ABOUT ME

I have always been interested in helping people achieve balance and wellbeing in their lives. I originally trained as a Careers Guidance Advisor in 1994 to help people identify their passion and find a route into doing what they wanted to do with their lives. Some close friends have suggested that I chose this vocation as a means of being able to research and discover what my own passion and vocation should be! However, I felt that I also wanted to widen my scope for helping people find wellbeing through communication and so five years ago trained in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP).

I also discovered Shiatsu at the same time, which is very much about helping people achieve balance and wellbeing in their lives, plus it ticked the box for me in terms of identifying my own passion because most importantly, being a bodywork therapy, it involves communication through touch. Another added bonus is that being a physical therapy it also keeps me fit!

Shiatsu has transformed my own health. Prior to becoming a practitioner I suffered terribly from a bad back and sciatica and eventually became wheelchair bound. I had an operation to remove a disc and began to receive a course of shiatsu treatments regularly over the next six months whilst recovering at home. I had already become interested in shiatsu as a possible career area and the noticeable week to week benefits of the treatments on my own health confirmed that I should explore it further.

After taking an introductory taster course I was hooked and I undertook the full training and qualified as a practitioner registered with The British School of Shiatsu-Do and becoming a member of the professional body The Shiatsu Society.

Shiatsu practitioners train for 3 years to qualify for the Diploma. We undertake exams both in western anatomy and physiology and Traditional Chinese Medicine to qualify. We also undertake original research, which is presented as a thesis as part of their training. I undertook 225 supervised practical treatments and further case studies and was examined in practical and diagnostic skills as well as academic theory.

I have undertaken post graduate study and continue my professional development by training regularly with internationally recognised Shiatsu teachers to maintain skills and to learn new skills to integrate within my shiatsu, which is evolving into my own particular style and continues to develop in new ways.

I have recently trained to become a teacher in Chi Kung, training with the Five Elemental Chi Kung school in London. Chi Kung is considered the highest of healing arts in China and is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine and therefore the same system as Shiatsu. Chi kung uses the breath, movement, posture and intention to raise our selves to very high states of wellbeing and awareness. In China, Chi Kung exercises are an integral part of the medical treatment of physical illnesses including cancer and heart disease.

I run a Shiatsu clinic from my purposely converted Wellbeing Studio at my home in Colchester and am also  employed by "Open Road", part-time as a shiatsu practitioner to give support to those who are withdrawing from addiction to drugs and alcohol. I teach Chi Kung to beginners on a tuesday evening in Colchester, and also offer one to one Chi Kung lessons from my Wellbeing Studio.

I am qualified in Thai Massage, traveling to Thailand in 2007 and gaining my certificate through the WatPo Medical School of Bangkok. Thai massage originates from India and uses thumb pressure and applied yoga stretches to achieve wellbeing and balance. It integrates perfectly with shiatsu, sharing many similar techniques and the same philosophy.

My clients have come from all walks of life and are all ages; from young children to pensioners!

If you would like to discuss Shiatsu or Chi Kung further or to make an appointment please telephone

07779 955407

01206 792211

or e-mail shiatsu@wellbeingone.org

Alison Hosking (MRSS)
Parkside
62 Port Lane
Colchester
Essex
CO1 2HL