Pain Relief & Massage Studio - Hot Springs, Arkansas

Donald was born in the Southwest of England and grew up in the quiet, natural surroundings of the picturesque Cotswold village of Quenington in Gloucestershire.

In his early teens the family moved to the town of Cheltenham Spa, famous for its mineral water, Shopping and Racetrack.

Here, Donald was introduced to the work of several spiritual writers, he found descriptions and explanations of things he had always taken for granted and realized immediately that he had an understanding and affinity with such things as Meditation, the astral plane, auras, energy and healing. Thus inspired he continued to study more books and practice on pets, friends and neighbors.

After graduation, Donald went to the Army and served 7 years with 'The Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales Own) being stationed in the UK, Europe, Northern Ireland and Canada.

It was whilst stationed in West Germany that Donald came into contact with the martial arts Instructor Uli Portsteffen who taught, ‘Wing Chun Kung Fu’, a 400-year-old fighting system practiced by Bruce Lee and which was designed by a female monk to beat the other existing Chinese systems.

It could be said that it has similarities to Tai Chi in theory. He found the system to be straightforward and based on using the opponent’s energy and strength against himself.

So impressed was he by Mr. Portsteffen and the system that he was to spend the next 18 years studying the Mind, Body, Spirit aspects of this system, starting his own schools in the UK and achieving Black belt Instructor grade in March of 1986.

It was a natural progression during this period to integrate the physical discipline with energy work, tarot, meditation and healing as part of the training for himself and his students but by the early 90’s although involved with many healing and meditation circles and study groups he felt it was time to qualify in a compatible complementary therapy which turned out to be REFLEXOLOGY.

Donald qualified in 1993 and is a licensed member of the British Reflexology Association.

This therapy was chosen as it is based on zone therapy (an energy therapy) and is one of the most natural and unintrusive therapies, dealing mainly with the feet and involving no medication or drugs.

It is said that for every part of the body there is a corresponding reflex zone or area represented on the foot.

Gentle pressure applied to these areas can help to release stress and tension and encourage relaxation and a feeling of wellbeing.

This can stimulate the body’s natural energy flow and help release any blocks along any of these energy pathways. It can also help to improve the circulation and subsequently the elimination of any waste toxins accumulated within the tissues and cells of the body and helps bring vital nutrients to these cells. The free-flow of energy throughout the body is thereby restored to its normal efficiency. This gentle therapy can encourage the body to heal itself at its own pace.

It soon became apparent just how well this therapy worked with most people, from babies through to the older people.

Donald was particularly successful with helping ladies through the process of pregnancy and for others, reducing painful PMS symptoms and extended menstrual cycles.

Over the next years Donald also focused his attention on Chi Gung and Reiki healing seeing how these energy, meditation and breathing techniques could also be incorporated to enhance a treatment. Gaining his Reiki 1 and 2 in 2003, he became a Reiki Master in 2004.

Everything fit together to provide a holistic approach, except for one area, the client’s tendency to be experts at manifesting stiff necks, sore backs, aching shoulders and muscles and many other painful problems which require immediate relief.

To be able to alleviate these problems it is necessary to manipulate the soft tissues of the body thereby releasing endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller. Massage can help to counteract tension, stress and anxiety, lowering blood pressure, increasing the circulation, and improving injury recovery, encouraging deep sleep and healing.