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Natalie practices Tui-na, also known as Chinese Remedial Massage.  You may have heard of acupressure and cupping which both come under the banner of Tui-na therapy.

Like acupuncture, Tui-na is successful in the treatment of digestive, respiratory, reproductive, musculo-skeletal and circulatory problems, headaches, tiredness, insomnia, and feelings and symptoms of stress, tension, anxiety and depression.

Natalie holds a special interest and has had much experience with gynaecological issues, including menopausal symptoms, period pain, irregular/late/early cycles, and PMT. Chinese dietetics, or 'food as medicine' is an area that Natalie studies enthusiastically. This philosophy advocates local, in-season produce tailored to the individual's requirements as the mainstay of a diet that improves health. This has strong positive feedback effects such as supporting and building local community, strengthening connections to food sources and awareness of the seasons, reducing personal contributions to climate change, and increasing a sense of personal fulfilment and well-being.

TCM Remedial Massage, or in Mandarin, Tui-na (pronounced twee-na) is a set of manual, non-invasive techniques. In China, Tui-na is practiced alongside acupuncture, Chinese herbs and Western medicine in public hospitals. As such, Tui-na uses long-established TCM theories to address the needs of clients and patients. Through an assessment of the symptoms a 'pattern,' to use TCM terminology, emerges. This 'pattern' informs the treatment selected by the practitioner, which will therefore be tailored specifically to the individual.

Although Tui-na is not yet a well-known modality in Australia, you may have heard of 'acupressure' which is one massage type often employed in Tui-na therapy. By viewing physical and emotional manifestations of an illness or injury through the framework of TCM theories, a Tui-na practitioner will select certain acu-points or whole meridians to work on, mostly choosing to employ massage. When appropriate, other techniques may also be incorporated into the treatment in order to more positively influence the complaint and facilitate the restoration of health.

Cupping is a therapy in which 'cups' are suctioned onto the skin along the meridians of the body as a way of stimulating the flow of energy. Cupping is often suitable in cases of persistent 'old' injuries, tight muscles, irritability and period pain, to name but a few.

Moxibustion therapy is a direct warming method whereby a stick of the herb mugwort is lit and held at a safe distance from acu-points to more deeply affect the stimulation of the energy in cases of lower-back pain, digestive issues such as diarrhoea or very soft stools, lethargy, etc, and of course feelings of cold in parts of the body such as the hands and feet.

Natalie begins practicing at Clinic @ 71 Murray on 17th September.  She is qualified to practice Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the form of Chinese Massage (TCM remedial massage), cupping and moxibustion.

As a therapist new to Hobart, Natalie wishes to advise customers that until 31st October she will be offering discounts on all treatments.

Treatment costs are as follows:

• First visits (hour & 15 min. session) -  $55 (normally $65)

• Subsequent visits (hour sessions) - $45 (normally $55)

• Discounts are always available for concession card holders.

(Health fund rebates apply, Member AAMT)

What to Expect During a Tui-na Massage

A typical Tui-na treatment session firstly involves a brief discussion about signs and symptoms so the therapist can make a diagnosis based on this information as well as other observations. In initial consultations this is around 20 minutes. During subsequent visits however, not so much time is spent on diagnosis, rather a brief chat between client and therapist reveals the changes that have occurred since the previous visit. By viewing physical, mental and emotional manifestations of an illness or injury through the framework of TCM theories, a Tui-na practitioner will select certain acu-points or whole meridians to work on, mostly choosing to employ massage.

A Tui-na massage lasts about an hour and the client remains fully clothed for the duration. Nowadays, Tui-na massages are done on a massage table. If the client's condition would benefit from cupping or moxibustion these therapies require that some parts of the body be exposed for a brief time.  In cases where cupping would be valuable, clients may be left with bruise-like marks that last about 4-5 days but do not feel tender or painful. Moxibusion, a direct warming method, feels quite warm but never leaves a mark or burn.

Treatment sessions with Natalie also include advice and support on exercise, diet and lifestyle adjustments that facilitate a more rapid improvement in health and personal well-being. Clients receive a list of personalised recommendations that outlines this advice, including recipe ideas and details on how to correctly perform exercises.

Please read the sections on Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tui-na Therapy, Cupping and Moxibustion for more comprehensive explanations.

Appointment days

• Wednesdays and Thursdays all day at Clinic @ 71 Murray (after hours appointments also available on these days).
• Contact Natalie directly for appointments on other days.

Contact Details

For an appointment at Clinic @ 71 Murray, call (03) 6234 6454

For an appointment any other day, or to discuss anything else contact Natalie directly,

Mobile: 0407 249 589 or email.