The Barefoot Dragonfly

Got to spend the last three days with the January cohort in our second practicum together. This is the first practicum in our Intermediate level in which we explored reflex locations and techniques to cover the following:
👣 Integumentary system
👣 Muscular system
👣 Skeletal system
👣 Nervous system
👣 Endocrine system

First image, clockwise from left: Ashley practicing on Christina, Carol and Julietta practice on Leslie, Shana on the table with Olivia practicing, me in front.

Second image: Shana and Olivia practicing on Leslie, Ashley (seated).

We missed you, Jodi and Alex! 🙏

Sunday reset in the studio includes folding the laundered foot towels for a new week of turning everyday feet into the cutest foot burritoes you've ever seen! 👣😄

A sweet neighbor gifted me this gorgeous walnut buffet that I think goes perfectly in the studio. I found this faux hobnail milk glass mirror (Burwood 80s) at the thrift shop a couple months ago and now get to put it to good use!

I have a couple more spots to touch up on the hutch another neighbor gifted me then I'll get some close-up shots. Refinishing these pieces and breathing new life into them has been a lot of fun this month.

What kind of lights should I put in the upper hutch shelves? Little puck lights that can change color or dimmable strip lights? 🤔💡

It's been a really great conference, y'all! 👣

Twenty years ago I sat for the American Reflexology Certification Board exam. Today I got to test the test through their pilot testing program. I took my time to examine each of the 300+ questions and gave my feedback to ARCB on a number of them.

One of the cool things about this profession is that we have an exam that can evolve with the industry, and looks at itself critically. To be a psychometrically evaluated exam puts the ARCB in the category with nursing registration, attorney bar exam, and board certification of physicians. Proud of us! 🥰

This review gives me the opportunity to see where I can be a better educator and I've taken some good notes to bring home for Zoom lectures and practicum. 👣

Today is SARS-CoV-2 virus impacts everyone infected, but it is especially nefarious for those who go on to develop Long Covid disease. There is currently no cure for this disease and repeat infections increase the risk of contracting Long Covid.

Reflexology and aromatic botanicals can play a therapeutic role in supporting the many body systems impacted. As I go into the fourth year supporting clients with Long Covid, I am grateful to the scientists who continue researching. 🙏

affects people of all ages and includes a myriad of post-acute and long-term adverse health effects caused by the infection.

A recent Science Perspective highlights the efforts made to understand this growing public health concern, what is known about the condition, and its wide-reaching effects on the risk of developing other chronic diseases.

Learn more on : https://scim.ag/6ei

🦶 That's a wrap on the Foundations in Reflexology practicum! This cohort is ready to practice their new skills in their local communities of San Antonio, South Austin, McAllen, Fort Worth, Houston, Oregon, and South Carolina.👐

In the Foundations course we get good at mapping out the body's regions on the feet. Next week we'll start diving into the body's systems and build on these techniques with two more practicum sessions. 💪

📢 Research Alert! Inhaled Thyme essential oil in Coronavirus patients.

Researchers at Batman and Inonu Universities in Turkey recently published the results of a study on inhaling Thyme essential oil for acute SARS-CoV-2.

Patients were randomized to receive routine care or routine care plus an aromastick of Thyme essential oil to inhale 3 times a day for 5 days. The team found the Thyme group reported a reduction in the severity of a number of symptoms quicker than the control group.

Inhaled thyme oil brought relief for:
👉 Shortness of breath
👉 Headache
👉 Cough
👉 Musculoskeletal pain
👉 Dizziness
👉 Diarrhea
👉 Loss of appetite

In addition to the acute symptoms the team also found the personal inhaler 'significantly' improved oxygen in the patient's bloodstream through lowering CO2 levels and increasing O2 levels.

Aromatherapy can be a great tool alongside medical treatment, y'all! Love seeing this inexpensive intervention brought into community care. ♥️

I think the Lavender Companion is going to make a great coffee table book when it comes out in late May, y'all! The photography is lovely and there's some sweet tutorials on using this beloved plant in the kitchen. 😋

and gave me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Would you read a book on lavender?

Corn Silk is one of the first herbs I worked with growing up in Northern New Mexico. I use this in almost every tea I formulate to support the urinary system these days. It brings ease to sensations of burning, urge incontinence, frequent urination, and pain.

