In 2015 I had a Spinal Cord Injury which changed my life completely.  I had emergency spinal surgery at Kings College Hospital in London and rehabilitation at the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.   Without warning I became a walking paraplegic and on enough prescription drugs to kill an elephant.  

I spent the first couple of years in a ‘morphine fog’ that wouldn’t clear and I slept so much that I became semi-nocturnal.  The drugs didn’t stop the pain, they merely moved it to one side.  You name it, I had been prescribed it plus additional medication to counteract the side effects of the pain killers.  I began to drink more alcohol to try and make everything better – but it didn’t.  The constant pain was excruciating and I wanted to try anything to get back to how I was before.  

I read that floatation tanks can help with pain so I booked a session.   This is where I met Annie Jenkins who ran the complementary clinic.  She suggested that I try Kinesiology after my float session so I gave it a go.  Annie tested mostly my arm or leg muscles which sometimes made the muscle go weak and sometimes it would stay strong.  She put pots of supplements or flower remedies against my cheek, touched specific points on my body or asked me to think of how I was feeling and again sometimes my muscle would go weak and sometimes it would stay strong.   She used her spiritual intelligence, tapped, held or rubbed on points on my body (some of which were sore) and then might recommend that I take certain supplements or avoid specific foods and always told me to drink a lot more water.  It blew my mind as to how it worked, I thought that it must be some kind of magic because whatever she was doing was making me feel more alive again.   Annie explained that my body was the best judge of what it needs, she was merely interpreting its innate intelligence.     

After a few years of having treatments I signed up to the Foundation Course – to fix myself and save some money rather than keep paying for treatments.  I knew nothing about being a therapist and I wasn’t interested in being one as I was doing it purely for my own benefit.  I was anxious having to practice on other people, especially as the course participants were massage therapists, reflexologists, other holistic therapists and an osteopath – I had previously worked paying invoices in a School Office!

I quickly settled in and on completion of the Foundation Course I had the bug for learning more.  Soon I had qualifications in Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology, First Aid, Nutrition and signed up to do the Practitioner Diploma.  The practical exam was the most terrifying thing that I’d done for years, but I passed and now I’m a real therapist!!

I recommend that my clients have a treatment every six weeks and I still have regular appointments to keep myself balanced.  I have gone from being totally devastated by my spinal cord injury to being able to accept it (mostly).  I no longer take any painkilling drugs and I’ve given up alcohol, which just happened rather than being intentional.  I am still in constant pain but I deal with it much better now that I have a clear mind.  I know my limits and regularly push them to the edge 😊   

I work in Sussex and Kent, email me if you would like to book a treatment.  

alisonpeake@outlook.com