Table of Contents
Unlocking Your Body’s Wisdom: A Deep Dive into Reflexology with Wendy “Z” Lewis
Tired of Stress? Discover the Power of Reflexology with Wendy “Z” Lewis!
Join us as we chat with Wendy “Z” Lewis, a nationally board certified reflexologist with over 20 years of experience! Wendy is a master of her craft, certified by the American Reflexology Certification Board – the highest level of credentialing in the US.
In this episode of the Mental Health Toolbox Podcast, we delve into the fascinating world of reflexology with nationally certified reflexologist Wendy “Z” Lewis, owner of Prana Reflexology.
Wendy shares her inspiring journey into the field, revealing how her mom’s foot pain and a teenage act of kindness sparked a passion for helping others. We discover the science behind reflexology and how it works through the nervous system to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and even alleviate physical ailments.
Key Takeaways from our Conversation with Wendy “Z” Lewis:
- Reflexology is more than just a foot rub. It’s an ancient art with modern applications. Wendy explains how this practice, with roots in ancient Egypt, is a perfect fit for our modern lives, particularly the stress and physical strain associated with technology use.
- Reflexology can help you manage stress and anxiety, improve sleep, and even alleviate pain. Wendy highlights the effectiveness of reflexology for a wide range of conditions, including chronic headaches, back pain, and mental health challenges.
- You can learn self-reflexology techniques to manage stress and anxiety in your everyday life. Wendy’s online course, “Self-Reflexology for Stress and Anxiety,” is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to take control of their wellness.
- The body has its own wisdom. Reflexology helps us tap into it. Wendy emphasizes the importance of listening to our bodies and embracing the power of healing touch.
Don’t miss this insightful and informative conversation with a true expert in the field!
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BIO: Wendy “Z” Lewis, expert in Reflexology
Wendy “Z” Lewis is a nationally board certified reflexologist with more than 20 years of experience. She completed Basic, Advanced and Masters training in Reflexology at the New York Open Center and has been certified by the American Reflexology Certification Board – the highest level of reflexology credentialing in the U.S. – since 2001.
Wendy is an active member of:
-American Reflexology Certification Board (ARCB)
-Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP)
Wendy’s continuing education training is ongoing and has included Laura Norman hand, face and foot reflexology and basic myofascial release massage techniques for feet, hands, lower legs and forearms. Her favorite continuing education activity is an annual hands-on cadaver lab at the University of Rhode Island’s Physical Therapy Department (through a partnership with RARI, the Reflexology Association of Rhode Island).
A lifelong student of health, wellness and fitness, Wendy has also studied Clinical Hypnotherapy, attained Reiki mastership and is a former kickboxing and Kripalu Yogadance instructor. Wendy studied martial arts for 28 years, completed her first triathlon in 2021, and is a dedicated hot yoga practitioner and cyclist.
Wendy was also a health writer for Rhode Island’s Lifespan Hospitals and CVS Health, and has authored several freelance articles and the book Jump in the Holes: and Other Small Ways to Live Your Biggest Life. Wendy is passionate about helping others preserve their wellness and appreciate the greatest instrument they will ever own – their body.
Learn more about Reflexology, with Wendy “Z” Lewis.
CONTACT AND SOCIALS:
Owner, Prana Reflexology
Contact: 401-426-3139/(401-HAND-139)
-Website: www.PranaReflexology.com
-Courses: https://www.pranareflexology.com/courses
Watch The Interview
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Listen To The Interview
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TRANSCRIPT:
[PATRICK MARTIN]
What is reflexology and how can it help with our mental health? Well, you’re in the right place because in this episode of the mental health Toolbox, we’re talking all about reflexology with our special guest Wendy Z Lewis. Thank you Wendy, for joining the mental Health Toolbox Podcast today. To teach us all about reflexology and the wonderful work you’re doing.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Thank you. I am thrilled to be here.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Glad to have you glad to have you. And just for fun for the those. Uh. Who have any experience podcasting? We were talking for a bit and it wasn’t recording, so we’re. Back. That’s the life that’s the life of podcasting. So Wendy is a reflexologist. This is her website for anyone who wants to check it out. I believe in tools upfront. I’m not going to make you wait till the end to check out the resources. So if you want to learn more about Wendy and the wonderful work. She’s doing it’s. Pranareflexology.com. Do you spell it out?
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
For us, Wendy, or it’s prana like P, like P, like Patrick RAN areflexology.com and prana means energy.
Speaker
Hello.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Next oh, thank you. I was wondering where you came up with that name from. I was like, that’s an interesting name. It’s not something you. See every day. So cool. See, there’s always a meaning buying these things. So a little circle back to her website in a bit. Toward the end, we’ll give you a little more details about her offerings there. But for now, let’s go ahead and jump into meeting. Wendy and Wendy, do you want to share a little bit about what got you?
