Natural Approach School & Therapies

27/10/2025

Thank you for your very kind words Magdalena, I am humbled. It was 6 years ago when you came to Cheltenham to learn and I saw your passion and dream for Lomi back then and watched you grow ever since. Besides your beautiful centre in Plymouth, you have now achieved your dream of visiting and learning more about this sacred massage that is KaHuna at its home in Hawaii. Much mahalo and thank you for choosing me to begin your heart and soul journey. xx

26/10/2025

PEPPERMINT v HAKKA v SPEARMINT: KNOW YOUR MINTS!
With the nights drawing in many Essential Oil users start reaching for the Peppermint, (Mentha piperata). I specifically mention its botanical name here because I would also like to tell you about Hakka (Mentha canadensis, Japanese Peppermint, not the New Zealand 'war' dance 🙂 ), and Spearmint (Mentha spicata).

I'm going to keep this as simple as posible from a chemistry point of view. Hakka (canadensis) contains very little menthofuran depending on growing conditions, soil, climate and harvesting times. Spearmint (spicata) contains next to no menthofuran thus making it safer than traditional Peppermint (piperata) or Hakka (canadensis). Hence why the piperata has so many contraindications. It would explain why, very often, the Spearmint or Hakka comes out when I dowse when ordinarily I would not use Peppermint on clients.
I'll start with the traditional variety, Peppermint. There is no mistaking the 'in your face' smell of Peppermint. I have personally found it very harsh and think twice before using it even diluted on the skin, it makes me think it would make my skin 'sting', which it doesn't for most people when diluted correctly. So I often opt for Spearmint or Hakka.
So traditional Peppermint.....
Head: Anger, fatigue, depression and hysteria. Sinusitis and halitosis. Headaches, migraines and toothache.
Chest: Tuberculosis, bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma.
Stomach: Food poisoning, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, flatulence, colic, gall stones, nausea and travel sickness.
Hormones and Reproduction:Mastitis, painful periods.
Muscles: Aching feet and sore muscles in general, rheumatism.
Nerves: Neuralgia.
Skin: Pruritis, dermatitis, ringworm, itching, inflammation and sunburn.
Emotional: Self-acceptance and calm.
Mental: Concentration, alertness and soothes.
Relationships: Sensitivity and perception
Dreams And Aspirations: Dreams.
Contraindications: Pregnancy, epilepsy, possible skin irritant, heart disease, homeopathy, fever, Petit Mal, Neurasthenia.

Now to Hakka. It is a delightful fragrance, it's gentle and you can inhale it easily, no sharpness and wrinkling of nose. Energetically you can immediately feel it clearing your head and lifting it off your shoulders. It really does have the effect of lifting your head up almost to the point where you feel your head has been detached from your body. Mental cobwebs suddenly disappear, you smile as you exhale slowly. When our exhalation is twice the length of our inhalation it stimulates our Vagus Nerve. Simply put this nerve sends signals to our heart, lungs and digestive system primarily. You can feel the calming effect of Hakka as it slows your breathing and a weird 'cleaning' effect happens in your stomach.
It does the same as traditional Peppermint, but in a soothing rather than 'attacking' way.
It most definitely has a 'higher purpose' than Peppermint in that it allows to to break free of out dated, out worn ideas you hold and allows for inspiration, new ideas and determination for action in a steadfast way. I would suggest you still follow the contraindications indicated for traditional Peppermint.

Finally Spearmint. It has a sweeter odour and can be safely used on children from 2 years old. The Romans introduced Spearmint into Britain where it was used it to stop milk from curdling. Spearmint is thought to be the oldest of the mints and was named Spere Mynte in the 16th century. Botanically it is now believed that Peppermint is a 'cross-breed' hybrid of Spearmint and water mint. There is an innocent playfulness to Spearmint. A childlike quality of being immersed in the moment and just dancing, laughing and celebrating life. It asks you to be innocent, vulnerable, feel the emotions of the child within you and ‘lighten-up’, stop looking at the world with cynical eyes. Focus on the goodness around you. It will help you walk away, nay, even reject anything and anyone who is negative to your happy spirit with a simple flip of your hand. You won’t have time for any negativity, depressing thoughts, you will be too busy embracing life, then feel your energy levels soar! Sometimes we need to just stop ‘adulting’ and let the creative and inspirational ‘child’ run lose, you’d be surprised at the simplistic yet so pertinent ideas that will get your imaginative juices flowing.

