No Need To Suffer

Evening Advertiser 1st August 2006

Do you put up with pain because you think it’s just part of life? There is an alternative, reports Graham Carter.

Have you heard the one about the 90 year old woman who went to the doctor’s complaining of a sore knee.

The doctor told her that it was only expected that such an old lady should have aches and pains. “Well, that can’t be right,” said the old lady. “because I’ve had my other knee 90 years as well - and that’s perfectly all right.”

Julie Nicholls doesn’t tell her clients this story to get a laugh. She tells them to make a point about the alternative treatments she offers which go under the umbrella of ‘Natural Therapy.’  And the message is that you don’t have to suffer.

Julie says that many of the problems people have are a result of stress, or something that has occurred in their past - what you call a hang-up. And this can manifest itself in may different ways, from seemingly unconnected niggly ailments to major emotional and psychological problems.

But Natural Therapy is all about treating causes, not symptoms. Take neck and shoulders. “People think it’s only natural that the stress they have ends up in their neck and shoulders,” said Julie. “If you look at people, you can often see them walking about, all hunched up as if they are carrying burden of their problems on their shoulders.

 “But if you relax your shoulders and raise your head, it’s possible to make the stress slip away and disappear. “It’s wrong to think that it has to end up somewhere in your body.”  Julie’s therapy is based on the technique she trained in originally, called Trager, although she has now added various other strings to her bow by applying what she has learned from treating people with more complex problems, such as post traumatic stress disorder.

 Listening skills, a common sense approach and a gift for ‘reading’ her clients’ situations are just as important. Other techniques she can use include Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), in which clients follow the movement of her fingers with their eyes. This is believed to help by alternatively engaging the left and right sides of the brain.

All these approaches are straightforward and stress-free but the main thing they have in common is they turn the idea of ‘no pain, no gain’ completely on its head. They tackle problems not by meeting them head-on in an unpleasant way but by extracting positives and building on them.

 Expect an ultimately enjoyable experience. Whether you are trying to address a physical or emotional problem, the treatment often involves gentle manipulation of joints and muscles.

 Julie holds a limb, tells the patient to let her take the weight, and encourages them to relax. This seems easy. but Julie is extremely adept at ’reading’ your level of  relaxation-and just when you think you’ve “let go” she shows you that you haven’t. Eventually, by making you more and more relaxed, you reach a feeling of much greater calm.

After this the trick is to “capture” this feeling Julie trains her clients to reproduce it at will, although it may take some practice and might require a few sessions. The technique can even be used for people who are faced with specific problems, such as job interviews or having to make a speech.

In the end, Julie’s approach succeeds because it addresses situations, sympathetically, practically and logically. without requiring that leap of faith that is necessary in other ‘alternative’ therapies. Natural Therapy can take the weight off your shoulders - and in more ways than one.

To find out more phone Julie Nicholls on 01793 495551 or visit body-mind-coaching.co.uk

Shape Up Without The Strain

 

Evening Advertiser August 2002

While many of us risk strains or even pulled muscles with punishing sessions in the gym, there is a therapy in Swindon that offers increased physical and mental well-being without the burn.

Trager and Mentastics are innovative therapies, originally from America, which combine gentle relaxing manipulation of the body-Trager, with self-care mental gymnastics-Mentastics.

Key benefits of Trager and Mentastics include reduced stress and anxiety, increased suppleness, deep relaxation, increased energy levels and recovery from injury.

Students of the therapies and people just wishing to find out more about them gathered at Lainsmead Primary School in Eastern Avenue for a day-long workshop, organised by local Swindon therapist Julie Nicholls, 34.

The workshop was led by the Austrian Trager and Mentastics instructor Hadi Stieg-Breuss, who helped the students explore movements of their arms, hands, back and heads. Ms. Nicholls, who practises as a therapist in the Bentley Centre in Stratton Road, said the workshop was a success.

“I’ve run several of these workshops since 1997. They’re a lot of fun, very relaxing and people who have not done Trager or Mentatics before, say that the day really puts them in contact with their bodies.

“Trager and Mentastics look at the individual’s body,” she continues, “If the person is suffering any pain, it seeks to help them change the ways in which their bodies work for them. It’s about moving so you feel effortless.

“The principles of Trager study weight, space, breathing, pauses and movement. It’s about how to get into positions without having to force them. If a person has pain, they hold on to that muscle, tense it, stress about it, even get depressed and that pain can rule their lives.

“We help them to look at what’s happening in their bodies and ways in which moving differently may help - if you move more freely, life can feel wonderful.

Julie plans to hold another workshop in November and would like to hear from anyone who would like to take part. The session will be open to everyone, children included, although they must be old enough to follow movement directions.

To find out more phone Julie Nicholls on 01793 495551 or visit body-mind-coaching.co.uk

Gentle Legacy Of A Boxing Doctor

   Evening Advertiser 28th July 1998

In 1925 a young boxer began developing a more gentle massage system.

