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Therapeutic Massage with Sarah Elcome, Amma Therapy

The Blurb:

Having suffered from back pain in her twenties, Sarah Elcome received the Alexander Technique: a therapy used to realign and re-educate bad habits of the body. Fascinated by the results, Sarah began to study anatomy and physiology – massage was a natural progression from there.

Her aim is to work with clients to improve their quality of life by relieving the stresses of work and life – exacerbated by city living – and use massage therapy as a preventative health measure. Massage should bring a moment of stillness to encourage healing of the mind and body; rebalancing to leave you with a sense of vitality and wellbeing. This massage isn’t just a luxury component of a spa weekend – it is a necessity to keep the body and mind in a good condition.

Sarah and her staff offer a wide range of therapies from sports massage through to Pilates and all from the comfort of the clients home, seven days a week. Their long list of clients includes figures in the public eye, city workers, new mothers and those dealing with emotional trauma.

The Process:

Sarah arrived at my home, just as I got in from work, with all of the necessary equipment: massage table, sheets, oils, lavender eye mask – you name it. While she set up, we discussed what I was hoping to achieve from the session, my expectations and what sort of therapies I have had before. I was unsure of what I wanted as there was so much on offer but very quickly Sarah worked out what would work best for me. I had been suffering from a lot of headaches from tension in my neck and shoulders so I was hoping to loosen up those areas.

To get in the right frame of mind I was asked to focus on my breathing whilst Sarah pushed various pressure points and warmed up my back through the sheet. The massage then moved methodically through each and every muscle in my back, shoulders and neck. Sarah talked calmly throughout the massage to explain where the tension was and to encourage me to notice my breathing. I found this a lot more soothing than the usual irritating gong tinkling soundtracks you find at most beauty salons.

To release the tension in my shoulders, she pulled my arms behind my back one at a time and worked through my shoulder blades. The majority of the massage focused on my back, shoulders and neck, however for the last ten minutes Sarah worked on my arms, legs, feet and face to release all tension.

I was initially put off by the idea of having a massage at home. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to switch off and disassociate myself from my ever growing to do list. However the meditative quality of the massage very quickly led me into a trance-like state. What I found most enjoyable was staying indoors once the hour was over; public transport has a nasty habit of reversing the relaxation process.

The Result:

I have had lots of massages before and although I have always enjoyed the experience, I have never really felt like they had delivered on what they promised.

I really appreciated the treatment being tailored to my specific needs and not feeling like I was ordering an item off of a set menu. With previous massages, I have been in the frame of mind that I will just sit there and do nothing – but this was so much more engaging. I was constantly encouraged to get my mind into a state that would further enhance the effect of the massage.

With so many dodgy deals on daily websites, it is very difficult to know when you are going to get a good massage. The real difference here is Sarah’s acute understanding of the inner workings of the body. After the massage, Sarah was able to accurately identify health issues I suffered from merely from noticing a small area of tension in my foot (she is also trained in reflexology.)

I was out cold when I went to bed in the evening. The next day I was a little sore on my shoulder blades but felt energised and serene. Two days later the soreness had subsided and my body felt loose and more flexible than I can remember.

All therapies £85 for 60 mins, £115 for 90 mins

www.ammatherapy.co.uk

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