My Curendera mentor in Taos used the tea for lingering coughs and asthma, and my herb mentor swore by it for preventing UTIs in perimenopause.

Christa Sinadinos's book here is a treasure to the practicing botanical medicine practitioner. 🥰

😫

Meet the new class of Spring 2024 Reflexology students! 🎉 We'll meet online for the next handful of weeks exploring foot anatomy, sanitation, SOAP notes, and more. At the end of February we'll get together here in the studio to learn reflexology techniques, practice taking health history, and cover a 30-45 minute foot reflexology routine. 👣

We have space for one more in case you missed the announcement. 📚

Did you catch my quotes in the guide on diffusers? My absolute favorite way to use a diffuser at home is to send that clear message to the nervous system that all is safe and cozy.

In our busy world a drop or two of an essential oil in a diffuser can be a balm for the weary nervous system. I can go from frazzled to chill in moments with a favorite essential oil. 🥰

Do you use a diffuser at home?

The entryway got a New Year glow up and is giving some seriously cozy vibes on this rainy morning. ☔

High humidity can be a breeding ground for bioaerosols, like mold and bacteria, as well as encouraging a higher rate of off-gassing of furnishings and building materials. 🤢

Air cleaning plants like this Sansevieria, Ficus elastica, and Philodendron micans can draw in volatile organic compounds like formaldehyde and benzene into their pores and sequester these toxins in their soil. 🌱

Under the entry table is a Corsi-Rosenthal box fan cleaner to capture dust, dander, pollen, bacteria, viruses, and mold spores that the plants can't tackle. 🫁

Would you be interested in an indoor air quality de-tox challenge this season? 🤔

Harvested the last of the lion's mane this morning so it was time to clean, disinfect, and start a new grow block, y'all!

I wear an N95 when working with mushroom grow blocks because fungus-lung just doesn't have an amazing ring to it! 😉

My portable X-one ultraviolet cleaner (222nm) is just the thing to ensure I don't have rogue fungi or bacteria hanging out in the grow tent that could infect the new block. 🧫

This new grow block is from the folks at and is their Nameko (Pholiota microspora) spawn in their substrate. Nameko mushrooms are used to thicken soups and stocks, iare high in beta glucans that support a healthy immune system, and intriguingly have been found to help remove radiation ☢️ from polluted soil around Fukushima! 😯

Look what Turkish researchers found! Infants who received a 20-30 minute foot reflexology treatment in their parents' arms prior to an immunization experienced reduced heart rate, higher oxygen saturation, and a reduction in the crying period compared to the control group. Bring baby for an appointment and I'll show you some techniques to bring ease and comfort for the furniture head bonks, teething, tummy aches, and sleepless nights! 👣👶

Foot Reflexology Found to Ease Pain in Infants To complement the Research Reports in the August 2016 print edition of MASSAGE Magazine. Infants who received one session of foot reflexology, lasting around 20 to 30 minutes, immediately befo…

☀️ Sunshine in a bottle! ☀️ This Firey Oxymel, aka Fire Cider, is just the thing for the latest round of allergies. 🤧

This batch was a collaboration with the lovely Sarah from Lisa's honey pharmacy workshop

I've been making fire cider since the 90s and this is my favorite batch by far. 😍 Do you need a bottle?

👣 Ya' ever feel like by the time autumn rolls around your feet are looking like you've been on a barefoot trek across middle earth to Mordor and back? 😂

For around $3 you can soothe and moisturize your feet while also encouraging those callused layers of dead skin to slough off in the shower.

Now, don't be surprised when your entire foot starts peeling! 😳 It's not athlete's fungus or anything scary but you're gonna look like a lizard shedding her skin for a couple weeks. 🦎

This stuff works better than all the pumice stones I have and is much safer than a cheese grater or razor at the nail place. I especially love it for those of us who have a hard time reaching our toes due to baby bumps, arthritis, crotchety spines, cranky knees, or chronic fatigue.

