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Qualified Massage Therapy vs unqualified? – What’s the difference?

Is there a difference in the quality of care you will receive from a qualified vs unqualified massage therapist?
In my humble opinion - yes!
A fully trained therapist approaches your session with a completely different outlook than an untrained therapist would.

A huge part of an experience with a qualified massage therapist is the emphasis placed on your comfort and safety. There are many reports of people who go to an unqualified therapist are injured. I hear stories all the time of injuries that have occurred right here in Hamilton as a result of going to get a massage from someone who wasn't professionally trained in Massage Therapy. These injuries come about because the therapist has a lack of knowledge regarding anatomy, and the best practice regarding pressure, placement, how to deal with existing injuries, etc.

Professionally trained massage therapists are able to avoid injuries by having a depth of knowledge regarding this and have plenty of experience on top of the knowledge.

As well as physical safeguarding, a qualified massage therapist is highly ethically trained and upholds strong professional standards.
Qualified massage therapists are part of a self-governing body, as there is no legal requirement in order to practice massage therapy. But by going to a qualified therapist, you can relax in the knowledge that they are true professionals who are able to give you the highest level of care.

Here at Vital Balance our highly trained therapists strive to give you the best experience possible, while keeping our prices affordable. We value the knowledge, experience and qualifications of our staff and do our very best to maintain the highest standards to ensure your safety, satisfaction and soothing relaxation. Feel free to jump online to our website to view our qualifications and specialities!

When it comes to radiant, healthy skin, the market is absolutely flooded with brands. All of them promising bigger and better things. It’s easy to get lost in all the noise. Circadia cuts through the noise with innovative, effective products. Circadia marries cutting edge science with holistic skincare principles. Founded by Dr. Peter Pugliese, a renowned dermatologist who was passionate about advancing the industry through the blend of science and nature. Circadia operates not just as a brand, but a team with a mission and a philosophy: to support the skin through its natural circadian rhythms.

The name Circadia is derived from the Latin ‘circa’ and ‘diem’ – meaning “around the day”. The circadian cycle is a 24-hour cycle and is what informs rhythmic changes to our physiology and our moods. The circadian rhythm effects our health, appearance, and wellbeing, so it only makes sense that the products you use should support those rhythms.

Circadia’s products mix organic and holistic ingredients with results driven scientific methods. There’s a few signature ingredients that we want to highlight here:

• Stem Cell Technology: Circadia have harnessed the regenerative power of plant stem cells with their apple, edelweiss, gardenia, grape & lilac extracts. These incredible extracts play a huge role in reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, boosting skin firmness and hydration, and helping your skin repair itself.
• Second Generation Vitamins: Plants derived vitamins A, B, C & E improve your skin texture, without the irritation and redness that is associated with other vitamin A and retinoid products. The plant extracts are gentle on your skin but work incredibly well.
• Peptide Technology: Peptides are short chains of amino acids that play a crucial role in maintaining skin structure and function. Circadia incorporates advanced peptide technology to enhance skin repair, hydration, and anti-aging effects. Circadia’s incredible team have created a series of peptides original to Circadia.

There are so many more incredible ingredients in the range of Circadia products we now offer at Vital Balance. We’ve been searching for a long time for a brand to replace some of our smaller ones, and we finally found one that meets our standards in Circadia. Robyn and Amy have been using Circadia products for a while now, we really wanted to ensure that we were happy to offer them to you. They have noticed a reduction in sensitivity and redness, less blemishes, and a more even skin tone. We are so happy to be introducing Circadia to you, and we hope you will love it as much as we do.

In fact, we love it so much that we have introduced a new treatment using Circadia! The Bespoke Circadia Facial is now available to book! Our skilled skin therapists will have a consultation with you regarding your skin concerns, before choosing the best products for your skin from our incredible range. This amazing facial is available for only $130! Book now to take advantage of an amazing, results driven skincare range.

If you’re a Vital regular, then you know that we always have a pot of beautiful Bestow tea out in reception for you to help yourself to. We also provide it after a Massage or a Bliss Facial. We have either the warming hibiscus & cinnamon Eternitea, or the lemongrass peppermint & hibiscus Generositea. What you may not know, is what these teas actually mean to us.

Not only are the delicious, but 100% of the profits from the sale of Generositea go straight to the Cambodia Charitable Trust. The Cambodia Charitable Trust is an amazing organisation dedicated to providing free quality education for young Cambodian children – especially girls.

The Cambodian education system was systematically destroyed in the 70s during the Pol Pot regime, with most of the teachers being executed. When schooling resumed in the 80s, there was a severe deficit of quality teachers, and widespread poverty. Education is one of the strongest levers for social change. The Cambodia Charitable Trust (CCT) is helping to break the cycle for the children of Cambodia. A quality education is lifting young girls out of sex slavery, and young boys out of slave labour.

The CCT is producing approximately 1600 new graduate teachers per year and is holding professional development workshops in 17 different provincial teacher training centres. CCT is also currently directly financially supporting 16 schools.  

So how is the CCT directly supporting these schools?

1. A school in need is identified. These schools have no working bathrooms, the buildings are run down and dirty, the teachers have very few resources to teach from, and the students have no stationary.
2. The CCT then works closely with their network of locals who work directly with the schools and the community to identify what it is that is needed.
3. School improvements begin: the classrooms are repainted and repurposed as needed, including a fully stocked library, a preschool classroom, a playground built from local materials, a vegetable garden & fishpond, and a remedial classroom.
4. School supplies are provided for the poorest children, including uniform & stationary.
5. The poorest children are sponsored by the CCT. This incentivises the parents to send them to school, as they are not needed to bring in income in another way now. This also deters the prospect of human trafficking, as parents will not be taken in by the promise of a ‘better life’ for their children.
6. New graduate teachers are supported. New graduates are provided with a ‘teaching pack’ containing: paper, pens, scissors, glue, games, maps, a ruler, a compass, a protractor and more. These materials give new teachers a much needed head start.
7. An English language teacher is employed. Being able to speak English as well as Cambodian opens many more doors for Cambodian children, connecting them to the wider world.