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
That’s right.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Into this field of reflex. Apology. I’m always curious. Peoples Peoples’s origin stories, you know.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Sure. Yes. Well, I’ve always been very interested in health and Wellness and fitness and and even medicine. And my mom, part of the reason probably I was into all these things was my mom is a retired nurse. My brother was also a paramedic, so it was not uncommon that, you know, we talked about Wellness at home over the dinner table. And my mom being on her feet a lot at work at both as a nurse and later on in her career, she went into administration. She was in. She had a lot of foot pain toward the end of the day, and very often she would come home and just beg me to rub her feet. And please, when you rub my feet. You know, she would even try. To bribe me, I’ll give you 20 bucks and you know, I was a teenager at the time, and I, you know, OK, here, I’ll rub your feet. You know, I didn’t know what I was doing at all, but she. She always commented. When do you have healing hands? You should do something with bodywork and and. You know, I kind of, you know, did an eye roll teenage thing at the time. OK, moms being weird again, but in the back of my mind, I kind of filed away those words. And later on, when I was thinking about what to, you know, kind of like career path, I I remembered that. And I also remembered just the. Change that would come about in her whole demeanor. I didn’t know what I was doing, but you know, I was doing the best I could and and she was like a new woman by the time, you know, 15 minutes had passed. And I rubbed your feet for a little bit. So I saw first hand at a young age. The. Body, mind, connection. You know what the influence could be on a hands on therapy in somebody’s state of mind and their whole outlook and their whole disposition. So I was going to at some point, become duly credentialed in massage therapy. And reflexology. That was my original plan, and as it so happened when I was checking out schools, the spot at our reflexology program opened up first. And so I got enrolled in that and very soon into the beginning of the program, I just thought, like, wow, this is the best thing. I’m I’m here. I don’t need to do anything else since then I have become. I have gotten some training in my official release massage therapy techniques for feet and hands. Because the the need did arise for me to, you know, have that knowledge that I could share with my clients because some of them do have physical ailments such as plantar fasciitis, which really helps. Those techniques really help with that, so it became necessary for me to get that training, which was fine, because then in in a weird way I I satisfied that need, so that’s not how I got started. And I also satisfied my passion for Wellness through a writing I in addition to being a reflexologist, I also did health. And Wellness writing for CVS Pharmacy and the lifespan hospitals in Rhode Island.
Speaker
So that was.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
92 yeah, I got to meet some wonderful, wonderful practitioners in the medical field and that it just. So cemented my own belief and passion for helping people and what I.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Do. Yeah. You never know where things are going to lead, right? And you start exploring a new a new trajectory and something that. OK, I haven’t. I have an inclination. This is OK my mom like even my your mom or friend or something might say oh, you’re really good at this. You should check.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Oh.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
It out maybe go check out of school. Without any necessarily long term intentions, things start to unfold right at the doors start opening. It’s true, you start to see it from a different perspective. What what was your experience like in school? Like maybe you’re you’re checking this thing out? Reflexology, what is it about? Not sure. Systems, really. All I want to do.
Speaker
Leaving.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Ohh but once you got me into school, what was that? What was that process like for?
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
You. Yeah, it was fabulous. I’m glad you asked. Because a funny thing happened in that I’m. I’m really a natural skeptic about a lot of things. And I know a lot of people are very skeptical about reflexology and, and I once was too, even when I. Started my program. There was a part of me in in the back of my head saying. Is this just a bunch of hocus pocus? You know, like it’s a.
Speaker
Really.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Anything to this and? A few weeks into the program. The students you know, when you’re in a body work program, the students work on each other. We practice on each other and we would start kind of looking around at each other and and say are you feeling as good as I’m feeling? You know? So yeah, we could see after being in in school for a while, working on each other, how good we were feeling and how much improved our our you know. How much better we felt physically as well as mentally and our instructors kind of like looking at us giving giving us this, you know, knowing smile like, OK, she knew this was going. To. Happen. So yeah, it it was wonderful. So that really just being in school was the first time I really started to see.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Right, right.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
See for myself that this is legit and in the many years I’ve been in practice ever since. Like all the time with clients, I see wonderful things happen and I just go. Yep. OK. It’s for real.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
That’s so important to believe in what you’re doing now, if you become, if you become a.