Comment which hobbit fits you best! 🦶

Ever wonder why your reflexologist spends so much time on your big toe? The big toe, aka hallux, has two bones - the nail is on the distal bone and the neck of the toe is the proximal bone. This proximal bone mirrors the cervical spine and everything within the neck region - esophagus, trachea, spinal cord, vertebrae, thyroid, muscles and connective tissue, and a host of nerves. 🦶

In English below…
Søndagsafslapning med lidt kreativitet 😊
Området gengiver nok et af de mest effektive områder at behandle, når det gælder nakkesmerter og specielt nok de der skyldes dybere årsager. Området kan også have stor virkning ud i skulder og arm. De muskler der her er gengivet er Masseter, Sternocleidomastoideus, Longus Colli og Scalenerne. Specielt de to sidstnævnte er af stor betydning ved behandling af dybere lidelser cervicalt. (www.muskulaerzoneterapeut.com)
Sunday relaxation with a bit of creativity 😊
The area shown is probably one of the most effective areas to treat when it comes to neck pain, especially those caused by deeper issues. This area can also have a significant impact on the shoulder and arm. The muscles depicted here are the Masseter, Sternocleidomastoid, Longus Colli, and the Scalenes. Particularly, the latter two are of great importance in terms of treatment of deeper cervical issues.

Look who rode down with the storm! 😍🦋

What an honor to learn from Chanchal Cabrera yesterday! Looking forward to diving into her book and exploring ways I can better support clients. 🙏

Eclipse Reflexology Practicum is in the books! What a memorable experience to get to share an eclipse on the last day of practicum! 🌘

Back row: Carolyn from North Carolina, and Rae from Georgetown.
Front row: me!, Wynona from New Jersey, and Joy from Houston.

Dates for the Intermediate level and the winter Foundations class will be announced ASAP so stay tuned!

Look who is delighted with their new home in a vase! Not two flowers, but six coming up! 😍

I found this Spathiphyllum languishing on a clearance rack - scorched leaves, drooping from dehydration, and looking half dead. I hoped I could revive her with a kelp seaweed drench and some TLC.

I've wanted to try a Peace Lily in water and found this vase at the thrift store that is working beautifully for her. I'll continue to trim away crusty leaves and dead rootlets. Also considering adding some colorful marbles or decorative glass to the bottom.

This is my second Peace Lily rescue and is our third Peace Lily resident. Spathiphyllum is a powerful biofilter that absorbs carcinogenic compounds like benzene, toulane, and formaldehyde. In exchange it releases it's own volatile organic compounds like alpha farnasene which has a calming effect on the nervous system, eudesmane which has antifungal properties, and farnesol which has antimicrobial properties.

Do you have a Peace Lily or two?

When was your last session, friend? Head over to the link in bio or https://thebarefootdragonfly.com to schedule your next appointment. 👣

👣 Foot Reflexology 👣 unlocked for these two students this past weekend. 🔓

It's such an honor and a joy to be mentoring the next generation of reflexologists. 🥰

👣 Did you know I've been board certified through the American Reflexology Certification Board since 2006?

Two years after graduating from reflexology school I realized it was important to me to join my peers and sit for this written and practical exam. I filed my case studies, sat for the 300 question written exam, and demonstrated my hands-on skills to the proctor. 💪

Reflexology is recognized by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) with grant funded research showing reflexology can support even the most fragile patients.

Congratulations to nurse-aromatherapist Marian Reven on her latest research on patients experiencing substance use disorder using aromatherapy to turn the dial down on stress! 🥳

WVU Today | Aromatherapy could provide a sweet smell of success for substance use disorder patients, WVU study finds Aromatherapy eases stress in people undergoing treatment for substance use disorder which, in turn, could enhance their chances of a successful recovery, according to West Virginia University research. The study, which is ongoing, incorporates the use of essential oils as an integrative therapy that...

Catsistants Charlie and Simon helped Intermediate Reflexology course students with their practicum lessons this weekend. 😺 Simon oversaw technique demonstration and return demonstration. Charlie helped demonstrate how to operate the zero gravity recliners. 😆

In this practicum we added to the foundations course with techniques specific to the integumentary, musculoskeletal, and neuroendocrine systems. 👣

Six spaces left in the Foundations in Reflexology course starting August 14th! What questions do you have about studying reflexology with me? Let me know in the comments!

This is what happens when the Plant Ladies go to Colorado, learn new formulating techniques, then get together to play in the studio when we're both back in town! 🥰

We made Double Extracted Fiery Oxymel first. grew some amazing garlic and onions for this batch. I contributed sage, Tulsi, and elderflower from my garden.

Then we tried our hand at a Summery Elixir with honey extracted aronia berries and some delicious tinctures. We'll dose ourselves for a week and then make it available to clients and friends. 😋