All the mints have their own individual nuances, but pretty much do what Peppermint will. But in order of safety/contraindications, Spearmint is your safest option, followed by Hakka and then Peppermint which has a multitude of contraindications.
The photo below is of Hakka (Mentha canadensis)

25/10/2025

A LITTLE SNIPPET FROM THE INTRODUCTION .....
"It's my birthday. With a mug of tea in my hand, I look through the dining room window and see that my garden is a mess. It has lain dormant and neglected for the past seven to eight years. I am not sure, and cannot recall exactly when I stopped paying attention to what had been my sanctuary. I do remember various events, which began to pull my attention away and distract me. These events culminated in an explosion of negative emotions, which drained me of any energy I had to tend my garden. With a lack of energy, no enthusiasm, and a very distrustful and cynical heart, I became a hedgehog. Armed for protection with my prickly spikes I curled myself up into a little ball and hibernated.
But my hibernation was fitful. Every time I uncurled to take a peek at my garden, I was attacked again and again. The onslaught was so relentless that the day came where I could no longer curl up into the safety of my prickly orb, and the only escape route left to me was to make a run through a small door which was left ajar in the wall surrounding my garden...............................................I awoke one morning feeling off balance, my instincts knew that something was not right. I got out of my bed and went to my garden, only to find that the sun was not shining brightly as it usually did. I surveyed my garden, section-by-section, part-by-part, looking for a sign of where the disruption had happened. A cloud came over the sun. My whole garden was plummeted into dark shadows. The aromas withdrew themselves. The breeze stopped; there was an eerie silence. Colours became hidden in the shadows. The sweet taste in my mouth had turned bitter. My once steady, strong yet gentle hands shook uncontrollably. My throat became dry and felt strangled. No gentle words of love came out, but a desperate, heart-rending cry from the depths of my soul, which brought me to my knees. My father had been diagnosed with cancer."
Available on Amazon, or a signed copy, if you so wish, directly from me.

25/10/2025

That's me out for the count after a fab combined treatment of Craniosacral therapy and reflexology with essential oils from Ewa . Thank you Ewa.
https://www.facebook.com/stories/984351555092059/UzpfSVNDOjcxNTY2OTE5NzUyNzMwOQ==/?view_single=1

