Freely vs. Free

As a Massage Therapist I know this influences my practice... 

Today, after receiving acupuncture during my donation based shift, a patient asked me why I was “giving away” such amazing treatments for free. Don’t you value your skills? She asked. Don’t you want to demand that others value your skills too? Don’t you want them to show you respect by paying you what you are worth? Then she saw my perplexed expression and then added, oh, I see you are trying to fix the world. You are trying to help people in need because they are lacking. That is good of you. She waited for a response but I was speechless. There was so much off in what she said to me that I didn’t know where to start, so instead, I tipped my head slightly as to nod. She smiled, deposited $5 into our money box and left. I’ve been thinking about what she said ever since.

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Lavender Aromatherapy Eases PMS

Inhaling lavender essential oil for 10 minutes resulted in a significant improvement in parasympathetic nervous system activity among women with mild to moderate premenstrual symptoms and significantly decreased two common premenstrual symptoms, depression-dejection and confusion, according to recent research.

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Reflexology, aromatherapy, hydrotherapy: A guide to some alternative therapies

You might not think to call a balneotherapist when your face breaks out or a reflexologist when asthma flares. But alternative medical practices, no matter how weird they might seem, are gaining traction.

“Alternative therapy” refers to any health treatment not standard in Western medical practice. Beyond that, complementary and alternative therapies are difficult to define, largely because the field is so diverse: It encompasses diet and exercise changes, hypnosis, chiropractic adjustment and poking needles into your skin (a.k.a. acupuncture). Technically, “alternative” treatments are used in place of conventional medicine; when used alongside standard medical practices, alternative approaches are referred to as “complementary” medicine.

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Aromatherapy Can Help Reduce Anxiety

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to support physical health and well-being. Essential oils carry biologically active volatile compounds of flowers and plants in a highly concentrated form. They are, in many ways, the essence of the plant and can provide therapeutic benefits in very small amounts.

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