Kerry Reflexology

18/11/2025

Honouring our health insurance partners 🤝

We’re thrilled to have St. Paul’s Garda Medical Aid Society supporting their members with access to qualified reflexologists.
This recognition strengthens our shared commitment to wellbeing and preventative care.

17/11/2025

It’s not unusual to feel sleepy, heavy, or even emotionally drained after a reflexology session, and it’s actually a good sign that your body is responding.

Reflexology activates the parasympathetic nervous system - the “rest and digest” branch responsible for slowing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and triggering recovery processes. When the body shifts out of a chronic stress state (sympathetic dominance), it finally has permission to relax, repair, and rebalance.

That deep relaxation can sometimes feel like fatigue, especially if your system has been running on adrenaline or stress hormones for a long time. The tiredness isn’t a side effect. It’s a signal that your body is resetting its internal balance.

📚 Research supports this response:

Studies, including McVicar et al. (Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2007), show measurable reductions in heart rate, blood pressure, and anxiety levels following reflexology - clear indicators of parasympathetic activation.

A 2011 pilot study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that reflexology sessions produced significant decreases in salivary cortisol (the body’s main stress hormone), reinforcing the link between reflexology and stress reduction.

Improvements in sleep quality and relaxation have been documented across multiple clinical settings, from cancer care to maternity wards, all pointing to the same physiological mechanism of rest and regulation.

💧 How to support your body afterward:

Drink water to help the body process metabolic by-products released during deep relaxation.

Avoid caffeine or alcohol immediately after your session to prolong the calm.

Rest if you can, even a short nap or quiet time helps integrate the benefits.

Feeling tired after reflexology is simply your body exhaling and catching up on the rest it’s been asking for. 😴

15/11/2025

Practitioners Diploma in Reflexology now commencing January 2026, limited spaces available, please go to www.kerryreflexology.com for more information 👣

29/10/2025

🧠 World Stroke Day | Reflexology & Recovery

A stroke can have a profound impact on both body and mind. Alongside essential medical care and rehabilitation, some people recovering from stroke also turn to reflexology as a way to support their wellbeing.

Reflexology is a complementary therapy involving gentle pressure on specific areas of the feet, hands or face. While it is not a treatment for stroke itself, emerging research suggests it may:
✨ Help reduce anxiety and stress
🌿 Support relaxation and emotional wellbeing
🌙 Improve sleep quality and overall comfort
💓 Promote a sense of balance and calm during recovery

Many stroke survivors experience heightened tension, fatigue and anxiety - factors that can make rehabilitation more challenging. Reflexology may help ease some of these symptoms, supporting a more holistic recovery journey.

⚠️ Important reminders:
• Always seek medical clearance before starting reflexology after a stroke.
• Work with a qualified practitioner who can adapt treatment to your needs (e.g., mobility challenges, sensation changes, or spasticity).
• Avoid treatment if there is active DVT, open wounds or foot infection.

Reflexology works best when used alongside, not instead of, medical and rehabilitative care. For many people, it can offer a gentle space for calm and comfort during a time of major change. 💜

25/10/2025

Following on from last month's IRI Members' Event, we were delighted to present a cheque to the Northwest MS Therapy Centre recently.

This incredible charity provides vital support, therapies, and services to people living with multiple sclerosis and other neurological conditions across the region.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported our fundraising efforts - your generosity makes a real difference.

Pictured: (l-r) Lorraine McDermott - MS Therapy Centre, Mairead Martin - Fundraising Manager, Fergus Beirne - IRI Membership Director and Deirdre Murray - IRI Chair.

#2025

22/10/2025

21/10/2025

New Moon.
Fresh Start.

🗓️ 21 October

The New Moon marks a time of quiet beginnings. A blank page, ready to be written on. This lunar phase is perfect for planting seeds for the month ahead, setting intentions, and reconnecting with your inner self.

Why the New Moon matters:
When the moon disappears from view, its energy is said to support reflection, clarity, and the creation of new intentions. It’s a natural moment to pause, exhale, and ask yourself where you want to focus your energy next.

🌿 Holistic Rituals to Align with the New Moon

* Slow Down & Reflect
Create a calm space. Soft lighting, a cosy blanket, warm herbal tea. Give yourself permission to do nothing but be present.

