Nicole Kamm runs an onsite shiatsu massage service for companies that want to give their employees increased energy, mental clarity and better health.
I get up at 7am and have breakfast with my son before seeing him off on the school bus. Then I do my stretches and yoga and begin corresponding with companies offering them trial days at a reduced price of my new, onsite shiatsu massage.
At the moment, I mainly see private patients from my clinic in Dalkey but I envision myself moving my work more and more into the corporate sector. This vision was very much inspired by having worked closely with First Active in Leopardstown over the past two years, giving weekly onsite shiatsu massage treatments to its employees.
Shiatsu literally translates as finger pressure. Its roots lie in ancient systems of traditional oriental medicine - self-massage. As a traditional massage, it was developed further and originated in the 20th century in Japan. It is a holistic, preventative healthcare therapy using fingers and palms to apply pressure to the energy pathways of the body to re-balance the ki (energy) flow.
Stretches and light rotations of limbs and joints may also be involved in a treatment.
Ki flows through special pathways called meridians and each one is connected with a vital organ. Energy imbalances can occur due to environmental factors, like leading a hectic or stressful life, or suffering from emotional or physical stresses or trauma.
The shiatsu practitioner can diagnose where the energy imbalance lies and can help restore proper energy balance in the body by massaging the surface of the skin along the meridian lines and applying pressure to some of the 600 pressure points, just like in acupuncture, but without the needles.
If I'm doing corporate calls, by 10am I'm usually on my way to my first corporate client. I bring my special portable massage chair, the scent of lavender fragrance and an ipod to play relaxing music, usually classical, to my clients.
Each person receives a 20-minute session and when they get into the chair, they never want to get out of it.
During the onsite workplace massages, my clients remain fully clothed, unlike in my clinic in Dalkey, where the massages I offer last longer.
In the workplace massages, I massage my patient's head, back, neck, shoulders, arms and hands and it leaves people feeling relaxed, invigorated and ready to return to work.
I would usually leave First Active by 3pm, which gives me time to massage up to 12 clients in one visit.
The feedback I have been receiving from companies has been great. My treatments increase energy, mental clarity, productivity not to mention also improving relationships and achieving overall better health.
I feel very confident and positive that the service I am providing to companies will be embraced when they see the health benefits.