Reflexology for patients suffering with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
A record of when reflexology was available for asylum seekers at CHAP, by Jane Lorimer
Between June 2017 and January 2018 reflexology was given to a small number of asylum seekers in Cardiff who were referred by staff at the Cardiff Health Access Project (CHAP) service. The reflexology offer was set up on a wholly voluntary basis, initially whilst I was training as a reflexologist and continuing when I qualified. Sixteen patients received sessions over the course of 8 months totaling 78 hours of reflexology.
After a series of sessions all those who attended rated a small improvement in their wellbeing.
“Case Study
AA (not her real initials) is a 32 year old Nigerian woman seeking asylum in the UK having been subject to trafficking and sexual violence. When first referred for reflexology she was severely depressed and was on the verge of being prescribed anti-psychotic drugs. In June 2017 AA rated her wellbeing as 6 (“as bad as it could be”). She rarely slept more than a couple of hours at a time because she would experience flash-backs when she did doze off so she preferred not to sleep. As a result of this she found it difficult to focus and concentrate or conduct any kind of normal routine.
During the first reflexology session AA was attentive and interested in what was going on. She said it felt unusual but she would continue for more sessions as she sensed it could help her. From the 2nd session onwards AA would fall in to deep and relaxed sleep within 10 minutes of the treatment starting. She also reported sleeping through the full night after each treatment and gradually this increased so that her sleep in general improved significantly. She had rated lack of sleep as 6 “bothers me greatly” at the start of reflexology and after 6 weekly sessions rated sleep as 3. She said that the night after reflexology a night sleep’s would feel like a year’s sleep, it was so restorative.
AA further reported that reflexology had given her hope as she could finally relax and therefore her concentration improved. She began to engage in other activities and enrolled on a course of part-time study at Cardiff University.
Her GP noticed the changes in AA and noted in her medical file notes how reflexology has benefitted her health and removed the need for anti-psychotic medication.
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