Accredited Indian Head Massage Course (IPHM)

Hello, and welcome to this accredited course.

This course is for anyone looking to start their career path in complementary therapy/holistic therapies.  I have been a complementary therapist for around 18 years now, and I love my job very much.

This course is also for therapists who would like to add Indian head massage on to their list of treatments in their salon or treatment room.  it would also be good for barbers/hairdressers.

This treatment is great as you can adjust the timings for it.  You can adapt the treatment so it lasts 20 mins/30 mins or even up to an hour.

I will be teaching you an Indian head massage routine, with different massage movements and then you can adapt this treatment to suit yourself :) 

When you have completed this course, please email me your details, so I can email you back your certificate :)

I am here also for continued support.

Healing through touch is a natural human instinct. When a child falls and hurts her knee we rub it better. We hug our friends when they are upset and if our neck feels sore we do a little self-massage in order to feel better. The massage therapies such as Indian Head Massage formalise this natural healing instinct to want to heal ourselves and others.

Indian Head Massage works on the upper back, shoulders, arms, neck, scalp, face and ears with a variety of massage movements – effleurage, petrissage and tapotement – usually found in Swedish massage.

The head, neck and shoulders are important energy centres within your body. If you are feeling stressed or angry, tension builds up in the muscles in these areas. Indian Head massage works with a firm but gentle rhythm to release blockages and unknot tense muscles. The effect is not just physical however, the treatment is calming for the spirit and promotes relaxation while relieving stress.

In addition to easing headaches and stress, it can help with many other conditions, such as scalp and hair problems, aids localised blood and lymphatic circulation, relieves eye strain, boosts the immune system, relieves muscle tension, and helps restore joint movement. This is particularly good for people who are wheelchair bound or are partially immobile

The beauty of head massage is that it can be done clothed, there is very little equipment required and you can easily have the treatment almost anywhere - in a therapy room or clinic, at home or at work. You can be clothed or unclothed, use oils, cream, powder or nothing. The treatment lasts for approximately 30/45 minutes.

The general benefits of massage are far reaching:

• Boosts circulation – bringing fresh nutrients and oxygen to cells

• Warms tissues, relaxes tense and contracted muscles, reduces pain and fatigue

• Increases lymphatic flow thus aiding removal of waste products and toxins

• Skin condition improved due to improved circulation and desquamation

• Stimulates or soothes nerve endings depending on massage movement being used

• Reduction of blood pressure and pulse rate

• Relaxing or invigorating for mind and body – depending on client’s need

• Can help relieve symptoms of stress – restores the body to state of ‘rest and repose’

• Can help relieve depression by stimulation of endorphins (feel good hormones).

Health & Safety

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 must be adhered to at all times.

You need to ensure that your therapy or treatment room is safe and hygienic:

• Ensure you have room to move about your client when the chair is set up and that you have room to store your oils and consultation notes.

• Ensure a clean floor that is not slippery, noisy or cold for your client to walk on.

• Keep the room warm and well ventilated.

• Use clean towels and bedding for each new client.

• Offer your client water at all times before leaving

• If you have another client straight away, allow the first client time to relax.

• Always talk through aftercare with all clients.

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Personal appearance

• Always maintain a professional appearance.

• Uniform or salon clothes should be clean and ironed.

• Hair needs to be tied back and off your face.

• Little or no jewellery, no watch except a fob watch.

• Maintain a good standard of personal hygiene.

• Keep your nails short, clean and free of nail polish.

• Always wash your hands before and after a treatment.

All therapists should follow a code of professional practice:

• Act in the best interests of your clients and treat them with respect

• Take responsibility for your actions

• Respect other practitioners and health professionals.

• Practice only within the limits of your competence.