SHIRLEY MATHIAS meets one of the UK’s 14 practitioners: -  It’s called “psychophysical integration” and it was devised by a Chicago boxer who later became a doctor.

Former nurse Julie Nicholls, of the Natural Therapy Centre in Shrivenham Road, Swindon, is one of only 14 people in Britain who are qualified to do it professionally. Actually it’s muscle movement and hands-on therapy named after Dr Milton Trager, who discovered it by accident and intuition when he was an 18-year-old fighter in training to be a professional in the ring.

Dr. Trager, who spent most of his life developing and teaching his touch therapy alongside this medical practice, died a year ago at the age of 90.

His system uses light, rhythmical hand contact and gentle manipulation instead of the heavy pressure of other massage systems.

The aim is to influence and interrupt deep-seated psychological and emotional patterns which can cause bad posture, distortion of muscles and joints and eventually physical pain. The therapy also improves posture.

 Julie, 30, is planning a series of introductory and training courses to introduce the unique therapy to Swindon people. She has helped to sort out everything from bad backs and bad temper. She hopes other people will be interested in becoming Trager practitioners.  Julie is the only one in Wiltshire,  “And there’s more work in this area than I can do,” she said. Julie, who was born in Belgium and has worked in Switzerland, came to Swindon five years ago to be with her boyfriend Chris Brown, who is now her husband. Treatment sessions last for at least 90 minutes. Her first introduction to Trager course is on Saturday, from 9.30am until 5pm.

More information from Julie Nicholls, Natural Therapy Centre, Swindon (01793 495551) or visit body-mind-coaching.co.uk

HOW THE TRAGER SYSTEM WORKS

The Trager system aims to release tight muscles, locked joints and even taut emotions
by manipulating the body within a pain-free range of movement.

No massage oils are used and the client doesn’t even need to undress completely. Besides the gentle massage, clients are taught Mentastics – Trager’s word for mental gymnastics, a system of effortless movement sequences designed to maintain and enhance the improvements which are produced on the massage table. 

“It’s more of a lesson than a treatment,” said Julie. “Pain is the last symptom which appears and the first to disappear. You might well be left with injured muscles, even though you aren’t feeling any more pain, so it is important to know how to maintain the benefits of the treatment.”

Ease Your Pain At A Touch

      Evening Advertiser Health Matters

Mental Gymnastics promotes good health Singers Neil Sedaka and Linda Ronstadt have more than finely tuned voices in common. Their bodies also sing from the same song sheet thanks to a little know relaxation technique. The Trager Approach aims to relieve pain by correcting he cause of problems, rather than treating the symptoms.

Therapist Julie Nicholls, who practises the technique at The Bentley Centre, in Stratton Road, Swindon, helps her clients regain physical, mental and emotional harmony.

Neil Sedaka says in a testimonial on the Trager website:

“I am most enthusiastic about Mentastics , I am always left with a feeling of lightness and freedom of movement."

While Linda Ronstadt says:

“Trager works is an invaluable aid for all singers. It relaxes the throat muscles and positions the larynx for extended range and better breath support. I rely on it.”

Whether you are trying to improve your karaoke skills or to alleviate aches and pains the unusual technique is worth experiencing. There are two aspects of Trager- one where the client is passive and the other in which they are active. The passive aspect is usually referred to as the tablework, and the active aspect is called Mentastics.

The technique was the brainchild of Milton Trager, who, in spite of being born with a congenital spinal deformity in Chicago 1908, achieved the athletic, graceful body of a dancer and gymnast.

He discovered the approach while he was training to be a boxer in his late teens and began practising on thousands of people. It sounds strange that a soft touch, almost like a stroking action, can ease back pain just as well as a good, deep massage. But as Julie explained, the client has more to do in her sessions than just lying back on the massage couch.

Julie, who trained as a nurse but became a Trager therapist nine years ago, said: “Mentastics is like mental gymnastics and is an important part. I ask the client to think of their pain, for example in their back, and recognise the way it feels when there is no pain". It sounds simple but it really helps.
If the client can explain how it feels they are on the right track to finding out the cause and correcting it.” After the Mentastics segment of the treatment,  the client relaxes on the massage couch where Julie starts to work her magic. It feels as though she is literally stroking away the pain, coaxing the body to relax completely.

“Forget about no pain, no gain.” Julie said. “Trager is more about no pain, more gain.

We have to learn to take pauses in life. You can lose track of the goals if you don’t take a step back every now and then. ” After one side of the body has been worked on, Julie holds up a mirror asking the client to see how they look. It may seem odd, but when you know what she is talking about you realise that
the relaxed side is visibly lengthened, as though the bones and muscles are able to breathe again. After the session, which costs £20 per half an hour, you are left with an almost floating feeling- and seemingly about three inches taller.

