Ashdown Natural Health Clinic

Osteopathy, Homeopathy, Acupuncture, Counselling, Massage, Pilates and Podiatry

in Forest Row near East Grinstead, Crawley, Gatwick and Tunbridge Wells

Our Therapies

Osteopathy Homeopathy Acupuncture Naturopathy Counselling Pilates Alexander Technique Shiatsu Massage Therapies Podiatry Reflexology Yoga HeartMath® Ki Massage Hopi Ear Candling Chromatherapy

Osteopathy

We have three osteopaths working at the clinic offering a range of approaches to treatment including both cranial and structural osteopathy. Areas of special interest among our practitioners include the treatment of pregnant women, babies and children, although all regularly treat every type of patient.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy treats the person rather than any named disease, so potentially it can help patients with a wide range of conditions. It is also widely used to help maintain good physical and mental health. Babies and children often respond very well to homeopathy and we run a low cost children's clinic every Monday and Wednesday afternoon.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years. It is a system of healing that considers the overall well-being of the patient whilst also treating the root of the problem and not just the symptoms. It seeks to balance and return an individual to their natural state of equilibrium on all levels - physical, emotional and spiritual. Acupuncture is beneficial for a wide range of conditions and can be used alongside conventional medicine in the treatment of acute and chronic disease. The World Health Organisation recognises the importance of acupuncture and the role it can play in health. This is detailed in its paper Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials.

Naturopathy

Naturopaths activate your body's inherent ability to heal and detoxify itself at physiological, mental and emotional levels. They use a range of natural methods of healing to treat both short and long term illness and to promote good health and vitality. Naturopaths may identify a predisposition to disease before it has onset and so use preventative measures to improve well-being. Naturopathy draws on a wide range of therapeutic disciplines, known as modalities. These include acupuncture and cupping glasses, chromatherapy, life coaching, lifestyle advice, nutritional measures and western herbs. Naturopaths can assist both adults and children with a wide range of complaints and can also help you to maintain good health.

Counselling

Counselling is an opportunity to explore troublesome issues, relationships and life events with a person who is trained and skilled in helping us find a way to go forward in life. This means that the counsellor will listen to and respond in a way that recognises who each person is and what has happened in their life to create the person they are today. Counselling gives us the opportunity to explore aspects of our experience that have remained under the surface and enables us to gain greater awareness that can help us in the future.

Pilates

Pilates is a holistic exercise method, designed to elongate, strengthen and condition the body. It targets the deep postural muscles of the abdomen and spine to improve overall central core stability. Pilates focuses on improving postural awareness, flexibility, endurance and breathing control using gentle exercises and stretches. It can assist recovery from injury and muscular pain and prevent reoccurrence. Our Pilates therapist offers individual consultations at Ashdown Natural Health Clinic.

Alexander Technique

The Alexander Technique is a subtle and powerful way of helping you identify and avoid harmful postural habits which can cause you pain, stress, anxiety and depression and stop you reaching your full potential. It can be applied anytime: be it at your desk, doing exercise or addressing an audience. Anyone can benefit, regardless of age or state of health. If you like to think for yourself and enjoy taking responsibility for your own situation, then the technique is for you. It can alleviate pain and help you to regain natural poise and flexibility and to feel energised and relaxed. It can therefore improve your overall functioning and well-being.

Shiatsu

Shiatsu means finger pressure in Japanese. Shiatsu originated in Japan and since the 1970s has developed internationally as a widely recognised physical therapy. Shiatsu is closely related to acupuncture as a health treatment. In Shiatsu the practitioner uses their hands, fingers and thumbs instead of needles, applying a combination of pressure on specific points, gentle stretching and movement of the joints. This relaxes tension, re-energises weak areas and enhances and strengthens various functions of the body. Many people find Shiatsu is particularly effective for back pain, postural issues, stress related problems and depression.

Massage Therapies

We have three massage therapists working at Ashdown Natural Health Clinic, offering between them Full Body Massage, Back and Shoulder Massage, Sports Massage, Indian Head Massage, Pregnancy Massage and Manual Lymphatic Drainage Massage.

