Listening Hands Therapy

Hi, 

I am Joan Carpenter.

I have been involved in massage since 1989. This has included working in women’s health centres, home visits, baby massage including demonstrations, reflexology, working in a district hospital massage clinic, practicing from rooms in various centres while working alongside a range of practitioners and modalities. Now I work from a clinic room at my home.

About 11 years ago i began my journey with Craniosacral and Myofascial Release which suited me well as i had never enjoyed receiving nor giving really deep massages. As my experience grew I marveled time and time again at how the body released so well without me levering muscles apart!

In 2010 I began training with Giorgia Milne and Biodynamic Cranial Touch. This transformed my practice into what I call today Listening Hands Therapy. This art of effective touch is more about being with the body as it “lets go” by itself than by us making it “do” something we think it should!

It has been a fascinating journey and my love for people has led me the whole way. In my treatment work It is the miracle of the human body and how it heals which keeps me passionate.

I feel I really have been well educated in the University of Life as I have traveled to 30 countries and had massage in most of them, participated in many workshops for personal and spiritual growth, raised 6 children, and been a volunteer on numerous committees. Giving from my heart all the way.

In the last 10 years I have run numerous workshops including Body Felt Awareness workshops, Intimacy for Couples, Massage for Couples and most recently a day for couples called Listening Heart Connection where I use my experience and massage knowledge to create a day for couples to have light intimacy = “in-to-me-you-see”.

In 2015, I taught Cert 4 in Massage at a Natural Therapies College. This showed me how wonderful it can be to share knowledge with students in an educational environment. There were parts that really frustrated me so I decided to teach my own work instead, which I feel so passionate about and want to share with many. This I call Listening Hands Therapy.

Another passion and focus of my work is women’s support which started with Nursing Mothers Association 26 years ago. This continued into parenting groups then women’s circles, and today is Wise Woman Within which supports women as they inwardly journey to find their answers and transformation from deep within. We often include walking in nature and being beneath the trees for visualisations and meditations working with the 5 Elements and 5 Archetypes of Elemental Woman. This has been greatly influenced by my training and guidance with my mentor and business coach Diana Bonwick for her Elemental Woman practices.

It has been a fascinating journey and my love for people has led me the whole way. And in my private treatment work, it is the miracle of the human body and how it heals which keeps me passionate.

I look forward to each session in which I am given the honour of facilitating the treatment for the client. In working with 100’s into 1000’s of people I am often still amazed at the wonder of how the body itself when supported will balance, align and heal.

These “body led” sessions are uniquely individual for what the client needs at the time. The journey often leads to a place of harmony, health and well being.

I refer to the sessions as “body led” as it is your body which leads the way for the release, an “unwinding” of tension, discomfort, trauma and pain. I as the therapist am present to this release and support and encourage it in a nurturing, safe and serene environment. This witnessing of another person’s journey of healing, observing their vulnerability, hearing their insights, sensing their pain, and applauding their growth. It is what I love to do.

The modalities that I use are:

• Biodynamic Craniosacral
• Myofascial Release
• Remedial Massage

All of these techniques are deeply effective yet gentle and firm. They are suitable for all age.

And for Biodynamic Craniosacral and Myofascial Release the client may be clothed.

The benefits can be transforming, including:

• Pain relief
• Body feeling aligned and balanced.
• Feeling centered and grounded.
• Tension eased or completely released.
• Feeling deeply relaxed
• Having increased vitality
• Being free from headaches
• Movement without restriction
• Feeling calmer within, and
• More able to cope

Relax and unwind… this is the basis of my work with you.