A question for you Reflexologist's? Some people are saying u'll be able to say what's wrong with me?

Unfortunately this is often the case. You have a few reflexologists that say that they can diagnosis and fed their clients a load of b0llox, and you have clients that have higher expectations of the diagnostic value than the reflexologist has.

It's all quite easy to understand why this is happening, the therapist presses (for example) the kidney reflex zone and the clients asks what point it is. The therapist replies it's the kidney. The client replies back that they knew they needed to drink more water and is completed convinced that its the absolute truth.

Or another example is the therapist found the neck reflexes "crunchy" and asks the client if they have a neck problem. Yes says the client, so then the therapist nods approvingly in that egotistical all knowing way that a stage psychic con artist does. Never underestimate the power of cold reading!!

Problem is that who doesn't have a neck issues? Does it always show up on that particular reflex? Scientific data to prove this isn't there or isn't considered to be strong enough to draw a satisfactory conclusion.

Another problem is that some people in the reflexology world described it as a "healing science" when its more of a "healing art". If it was a science then there wouldn't be so much variation on foot charts from different schools of thought in reflexology.

So what to do about it.

1. Tell the client reflexology is more of a therapy than it a diagnostic system. Reflexology helps to stimulate self-healing processes of the body. This is the first tenet of reflexology.

2. Reflexology may have interesting indicators to health, though mustn't be taken as gospel. Also reflex zones overlap so how do you differentiate?

3. A problem/painful part of the foot may be due to a localised issue, and not necessarily an organ system.

4. That some reflexologists go beyond they professional training by diagnosing and made a lucky guess, and you question the validity of the other reflexologist's statement. Problem with this reply is never underestimate the stupidity of people even if they have studied at university level.

Having said that I acknowledge that some therapists have an intuitive touch, and that reflexology could be used as a form of dowsing. For example, gliding the along spinal reflex may give intuitive sensations at the fingertips, not too dissimilar to dowsing with a pendulum (or any other "unstable mechanical amplifier"). But this methodology isn't usually taught at colleges even though that well may be what's happening.

When I do reiki some people will ask me if I sensed anything. And that even tho I have taken a brief medical history so I know most of it through very mundane means.!. I also get some people saying things like ' When your hands were on my tummy I saw lots of green. What does that mean?'

I am not afraid to say ' I didn't pick anything up' or 'I don't know'' But If I have my suspicions I will use the word 'could' a lot....but I always make sure they know I am not allowed to diagnose.

Why are you worried about NOT telling them things?

Yes I completely agree with you Reiki Pixie, all very informative and all very true. Tashanie in my training we were told not to diagnose or tell them anything as we're not Doctors and if they are worried about something then they should go to their GP.
Also, as you said Reiki Pixie there's quite abit of variation in foot charts and some reflex zones do overlap so you can't be sure your on that particular area!

Tash said: Why are you worried about NOT telling them things?

The problem is as A*S is suggesting is that a lot of people have very high expectations of diagnosis when it comes particularly to reflexology. Luckily another therapies doesn't have this problem. It has at times certainly put me off offering reflexology as a treatment. Not only does the client expect you to be a reflexologist but an all knowing clairvoyant as well!! It puts a lot of pressure upon the reflexologist to make statements and draw conclusions that may not be true. Many reflexology colleagues have said to me how very uncomfortable being put in this position.

You see that the chart and positioning of the reflex zones of the feet (putting aside hands, ears, face reflexes etc) gives this therapy extra kudos to what can be seen from a physiological PoV just a sophisticated form of foot massage.

My personal take of (foot) reflexology:

It is a sophisticated foot massage & natural healing method based on pressure points, which helps to enhance the physiological & energetic self-healing processes of the body, balancing the autonomic nervous system, inducing relaxation, stimulating blood circulation and lymphatic drainage. The practitioner massages physical imbalances in the foot that may have a relationship to health problems in the rest of the body, though scientific evidence for this is anecdotal. The practitioner may assess the client's needs through observation, asking questions and so forth, but not just purely by the palpation of the feet. Contrary to popular belief, reflexologists do not diagnosis as this is the job of medically qualified practitioners.

Anyone can borrow that if it helps.

I'd say all of the above is very reasonable however ultimately its all just a lot of blah.

if you just want to add reflexology as a money earner it's not going to work but If you love practising reflexology but just lack a bit of confidence then go ahead. Please don't deny yourself and others your healing skills just because you worry that other people or therapists might say this or that. Have confidence in your healing energy & enjoy your work. Just tell clients everyone works differently & for you its a healing art, not a diagnostic skill. If they enjoy the treatment they'll come back - simple.

