. Know your success team

You may or may not know you have two minds... your conscious mind and our unconscious mind. Your conscious mind is the part of you that thinks and your unconscious mind is the part of you that keeps you alive at night, breathes for you and digests your food. They both have a part to play in the goal achievement process. Your conscious mind is the goal setter and your unconscious mind is the goal getter.... when you state what you want and commit 100% inside of yourself to achieving it this is taken as an instruction by your unconscious mind to start taking action. How does it do this? Did you know you had a in built goal achievement sonar? it is called the Reticular Activating System or your RAS for short. What this does is when you say what you want, like multiple radio signals and choosing the station, your RAS tunes into correct frequency, so you are on the right channel, as long as you keep taking action, to meet with the achievement of your goal.

3. What we focus on we create more of....

Your energy Flows where you attention goes, and as a natural law... if you feed something with energy it will grow. So pay attention to what you want, pay attention to the very thing you DO want rather than what you don't. Every thought casts a spell, every thought either feeds what you want or what you don't want depending what you are thinking of so remember to focus on what you want.

4. Take 100% responsibility for achieving your goal. 

Lets face it, its your goal, no-one can achieve it for you, only you can do it. When you take 100% responsibility for doing whatever it takes to achieve your goal, and that means really doing whatever it takes. If your goal involves other people its still means you want to be taking 100% responsibility for achieving the Whole goal and doing whatever it takes to make it happen... Most likely to the extent you are prepared to do this you wont have to. For example, I had a goal to have my puppy house trained within one week of his arrival. And had it all planned out, turns out after just 3 days he has already house trained himself! At seven weeks this could be described as a Miracle... though its just how goal achievement can happen. 

5. Know the law of resistance...

Whenever we set out to achieve anything, we will always create a little resistance for ourselves... just to test if we really mean it. In many ways our minds are very much like children and when we say no to some sweets or the ride at the fair ground they want to go on, they will test the boundaries a little to see if we REALLY mean it.
What do you do when this happens and how will you know when it is this resistance natural and easy to overcome... Well quite simply you push on through it. Maintain your personal congruence and act 100% in alignment with the achievement of your goal. 

The best metaphor for this is a Bar bend which I completed on a course called The money Programme at first in Tel Aviv then the Achievement Accelerator with a company called the performance Partnership in London, see a video of this here. Two people, one 8mm diameter steel bar, the goal to bend it. Where do you rest it? in the small just under where your Adams apple would be. The coach counts form 10 - 1 and you flow your energy down the bar... making it soft as putty soft as putty in the centre. Each person has to take 100% responsibility for bending the whole bar otherwise it wont bend ...  And as long as you do it does... Weird Huh! 
Learning - Persist through the resistance.... show you really mean it. 


6. Surround yourself with supportive people..

.
Common sense I know, though one of the Keys is to only share your goals with people you know will support you.
Have you ever told someone what you are going to do and they retort.." come on.... seriously you think you can do that, be realistic..."  Heres the key... Let them keep their realistic and you keep yours. Often our minds are like sponges to beliefs and attitudes form the media, and the people we spend allot of our time with, we cant not. So be aware of the beliefs you are absorbing and choose your own, if someone offers you a view point and after reading this you will notice a few... if you want it then great of you don't then don't take it. Like a box of tissues if someone tried to give it to you and you wanted it you would say yes. If you did not want it you could say no... the same goes for beliefs. 
You Choose.

7. Take Consistent simultaneous Action... 

Perhaps one of the most important after saying what you want. Every thought, and Every action creates movement and momentum, like the cogs turning in a watch, time never stops, it just keeps going. So take consistent simultaneous action in all areas and indeed you will meet with the achievement of your goals. 

8. look after your Physical body

The age old saying your body is a temple may not be totally untrue. Your body is your vehicle for Goal Achievement and as such it serves you well to look after it. Feed it well, rest it and exercise it. Each of these activities creates more energy which supports you in your achievement. 

9. Put the successful achievement of your goal in your timeline....

The way our minds store store time is linear, and implies a line, which is what we call your time line. So if I was to ask you if you were to think about the past in which direction would you point, your would point, or gesture or have an awareness of one direction... this is the pastIf you were to think about the future in which direction would you point, your would point, or gesture or have an awareness of one direction... this would be your future. Now notice these imply a line. This is your time line. Time is also really important on the scale of achievement, so set a deadline and put the last step before the successful achievement of the goal in your time line.

10. Enjoy it!

Most Important of all! Have fun while you are creating the results you want as in reality - Life wasn't meant to be a struggle... so use these steps to make it what you want. And give yourself credit when you do!! Notice when you make those steps!! Give yourself a massive pat on the back!

Good Luck and Have Fun! If you want to learn more about becoming a Practitioner of NLP, Time Line therapy (R) and Hypnotherapy this year  or even making the rest of 2010 and 2011 the best Year of your life so far.... then contact Victoria here.

September 15^th saw New York Fashion week’s first plus-size show, opening the same old can of worms about body image and weight.  Why does the fashion world keep chewing over the same issues and what does a healthy body look like?

The Lincoln Centre of Manhattan’s Upper West Side hosted the show as “a validation of the 62% of American women who are plus size” according to Nancy Le Winter, one of the show’s organisers and editorial director of OneStopPlus.com.  She goes on to comment that it is about using models that are more likely to inspire the woman in the street because they are more easily identified with: the cut of the clothing, for example is different to allow for more rounded thighs and bust but is this change in aesthetic really about empowering women and is the industry ready for such a change?

This development follows the furore caused by Mark Fast’s decision to use plus size models alongside more convention girls in his London Fashion week show earlier this year.  His event came close to being scuppered when two of his senior team walked out over aesthetic and creative issues purported to be connected to his decision to use curvier women.  He was hailed as brave at the time but Sarah Watkinson of 12+ UK, an agency for plus-size models commented that “every time I think things are progressing, they end up going back to how they’ve always been.  I hope this has sparked lasting changes”.

Watkinson is not the only one hoping that the shape of models will change.  Writing in the Washington Post, influential fashion editor Robin Givhan questions the sense of “creeping out consumers” with models who quite simply look too skinny to be healthy but he also goes on to argue that with obesity on the rise “how big is big enough?  And when does plus size…become just as distressingly unhealthy an image as emaciation?”

With the exposure that these images have, this is an important issue with a 2008 Ofsted report showing that just over a third of girls have issues with body image by the age of 10 and columnist Angela Epstien writing in The Mail the same week as the show about how her own behaviour patterns have caused her 6-year old slight-of-build daughter to believe she is fat.

There has been much written about what is a healthy weight and whilst there is some debate as to what this is it is generally agreed that neither extreme is desirable.  What is commonly accepted is that weight problems are linked to harmful behavioural patterns that these in turn often arise out of low self esteem and other psychological issues.  Therefore, the real purpose of allowing curvier models on to the catwalk should be to bolster a national self esteem and promote health rather than aesthetic, as a reason for keeping well.

Someone talking sense about the industry is LA based designer Kevan Hall who comments that creating a dress for a body larger than the physique of a hanger requires him to dampen his own ego and not force his own image upon the client: “let’s be realistic, after all, what is the end-use of these clothes”.

And this is where we come full circle.  Does the fashion industry really care about validating the curvier woman or, considering the multi billion pound industry pivoting on this issue, is it acknowledging that the product has to change to suit the market?  Either way, a move away from glamorising worryingly unhealthy body images can only be a good thing.