Chinese Herbal Medicine

Chinese medicine makes use of a wide variety of herbs to benefit  a vast array of health problems. Based on the effect their taste and temperature has on the various systems of the body, herbs are combined into finely balanced formulas, in which each herb accentuates certain qualities of the other herbs to increase the therapeutic effect.Herbal medicine can be administered in a number of different forms, including: loose herbs that are boiled to make a decoction or tea, powdered herbs, and capsules or pills. 

Practitioners and price information: Laurie Ayres and Alex Owen

Western Herbal Medicine

Western herbal medicine has its roots in the Greek and Roman cultures and uses mostly locally grown plants. In these ancient cultures it was believed that herbs are able to support and restore the vital force that animate us and in so doing they help the natural ability of the body to heal. Nowadays scientific research is showing how leaves, flowers and barks contain chemical compounds, which synergistically interact with our body, and partially explains how herbs work. Western herbalists mix herbal blends for the individual in the form of a liquid tincture, taking in consideration the chemical properties of plants, the interaction among the plants within the mix as well as the effect of the mix on the individual. 

Practitioners and price information: Sara Zanone

Relaxation, Meditation & Mindfulness Techniques

The aim of these techniques is to help you to learn to be aware of your thoughts and bodily sensations. In doing so, you will be able to better cope with you day to day emotions, to see things somewhat differently, to a sense of having more options, more strength and more confidence in your possibilities. 

Developing greater awareness can open you to be able to change how you approach your experiences – taking more pleasure and dealing more effectively with the unpredictable in your daily life.

Home practice is a beneficial part of the process and people who commit themselves to a little practice per day will benefit most.

Practitioners and price information: Nathalie Roth

Homeopathy

Homeopathy is the art of healing the individual; at it’s centre is the patients own self-healing process. Symptoms are the representation of the disease and are manifested by the whole body; they are the messengers. During a consultation a unique picture of the person is built up around the patients peculiar and characteristic symptom picture. A remedy is then selected based on this. Homeopathy is great for acute issues, but it is also brilliant for chronic conditions. Homeopathy goes to the heart of the patients condition by finding out the whole story. It affects the physical body, but also the mind and the emotions. It is an evolutionary process and thus involves personal growth and development.

Homeopathy can help with many issues such as Asthma, Anxiety, Allergies, Bronchitis, Childhood Diseases

Coughs, Colds and Sore Throats, Depression, Digestive Disorders, Earache, Eczema, Exhaustion, Emotional issues, Fibroids, Grief, Headaches & Migraines, Menopause, Menstrual Complaints & Infertility, Pregnancy & Birth, Sleep Problems, Thyroid Imbalances, Urinary Disorders, Vaccination Side-Effects, Varicose Veins etc.

Practitioners and price information: Chloe Michaels, Danielle Abramov

Aromatherapy Treatment

As a holistic therapy Aromatherapy is able to work on several levels of the individuals well being.

Aromatherapy is derived from the ancient practice of using natural plant essences to promote health and well being. It consists of the use of pure essential oils obtained from a wide assortment of plants, which have been steam distilled or cold-pressed from flowers, fruit, bark and roots.

Aromatherapy can help ease a wide assortment of ailments; easing aches, pains, and injuries, while relieving the discomforts of many health problems.

Aromatherapy also acts on the central nervous system, relieving depression and anxiety, reducing stress, relaxing, uplifting, sedating or stimulating, restoring both physical and emotional well being.

The appropriate oils can have powerful results, both on the body and the spirit.

The first treatment will last approximately 1.5 hours and includes a consultation prior to your massage. You will be asked detailed questions about your life in general, your work, state of health and medical history so that a combination of oils can be prepared to best suit your needs.
 
Each treatment is unique and individual and all information will be kept entirely confidential.
 
Once the oils have been blended according to your own unique, personal requirements, they will be applied to the skin via a massage treatment. You will then be able to take your own personal blend of Essential oils to use at home.

Practitioners and price information:  Kristina Mendez Matejova

Sophrology

Sophrology is a method, a practice and a philosophy. Unlike many therapies it focuses on both body and mind. It is a wonderful blend of Eastern and Western philosophies and practices, combining breathing, visualisation, gentle movement and relaxation techniques to bring both body and mind into harmony.