• Ensure your behaviour does not damage the reputation of the profession

• Practice within the law

• Maintain Health and Safety and hygiene principles

• Observe confidentiality and the Data Protection Act

• Maintain and develop your knowledge and skills and continue your professional development

• Ensure that minors and other clients unable to carry out decisions for themselves are accompanied by a parent, carer or chaperone

• Obtain consent to carry out treatments where appropriate

Membership of a professional body

Most therapists will want to belong to a professional body for the purposes of advice, insurance and support. There are many benefits to be gained from belonging to a professional body such as:

• Insurance

• Members’ magazine

• Newsletters

• Salon and therapists’ promotions

• Professional advice and support

• Listing as a professional therapist

Insurance for therapists

As a practicing professional therapist you must hold public liability insurance. You need to ensure that you are covered in the unfortunate event of a claim made against you. It is advisable to also have product and treatment liability. Any of the beauty insurance companies include all three types of liability in their insurance cover.

Data Protection - GDPR

Data Protection

Your client has the right to see personal data you hold about them. Always ask them to read their consultation form before they sign the disclaimer. All client data should be kept locked away where it can be accessed only by the therapist. If you keep records online, your device needs to be password protected and you need to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) https://ico.org.uk/

GDPR

The law governing data protection is now called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This legislation applies to all personal data you have on record as a business whether that of clients or staff. This law replaces the Data Protection Act (DPA) of 1998.

The new law is designed to safeguard personal data. In the case of beauty/holistic/salon businesses, this applies to the information kept on client record cards. The regulations balance the needs of businesses to collect and use client information against the right of the individuals’ privacy.

The new legislation gives more rights and control to individuals, meaning that businesses will have to be prepared to fulfil more varied requests from individuals with regards to their data within tighter time frames than previously.

If you have not already taken steps to keep up to date with the new legislation, you should do so. Information can be found at the ICO website https://ico.org.uk/ Alternatively, your local small business centre may run courses or be able to offer advice.

Privacy Policy

One of the steps you will need to change or instigate, is the introduction of a privacy policy for your therapy business. Before a client completes a consultation form, they will need to also complete a privacy policy agreement. This is so that they can agree to your collecting information/data about them and agreeing to how you will process that data. You should give the privacy policy to your clients to read and sign BEFORE your consultation with them.

Sample Privacy Policy

This manual contains a sample privacy policy which can be found on the page before the consultation form. If you want to use this privacy policy, you should replace all of the text in red with relevant details about your salon/business.

Disclaimer: this privacy policy should suit the needs of your small therapy business but you should seek independent expert advice.

Consultation

A consultation must be carried prior to any treatment. This process ensures that you:

• Gather information about your client’s needs and expectations

• Gather medical and personal information about your client

• Assess whether your client is suitable for treatment ie

  • Are there any contra-indications?

  • Is GP referral necessary?

• Establish a rapport with your client

• Explain the way a treatment works and what it entails

• Give the client time to ask any questions

• Create the opportunity to devise a treatment plan

Holistic treatments treat the individual as a whole, looking at mental, emotional and physical states. It is therefore necessary to ask your client open questions to get them to talk about how they are feeling as well as physical conditions they may have. By doing this you can determine the best treatment options for the client.

Always reassure your client about the reason for the consultation ie that you wish to offer them a safe and effective treatment.

Records should be kept for a number of reasons:

• Contact details

• You can monitor your client’s progress

• Another therapist can monitor client’s progress/treatments

• To track aftercare advice

• As a backup in case a client has an adverse reaction to a treatment

Always include a disclaimer and the client’s signature to verify that the information that your client has given you is to the best of their knowledge true and correct. A sample consultation form is included within the manual.

Contraindications

A contra-indication is a condition or state that causes a treatment not to take place or to be adapted because of the risk of cross-infection or because your client may experience discomfort. A contra-indication checklist should always form one of the first parts of your consultation so that if any contra-indications are present, you can adapt your routine to suit your client’s needs. If you have any concern over the client’s health or wellbeing, medical advice should be sought prior to treatment.

If a client is currently receiving medical treatment, for anything, they need to get consent from their GP in order for treatment to take place.

