Explore holistic care: Celebrate Complementary Therapy Week

We are celebrating Complementary Therapy Week, which takes place between Wednesday 20 March and Tuesday 26 March this year.

This is a fantastic opportunity to show appreciation for the complementary therapy services at the Hospice, which include Reiki, massage, visualisation and aromatherapy. These practices are used alongside conventional medical treatment to promote relaxation and boost emotional well-being, and are available for our patients and their families.

Martina Teal is the Complementary Therapist at the Hospice. We caught up with her during her Tuesday Complementary Therapy group, which features practices to help combat stress, anxiety and poor sleep, as well as providing strategies for pain management.

It was the final session of a six-week programme, and Martina was focusing on hand massage and meditation. Introducing the hand massages, Martina told the group that she would teach them how to do it as a tool to help them relax. "You'd be surprised how soothing it is," she said. "It's a great practice as it's one that works really well for both younger people and older people."

Martina demonstrated different hand massage techniques, including alternative methods for those with arthritis. Then, the group split into pairs and practised with each other.

Isobel paired up with her mother, Helen, to have a go. "That feels lovely," Helen told her daughter. "You're a natural at this. You should become a massage therapist!"

Isobel said that she and her mother had loved the six-week programme, explaining: "Mum asked me to come with her to help her, but I've enjoyed it just as much as she has. It's been a great opportunity to have some mother-daughter time."

Sisters Karen and Steph also explained how beneficial they had found the programme. Karen said that coming to the sessions was important to them as their mother passed away in the Hospice recently. "It helps us feel closer to her," she said.

Karen particularly enjoyed the week when they used therapeutic conversation cards, which they turned over to reveal words that they could relate to their lives. Steph's favourite activity of the programme was when the group made their own aromatherapy oils, saying: "Martina helped us put them together, and we got to take them home. Mine was made with bergamot and lavender."

Meanwhile, Martina gave a hand massage to Eileen, who enjoyed it so much that she joked, "I might take you home with me!" Afterwards, Eileen said: "My whole hand felt at ease and I was so relaxed. If it had gone on any longer, I think I'd have fallen asleep!"

You can find out more about our well-being services and complementary therapies here.