Being in a state of dynamic relaxation makes it easier to focus the mind, enabling us to examine our physical and mental being at a profound level. Sophrology allows us to ground ourselves in the present, feel at peace with the past and face the future positively.

Lasting benefits, widely recognised Sophrology is simple and effective. Clear benefits can be seen after just a few sessions. The method suits all ages and abilities, it is very adaptable. No matter what your health condition, physical or emotional ability, Sophrology can work for you.

Sophrology has been widely practised on the Continent for 50 years and is well-respected, especially in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Italy and Portugal. It is applied in different settings including schools, hospitals, maternity clinics, community centres, corporate environments and rehabilitation centres. Many leading sportsmen and women also use the technique.

Sophrology is growing in popularity throughout the UK. It is now recognised by the Institute of Complementary and Natural Medicine and Sophrology schools are opening throughout the country.

Practitioners and price information:  Dominique Antiglio

Psychonomy

Psychonomy is a smooth manual method that originated in France, being brought to the UK exclusively for the first time. It is  very similar to Osteopathy but involves a softer touch, with more global effects. By touching your body whilst you’re fully dressed on top of your clothing,  the Practitioner can identify where your pain comes from and help to reset your body’s own healing & recovery capabilities. 

Psychonomy is recommended for anyone and can help any kind of pain:  physical or emotional such as shock pains, stressed muscles or bones, early or old pains in any part of your body for example. It can also help with sleep disorders or stress, help eliminate headaches and migraines as well as helping you to recover from fatigue and maintain a good energy level.

Psychonomy is also efficient in helping to ease exam or pre-surgery nerves, or to prepare you for very important professional meetings or any other kind of situation when you need to be fully ready & mentally alert.

Psychonomy is also a complementary technique that can assist any other kind of medical treatment. 

A session is around 30 minutes long and you will only need a few sessions to notice improvements.
Maintenance involves 4 sessions a year to ensure optimal energy levels remain on-going. 

Practitioners and price information: Haydee Henderickx

Food sensitivity and Allergy testing (Vega Testing)

Are you either periodically or continuously experiencing one or more of the following symptoms?

– Red/watery eyes
– Prolonged nausea
– Congested sinuses
– Skin rashes
– Frequent sneezing
– Headaches or migraines
– Diarrhoea and/or constipation
– Bloating, stomach cramps, wind
– Moodiness or irritability
– Low energy or unwarranted fatigue

These indicate that you might be suffering from an allergy or intolerance to foods, additives or substances in your environment.  This may be because our diet has changed significantly in the last few decades with more foods available and increased amounts of chemicals being used in their production and storage. 

Vega testing is a bio energetic technique developed forty years ago in Germany. It is a non-invasive, painless, diagnostic tool for determining some of the causes of ill health, be it persistent viral, fungal or bacterial overload, vitamin or mineral deficiency, food intolerance or emotional blocks.  The Vega machine was the first in its genre of bio-energetic machines using physics rather than biochemistry to investigate the causes of ill health.

Practitioners and price information: Danielle Abramov 

Nutrition – Healthy Eating and Weight Management
 
What does ‘healthy eating’ actually mean? To begin with, it’s important to understand that healthy eating is different from dieting. It doesn’t aim to reduce a significant amount of weight in a short space of time, instead it aims to make you feel great, energised and above all, healthier.
 
Difference between eating healthily and dieting
‘Dieting’ is a term used to describe the process of cutting down or cutting out certain food groups, typically to aid rapid weight-loss, whereas healthy eating promotes the long-term aim of maintaining a well balanced diet. Diets aren’t necessarily a healthy option – they can lead to dramatic weight-loss, but because they are only short-term fixes, weight often creeps back on after the diet is finished.
 
With so many conflicting resources telling you what and when to eat, you might be overwhelmed with the choice of diets and information on how to eat healthily. If this sounds like you, our therapist may be able to help you sort through what applies to you and help you achieve your goals.
 
You will be supported to make positive and sustained lifestyle choices. You also will be provided with healthy eating advice and tips, implementation of a well balanced eating plan that’s tailored to your specific needs. These changes can help boost your mood, improve your overall health and help you maintain a healthy weight.

