My Journey: From Holistic Massage to Counselling & Access Bars

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When the body speaks, the mind listens

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Before I trained as a counsellor, I worked for many years as a holistic massage therapist. It was during this time that I first began to witness - time and again - how our bodies hold far more than just physical tension.

Clients would often come to me for physical relief, but as the session unfolded, something deeper would happen. Muscles would soften, breathing would slow, and often - afterwards - they would begin to share something personal. Sometimes it was a struggle they'd been carrying silently. Other times it was an emotion that surfaced unexpectedly. The treatment room became a place where the body

and the mind could both begin to release, together.

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Those moments stayed with me.

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I realised that touch and presence were unlocking more than physical tightness - they were creating space for emotional healing too. It sparked a deeper curiosity in me about the connection between our bodies, our emotions, and the way we carry our stories. That’s what led me to retrain as a counsellor.

 

A Natural Evolution

As I deepened my work in counselling, I continued to reflect on the power of those earlier experiences - how the body often speaks before the mind is ready, how emotions can be stored and held physically, and how healing isn’t always something that starts with words.

Although I’ve since moved on from offering massage, that body wisdom remains central to my approach.

This is what eventually led me to Access Bars - a gentle, hands-on energy technique that supports nervous system regulation, emotional release, and deep mental clarity. In many ways, it felt like coming full circle: another way to offer clients a safe, quiet space to let go, reconnect, and shift what they’re holding - especially when words feel hard to find.

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An Integrated Approach

Whether I’m offering counselling or Access Bars, my work is grounded in one core belief: our bodies and minds are deeply connected, and healing often happens when we create space for both to be heard.

Some clients come to talk. Others come to rest, receive, and release through touch.

 

Many choose to do a little of both.

Wherever you are on your journey, you’re welcome to show up just as you are - whether in your words, your silence, your tension, or your curiosity.

 

I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

This means that I am bound by, and work within their Ethical Framework – www.bacp.co.uk.

I am fully insured for both counselling and Access Bars through Holistic insurance.

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