Complementary Therapies

Working at St Ann's as a Complementary Therapist

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Why have a complementary therapy service?

Complementary therapies have become increasingly popular. At St Ann's Hospice, we use complementary therapies to help relieve stress and tension, to aid relaxation and to promote a sense of well being. The therapies are used alongside medical treatment for patients, or to support relatives or carers. We offer all the therapies to complement the care that patients and carers receive. They are not to be regarded as an alternative to medical treatment prescribed by a Consultant or GP.

Which therapies are available?

Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Reiki and Indian Head Massage are available at Heald Green and Little Hulton. At the Neil Cliffe Centre, the therapies which are offered are Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Reiki, Therapeutic Massage, Homeopathy, Acupuncture and CranioSacral Therapy. All the therapists are qualified and experienced in the therapy they practise.

Some information about the four most frequently used therapies is outlined below.

Aromatherapy involves the use of essential oils which come from plants. Familiar examples are lavender, lemon, rose, bergamot and rosemary. When we smell something we like, it can help lift our mood and help us to feel more relaxed and revived.

There are many ways of using the oils. The most common way is in aromatherapy massage. The therapist will find one or more oils which you really like. Then she will mix them in a massage oil or cream before using them in a soothing massage. This may be
your hands or feet ,or it may be your back, neck and shoulders depending on what you would like.

This special kind of massage is based on treatments given in India and other Eastern Countries. It involves massage of the upper body, especially the neck, shoulder, scalp, back and face. The amount of pressure and the approach is varied to suit each individual.

Reflexology involves gentle contact on the feet or hands by the reflexologist. The therapy is based on the belief that different areas on the feet and hands are related to different parts of the body. The therapist will apply light pressure to these areas with the thumb and fingers to restore a state of balance and relaxation. The touch is light, but firm. Reflexology does not tickle and is reported to be very relaxing.

Reiki (pronounced Ray-key) is a therapy that has its roots in some of the ancient healing methods of Tibet. The methods were discovered by Dr. Michel Usui who took them back to his native Japan.

Reiki means universal life energy. The energy can be found all around us and Reiki therapists have been trained to focus on this energy and to think of it flowing through their hands.

A person who is receiving Reiki remains fully clothed. The therapist gently places his/her hands on the individual, starting at the head and covering most of the body.

Although this therapy seems very simple, people who receive it often find it very relaxing.

Outreach Complementary Therapy Service

Complementary Therapy in the Community enables housebound cancer patients to receive complementary therapies in their homes. The project is a joint initiative between Central Manchester Primary Care Trust in St Ann's Hospice in partnership with St.Ann’s Hospice.

The service is open to all patients living in central Manchester who have a diagnosis of advanced cancer. It is recognised that central Manchester is an area of social deprivation with a high black and ethnic minority population and so the service specifically targets black and ethnic minorities and those in social deprivation and isolation in a bid to reach those who are currently missing out on these types of health services. All sessions are free of charge.

The therapists come from the Neil Cliffe Cancer Care Centre, a part of St Ann's Hospice. They visit patients who have been referred by their GP, District or Macmillan Nurse. The therapies offered are Aromatherapy, Reflexology and Therapeutic Massage

The Complementary Therapy In the Community project has been funded by the New Opportunities Fund, now known as the Big Lottery Fund, as a three-year project. This finishes in September 2004 but further funding has been secured to enable service provision to continue.

Contact the Neil Cliffe Centre on 0161 291 2912 for more information.