A therapist should be...

When a person makes a decision to employ the services of a massage therapist, reflexologist, manicurist, hairstylist or any other 'ist they are letting down their guard and placing their body in the care of another individual. This act may leave some feeling vulnerable, open and exposed. For some, this may pose a bit of a challenge and require a mustering up of courage. So the last thing they need is to walk into a room greeted by a person that makes them feel uneasy.Where is the stress relief in that?

If a person is uneasy and put off by something they see, feel or smell from the person providing a service, the intended purpose of the service / experience may be lost. Which in turn could have a client feeling as if it was a waste of money and cause the therapist to lose clientele.

Since being in business for myself this has always been a topic that is very important to me. When having this conversation with others it seemed to me that some may feel that this has a lot to do with vanity on my part. I don't believe this to be the case, I just feel that there should be certain standards when in a service oriented profession. I mean, when you go out to a restaurant and the chef is preparing the meal, how appetizing is it when you see that he/she is dripping sweat profusely over the main course? Or that they may have some dirt under their finger nails while they are hand mixing the ingredients? It is my guess that no matter how delicious the food smells and taste, you will not have enjoyed it half as much as you would if you did not have that picture in your head.

I see things this way because of who I am. Not necessarily a person of great vanity but one who loves great ambiance. Pleasant surroundings = pleasant feelings. It is important to create the enviornment and experience that I want my clients to have. I am passionate and I care about my healing touch and my clients should walk away feeling it mind, body and soul.

So whether you book your next therapy session with the women of Be.Beautifully.Well or someone else of your choice here are my list of things to look for in the ultimate experience.

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  Personal presentation. Being a beauty queen is not a prerequisite , however they should look like they took time to care for themselves before trying to care for you. Hair should be neat, nails clean. Skin should not be dry and cracking, they should definitely not have front teeth missing! (laugh not, I have seen a therapist missing teeth with bad dry skin in real life)

  
  


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  Clothing should be professional in appearance. Most wear a type of uniform i.e., black shirt, black pants, white shirt, white pants or whatever . It should should be clean, not displaying their coffee from breakfast or the salsa from lunch. If wearing a shirt sporting the company logo, that's great! It should definitely not be pealing or overly faded. It just looks tacky.

  
  


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  Very importantly there should always be clean sheets of decent quality. No one has to have egyptian cotton of 800 thread count (although that would be nice right?) but hopefully it's not the cheapest sheet set they could find either. You know the kind that has the little lint balls all over, ewww! If the provider lacks interest or concern in this matter, then what message might that send out about them?...

  
  


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  Clean equipment. Depending on the service certain tools of the trade may be used. Hopefully they are clean and sanitized.

  
  


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  Music is always a plus when receiving services. The volume and selection should be one that is appropriate for the occasion.

  
  


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  Candles help to create a soothing scene. I think it is best when the unscented kind is used. Some have a sensitivity to perfumes that may cause a headache. Additionally, the scents may clash with the massage oils or creams being used on you.

  
  

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  Most importantly, the therapist should listen and hear what your concerns are and act accordingly. There is nothing worse than suffering through a painful massage because the therapist does not care when you said the pressure is too much or the area is very sensitive. Or perhaps they are not applying enough pressure. Ruins the whole experience! Happened to me once, and I was not a happy camper. :(

  
  

So there you have it, my list of things you should look for or look out for when you are ready for your next therapeutic experience.

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These little hands of mine

Have you ever looked at your hands? Have you ever noticed the curve of your fingers, the size of your knuckles or the lines in your palm? I have, and I realize that there is so much power in my hands. In fact we all have power with our hands, unfortunately some use their power for evil instead of good.

With the hands one can make a fist and strike a mighty blow or provide loving assurance with a pat. Hands can help to bring life into the world in a delivery room or end a life in a fit a rage. With your hands you can feed a child or provide the means to feed the child. In any case the hands are tools that we all need.

