Irene Lübbert: Natural medicine therapist
Foreword
Since ancient times, the different populations of our Planet have been using massage as a therapy. Massage consists of manual techniques that cause our body to pass from a state of feeling not well to one of feeling well. A simple example is when we put our hand on a painful area or simply when we rub ourselves when feeling cold.
When -by ourselves- we cannot achieve this state of well being that we desire, because of an accident, illness or something else we may be suffering from, a professional massage can help us reduce pain, relax, and will invigorate us.
Presentation
Irene Lübbert was born in the Netherlands in July 1966. During her childhood and teenage years, she lived in La Marina (Elche). After finishing her secondary education, she returned to the Netherlands to complete her studies. She received her basic training at the Academy of Physiotherapy and completed her studies at the High Massage and Movement School.
Here she learnt the art of classic massage, connective tissue massage, podal reflexology, shiatsu, principles of Chinese philosophy and natural medicine, psychology and, of course, anatomy (the study of the structure of the human body), physiology (the study of the way the body works), and pathology (the study of diseases and illnesses of the human body). She also specialised in creative kinesiology and received basic training in sound therapy; she specialised in Tissue Release in the Netherlands and in energetic work techniques, and learnt Thai massage in Thailand.
Mrs Lübbert continues working with massage, and also teaches differents massages techniques.
Classic massage
This is the most popular form of massage as well as the most widely used. With different manipulations, work is done at a muscular or articulation level, tonifying or relaxing these muscles, reinforcing them, improving blood circulation, either on one part of the body or the whole.
Connective tissue massage
It is realised through reflective zones. These areas are to be found on the skin of the back, and are related to the digestive, breathing, urinary, reproductive and circulatory systems. This method can be used to detect and recover affections of mentioned systems.
Tissue Release
This technique treats the underlayers of skin and muscle insertions. In these places the connective tissue stiffens because of continuous muscular activity. The method "invites" the tensions to release themselves, obtains deep relaxation of the muscles, and improves circulation; all this may help towards posture correction, and liberation of emotional stress.
Lymph drainage
When one’s legs feel tired or swollen, this is due to a blood circulation disorder, because part of the bodily fluids do not circulate properly. A similar process occurs when lymph ganglia have been surgically removed: liquid acumulates into what is known as an edema. By means of various specific massage techniques, the liquid accumulated in the tissue is made to “come out” and recirculate, thus reducing the pain and swollenness it causes.
These
massage also is efficient when one is doing a detox.
Podal reflexology
The totality of our body is reflected in our feet; the right side of the body on the right foot and the left side of the body in the left foot. This permits working on (among others) a wide range of disorders related to the digestive, breathing, urinary and reproductive systems or to the spine. Feet can be worked on, not only for the reasons mentioned, but also in order to obtain a total relaxation of the body.
Shiatsu
This oriental technique is quite different from those formerly mentioned. The method consists in exercising pressure on certain points and/or stretching the meridians (energetic “veins”). Meridians run all along our body and are related to different organs such as lungs, colon, stomach, spleen, etc. The range of action of this method is similar to that of podal reflexology.
Thai massage
This therapeutic massage technique was born in India, with influences from China. It involves working with the whole human being at all levels, carrying out muscular pressure and upon energetic points (other than those used for acupunture) and releasing all joints. Practitioners work on the floor, using their hands and feet. In this way, the whole body is relaxed and reinvigorated, leading to a general sense of well-being.
Posture correction
Without realising, sometimes we take up physical positions with which we feel comfortable, even though they might be the wrong ones. This is something we’ve been doing since we were children, and keep on at work or in our leisure time activities. Wrong positions lead to muscle tension, and thus to pain. Besides, such muscle tension is passed on to the joints, making them less mobile. This is more noticeable in the spine, which may even deviate.
By means of various techniques, we re-educate our bodies in order to gain awareness of our position and chose the correct ones.
Chair massage
It is a quick antistress massage based on shiatsu. The work is done on the whole body with the clothes on in 15 min on a specially designed chair. The big multinationals work a lot with it for preventing dismissing because of illness.
Creative kinesiology
This method aims at interrelating all things, and may eventually lead us to “talk” with our subconscious in order to find out what is blocking our daily development. It will also help selfrealisation.
The subconscious will also select what we need for our treatment, e.g. Bach Remedies (flower essences), minerals, massage or whatever therapy that may be needed.
Sound therapy
This therapy is based on the various sounds and waves produced by Tibetan Singing Bowls (made with an alloy of seven metals from Tibet). As our body consists mainly of water, sound and vibrating waves carry very easily, thus relaxing the nervous system and muscles. They can also be used for specific purposes, such as stimulating the body so that injured tissue may regenerate.
Sessions can be arranged individually or in groups.
Metamorphic massage
The developers of this technique discovered that there is a correlation between the development of the spine and psychological development during embryo stages. Therefore, work is done on the reflected areas of the spine on hand and feet, and also on the head, thereby dealing with disorders related to hypersensitiveness, hyper- activity, anxiety and depression.
Healing
Human beings are much more than physical bodies; our vitality manifests itself not only in our bodies, but also around them. Through our hands we can transmit cosmic energy, which may lead to a release both of an emotional and of a physical nature.
Aura reading
The aura is the energy field surrounding our body, which reflects both emotions and blockades. Through meditation a clarivident reading can be obtained of those things a person must be aware of or heal, and also receive healing. This will help us to feel better or clarify doubts. A general reading may be made, or a specific one focusing on a topic, such as work, one’s partner, family, travels, past lives, and the current state of female or male energy.
Acupuncture
Traditional
Chinese Medicine promotes physical, emotional and mental well-being, restoring
imbalances and promoting general well-being. For this purpose acupuncture,
auriculotherapy, moxibustion, cupping or dietary advice or a combination of
these techniques are used.
The acupuncture
uses very thin, sterile single-use needles that are inserted into acupuncture
points. Each point has its own meaning and function, and depending on the
objective, it can be used from a single point to a combination of points.
Acupuncture points
are located on energetic lines called meridians. The meridians run along the
surface of the skin and connect internally with the different organs and
viscera.
The organs and
viscera are related to physical, emotional and mental disorders.
The tongue and
pulses provide information about on which organs or viscera the session should
be focused.
Principles of Chinese philosophy and natural medicine
One of the basic foundations of natural medicine is that the person who treats us does not heal us, but stimulates our body to recover.
Another principle is that during the healing process, we may feel worse at first, and even experience symptoms from the past, in reverse order of appearance. This is an indication of the body regenerating itself. In these cases there is no need to feel upset; however, the healing process is not always like this.
Chinese philosophy, amongst others, adds to all this the relation between an organic disorder and a mental or a parallel emotional process; for example, the small intestine analyses the food we have eaten in order to transport it to the rest of the body; so, if the small intestine meridian is unbalanced, the implication is that we are continuously analysing something mentally (we are thinking too much about something). This does not mean that, physically speaking, the small intestine is ill, but if we do not change our mental attitude it may well become so. Similar relations exist with the other organs.
Besides, the “objects” in our environment are related to the symptoms we may suffer.
And, finally ...
What kind of problems can be treated?
For example muscular pain, lumbago, neck pain, ischiadicus pain, articular rigidity, stiffness, rheumatism, liquid retention, asthma, headaches, stomach aches, constipation, scar pain, spine deviation, breathing problems, stress, nervous tension, gritting teeth, emotional blockades, ...
At the beginning of the bodywork we must not look for healing, but we must expect improvement, which will lead us to heal. With this purpose, one or more techniques of the mentioned may be used.
Finally, it should always be borne in mind that we are treating the person, and not just the illness.
