Background

Hermione started in private practise in 1987 and very quickly realised that she did not know the answer to all her patients’ problems. So began and intensive learning curve, attending all sorts of courses on sports injuries, back pain and RSI, and just about anything else that walked into the clinic. She tried constantly to keep abreast of advances in physiotherapy treatment, which fortunately have occurred over the years. Inevitably some approaches, because of their efficacy appealed more than others. At about this time and by a strange synchronicity of events she found herself on a Reflextherapy Course with Christine Jones at the Midland School of Reflextherapy. This course was to be the catalyst for changing Hermione’s life, at a very profound level, both personally and professionally. Hermione owes a great debt of thanks to Christine. One thing leads to another and following a few unexpected “ healing “ events for want of a better word, Hermione decided that she needed to understand this strange phenomenon of healing over which she appeared to have no control.

Once again, with no particular effort on Hermione’s part a healing course started in Reading and Hermione attended one evening a week for 2 years, to learn the skills associated with energy healing. This course was run by a lady called Ambika Bharati, later to become Swami Ambikananda. At this time, Swami Ambikananda was an acupuncturist, herbalist and yogi. There was no charge for this course, Swami Ambikananda gave her time freely, but in exchange the students also gave their time freely to healing work at the Multiple Sclerosis Centre in Reading. They were also expected to attend yoga classes every Saturday. These classes were a very important part of the training as they gave the therapists tools to self heal and also removed blockages of pent up energy, which get stuck in the tissues and psyche with the stresses and strains of living on the planet. To be good channels for healing therapists need to free these energy channels as much as possible. Following that 2 years healer training Hermione then took up the challenge of learning to be a yoga teacher herself. Another 2 years of study and daily and practice followed. All the time Swami Ambikananda took a personal interest in the spiritual welfare of all her students and whilst teaching her students yoga, and yoga and Hindu spirituality, nevertheless encouraged Hermione in her Christian Faith, and helped her to reconcile belief with disbelief and make sense of those challenging aspects of Christianity, which act as stumbling blocks to many. Another wonderful teacher had entered Hermione’s life.

Meanwhile whilst attending a Reflextherapy study weekend Hermione encountered CranioSacral Therapy. The profundity of this encounter was that for the first time, through experiential discovery, she really understood what her previous teachers had told her, that “thought alone is enough to change matter”! As she was completing a Degree in English Literature and French Language at the time, the thought of further study was just too daunting, but nevertheless the hunger to explore this exciting therapy remained and it was about 2 years later, that the right course presented itself. So began training with the Upledger Institute UK. Over many years Hermione has completed her training to Advanced Level and has also done a paediatric module specifically to treat babies and young children with this technique. It was at the Advanced Course that Hermione eventually unravelled the secret of her own headache. It turned out to be physical and emotional memory trapped in the tissues following the trauma of being born very quickly. Since then Hermione has never experienced those debilitating headaches.

Over the years Hermione has continued to learn in response to the needs of her patients. But she has also been happy to share her own knowledge with others, in particular she teaches her own work, adapting some CranioSacral therapy techniques into reflexology. Therapists using these techniques have found them useful in treating chronic pain. Hermione is happy to run these training days to any group that would like learn more.

In conclusion then with so many techniques in the kit bag, how does Hermione know which ones to use? Firstly her own learning has progressed slowly over many years and each new thing has been fully incorporated, understood and practised before anything new is taken on board. Each patient is seen as an individual and through experience, knowledge and intuition Hermione is able to know the best approach for that patient. Rarely is any one therapy used in islolation, but incorporated into a seemless therapeutic whole. As a Chartered Physiotherapist, Hermione’s aim is always to get her patients better. Sometimes this will not be possible, but patients can be reassured that they will be in good hands.