I look at my hands and I am so appreciative of the gifts that I have in them. With my hands I feel that I have the power to create happiness, healing and rejuvenation for every client that I touch. It makes me feel like a superhero of sorts, because with my hands I can often save a stressful day. With my hands I am able to clear away blockages that may hold a person back physically & mentally. With my hands I am able to give people back their lives because they feel better after each and every session.

My hands are my gift and I am ready and willing to share them with you.

Do you have a gift? How do you use it, please comment and share it with us.

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Grab your brush!

o many times we women and men too, often complain about dry skin. Seems like we can never get enough moisturizing to keep our skin from looking scaly. We try everything from vaseline to butter to give our skin that smooth silky look and feel. And Ladies what about that unsightly cellulite that we get? Ughhhh!

Well I got a great tip for you. Start brushing! No not your teeth or your hair (although that might be a good idea too). Your body! The skin that covers your body is the largest organ you have. Through it your body takes in and expels out toxins. Acting almost as a kidney. Dry brushing is a technique that brings wonderful results when done regularly and it doesn't take long to do. All you need is a soft natural bristle brush.

Dry brushing not only improves the circulation but it helps to remove dead skin. It is also known to internally massage the body, tighten the skin to prevent premature aging, help with digestion, gets rid of cellulite and cleanses the lymph.

As an added bonus you can use a citrus oil, such as grapefruit & Lemon or Lavender and Juniper to help with purifying and detoxing. Add a few drops of one of these oils to the brush before brushing or mix it with a carrier oil such as avacodo or olive oil and massage into the skin.

Here is a video that I found. I think you will find it helpful, I know I did. Happy Brushing!



*Please note that some essential oils can burn the skin if used improperly, and or may cause an allergic reaction. Please seek advice from an aromatherapist if you are unsure of how to use them.*

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A natural skin glowing remedy

Recently I was told by a couple of folks that my my skin had a nice glow to it. They noticed that it looked very clear and just overall was looking good. I was very happy to hear that and somewhat surprised because since becoming an adult and more specifically a parent, I have battled with acne. I was also a victim of prenatal acne which left lots of scarring. Ugly little black spots on my face, *sigh*.

Anyhow, when asked what have I been doing I came up with a few random answers. (1) I used an acne wash off and on about a year now. (2) I have less hormones since having a partial hysterectomy 9 months ago? (3) Genetics? Hhmmm, Unfortunately I couldn't claim to be drinking a gallon of water a day, although I should be (and so should you). Later on I was dwelling on this and it dawned on me one other thing that I have been doing and I think is the real reason for my skin change, a home remedy!

As most know who follow this blog, we love things that are natural and often try to live holistically in our day to day lives. Often sharing what we know with others. So now I'll tel you what has been in my bathroom cabinet adding to my skincare regimen. It is very simple, it is the same ingredients that you have in your cabinet. Although perhaps not in your bathroom cabinet, but you will find it in your kitchen.

Baking soda and honey (raw and unprocessed works best)! Yes, just those two ingredients if you don't count water. Baking soda is a wonderful natural cleanser and can be an exfoliate as well. Honey is anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. The anti-inflammatory properties in honey is great for acne. Combine these ingredients and you have a fabulous cleanser, exfoliate and mask.

Here is what you do: grab a small dish or you can just do as I do and just use your hands *wink*smile*, pour a generous portion of baking soda and add a few drops of honey. Make a paste, and apply to the face, careful not to get close to the eyes. Massage in circular movements all over the face, once covered let sit for 10 minutes then rinse with warm water. You skin will feel very clean and supple. Very little moisturizer is needed once patted dry. Try this once a week and for an added treat rub a little on the lips for kissable soft lips.

If you would like to know more about the benefits of honey and baking soda check out these sites:

www.worldofhoney.com and www.naturalhomeremedies.org

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Beautifully Well Wednesday: Body Polish – Scrub Yourself

In my years of embracing the natural way of life for myself and my family, I have come to find that it can actually be quite easy and inexpensive to make the things that you want as well as the things that benefit your health and wellbeing.

