Itec Reflexology Case Studies

Hi

That's a big demand from your tutor. The nearest thing I can see on the ITEC website is:

2.5.1 Review the reflexology treatment/programme and draw conclusions from findings for further treatment recommendations. At the end of each treatment the client’s psychological and physical reactions should be recorded and any reactions noted on the foot chart(s) and consultation form

♦ The following areas should be monitored:
• Outcomes achieved • Effectiveness of the treatment • Reassessing choice of treatment media used and treatment techniques • Any change in demands e.g. physiological or physical changes
• Whether the treatment met the needs of the client – client expectations
• Longer term needs of the client (e.g. when working in a care environment, with those clients dealing with bereavement and loss) • Therapist self-reflection in relation to client and treatment performed
• Client treatment progression • Review of ongoing treatment plan • Recommendations for further treatment sessions • The importance of reflective practice to the reflexologist - practical application and effects ▪ Records must be stored in a confidential and secure manner complying with current legislation and professional codes of practice
2.6.1 Interpret client feedback and record on consultation form,
• At the end of each treatment the client’s feedback should be recorded on the consultation form and any reactions noted on the foot chart together with the reflexologist’s observations and recommendations for ongoing treatment and client self-treatment. These should be documented fully ▪ Record and store in line with current legislation and professional codes of practice

Very debatable. Sometimes clients may have an emotional reaction while you are working on their feet. By all means record this (as suggested by ITEC), but you can't force a client to be emotional just for a case study or indeed in professional practice. And like you said it isn't on the consultation or assessment forms. Sounds to me that your tutor is playing god.

Best wishes

RP

Actually rereading your OP, it seems that the tutor wants you to "emotionally read the feet". So please tell me what the tutor has taught you to be able to do this?

Hi RP...thanks for your replies.
Our tutor gave us an A4 hand out on what different physical finding when reading the feet could mean emotionally...basically its taste of Jane Sheehans book on reading the feet emotionally....and he told us to buy Louise Hay Heal your body....that is all. The rest has been left up to us. To be honest the people I am using as case study clients want to read what I have written on them and I don't think they would appreciate me sumising their emotional state past, present and future which is what our tutor says we have to do.I just feel its taking over my time and I'm not sure its needed....its adding pages to the case studies and it all heresay really...in my opinion anyway.
Thanks again...A

Hi A

I see where you are coming from now.

Looking at the psychosomatic can give the therapist and the client good insight, but the problem is that is doesn't always correlate nicely to a text book. As one of my students once said, "If I won the lotto, I would buy every copy of You can Heal your Life by Louise Hays and burn the f****** lot of them!" He was making a point that too many therapists read such material like it's gospel instead of using it as a tool to investigate.

A light weight discussion with the client can be useful, and it's always good to say that "We are exploring possibilities". Unfortunately in the therapy world many practitioners take on the role of being some enlightened guru. Many people are put off by this attitude and gives therapies a bad name. At the end of the day in-depth mind-body connections isn't in the realm of reflexology (especially at college level), and the reflexologist is wishing to be a mind therapist should get extra training in that.

May be it would be nicer for you to talk to the client respectfully in terms of "exploring possibilites" and if they are willing then you have some material to write up and if not you can't force them. If your tutor doesn't like that then remind him/her that people have the right to "pass" and it's not necessary to go into it that deeply for an ITEC case study. Ultimately, you can contact ITEC to clarify to actual criteria for case studies.

Best wishes

RP

Hi,
I recently qualified on an ITEC Reflex course and I agree with the latest post.
For the sake of training and the exam just keep things simple and follow what ITEC ask you to know and what has been taught by your teacher.
On the foot chart you can add your own interpretation of what you find in each reflex point but I wouldn't go to far with complicate assumption about someone's health's state.
I try to give my own guessing and interpretation even though not requested specifically from ITEC and was useful to develop my own intuition and usually I was asking my case studies to back what I found, going through some medical history and most of the time find some interesting relations.
However, is a different world once qualified as you are not allowed to diagnose or put ideas into potential client as this goes beyond you position as complementary therapist. I bet your teacher warn you already about it.
My advice is don't bother with going crazy finding an explanation for everything you find. just follow your intuition and know you are doing something good for the client and surely benefits from your treatment.
Keep to what ITEC tell you to do and you'll be more than fine.
Good luck!
L.

Thanks for your replies! Sorry about the late reply! I had my exams on the 10th March...the practical was terrifying but we had a very nice ITEC examiner. I was so nervous and I really hope it didn't cost me the exam!!! We were all asked 9 question throughout the exam...she stopped by us all 3 times and each time asked 3 questions...I was asked about my clients presenting problem, my treatment plan, a few different reflex points, and what corns indicated and what yellow or blue colours on the feet meant. The reflexology paper was fair enough...I had studies a lot of past papers had just finished the anatomy and physiology diploma earlier this year so I thin I did ok...(I hope I did!!). With regards to my case studies I followed exactly what ITEC looked for and no more. I got very good feedback from my tutor but to be honest I would take that with a pinch of salt....we have been teaching ourselves the course since last Oct. He usually teaches VTCT and we were offered the chance to change from that to ITEC and we took it because of the lesser amount of case studies...THEN a few weeks later he informed us that he never thought ITEC. Every question we asked him the answer was 'I'll find out by next week'....We had no proper support just printed out the course criteria and learned everything it outlined on that. Sorry about the rant....still mad over paying to be thought and not getting that...:-)