Here at Vital Balance, we fervently believe and support the work that the CCT is doing. That is why we offer Generositea to all our clients, in the hopes that you will purchase a tin and support the CCT too. 100% of the profits that Bestow makes from Generositea go directly to the CCT, helping to further their mission. It doesn’t hurt that the tea is also delicious!

 

We all want to have perfectly glowing and hydrated skin, and there’s lots of information out there on how to get it. Dry brushing is an amazing method to assist with exfoliation and rejuvenation of skin, but before you grab a brush and go to town, read on to learn how to get the most benefits without damaging your skin.

First of all: what actually is dry brushing? Dry brushing is the act of exfoliating the body with a dry, stiff bristled brush. There’s lots of claims that dry brushing helps with all sorts of imperfections, but what’s actually true? It’s important to have all of the information so you can start your dry brushing journey with the right expectations.

Dry brushing does unclog your pores and is excellent for exfoliation. It is especially excellent for dry rough skin as it is quite an intense exfoliation process, leaving you with glowing smoother & softer skin.

It is also incredible for promoting increased blood circulation and lymph drainage, the manual motions helps to kickstart your body and detoxify your skin. When you dry brush you are stimulating your nervous system, this can leave you feeling invigorated – similar to after a massage.

Even though dry brushing is an intense form of exfoliation, it is gentler on your skin than exfoliating in the shower. Hot water can inflame your skin, and strips away oils that keep your skin hydrated. Exfoliating in the shower can cause redness and itching.

So, what brush should you use? To see the full benefits of dry brushing you will want a natural stiff bristled brush with a long handle. The stiffness of the bristles will depend on your skin’s sensitivity and tolerance. The long handle allows you to reach more difficult areas like your back.

Now that you know what brush to use, it’s time to move on to the actual how-to.

1. Using a natural bristled brush, start from the feet or ankles and work your way upward in long, fluid strokes on limbs.
2. Next, move the brush in a circular motion on your torso and back.
3. Since this process can be a little too much for sensitive areas like the abdomen, breasts, and neck, lighten up the pressure as needed.
4. A few overlapping swipes per area is all you need. If you go over the same area for too long, you can cause irritation or bleeding.
5. Dry brush once a day and shower immediately afterward.

Don’t brush over moles, raised bumps, or any wounds – including sunburn! If you notice redness, inflammation or swelling, stop right away. Don’t dry brush your face, the skin is too sensitive.

Now that you know what to do, stop in at Vital Balance and pick up your very own dry brush for $22! If you have any further questions please feel free to call us and ask!

It’s the end of a long, stressful week, maybe you’ve been more stressed than normal. Lots of jaw clenching, teeth grinding even. We’ve all had weeks like that. But now, you’re in pain. Ibuprofen? Well you may as well put a plaster on your jaw for how much it’s helping. What can you do to help? Is there anything you can do? We have the answer: M-A-S-S-A-G-E.

What’s causing your pain? It could be you’re experiencing TMJ pain. But how do you know? Do any of the following sound like you? If so, massage therapy could be what you need.

• muscular pain when chewing, swallowing, or speaking
• restricted movement, such as limitations when opening the mouth
• clicking, popping, and cracking of the jaw
• dental issues such as misaligned teeth
• pain in the neck, scalp, and shoulders
• frequent headaches
• pain and tenderness at the joint
• pain, ringing, or itchiness in the ears
• dizziness
• recurrent migraines
• teeth grinding

How does massage actually help with TMJ pain? Massage helps to relax the tight and overworked muscles that are causing your pain. An experienced therapist will also work other areas of your body – such as your spine, scalp, shoulders, face & neck – to address the underlying causes of your pain. Working on the areas around the temporomandibular joint as well as the joint itself will bring you great relief.

There are exercises you can do at home to help relieve your pain, but the best thing for TMJ relief is to get a professional massage. Your therapist will give you personalised exercises to help your specific issue after your session.

Our amazing massage therapist Liam specialises in functional TMJ relief. He has worked alongside an osteopath for several years and has taken a great interest in how massage can be used to keep your body working as it should, and to fix issues that seem impossible to get rid of.

He’s already had some great results with Vital Balance clients, and we are taking bookings for him now! If you have been struggling with jaw pain, book in with Liam and find relief, people are already loving him.

Welcome Liam!

Deep Dive with Dermapen Expert Therapist Amy

What is Reiki?  Let's ask Gem:)

Kia ora My name is Robyn and I am a qualified Massage Therapist, with a focus on holistic well-being. Although I work in relaxation, therapeutic, pre and post-natal, and infant massage; my aim in all massage, is to send my people home with a feeling of bliss, rejuvenation, and wholeness.

I am a mum of three, with only one teenager still at home. I have used massage throughout our lives, to support and enhance our wellbeing. My aim is to do the same for you and your family also.

I firmly believe in the many benefits of massage therapy and in using this as a wellness tool. Although the physiological benefits are significant and obvious; the psychological, emotional and spiritual benefits, are the results that I truly love to see.

I am of Ngāti Pōrou and Te Whānau A Apanui descent. I use my traditional gifts to reconnect, realign and restore your mind, body and spirit.

I look forward to seeing you soon and helping you achieve your bliss

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Kaimirimiri
NZ Certificate in Relaxation Massage
NZ Diploma in Wellness and Relaxation Massage
Certificate in Oncology Massage
Certificate in Infant and Pregnancy Massage