22/10/2025

As it happens, this popped up in my memories today and I thought it was worth another share, not just for Aromatherapists, but also for you, the home user of Essential Oils, particularly given the time of year where winter bugs abound for example.
It's just a couple of minutes read.....
" I am re-posting this as it is particularly pertinent at this time of year when people look to natural alternatives to treat themselves for colds, flu and the 'Thing'.
HOW MANY AROMATHERAPISTS CHECK IF THEIR CLIENTS ARE USING ESSENTIAL OILS AT HOME?
I'm pretty certain most of us do. However, yesterday, one of my students asked me a very pertinent question. She had just found out that one of her clients had signed up to that MLM company (you know the one) and that she was using them on all her family and ingesting. She was asking me what she should do. This was my reply...
" Harsh but simple.... you can't treat her with essential oils while she is to all intents and purposes 'self-medicating' at home. It's as simple as that. If something goes wrong...you don't want her blaming you. Just tell her you will do hands on when you return to work, but you WILL NOT be using essential oils on her. Simple. I always ask new clients if they are using Essential Oils at home. They are often shocked when I explain why they can't use such and such oil. Don't flap about it, rise above it and keep your professionalism. You could draw up a list of oils she shouldn't be using based on her client assessment and give/post it to her. If she has children, add the oils at which age are safe to use. Finally, just add the usual safety as in no ingestion, dilution etc. But add that while she is using the oils randomly you cannot in all professional integrity be overloading her system with more oils when you don't know what she is doing at home. Words to that effect. Her choice at end of day, but at least you will have kept your professionalism and safe guarded your practice."
So, when I first qualified 30 years ago, there was no such thing as the Internet we had to hunt down suppliers via magazine adverts for example. When Aromatherapists had to order their supplies, they would be asked to provide a copy of their certificate to practice. When the Internet came along, suppliers would have 'general' oils available for the public, but to access more complex oils, again you would have to supply your certification so you could access the therapist area on a website. Much like the behind the counter restricted medications at a chemist/pharmacist. But by today there are no such restrictions, it's a free for all. Most EO suppliers will have a therapist area but this is for discounted/cost prices. Now we have the rise of the MLM's and all that entails. Not going there today.
It was second nature to me all those years ago to ask my new clients if they were using Essential Oils and why they had chosen to come to me for Aromatherapy. You see, way back then Aromatherapy had been around for a while, but it had just started to become very popular with magazine articles and books. I would check which oils they had at home and advise accordingly depending on the answers in their Client Assessment/consultation. I would often suggest that they did not use any of their oils at home without checking with me first as either they would a) be sent home with a prescription to use on what ailed them or b) to check if an oil they had at home would be appropriate for maybe a mild cold or sprained muscle before they could see me next.
Just like Dr's checking and cross referencing any medication you might already be on, so an Aromatherapist needs to know not just your medications etc, but also if you are using EO's at home. With the rise in people 'self-medicating' with EO's it is more important than ever that as therapists we check this out. As a client, you need to follow your therapist’s advice and guidance, if you don't you could be overloading your system and eventually poisoning yourself.... just as you would if you misused your medication from your Dr. If you use EO's at home on yourself or your family without consulting a Aromatherapist.......well, best of luck with that. You might as well be raiding the Pharmacy and throwing any old pill down your throat w***y nilly.
Please feel free to share.
©Jane Lawson
Natural Approach School and Therapies July 2020"

17/10/2025

Medice, cura te ipsum = Physician, heal thyself, comes to mind.
As many of you know, at the outbreak of the you know what, I devised a prescription of EO's to be a prophylactic and remedy for the symptoms which I boringly named The Blend.
Then followed the 'Long-haulers' or Long-Covid's which reminded me of the 'Yuppie Flu' of the '80's which was a tongue in cheek term for CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) as it was later classified. So, to tackle this I came up with another boring name 'Recovery'.
I shared these remedies with my students/therapists and, to be brief, we helped many, many people and continue to do so. But learning to deal with the 'latest bug' goes on for us all. Last month, having tried it myself, I shared the amazing results I had with a very particular essential oil that stopped my sore throat, which was so bad it had woken me up in the middle of the night. It took just 30 minutes in my case, and the sore throat was gone. I put the quick result I had down to jumping on it immediately, it was that bad! Stitch in time saves nine, as they say.
Therapists are notoriously useless at treating themselves, we really are! 😂It can take us a while to get the "doh" and head slapping moment! I was so pleased to see that Wendy, you might remember she won my Student of the Year award in 2022, only took 48 hours for her 'doh' moment. Have a read below of her 'journey' with this latest 'bug' that's doing the rounds.
As I said at the top of this post "Medice, cura te ipsum".........
https://www.facebook.com/rowesytherapies/posts/522527376547515

I've been bug busting this week! 🔫

It's that time of year, coughs, colds, and you know what! 🙄

Here's my story, on Tuesday I woke up feeling out of sorts, sore throat, headache and tired, so I thought rest with honey and lemon is in order. Wednesday, woke up feeling really bad, much worse, took a test and was negative. Ok, so I thought id stay with my usual remedy and add in some niaouli in a diffuser to help get rid of any bugs. Thursday came. and I felt like s***e, hacking cough now in full flow, took a test and yes I was positive! Right I thought, time for" the blend", one sniffy stick made and inhaled x 4 daily to get rid of it. Which I did religiously, for two days, this time I added in another oil, gurjun balsam, applied to my chest, neck and ear area. Saturday.. and I'm negative and feeling better. Wow! Couldn't believe it! Now I've added a recovery blend to help support myself over the coming weeks.💐

I know I go on about essential oils.. but I really feel they've helped me through this week. If you're interested please get in touch 🙏