For more information call Julie on 01793 495551 or body-mind-coaching.co.uk

Gentle Manipulation Is The Key

Evening Advertiser 1996

Trager Approach techniques used today were created and developed over a period of 65 years by Milton Trager, who himself continued practising until he was 89.

They combine gentle, relaxing manipulation called tablework, with self-care exercises called Mentastics.

In tablework the person receiving the treatment lies comfortably on a special padded table wearing loose clothes.

Each person brings with them an individual history. Their body is unique.

The qualified Trager practitioner is aware of this and will treat a person according to what they find.

Using graceful and gentle manipulation of limbs and joints the practitioner works through natural paths of movement.

No attempt is made to put strain or fore on the receiver's body and the movements induce deep relaxation, increased physical mobility and mental clarity.

The aim of the tablework session is to promote a state of mental and physical well-being in the person receiving the treatment by releasing built up patterns of tension in the joints and muscles of the body.

To find out more phone Julie Nicholls on 01793 495551 or visit body-mind-coaching.co.uk

Business Was A Real Tonic For Nurse Julie

   Swindon Business - Business News - July 1996

Enterprising Julie Nicholls is well on the way to achieving her goal in life.

This 28-year old has already made her mark on the business world by being the North Wiltshire winner of the 1994 Live-Wire Business Start-Up Awards and more recently a finalist in the Wiltshire Business of the Year awards organised by the Evening Advertiser.

Julie set up and runs the Natural Therapy Centre at the Bentley Centre, Stratton Road,
Swindon.

She is qualified in remedial massage, which is recognised to help back and sciatic pain,
arthritis, sport injuries and stress. Julie is also a qualified nurse but decided that working
in the health service was not for her because she wanted her own business.

She began working for herself at the Chiropractic Clinic in Swindon ,before last year
moving into the Bentley Centre and finding 12 other alternative therapists to
join her. Now, she alone has a 135-strong client list which is growing all the time.

She said: “My long term ambition is to find suitable premises that can be turned into a
devoted centre for alternative therapies. We have just completed our first year here and the
best thing that has happened is that we are now becoming known. My aim is to win
a new client every week and so far I have managed to achieve that.”

The two therapy rooms that Julie rents at The Bentley Centre are shared between all the therapists who have been allocated time slots to use them.

Julie is keen to develop her business with companies in Swindon by taking the Centre’s services to them, instead of the client coming to the centre.

She also offers clients a mail order service for orthopaedic aids, herbal products and food supplements as well as gift vouchers for any of the therapies available.

She can be contacted on 01793495551 or visit  www.body-mind-coaching.co.uk

Julie Is Card Sharp

 Evening Advertiser 10th Feb 1995

Natural therapist Julie Nicholls has come up with an alternative gift for Valentines day, guaranteed to relax the most stressed-out person.

Julie has teamed-up with Swindon-based graphic design firm The Drawing Room, to produce gift vouchers which can be used for Remedial Massage to treat arthritis, back pain, sport injuries, repetitive strain injuries or stress.

The vouchers, priced £17, are for sale in Holland & Barrett, Pulse and the Swindon Chiropractic Clinic, in Stratton St Margaret.

They can be exchanged for a one-hour treatment and Julie, a former registered general nurse, who has worked in Swindon for two years, believes they are a good introduction to Natural Therapy.

“I’ve treated people aged between 19 and 85 and it is really beneficial,” said Julie, who works from the Chiropractic Clinic and from home.

“I’m launching these in time for Valentines day because what could be more beneficial than helping someone get rid of their tension.”

She approached Alan Read and Charlotte Devulder who run The Drawing Room and asked them to design some cards. They came up with a number of ideas from which she chose six designs.

To find out more phone Julie Nicholls on 01793 495551 or visit body-mind-coaching.co.uk

Julie Keeps The Pressure Up At Work

    Evening Advertiser 6th April 1994

Julie Nicholls knows all about the stresses and strains of running a business.

Her business is to help others overcome these problems. Called Natural Therapy, the potential of her firm has already been recognised by Livewire, the business organisation for young people sponsored by Shell.

Livewire has presented Julie, 25, with an award for the best new business in North Wiltshire.

Julie, a registered general nurse launched the business last autumn under the wing of Great Western enterprise- the Swindon-based small business help organisation.

She saw a gap in the market for remedial massage and realised many people needed help overcoming the pressures of modern business life, from stress to repetitive strain injury.

So far she has worked mainly on an individual basis but hopes soon to sign up with local firms to help employees. She is also going to work soon from the chiropractic clinic in Swindon Road, Stratton St. Margaret soon.

Belgian-born Julie had to submit her business plan to the Livewire judges before being entered for the award.

Remedial Massage, she says, has long been ignored as a way of relieving stress and helping conditions such as arthritis and back pain- as well as relaxing stressed-out business people.

Anyone wishing to find out more can contact Julie on 01793 495551 or visit body-mind-coaching.co.uk