There are as many ways of practicing aquatic bodywork as there are practitioners.  Of course, there is the influence of the modality in which you choose to train from Aquamassage to Watsu.    And yet, each one of us must find a way to practice that is also an authentic expression of who we are and not just a copy of our teachers' style.  We can draw on our unique talents, even as we take care to keep our clients safe.The preferred setting for my aquatic bodywork practice has been a non-cl... Read Full Story

As a complement to the previous post 'Facing feedback after aquatic bodywork: pain' here is some heart-warming feedback from a woman, again in her 50s, after 59 sessions over a 2-year period of receiving aquatic bodywork from me at a private spa retreat (no longer open).The questions are modified from surveys I created for those who had received 3+ and then 15+ sessions with me.  Responses like this can provide information that is valuable in ongoing work with someone and also in gaining in... Read Full Story

My main interest in this blog is alternative aquatics, which I have defined as any water-based healing modality that involves movement and/or bodywork but that is not considered suitable without significant modification for clinical settings or medical billing.These kinds of practices may be found as part of spa-leisure and alternative health services, and are concerned with preventing ill-health and maintaining good health. Sometimes, though, people suffering from chronic problems that hav... Read Full Story

How do you respond when a client has an 'adverse' reaction to an aquatic bodywork session?  Here is an example from my records of 5 years ago now.  The extracts are from email correspondence with a woman I will call Nancy (not her real name) in her 50s who opted for a series of 5 weekly aquatic sessions. This feedback came after the 4th session.  In her younger years, Nancy was a professional dancer but at this time was doing computer work.  I came to know her as a good friend and someone o... Read Full Story

Meet a Fairy Godmother of Spa ...Sara Firman of Vision Spa Retreat talks to her friend and colleague Marion Schneider.Audio link belowSara says:  I've known Marion since 2001 when I visited her spa-resort Toskana Therme [1.] in Bad Sulza, Germany, to take part in the 'Dreams and Rituals in Healing Waters' workshop with Dr Jonathan Paul DeVierville that is held there there every summer [2.].  Marion is someone who is not only very much aware of the problems that face us all now - whether in ... Read Full Story

Craniosacral therapy works with the fluidic rhythms in the body (specifically the cerebrospinal fluid) and it can be a wonderful skill to apply to aquatic bodywork.  See more on this blog: 'Quotes: Craniosacral therapy in water' and 'An aquatic kriya: the bodywave' (towards the end).The wonderfully watery extract below is best read aloud or even better read to you (try the 'Listen Now' button).  It comes from an article by Candice Marro which was published in the Cranial Wave Magazine (2003... Read Full Story

The new 2010 edition of The International Standards of SpaExcellence(SM)2010  released this month addresses sustainability and the environment in a number of places. Julie Register, Managing Director at SpaQuality outlined them for Vision Spa Retreat:    Sustainability and the environment are considered in the Intention and  Strategy section when evaluating the business viability and planning for  the Spa quality system.    “Spa executive management considers the available natural res... Read Full Story

SpaFinder has just announced the winners of its Readers' Choice Awards in three areas - favorite spa by continent, favorite by region or country, and best in any of 27 categories - based on approximately 300,000 votes.  The categories range from Best for Accommodations to Best for Yoga, and include two of particular interest to Vision Spa Retreat.  See below:Best for Environmental PracticesDaintree Eco Lodge and Spa (Queensland, Australia)El Monte Sagrado Living Spa (New Mexico, USA)Post Ra... Read Full Story

Astrology provides a framework for imagining a profound intimacy between ourselves and our environment.  It envisions an ecological cosmos, a cosmos which 'speaks' through symbol and metaphor.  The same structuring principles and processes at work in the natural world are also at work in us, allowing us to see form and movement in our lives as metaphorically reflected in the movements of the sky. p. xvi  The Astrological Imagination: Where Psyche and Cosmos Meet, by Brad Hiljanen Kochunas.W... Read Full Story

I'd love to share some of what I most value about Alternative Aquatics* with you in two exploratory presentations (on land and in the water) at the ATRI National Aquatic Healthcare Conference in Chicago this November: Documenting Alternative Aquatics (talk and sharing)andDeveloping Intuitive Skills in Aquatics (experiential; CEC/ CEU credit)Come and share your own view of how, or if, alternative approaches can contribute to aquatic therapeutics. These are just two offerings in the usual g... Read Full Story