Family and Organisational Constellations

Family Constellations, created by Bert Hellinger,  are about reconnecting us with our roots and enabling each family member to tap into the natural flow of familial love and support, bringing the peace of mind that comes when we know we are right where we are supposed to be. Doing a family constellation can help resolve any challenge in relationships whether with a spouse, children, ex-partners, parents, in-laws or siblings. The impact of this soft process is huge and you could have the feeling to be more in touch with yourself, building self-confidence, trust and empower your life.
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What’s different about Family Constellations

  • Most people resolve their issue in just one or a few sessions. It is quick and very cost effective
  • You don’t need the other person(s) in your issue to be present
  • We don’t need to know what happened in your issue – just some bare facts
  • The resolution often appears to ripple out and effects the other people in your issue, even though they didn’t attend
  • It is a gentle, sensitive, effective process
  • It is an alternative method to traditional counselling, although it can be used in combination with counselling

Types of Issues we can treat: 

– Relationships, couple or family issues
– infertility
– divorce
– parents and parenting
– adoption
– difficulty to get pregnant with IVF
– abuse and violence
– removing blocks
– professional and unemployment 
– inheritances 
– feeling disconnected from your roots (exile)
– yours.

Hiring a Doula during Pregnancy

Why would you hire a Doula?

You may have found yourself in unfamiliar territory, A world of maternity services you are trying to navigate your way around or maybe you have had a previous experience that wasn’t so positive and you want things to be different this time, or perhaps you don’t have family nearby. A Doula can help with this by offering continuity of care along with emotional and practical support, providing information to help you gain confidence in your ability to have a positive experience whatever your choices maybe.

Research has shown that having a Doula with you through childbirth can:

Shorten the length for labour by 25%

Reduce the need for pain relief by 30%

Reduce epidural requests by 60%

Decrease cesarean section rate by 50%

Hiring a Doula has been shown to enhance the birth experience for both the mother and the father

Doulas use comfort measures such as breathing, relaxation, movement, positioning & massage.

They provide information, helping a mother become informed about birth choices and

support your partner, enabling them to participate more comfortably and confidently.

Doulas are made very welcome at the hospitals by the midwives and have built a good rapport with them.

Doulas have experience of working in different types of environments, home births, birth centers & delivery suits and have experience of working with different types of births such as water births, breech, caesarian, VBAC & multiples.

A Doulas role is very different from that of your birth partner, instantly dispelling the myth that Doulas replace or push aside the partner. Birth partners may have little or no knowledge about birth, medical procedures, or what goes on in a hospital. Doulas work alongside your partner providing support for them too, reassuring them, which frees them up to concentrate on supporting you.

What a Doula will not do:

Doulas are NOT medical professionals. They do not perform clinical tasks, nor do they give medical advice or diagnose conditions.

They do not judge you for decisions you make and they do not let their personal values or biases get in the way of caring for you. They do not take over the role of your partner or that of the midwife. They do not deliver the baby and they do not change shifts.

Why would a women hire a Doula for her postnatal recovery?

Bringing your baby home after the birth is a joyful experience but can also be a daunting one. A postnatal doula can make a difference by offering both information and practical help through the newborn stage. The help provided is designed around the wellbeing of the mother and baby enabling you to gain confidence in your parenting skills

Practitioner and price information: Siobhan Smith

*NEW* Highgate Holistic Pregnancy Package

Our practitioners here at Highgate Holistic Clinic have come together to offer you a unique pregnancy experience. Select therapies you are interested in trying and the more you select the larger the discount you will receive on every treatment!

Each therapist has experience and expertise in pregnancy and its related conditions. So whether you are suffering with morning sickness, emotional distress, wanting to ease back pain or looking to have a natural labour, the therapies you require are all right here.

Therapy/Therapist/Prices

Aromatherapy Pregnancy Massage Kristina £65/60mins

Sophrology Dominique £95/60mins

Acupuncture Alex £60/60mins

Reflexology Nathalie £60/60mins

Homeopathy Danielle £65/60mins

Packages available:

1. Choice of 3 therapies – 5%off each – expires in three months from date of purchase

2. Choice of 4 therapies – 10%off each – expires in four months from date of purchase

3. Choice of 5 therapies – 15%off each – expires in five months from date of purchase

The whole package of choice must be paid to the first therapist. Please be aware that each therapist has their own cancellation policy.