I saw this firsthand just this week. On Sunday night, my mother says to me, “I need a foot scrub. Is there anything in the house I could use? Or do I have to run to the store?” Of course there is. First, let me educate you on exactly why scrubs are so great for you.

A body scrub is used to exfoliate the skin on your body leaving it feeling fresh, smooth, moisturized and soft. An abrasive product is rubbed vigorously, and massaged across and into your skin, and is then rinsed away, sloughing off dead skin cells and rubbing away hard and flaky skin, to reveal a new layer of fresh, clean and smooth skin. An added benefit is that scrubs are invigorating as well, and improve the circulation of blood and lymph to the surface of the skin, helping to fight cellulite and improve your skin tone. This treatment is also good as a precursor to other body treatments such as body wraps or mud therapies, because it opens the pores and awakens the skin.

There are several items used to make scrubs, some more effective than others, depending on what result you are trying to achieve. While all scrubs stimulate circulation, Salt Scrubs excel in this area. Sugar Scrubs are a bit milder and leave skin feeling very smooth and polished. There are also Loofah, Herbal, and Fruit scrubs that share in similar benefits.

So when my mother asked me about a scrub for her feet, I had just the thing. Turbinado Sugar, Honey, a little powdered milk, the juice of one lemon (to strip the skin on the heel) and strawberry seeds. I mixed all of this in cold pressed olive oil, and there you have it. She was very happy. We have all been using it all week!

Be.Beautifully.Well. is so happy to offer this as one of our therapy services! Just ask us about it the next time you book with us!

cs

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No more fear

Push fear aside and chase after your dreams!

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

– Marianne Williamson

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I am a bright and shining star – See Me Shine!

“I’m a shining star, shining bright for all to see.” These are the words that popped in my head when I read about the See Me Shine contest hosted by Execumama. This contest challenges every woman reading it to look within herself to find 5 things….5 Things! That she loves about herself and share it with the bloggerverse. This is a challenge indeed, yet one that I am willing and ready to take on.

I find it absolutely beautiful, endearing and inspiring when one can look at herself in the mirror and feel love. This has not always been my case, I was never the young girl walking with her head held high oozing with confidence. Heck! I wasn’t even the WOMAN who had it either. I won’t bore you with my story because let’s face it, everyone has a story to tell right? So lets just say I had some bumpy roads but I think I have finally gotten to the smooth pavement.

So, here are my FIVE THINGS that I love about myself:

First… I love my heart. It makes me the giver that I am and allows me to have much compassion and empathy for others. It often times makes me do a little bit more than necessary, going the extra mile (or two)

Second… I love my hair! It has been the cornerstone of my confidence building. I have always admired the women who wore their hair naturally. They always seemed to exhibit a certain strength that I admired, they felt and looked beautiful no matter if their hair was nappy. I wanted to feel that same way, so I ditched the perms and the weaves and began my journey 7 years ago, never looking back.

Third… I love my breasts, yep I do! I am often heard complaining joking about how they are no longer round and perky grapefruits but small and droopy flapjacks! But the truth of the matter is that I am proud of them, they supplied food for my babies and provided me with mother and child bonding that I will not trade for anything. So, they may no longer be perky but they are mine and I love them for all the good that they have done!

Fourth… I love my thirst for life. I want to live it to the fullest and experience as much as I can take in. I have very few inhibitions and I like it that way!

Fifth…I love my chocolate brown skin. My shoulders and legs shine so lovely when I moisturize it. I feel that my black is beautiful and I truly love the skin that I am in. I am so proud to say that now, because for many years I’m not sure that I felt that way. I can look in the mirror and really like who I see staring back at me.

So, now you know what my five things are…I’m thankful that I can truly see myself with appreciation, sincerity and clarity. Even more so, I’m happy that I am confident to share it with you!

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