Speaker
Expect.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
You know, walking testimony of of what you do. Then you’re going to make sure that you are raising awareness, right, because you truly believe you see the benefit of it, and that’s really important. You know, it definitely my experience with mental health, you know, I didn’t have any experience. With mental health before I went to school to be a therapist, in fact, I wanted to be a pharmacist. I had no I had no interest in. Well, I shouldn’t say interest because I was never. I was never exposed to mental health. For those who know my story, you know, I wanted to be a pharmacist. Not because I was great in the sciences, but because I was. I was trying to find, you know, what’s? The the best bang for your buck to get away. From poverty.
Speaker
Because the way.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
I grew up, you know, and I was first generation college student. I had a lot of catching up to do. If you remember that I don’t remember that book. It was like this thick. It’s called the occupational Outlook handles. It was like this big run by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And I remember.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
I remember that.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Being completely lost when I started college and I found this book in the library because first I said I don’t know what I want to be an X-ray tech. Then I was like ultrasound tech and then I found this book. I was at library, probably making copies or something, and I think it was sitting next to the copy machine. I was just fascinated because I had all this data about. You know the trajectory for jobs, how likely you are to find a job, you know how fast your job is growing and what marketplace and the very back of the book. Because I looked at the index and and like the top ten jobs. Right. For in terms of income and bang for your buck and farm, you know always at the top is like anesthesiologist and then it was like PA right now probably be NP PA and then it was.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Yeah. Yeah.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Pharmacist, I thought that’s interesting. So I started doing my my research. Fiction. How’s that? OK. Well, I guess I’ll go for that. But I didn’t have the the background in sciences. They weren’t very strong. Like I said, a lot of catching up to do. So I.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Mm-hmm.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
But when I transferred from junior college into four year, finally it was a sociology major and I minored in pre Med and I went through all of it, but I slowly fell in love with sociology. As I was doing it and I was by the time I graduated with my bachelors, I was like, oh, I don’t know. I don’t know if this is what I want to do anymore because I I really love people and I was a waiter all through college, and I knew I really wanted to work with people. So I had a kind of a.
Speaker
Umm.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Crossroads. Figuring out what I want to do. My friend. Like you know, your mom was a nurse. My friend is a nurse. The time. And she said, hey, you know your social work. And she said this to me before, but I was like, social work. I just equated that with children services. And you know, that kind of thing. So. But I was already scouting out this local medical school when Melinda University. And for a pharmacy school, I was familiar with it, I’d walk the campus. I’m very visual. I like to be where I try and vision, right. I would say at the coffee shop next to the university, even before I was at the. University, that kind of. Thing right, so you know, kind of confused, but they’re not searching social work, schools. No. Melinda came up. So I went there and did the tour, and then it clicked. Kind of like you’re saying with reflexology, like it clicked for you. It clicked for me like I got it. I was like, oh, OK and I became a believer in mental health.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Yeah. Yeah.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Having not had exposure to it, so I I think it’s important, like you said, you know, I think we’re all skeptics.
Speaker
Well.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Mm-hmm. And that’s a good thing.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
At heart. But I think when it’s a, it’s a good thing, but I think it’s also important to have some, you know, to to give things the benefit of it out and to to explore. And we never know, you know what the human human body is complex. The mind is complex and for so many resources and what works for one may not work for another. But when we find. Something that works. It’s kind of like our. Are due diligence to make sure that we. Raise awareness around these things because ignorance is not bliss.
Speaker
Thanks.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
No.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
I know I struggle from chronic headaches, you know? And so I’m. I’m always looking for. Things that can help mitigate them, reduce them, prevent them, and so something I I I recently have back issues too and so I recently discovered chiropractor. I love my chiropractor. I have an appointment today, you know, to get cracked.
Speaker
Yeah.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
But I’ve heard other people say acupuncture, and that’s something I’ve yet to explore. Maybe reflexology.
Speaker
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
I think there there is. There is an acupuncture acupressure point I do on my clients called Union Valley. So I’ll. I’ll have to.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
All right, make a footnote of that, yeah.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Pull you in order. I’ll show you how to do it. That’s one of the nice things about reflexology is you can do it on yourself.
Speaker
So.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Wonderful. We’re definitely gonna talk more about that. I wanna learn all the things. I’m very selfish with this podcast. My guests are like, what do I want to?
