Dorine Siccama’s unique approach to natural healing is the result of a background in both[…]
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The truth behind cupping therapy and those big red marks
‘Cupping therapy’ might conjure images of horror-movie style bruises, akin to the welts you’d see[…]
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Latest Posts
The truth behind cupping therapy and those big red marks
‘Cupping therapy’ might conjure images of horror-movie style bruises, akin to the welts you’d see on the losing team of a paintball tournament. Thankfully, it’s nowhere near as painful and can actually be low-key enjoyable. Most importantly, it has some really impressive benefits for a whole host of pain and soft-tissue disorders. The concept of this treatment is thought to date back to 3300 B.C, a subset of Traditional Chinese Medicine; but there is evidence of cupping-style therapies existing in many ancient cultures. There are several different strains of cupping[…]
Read more“We need a new name”
“I wish we could change the name”, said Dorine after explaining the basics of craniosacral therapy. The audience concurred. A confusing name, they said. An unfortunate name for a whole body therapy, because craniosacral therapy (CST) can achieve some amazing results on all physical, mental and emotional levels. Dorine Siccama is our resident CST therapist, and in the second of our brainmassage series of free events, held Wednesday night 13 September, she was speaking to an attentive audience which included therapists, people who had experienced this form of healing treatment[…]
Read moreWhen brain meets aroma
The inaugural brainmassage session took place on August 10, with the woman behind ‘Aromatherapy with Sarah’. An advocate for natural therapies and the ‘low-tox’ lifestyle, Sarah Smart shared her knowledge of essential oils and their role in assisting with specific conditions. She outlined the differences between remedial massage and aromatherapy (“it’s gentler”) and how a session can (and always should) be customised for the client’s particular conditions and needs. A former IT executive, Sarah left all those bytes behind and switched to a different… read more. The next brainmassage session[…]
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Five reasons you need to learn infant massage
Weight gain (or “how to grow a buddha baby”) There’s nothing better than squishy little newborns, and when they’re extra new, we need to help them pack on the pounds. Studies on moderate-pressure massage on newborns show an average greater weight gain of 5 grams per day when compared to non-massaged infants, with particularly positive results in pre-term bubbas. The results are even better when oil is used. The link between massage and weight gain is attributed to the stimulation of pressure receptors under the skin which increase vagal[…]
Read moreMeet our therapists: Dorine
Dorine Siccama’s unique approach to natural healing is the result of a background in both remedial massage and psychology, which led her on a quest to build a career in holistic therapies. She was awarded a Master’s Degree in psychology from the University of Amsterdam before becoming fascinated by the stories the human body could tell. “I loved massage, I loved psychology and I loved integrating body and mind. That was always my thing; I always thought that these two had to be integrated.” It wasn’t until Dorine relocated to[…]
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Craniosacral Therapy: the body as a sea of information
Craniosacral Therapy is the peculiar-sounding natural treatment that you’ve probably never heard of but that could change your life. Not in a magical fairy-dust kind of way, but it can be equally profound for sufferers of chronic pain, tinnitus, concussion and other medical conditions. We’ve enlisted the expertise of our resident Craniosacral therapist, Dorine Siccama, to break down exactly what this up-and-coming modality entails and how it might just benefit you. A derivative of osteopathy, Craniosacral Therapy is a method of releasing restrictions in the body, which are identified by[…]
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Meet our therapists: Silvia
Seven years ago, Silvia Verdina boarded a flight from Italy with a one-way ticket to Sydney, ready for the complete life-overhaul that comes with relocating to the other side of the world. Step 1: career. We are lucky that we nabbed her in the process! Silvia was dissatisfied in menial retail work and sought the fulfilment of a career in which she could “help people to feel better”, which is when she began seriously exploring natural therapies, ultimately enrolling in a diploma of remedial massage. “I love receiving massages myself and[…]
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The science behind the art
You’ll be forgiven for thinking that the art of aromatherapy is choosing the prettiest-smelling essential oils and rubbing them all over your body, because, after all, essential oils do smell gorgeous. But scratch the surface and you’ll discover an intricate scientific process that requires two years of study and over 350 clinical hours to master. Sarah Smart of Aromatherapy with Sarah, resident aromatherapist at The Balmain Massage and Wellness Centre, breaks down the chemistry behind the art. Compared with other modalities, aromatherapy requires quite a comprehensive consultation before you even[…]
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The SAD truth about winter blues
When you are categorically NOT a ‘winter person’, there is no layered fashion or hot-cuppa-in-bed powerful enough to force you to embrace the dreariness of a cloud-plagued sky. You’ll probably notice your mood collapse with a thud as the temperature drops, and your motivation evaporate in front of the warm heater. Winter blues, we call it. As it turns out, you could be experiencing a legitimate disorder with its very own acronym: SAD. Fitting, isn’t it? Seasonal Affective Disorder is actually classified as a major depressive disorder which recurs at[…]
Read moreTaboo? Massage and cancer.
We love to think of massage as something akin to pampering, not really essential but good to have every now and then, for relaxation or after a hard session at gym. You’d expect the blog of a massage clinic to challenge this view, claim that regular massage helps you live a better life in so many ways… And that’s true, of course. But today I want to mention a different group of people – those for whom massage, because of a medical condition, is a necessity rather than a choice.[…]
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