Kate Sheridan

How Kate works:

Soft Tissue Therapy is a person centred approach to the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of minor and chronic musculoskeletal injuries and pain. When you come for a treatment with me I treat you, not just your injury. As part of a massage consultation I look at posture and movement and take a history. This helps me to place your muscular aches within a context, for instance an old injury whose residual effects may be causing muscular tension in another area; long periods of stress or a chronic illness; a job with repetitive movements. Frequently the underlying muscular issue that requires treatment is in another area to where the symptoms are manifesting. I think of the body as connected tissues and treat accordingly. Research in recent years has confirmed the connections between mental, emotional and physical welfare, and no part of the body exists in isolation from the rest. If you have come in for a massage to address physical tension and noticed afterwards how mentally relaxed you feel, or how your back pain improved after your neck and shoulders were treated, you have experienced this. 

As I am part of the 919 Clinic team I work closely with John Ostrovskis, the physiotherapist, and can refer you on to him if appropriate. 

I use high quality products. I buy in a base ointment from Songbird and add organic essential oils from Materia Aromatica or Fragrant Earth. I used to make my own base ointment using Hypericum perforatum and Calendula officinalis infused in organic cold pressed sunflower oil and combined with high quality beeswax but have had problems sourcing the herbs in recent years. I also have a Songbird ointment that is free from beeswax and nut oils.

As well as my Sheffield based massage practice I am also the Medical Herbalist behind Hedgerow Remedies, inspired by the traditional use of local plants for their healing qualities. Many years ago a medical herbalist addressed a skin issue that I had had for over a decade and that had defied conventional medicine. Her approach included addressing my diet, digestion and stress levels, and the results were spectacularly successful. That stimulated my interest in traditional remedies; hedgerows are rich in plants that have been used historically for a wide range of therapeutic purposes, for instance Hawthorn, Cleavers, Elderflower, Nettle, Dandelion, Yellow Dock, Primrose, Coltsfoot, Comfrey, Ground Ivy, Yarrow, Greater Celandine & Agrimony amongst many others. Phytopharmacolgy and clinical trials are now validating many of these empirical claims. By paying attention to the flora of our hedges, fields and woodlands we can re-engage with hundreds of years of using local plants for healing and also learn more about our immediate environment. This combines my interests in health, sustainability and ecosystems. I no longer do herbal medicine consultations as my focus is at present on my massage practice, but I do prescribe herbs and discuss diet with my massage patients to help address simple health issues and I include beneficial herbs and essential oils when formulating the ointments and oils used during massage treatments.