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
He’s totally fine. Learn next. Well, you know what? If if you want to learn something, there are people out there who also want to learn it. So if you ask the question. And they get the answer no.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
That’s right. There’s no such things as silly. Questions. That’s right. So what is reflexology? So you know, if somebody wants to. To be able. To really kind of think their teeth into this. Concept what is? What does that mean? It’s not just, you know, taking the knee at the at your physical. That’s a reflex. Right. What is the? Yes, always reflexology. It’s so funny, say.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
That I have a client who always walks in singing the reflex by Duran. Duran.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
OK.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
But reflexology is it’s more than a foot rub. I like to say it’s an ancient art with modern application modern practicality. So it does have ancient roots. They have supposedly found cave paintings and artwork on the insides of Egyptian pyramids depicting reflexology. So it’s very, very old. But what I love about it too is that I think, especially in modern times, when we’re more stressed with technology and we are using our cell phones a lot and I do reflex reflexology on hands. So that’s that works for me in modern times. I think there is there. There’s probably an an upswing. And the need for something like this as well. But as far as what it is. It is a hands on bodywork discipline, kind of like massage therapy in that, you know, you’re lying on a table and there’s a practitioner who’s touching a part of your body. And. Applying you know specific pressure techniques, but it does differ from massage in the sense that massage works more on the muscles of the. Body whereas. Yes. With reflexology, it works through the nervous system and that’s that’s the main distinction. So reflexology is based on the premise that there are zones and reflex areas on the bottoms of the feet and also the hands that are mirror all the rest of the systems of the body. And you’ve probably seen.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Hmm.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Those. Funny looking. Reflexology maps that has, like an ear and your toe, you know and. You go. What the heck?
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Yeah, I was one that was about. I just, I just thought. It was abstract art.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Like it’s a Picasso. I don’t have an ear in my. Toe, but that that’s that’s. Basically it it’s the idea that you can positively impact the whole rest of the body and the mind through. Pressure techniques on an isolated part of the body, the extremities usually hands or feet. I work on hands and feet as. Well, see, as you can see. From my shoes. Want. Hands today. So yeah, in in many ways, a lot of people just kind of don’t know what it is and they say. Oh, it’s a great foot. Rub, but what I love about it is that even if I get somebody in my office who really doesn’t even believe in all that, you know, hocus pocus stuff about the foot. Up, it still feels wonderful. And a large part of my clientele are people who, you know, have pain in their feet and maybe they get massage therapy, but they kind of wish the massage therapist would spend a whole lot of time on their feet. And that’s that’s where I. Come. In and even if they don’t, you know, believe in the nervous system connection. It feels so therapeutic and so wonderful and. Usually I get that you know same effect when people walk out after a session that I used to see in my mom. You know, like that. Wow. It’s a whole new day. So that that’s wonderful.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Right. Our feet do a lot of work.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
For us, they really do. I have this passion for feet. They they are our work horses, they. You know, both physically and, you know, I don’t know, in in, in other ways they take us through life literally and and, you know, in every way they, every step we take is on our feet. If our feet hurt, it usually radiates upward into our knees. Our hips are back. You know, it causes pain and other parts. Of the body. And our feet carry us through our lives. Yes. So there’s there’s a lot of a lot of things to love about feet and a lot. Of things.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
To be grateful for so the way it works, right? Other than feeling good is a win win, right? But is there’s I’m guessing there’s certain like nerves in the feet that you say connect to the rest.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Of the body. Yeah. Yeah, so. The nervous structure of the body is is really fascinating. So and I’ve part of my education every year. Actually I do a cadaver workshop. And so I’ve actually literally seen, like holding in my hands, you know, a brain and and a spinal cord. It’s fascinating.
Speaker
That’s it.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
So it it operates around the principle. That you have. Obviously you know your brain and you know your spinal cord and all the. X What was ohh. Alright, I’m making. I’m making no sense here, let me rephrase that. So you have your brain and your spinal cord and all your extraneous nerves branch out from your spinal. Part so when you’re working on feet, you’re obviously working on extremities. And so those nerve pathways travel back up to your spinal cord and get processed and processed in the brain and then turn around and come back to your feet. So that’s kind. Of kind of how it works.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Ohh gotcha. Uh-huh.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
I was asked once is there like you know? One particular nerve in your foot that connects to a particular nerve in your you know chest. And no, it’s it’s not like that everything is. Based around the principle of this back and forth, back and forth, motion from the brain to the feet, feet to the. Brain.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
OK.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
And it’s this constant homeostasis that the body is is seeking and one of the wonderful ways that reflexology works actually. Is. So I I kind of compare it to when you’re dropping off to sleep and you’re just about to drop off to sleep, but not really there. You’re kind of in this alpha state this. It’s very relaxing. Not too many thoughts going on. It’s just everything is like, huh, you know, angels singing reflexology kind of gets you there and keeps you there.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Right, right.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Many of my people do fall asleep, but you know, hopefully I can keep them there for a long time before.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Mm-hmm. I would fall asleep getting a haircut.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
They fall.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Sure.