Good luck
Angela

Interesting discussion. When faced with that question myself, I usually explain that it is impossible for me to diagnose, and that despite the fact that I have a chart showing all the reflex points, it doesn't show the whole picture. I then go on to explain that each area / organ is also surrounded by blood and lymph circulation, muscle and / or skin tissue and nerves etc, so if for instance I found a congested area over the liver area, it would not necessarily mean that there is a problem with the liver but could be suggesting congestion in the skin, muscles, lymph, blood circ etc in that area. And that on top of that the body is constantly changing, in terms of elimination, hormones etc so it could also be a transient congestion and therefore nothing to worry about anyway. I then explain that the purpose of me making a note of these areas is merely to provide me with a reference as to which areas need more work, rather than an intention to diagnose. HTH

That sounds good Staranise.

Also if a client has a problem and has been stabilised by medicine, ie ailments like hypertension or hypothyroidism, signs on the reflex zones may not show up. This can be also the case in Chinese tongue and pulse diagnosis. This is why I can be a bit negative about palpation of the reflexes. Any holistic diagnostic/assessment procedure can have there inaccuracies (or indeed scientific ones), and that observation and consultation and common sense still needs to be done.

Sorry was that more blah blah, lol :rolleyes:

RP Bless you lol !
🙂

Hi there, sorry I am coming to this discussion rather late - just catching up on healthypages reading!
The OP's initial question really struck a chord with me, as I too have sometimes felt under pressure to come up with amazing insights into people's conditions, but I just don't feel this is possible or appropriate (for me at least).
I used to feel rather like a fraud/incompetent over this, but did eventually get it sorted in my head (though must admit I still find it reassuring to read of others who work in the same way).
What does puzzle me still, though, to use one example, is how a very specific technique such as Sally Kay's reflexology lymph drainage technique therefore works. I saw a brief demo of this at a recent conference - part of me is very intrigued, yet the other part can't believe how it can work if (as I believe) reflexology is more about overall balancing.
Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts on this? Could it be that the technique works only for those who believe it will, and who are therefore using other healing abilities (intention etc.) rather than reflexology as I would think of it?
Many thanks for any ideas/insights
Sarah

What an interesting comment..... I suppose its analogous to my beliefs about psychics. I see the different tools as being different ways to focus the psychics own intuitive gifts. So I suppose different healing methods could help focus natural healing gifts...and intuitive gifts to get an idea of what is wrong. However I still firmly believe that diagnosis is a 'no no' Maybe thats why I don't pick up much intuitively about what is wrong with my clients....

I seem to remember that reflexology was devised by a medical intuitive, who used it to diagnose with a lot of accuracy! not as a therapy.

I seem to remember that reflexology was devised by a medical intuitive, who used it to diagnose with a lot of accuracy! not as a therapy.

Paul I think this is where I get slightly confused. I've been told of Reflexologists who do 'diagnose' as such (not judging anyone). In my training we were told not to diagnose and to use it as a therapy for relaxation etc and after several treatments the body should balance itself out. Each to their own training etc and as I say I'm not judging anyone but I find people want to know etc and if you don't 'diagnose' as such they don't seem to be interested then? You any views on this?

To my understanding reflexology, or zone therapy to give it its other name, is a healing art, but like all things that description would not be as acceptable to most people as 'therapy' would, so it is taught as an abc therapy rather than an intuitive form of healing, where the practitioner finds the areas of the body within the map of the body that they create upon the feet and then set about healing or balancing the areas to create homeostasis.

The only thing that stops anyone from being able to connect with someone through the feet or hands, is their own personal beliefs on whether it is possible to do such a thing, or if they are capable of doing it, it is the same with everything, we have to believe that something is possible before we will attempt to do it. 😉

I took on a new reflexology client recently. She asked "that" question: "Can you tell things about me by pressing points of my feet?"

I hesitated for a moment and reply, "There are interesting signs when working the feet, but I wouldn't necessarily say that it is completely factual. Sometimes pain in a certain reflex area is a local issue with the foot. A major principle of this therapy is that the whole body is wired together and working the feet helps to rebalance, with the knock on effect of helping the circulation, nervous and hormonal systems. I don't do clairvoyance or make out the problem with your [whatever] is due to a past life trauma."

She reply, "Thank goodness for that as I don't believe you can!"

Phew, less strain and being put under pressure I thought.

Later on she admitted that her husband pressed her feet massaging them in a certain area and she had a whoosh of energy blast through her body. So I chatted to her about flows of energy etc.

Today I was talking to a therapy friend about this as I was working her feet. We discussed the various sensations reported by clients receiving reflexology through their body rather than what the therapist feels. We came to the conclusion that it may be good to ask the client what their sensation feels and means to them. After all it's their body, and we are all different, and this allows the client to participate more in their personally healing, rather lying on the couch and expecting it all to be done for them.

Of course it's nice to lay back and receive a treatment, but if someone is having a reflexology session for a more specific reason, working with a clients perceived bodily sensations could a way of promoting healing.