* Journal Your Intentions
Use this time to get clear on the goals, dreams, or habits you want to cultivate this lunar cycle. Journal prompt: “What new beginnings am I ready to welcome?”

* Set the Mood
Light a cleansing candle or diffuse essential oils like rosemary + lemon to refresh your environment and symbolically clear away the old.

* Mind–Body Connection
A gentle reflexology session can help ground your intentions. Focus on calming reflex points, especially the solar plexus (to centre), adrenal glands (to ease stress), and diaphragm line (to deepen the breath). This helps your body shift into a more open, receptive state.

* Create a Personal Ritual
Pull an affirmation card or build a mini vision board. Choose something that reflects the energy you want to bring into the coming weeks.

The energy of the New Moon is soft but powerful and a reminder that even in darkness, growth begins below the surface. This is your invitation to breathe, reset, and plant the seeds for what’s to come. 🌚

03/10/2025

✨Thank You for an Unforgettable Weekend✨

Our annual Members’ Event was more than a gathering. It was a celebration of learning, sharing, and connection. Across the weekend we witnessed inspiring talks, lively discussions, new skills learned, and countless moments of support between colleagues and friends. There was also fun, laughter, dancing and the joy of new friendships forming.

A heartfelt thank you to every attendee, speaker, volunteer and organiser who helped make it such a success. Your presence, energy and generosity created the warm, uplifting atmosphere we all felt.

Here’s to taking the insights, connections and renewed enthusiasm from this weekend back into our practices and communities, and to building an even stronger IRI family together.

💜 The IRI Team

02/10/2025

02/10/2025

As I ate my last breakfast on my last morning in Sligo/Ireland, I reflected on a phenomenal 9 days in Ireland. With 6 of them in Sligo.

A huge THANK YOU …

🙏 To Deirdre Murray, chairperson of the Irish Reflexologists' Institute for inviting me to be one of the presenters at their 40th Birthday Members Event.

🙏To the IRI Board for agreeing.

🙏To the Members for their warm welcome over the 2 day event.

🙏To my fellow presenters, it was an honour to stand beside you.

🙏To the 16 fabulous ladies who shared 2 days with me learning Ear Reflexology & Ear Seeding.

🙏To the Radisson Hotel & Spa for being my home from home during the event and my teaching.

🙏 And to Deirdre and her husband for welcoming me so warmly into their home for the couple of days prior to the event starting. Deirdre you are an excellent tour guide, and I have fallen in love with your beautiful portion of Ireland. 🇮🇪

I am leaving with a grateful warmth in my heart, and a whole heap of new friends, through our beloved therapy REFLEXOLOGY!

x Karen x

29/09/2025

❤️ World Heart Day ❤️
Heart disease and stroke affect everyone and prevention matters for all of us. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is responsible for ~10,000 deaths a year in Ireland, that's nearly 30% of all deaths. In 2021, there were 8,293 deaths from CVD in Ireland. Alarmingly, 80% of premature cardiovascular disease is preventable through lifestyle and early intervention.

💡 Tips for a Stronger Heart

Move daily. Even walking 30 minutes can help lower blood pressure and support vascular health.

Eat heart-friendly foods. More vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and less processed and high-salt foods.

Manage stress. Chronic stress is a hidden contributor to heart risk.

Avoid smoking & limit alcohol. These are major drivers of hypertension and vascular damage.

Check in with your doctor. Monitoring blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels is essential.

🌿 Reflexology & Heart Health - How It Can Help

While reflexology is not a substitute for medical care or treatment, it can be a gentle and supportive complementary therapy. Here’s how it may contribute to better heart wellness:

* Stress reduction: Deep relaxation from reflexology can ease tension and lower stress hormones, helping reduce one of the significant risk factors for heart disease.

* Improved circulation: Reflex techniques aim to stimulate blood flow and support micro-circulation, which helps nourish tissues and may reduce vascular strain.

* Balance and resilience: Reflexology encourages systemic balance (nervous, circulatory, endocrine), supporting the body’s capacity to cope with stressors.

* Mind-body connection: The calming effect may help with better breathing, sleep, and mental health - all linked to cardiovascular well-being.

Reflexology is best viewed as part of a holistic self-care routine, alongside medical screening, healthy habits, and lifestyle choices.

28/09/2025