Speaker
Yeah.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
But when your body is that relaxed. It kind of gets our minds out of the way and the and the body is is amazing healer. I mean, when we think about it in the simplest terms, when you cut your finger three days later, it’s, you know, you have natures Band-Aid, it’s healed up, you know, every time we breathe, there’s this very complex thing that happens in our lungs.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Mm-hmm.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
On on a cellular level, the exchange of carbon dioxide for oxygen and then we breathe and and it, you know, through the blood system, it goes all this oxygen goes all through our bodies. And that’s how every breath we take literally. We keep ourselves alive, so there’s this. The body is designed to be healthy and to be at its peak in this centered balanced state of homeostasis. But what happens is a lot of the time, you know, we have pain or we have an injury. We have a stress going on in our lives and it’s like all that stuff gets in the way. So sometimes I feel like what I do is I just help people get all that stuff out of the way and maybe that’s similar to what you do.
Speaker
So.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Absolutely. I think all of the helping professions that we’re trying to reduce stress. We’re trying to improve well-being right and there’s many, many levers we can pull.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Just like you know the way. Yeah. Yeah. Something like.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
But it’s not usually anyone. It’s a compilation of levers, right? It gives us that holistic. It’s called holistic care, right? That’s right. That’s right.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Absolutely. Yeah, I I feel. A lot of the time. Yes, yes, whole. It’s a whole thing. Ohh it’s thick.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Good thing. So it’s more than a massage. Yes, there’s definite, definite. Science behind it? Yes, I’m curious if somebody’s looking for a reflexologist being one yourself and a very good. One at that. What? What would you suggest people to look for? Like if they if they don’t happen to be? In Rhode Island, you. Know can’t knock on your door, right?
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
That’s an important culture. I can definitely help with that. That that’s actually an important question because. There are a lot of people out there who call themselves reflexologists that are not going to really give you a great session. I can’t tell you how many times I had somebody come into. My office. Thinking that they’ve had something called reflexology like at the nail spa and they say, Oh my goodness, that was completely different. So the field is relatively new and it is becoming more and more recognized as a legit therapy and science, just like a predecessors. What did you just? Say that you’re getting done later today.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Ohh chiropractor. Yes yes.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Chiropractic, thank you. So let me rephrase that. So reflexology is becoming more recognized just like other things that came before like chiropractic and acupuncture. And I do look forward to the field becoming more and more legitimized by, you know, Western medicine. I’m so sorry. Totally forgot my my translate here.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Yeah. It happens all the.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Time. Ohh, which is somebody look for right so you can edit this.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
No.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Out. That’s.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Beautiful, beautiful, right. Beauty not being like. OK, OK so.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
I have never had a brain fart this bad before. OK OK, so. As far as what somebody should look for any reflexologist the problem with reflexology right now is that it is not as well regulated as other fields. However, it will become that way in the future. I’m I’m pretty positive about that because other similar disciplines such as acupuncture and. Chiropractic chiropractic are also. Recognized by Western medicine. So right now the way things are in the US with reflexology is that you can just go to school and go through a program and call yourself a reflexologist. But there’s a higher level of reflexologist and there there is a national certification.
Speaker
Mm-hmm.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Board called the American Reflexology Certification Board or a RCB, and I am certified with them and I have been for my entire.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Ah, there you go.
Speaker
MHM.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
So if you are looking for a really good reflexologist outside of, you know if you’re in Rhode Island, of course. See me. But outside of. Outside of Rhode Island, you can look for. You can go to the ARCB website and they actually have a, you know, find a practitioner feature. And you can.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Uh-huh.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Find somebody local and that would be my my biggest piece of advice to somebody. Gets somebody who is a RCB certified and what that is, is it kind of brings everything up to another level and there’s another six months of schooling, I believe it was six months. It’s it’s been so long now I kind of forgot. Hmm, but there’s more schooling. There’s another test. There’s a practical exam, and you have to get a lot more experience under your belt to be able to prove that level of certification. So it’s it’s very good. And in my field, I think book like in a lot of fields, book learning is fantastic, but it only goes so far. That’s when you start working on, you know, real people. And I, you know, you start touching real feet. That’s where a lot of. Your experience comes in that really adds to your becoming a very good reflexologist.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Excellent. Well, thank you. That’s very good to know. So there are certain certifications we can look for absolutely definitely ask about somebody’s, how long I’ve been in practice for many hours. Have they practiced right? Because I’ve been in practice for 10 years, but they see one person. A month, you know.
Speaker
That.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
But if you if you go to your nail salon, you’re. Probably not going to get some real reflux on you.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Yeah, right. And so I think it’s important people know where to go, what to look for. So they don’t get the wrong impression. You know, their first one is a bad experience. They could, you know, extrapolate that and say, oh, it’s just it’s no good. Right. But you want to make sure you going to the appropriate sources to make sure you’re getting the real deal.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Mm-hmm. Absolutely.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Thank you. Thank you for sharing that good time. So that it’s more than just the physical relief, right?