Always check your own insurance policy for any specific conditions for which you need consent.

If in doubt, don’t treat without consent

A contra- indication can be:

• General - contra-indications affect the whole of the body or part of the body

• Local - contra-indications are concentrated in a particular area

Always use your common sense regarding contra-indications. Use your discretion to determine whether your client is suitable for treatment or if the treatment needs adapting. If you are in any doubt at all, refer your client back to their GP for guidance.

General Contra-indications

Action to be taken

Diabetes

GP consent required.

Disorders of the nervous system eg Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease

GP consent required

Epilepsy

GP consent required

Be aware that you must be able to cope if your client has a seizure.

Cardiovascular conditions eg hypertension, hypotension, thrombosis, embolism, phlebitis, angina, pacemaker

GP consent required.

If a client has high blood pressure and it is well managed you may use your discretion.

Cancer

Written consent from the client’s GP or consultant is required. Store this with their record card. Treatment must not go ahead during periods of chemotherapy or radiation treatment. The client must ask their medical practitioner how long after each course of chemotherapy/radiotherapy treatment that they should wait before having a nail, beauty or holistic treatment.

Always check with your own insurance policy for any other guidelines.

High temperature or fever

Do not treat if your client has a high temperature

Migraine

Do not treat during a migraine attack

Recent operations (6 months)

Do not work over recent scar tissue

Any unexplained swelling

Do not work over any undiagnosed lumps or bumps

First 3 months of pregnancy

Avoid massage during the first 3 trimester

General infection (viral, bacterial, fungal or infestation)

Do not treat if a client has any type of infection

Product allergies

Always ask about any allergies during consultation if you are using oils for massage.

Local contra-indications

Open wounds, cuts or abrasions

Avoid these areas

Eczema, psoriasis

Avoid the affected area

Bruising

Avoid the bruised area

Recent fractures

Do not massage over fractures which occurred less than 6 months ago

Recent scar tissue

Do not massage over scar tissue more recent than 6 months

Sunburn

Avoid the area

Privacy Policy Example

This is the privacy policy for insert business name here we are located at address and you can email us at email address. This privacy policy explains how we use any personal information we collect about you and why we collect it.

What Information Do We Need? We need: your contact details ie your name, phone number, address, postcode and email address. In order for us to carry out a treatment, we also need to ask for details on your medical history/health issues.

Why Do We Need It, How Will We Use It and How Long Will We Retain It? We need to ask you for contact details for insurance purposes. We need to ask for details about your medical history/health issues in order to ensure that it is safe for us to provide the treatments you will receive from us and also for insurance purposes. We will store your information for 7 years after the date of your treatment, or for 7 years after you have reached the age of 18 if you are/were under 18 when your treatment took place.

Our lawful basis for processing this personal information is ‘contract’; this means that we have a legal reason to ask you for your data because we need it for contractual reasons. You do not have to share your personal data with us, but if you do not we cannot offer you a treatment with insert business name here. In order for us to fulfil our side of the contract ie carry out treatment, you must fulfil your side of the contract ie share your personal information with us.

Marketing We would also like to send you information about the products and services we offer using the information you have shared with us. You do not have to agree to this for treatment to go ahead. If you would like to receive information from us about services and products eg special offers and new products, please tick the relevant boxes to give your consent. You may withdraw this consent at any time by emailing us at email address or calling us on phone number.

Post Email Phone SMS

We will not share your information with anyone outside of insert business name here.

Who Can I Complain To If I Feel You Are Not Handling My Data Correctly? Please contact us if you have any questions about this privacy policy or the information we hold on you, you can do this by email email address or post to address. If you believe we are not handling your data correctly you have a right to make a complaint, this should be sent to us using the above contact details. If you are unhappy with our response you should then contact the ICO (independent Commissioner’s Office). Find details at https://ico.org.uk/concerns/

Client signature:……………………………………………………………………………………. Date:……………………………..