Complementary Therapy
Here at Trinity, our Complementary Therapies’ team aim to provide physical, emotional and spiritual support. All the therapies we offer allow you a little relief, a bit of “me time” during this unsettling period and can be given alongside any medical treatment you may be receiving. Our treatments are here to nurture those living with progressive illness and their carers in a relaxed environment.
All the therapies we offer are free of charge to Day Therapy Unit patients, Inpatients and Outpatients referred through Trinity Hospice and Palliative Care Services.
The therapies we provide include massage, aromatherapy, Reiki, reflexology, Bach flower remedies and relaxation/guided visualization (see below for more details).
All these can help you to relax, by reducing tension, stress and anxiety and allow you some much-needed “time-out”. Additional benefits from our treatments can be:
- Short term pain relief
- An increased sense of well-being
- Reduction in nausea
- Relaxation to help encourage sleep
The complementary therapies used here at Trinity have been found to be of great benefit to those receiving them and are performed by caring and compassionate therapists who are professionally qualified with many years of treating experience behind them.
Massage
Massage is a soothing form of “touch therapy”, the comforting stroking movements are applied to the body and can help you relax physically and mentally, therefore allowing you a period of inner calmness and sense of well-being.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is the application of essential oils combined with massage aiming to improve your physical and emotional well-being. The oils are prescribed to suit your specific needs and help support both patients and carers on their individual journeys.
Reflexology
This ancient therapy encourages the body to work naturally to restore a healthy balance. Pressure is applied to specific reflexes on your feet or hands, which correspond to parts of the body. This helps promote the natural flow of energy and restore well-being. It is not used in palliative care as a diagnostic tool, but reflexology can be effective in helping:-
- Back pain
- Migraine and headaches
- Sleep disorders
- Hormonal imbalances
- Digestive problems
- Stress related illness and promote relaxation
Healing/Reiki
This is a simple hands on or above the body. It is intended to reinforce the self-healing/coping abilities of the person receiving healing. Whether the problem is stress related, or as a result of trauma or bereavement, it often facilitates acceptance. The most reported comments following a healing session are of inner peace, contentment and deep relaxation. Responsible Healers will never promise a cure but sincerely believe that their clients will positively benefit from the healing they offer.
Relaxation/Guided Visualisation
We work with individuals and groups teaching relaxation techniques to increase a persons coping skills. Relaxation/guided visualisation has been shown to boost the immune system and can be a powerful tool to help relieve stress, tension and anxiety which is easy to learn, and can be used anywhere at anytime.
Dr Bach Remedies
Our trained practitioner provides a personal consultation and prescribes remedies to help relieve negative emotional states, improving your ability to cope with anxiety and stress. The remedies are produced from plants using Homeopathic principles, which were discovered by Dr Bach an orthodox doctor and scientist in 1936. He suffered from cancer and realised the emotional negativity associated with the illness. Bach flower remedies are safe to take with all medication.
How do I obtain Complementary Therapy?
Our medical or nursing staff at Trinity Palliative care services, who are caring for you and your family may write a referral to the Complementary Therapy Coordinators. Our Coordinators will arrange an assessment appointment for you, during which you will get to discuss the types of complementary therapy that are available to you and select the most appropriate to your individual needs. Usually you will be allocated six therapy appointments. Our patient centred approach allows us to provide a holistic treatment that will be most beneficial to you.