Speaker
Hmm.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Like many of these. Ah. Facets of holistic care there, there is an inherent component of the A spiritual mind body connection. Did you want to talk a little bit about that and how reflexology views the mind body connection?
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Absolutely. Love to talk about it, and actually that’s the name. That’s why I named my business prana reflexology. So prana is it’s a Sanskrit name. It’s similar to Chi or Qi that you might have heard in, like, you know, martial arts in the east. So prana refers to life force, energy.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Mm-hmm.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
But when I was, you know, naming my business, it was an important word to me in the sense that energy and the energetic connection between mind and body and spirit is so important. And in a session, there are so many aspects to energy that that are going on. So there’s. The the persons bodily energy, there’s the energy of the chakra systems in the body which not everybody knows about. But it’s very important. There’s the energy I have as a practitioner that transfers to, you know, my client, and there’s an energetic connection between the two of us that goes on. And there’s also a spiritual component, at least for me, there’s an energetic component that I draw on. I just kind of get centered and. And it’s it’s very much a spiritual experience for me. I I get centered and I ask for guidance from, you know, higher power. And I I basically. Say here I am. Here’s this person. Please guide my hands and I trust that you will take care of the rest of it. And you know more than I do what this person needs and give them what. They need. So and the energetic. Yeah. The energetic connection is is just so, so important. And I’m sure there are. You know, there might be body workers out there. Or. For which maybe they have no spiritual beliefs and and that’s fine. I respect all of it and they are just, you know, about the physical work. And that’s fine because the physical work is extremely important as well. But especially I think in in reflexology there is a huge mind body connection. Very often I will get people in that they’re they’re looking for not so much. Relief from pain, but they just want to destress and a lot of people in contemporary society. I hate to say it, but I think a lot of people get on my table for 60 or 90 minutes. That’s the only time during the day that they really have permission to chill out and unplug. And it’s kind of sad.
Speaker 4
So.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
But I am glad to be able to, you know, provide a space where people can do that. If somebody’s going through something stressful very often they they will just kind of not say anything to me, you know? Yeah, I’m really stressed. I’ll stress at work or this, that or the other. And then it happens fairly often, where if they’re going through something, there is actually a physical release that. Happens when you start touching them and you know people. It’s not uncommon. People cry and then all of a sudden it’s like the floodgates open and they start talking to me and and they need to talk. And that’s fine. I always tell people you can talk if you want. You cannot talk if you want it. It’s all good. And sometimes people just need to talk to somebody. And there have been times people left after a session. And and I realized, wow, maybe the reflexology was. I mean, it’s important. But, you know, maybe it wasn’t like, really, the pivotal thing that they needed. Maybe they just needed to talk and. I have to get all this stuff out of their system. And and another thing I wanted to mention was the body really has we. We tend to think of ourselves as a brain walking around on a stick, you. Know like a. Lot of. There really is so much wisdom in every cell of the body, and I know I’m going to sound maybe like a little bit of. A wackadoodle but.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
In the property.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
But it’s OK, I’m good with that. Look, look up online if you don’t believe me. Look up online about people who have had organ transplants.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Ohh right. So man, yeah.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
There are some fascinating stories about people who have had organ transplant. That all of a sudden, after the transplant and you know, after that physical emergency has passed, they find that they have memories or preferences that they never had before and after they did a little digging, they found out that these are the memories or preferences of their donor. So.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Mm-hmm.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Which sounds a little creepy. And, you know, maybe a little twilight zone. Ish. But for me, for me, it just drives home the fact that our bodies themselves are really smart.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Yeah, I’ve heard the same thing. Yeah.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
And I think there is definitely a connection between psychological things going on in the body or mental stress or trauma and trauma is stored in parts of the body. It really, really is. For example, I I literally had a client last week and he came in to see me because. He had experienced several injuries and. In his feet and legs, I mean, he he was just he had scars all over the place. It was it was. Really interesting. And I’m thinking, OK, this is gonna be, this is gonna be a project. And as he’s telling me all these stories that has have happened, you know, during his intake, he’s he kept clutching his his torso right here. And that’s that’s like, third Shaka. That’s your power chakra. And I thought that was interesting. And I I also, I always note people’s gestures and body language when they’re talking to me and if possible, I try to, I have like a long hallway that leads to my office and I try to pick my head out and see how they’re walking, you know, see their gate. And and if they’re limping, if they’re preferring one side of their body or the other.
Speaker
Hmm.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
MHM.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
But with this client he kept kind of clutching his the middle of his his torso as he was telling me about these physical problems that he’d had. And later on during his session we were talking a little bit more and he it came out. That. He was also experiencing what it felt like a loss of control and power in other parts of his life due to these injuries, because he couldn’t be as active as he wanted, he couldn’t run around with his kids the way he. Wanted and this.
