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Mangawhai masseuses Eve and Stephanie Glover say that an increasingly popular massage technique of the cranium can be used to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), other kinds of stress and emotional pain.
The two sisters formed the Te Arai Wellness Collective to combine their technical knowledge in massage and sport science with holistic practices such as herbalism and Reiki.
Stephanie is a practitioner of craniosacral therapy, which uses gentle palpation of joints in the cranium to promote the flow of cerebrospinal fluid.
“There are so many benefits to improving circulation of cranial fluid – from better cognitive function to improved mood and response to stress,” she says
Stephanie says the therapy has been popular in the United States for some time, and it has begun take off in New Zealand as a treatment for injury and trauma because it is so gentle.
“I do a movement on the neck and clients suddenly completely relax because it flushes all the fluid through the brain and down the spine.”
Steph is studying her degree in acupuncture and has an interest in facial acupuncture.
“Your face makes millions of adjustments in a day and can affect your jaw, the sinuses and breathing.”
Meanwhile, Eve maintains a small herb dispensary at the Wellness Collective to treat a range of ailments and deficiencies.
She says a herbalist will take the time to understand a client’s symptoms and will provide a customised alcohol-based extract.
Ingredients include herbs such as chamomile and echinacea, as well as an Indian herb called withania known for improving stamina and virility among men.
For those who ask for it, Eve will also perform Reiki energy work, which seeks to bring different energies of the body, centred around chakras, into harmony.
“It’s helpful for balancing energy for people who are over-wired or anxious. It unwinds them and gets them into a peaceful space,” Eve says.
Stephanie started off her career doing first aid for rugby clubs, but decided she wanted to engage with people who wanted to improve their good health, rather than just fixing injuries.
“I wanted it to be a combination of body and mind – not just stretching out a hamstring, or being confined to western ideas of medicine.”
The sisters say when they started, there was some education to be done about what massage was and its benefits.