Full Body Massage is an hour-long relaxing massage using a range of techniques. This massage is suitable as a relaxing treat or as a deeper treatment to relieve areas of muscle tension. Back and Shoulder Massage offers the same basic approach as the full body massage, but takes just half an hour and focuses on the upper body. Sports Massage is particularly effective for alleviating muscular tension, whether it arises from physical activity or everyday life. Indian Head Massage is a relaxing treatment of the head, neck and shoulders. Pregnancy Massage can reduce fluid retention, improve pregnancy related postural imbalances and relax mother and baby. It is available to expectant mothers from 3 months to full term, provided the pregnancy is progressing well. Manual Lymphatic Drainage Massage is particularly useful if you are feeling a bit run down or keep picking up coughs and colds.

Podiatry

A source of confusion exists over the terms chiropodist and podiatrist. Chiropody tends to be regarded as routine foot care, whereas a podiatrist has a university degree and is trained not only in basic foot care but also in treating more complex foot pathologies caused by diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Podiatrists are skilled in wound care and tissue viability. Podiatrists can also advise on foot function and its effects on the legs and back. Podiatrists can treat a wide range of problems including corns; fungal nails and athlete's foot; thickened and ingrowing nails; dry skin and cracked heels; verrucas; blisters; bunions; flat feet; high arched feet; achilles tendonitis; heel pain; heel spur syndrome; toe deformities; sports injuries and children's foot problems.

Reflexology

Reflexology is offered at the clinic by Lindsey Juniper. It is a holistic discipline which works to stimulate the self-healing mechanisms of the body, thus achieving balance and harmony. It is a particularly useful treatment for stress-related conditions.

Yoga

Yoga was first developed in India nearly 5,000 years ago. It is an ancient science that teaches the importance of allowing the mind, body and spirit to unite and work in harmony. Yoga brings flexibility into our lives, not only of the body, but just as importantly of the mind too. It teaches us to "switch off" and let the body return to its natural restful state and allow the mind to be calm. One-to-one Yoga tuition is a traditional and invaluable part of developing your yoga practice, be it as a beginner or as an advanced yogi. In one-to-one sessions Sarah can create an individual programme for you to either begin or develop your Yoga practice. This is tailored to your own health, abilities and lifestyle.

HeartMath®

HeartMath® is a scientifically validated technique for stress and anxiety management. Our licenced one-to-one HeartMath® practitioner use a combination of tools and techniques that rely on biofeedback to assist you in altering your reaction to stress and anxiety.

Ki Massage

As well as practising as an osteopath, Joanne de Diepold Braham also offers Ki Massage treatments. Based on ancient Japanese Ki circulation beliefs, Ki massage works to free the physical body of aches and pains whilst bringing about a gentle balancing of the emotional system. Ki massage works from the premise that there are five bodies, one physical and four energetic. Work on the physical body allows access to the subtler energy bodies. This can assist the client in clearing blocked energy from their system. By deep structural and energetic realignment the client moves towards holistic well being. Ki massage is suitable for all ages and problems as it works within the individual's own abilities to bring about wellbeing.

Hopi Ear Candling

Hopi Ear Candling is a centuries-old, natural, non-invasive therapy. The therapy was brought over to the west by the Hopi tribes of North America who use it as a "well-being" ritual, relieving all sorts of symptoms. Lindsey Juniper offers this therapy at the clinic.

Chromatherapy

Chromatherapy is a form of light therapy which was developed in France about 40 years ago. Coloured light is used to influence the body's energy system. By acting upon energetic disturbances and blockages, it can assist with health imbalances which range from wound healing to psychological disorders. According to the energetic view of illness, illness arises when the balance of the body's energies is disrupted. In the early stages, the individual may sense that something is not right even though conventional tests reveal no specific problem and disturbances may be felt in how the body systems function. Over time, pain may develop and eventually organ damage and serious ill-health may result. Chromatherapy is one means of treating the underlying energetic imbalances at every stage in this process. Chromatherapy is painless and involves the use of a small light with coloured filters. Light treatment is given in a darkened room and your therapist will stand behind a screen or leave the room. You will be asked to lie on a couch and, depending on the nature of your health problem, the light may be applied through your eyes or onto your skin. Exposure lasts either 50 seconds or 4 minutes and you will then be asked to lie for a further 20 minutes to get the most from the treatment.

Gift vouchers can be purchased for all our therapies. Just call the clinic on 01342 822505 for details or click here to order a voucher on line.