Speaker
Mm-hmm.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Is the third shocker is all about power. It’s your power shocker. So I thought that was really, really interesting that you know, here he is talking about this problems with his feet and then it turns out that there’s this other thing going on at the same time.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
He’s feeling disempowered on life. Yeah, yeah.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
So there’s. There’s this huge, huge connection and very much. Also. A lot of people don’t. I hate to say it. A lot of older people aren’t touched a lot, especially if they live alone, and I think it’s very therapeutic to just be, you know, in my office or, you know, in a massage therapy office or whatever and and have that power of healing touch.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Mm-hmm.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
From somebody who cares. And I think that is very, very healing as well. And I’ve had the experience of, you know, working on someone’s feet and or hands. And, you know, there’s that release, there’s that uh, you know, and and sometimes there are the tears, you know. And of course people always, you know, maybe it happens with your patients too, like, oh, I’m so sorry, you know. Like there’s always this. I’m sorry. And I say I always say no. That’s OK. That’s what you’re supposed to do.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Any place to do it?
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Yeah, someone someone said to me once. Something that stuck with me, she said. Tears are the body’s beautiful way of letting go of things that no longer needs. So I always tell my clients that, you know, they’re like, oh, I’m so sorry. I’m like. No, no, that’s it’s all good. It’s all good. Yeah. That’s why I have a. Big box of tissues alright so.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
You know we can add to the list of. Of credentials, things we should look for in a reflexologist would be empathy, obviously good bedside manner, right? Things that are easy to overlook, right? And you know, if I have my pick between somebody who does believe in the body, mind connection or somebody who doesn’t, I’m going for, you know.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Absolutely.
Speaker
Yeah.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Right, absolutely. It’s so important, so important.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Absolutely. Yeah. And I want the person who’s. You know, treating me to feel like they, you know, are a tool or are a vehicle of healing, I think, right.
Speaker
Mm-hmm.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Yeah, it’s very important the, you know, our bodies have a lot of wisdom and we just have to kind of support people and tapping into the own their their own wisdom. Of their own wisdom of their bodies.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And you see this true across professions and and. Interventions even in therapy space, you know, there’s things like EFT tapping. It’s very much about that, right? Yeah.
Speaker
OK, I.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Do a version of that. Actually, I’m surprised you said that. Yeah, I was. I was clued into the practice of tapping a while back. And actually I do that as part of my cooldown at the end of a session. Because that rhythmic motion is very, very soothing. So there’s there’s kind of a crazy reason for everything I do in a session, and that’s one of them. I I do tapping on the. Legs and the feet.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Yeah. There you go. Our body is, you know, has its own rhythm. Our heartbeat where blood pumps, that gets. We have an inherent rhythm within us, you know, like a metronome. Yeah.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
We do. We do starts with our heartbeat, right?
[PATRICK MARTIN]
That’s right. That’s right. Even though you’re talking about reading people’s body language, their gait, the way they walk, the way they, you know, express. When they’re sharing right, they’re paying their difficulties. That’s very in step with other things like somatic therapy. That’s a somatic therapists do they. They pay attention to what people are saying and what their body is telling them, those nonverbal cues and whether they’re in alignment or not. And so it gives a lot of information.
Speaker
True.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
True. Yeah, it’s all good. It’s all good.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
You know the. The helper right? Yeah, absolutely. So you know I’m, you know, I think reflexology for the win, and I’m gonna have to look at my local, make sure they’re certified.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
That’s right. Make sure they’re certified.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Or the nail salon. I don’t think it’s any cheaper, though. Most salons are getting expensive, right? So.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Yeah, I think so. That’s good. Too bad.
Speaker
It’s all good.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
So that begs the question, can people learn to? Obviously, it’s not a replacement. Or getting a professional. But can we learn tips and tricks? I remember a psychiatrist I was working with and I would get these chronic headaches as I do. And it’s kind of hard to do with therapy when you can’t think straight. So I’m I’m going to her her office and she would do this thing on my hand where she would pinch this nerve right here. And I I just. I would just say, do your mojo do whatever it is you.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Yeah.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Do. Like the light, the Motrin is not working and she would pinch and have me breathe. And she I don’t know exactly where she would pinch, but it would. The rest of my headaches, so I know they’re. I mean, I’m all for learning whatever I can to help, you know, practice. Stand on my head for. 10 minutes I. Just tell me. To do can can we learn some some tools of the trade to help ourselves? Maybe in between or to augment treatment between second?
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Absolutely we can. That’s one of the beautiful things about reflexology and I’m I’m a huge believer in education. I’m, I’m always, you know, telling my clients, OK, this is your homework. Do this, that and the other. Yeah, absolutely. We absolutely. We can work on ourselves.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
And it’s lined up a good practitioner.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
I mean, I think there’s nothing quite like. Just letting our brains run free and letting someone else work on us. But there is so much we can do in between sessions and for ourself. And sometimes we don’t have the luxury of, you know, saying, oh, I’m going to call my therapist immediately and they’re going to be available. I’m going to call my reflexologist right now. So sometimes we just need to know how to manage stuff in the moment. And definitely we can work on ourselves. You can hit all the reflexology points in your feet. With your hands, you can also work points in your hands with your hands, which I think is wonderful. You can even do some of these techniques while you’re. You know, like if you’re in a meeting with your boss and they’re really stressing you out and it really dislikes. This person you could you. Know have your hands folded in. Your lap like dude. Do here I am actually working my reflex boy to destress from this.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Yeah, I find it soothing. Lot of times even. I’ll be sitting here, I’ll be massaging the ball of my, my I don’t know what that is, but.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
It feels good. Looks like the adrenal reflex. Yeah, and it’s and it’s funny you say that because you know that might be your body instinctually leading you to do what it needs in that moment. But yeah, we can definitely work on ourselves.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Address.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
And. Like I said, I am a huge believer in education and one of the things that is motivated so much me so much is disbelief in educating people. But it’s like, well, what do I do with people that are outside my local area? So I’m very proud to say that I have launched an online course, my first online course and it’s called self reflexology for stress and anxiety. And what I yeah, what I did was I was.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Ohh how perfect. I yeah, that’s.
Speaker
Yes.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
What I did was well I I went through some stressful things myself in my life. I went through a divorce and. Like I said, I worked in the corporate world before, so that was a very stressful place to be. And you know, at some point I said to myself, well, duh, I know all these reflexology points, like, why don’t I start working on myself regularly? Hello and I found it. It really did help, you know, just like your your practitioner, you know, showed you that, you know that point on your hand.
Speaker
Sure.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Your headaches? So I kind of drew on my own experience with my clients and with what also worked with myself. And I devised a sequence that worked for me of five. I called them in my mind PowerPoints. But there are five points on your hands or feet that. Are really instrumental in helping the body manage stress and anxiety. And I found that, you know, it’s. I would sit, you know, for about 7 minutes and it is basically like a meditation but also with the support of working reflexology points. And so I developed a course where I can teach this to anybody and it’s really it’s really great to know that. What I’ve learned in all my years of of my reflexology career like I can actually hopefully start passing this on to people and I can, you know, start helping people help themselves. So there’s a lot, you know, you can do as you know, working one-on-one with people, which is fantastic. And I love working with my clients one-on-one. But it’s like, you know, you want to do so much. Like, how do I reach other people that aren’t physically with me? So that was a way that I could satisfy that need to, you know, show people that they have these incredible tools and just they can just support their own. Body in taking care of themselves and helping to manage whatever they happen to be.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Going through was one of one of the wonderful things about technology, especially since the pandemic which is opened the doors for things like this where you you can be in Rhode Island and I can be in LA and we can be having this conversation. I don’t have to jump on the plane.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Yeah.
Speaker
Mm-hmm.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Yes. That’s wonderful.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
OK, the conversation wouldn’t have happen. Right.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
This is true.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
And then we can do things like create online courses and people didn’t learn from home, and a lot of this stuff was I’m not a therapist. Even telehealth was taboo before the pandemic, right? So. But now it’s like the thing it is.
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
That’s true.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
It’s like it’s flipped on his head now it’s mostly telehealth. You know, a lot of people, you know, lose their their brick and mortars and.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
That is true.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
This is the sign of the time when I think it’s it’s a great opportunity to share. Your wisdom and to help more people right to help more people with things that that would not have otherwise been available to them.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
That’s true. That is true. That is true, and I was honestly, I was very kind of nervous about the prospect of doing this, but. Because you know, how can you? Necessarily teach a hands on discipline virtually and that that was, you know, a doubt I had for.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Yes.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
A long time. Like WOW could could I really do this is, you know, is, is this really going to work? And I I did have a test group and through a series of four zoom calls over the course of the. Month I taught some of my clients how to give a session to someone else and I was blown away at the results. Really they like one of one of my students. Her boyfriend suffers from chronic.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Hmm.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Sleeplessness. And so she would work on his feet every night and within 5 minutes he would be.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
M.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Out, you know.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Oh.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Yeah. Yeah. And another one of my clients, she would. She was teaching the techniques to her son, and she and her son were working on each others feet. And they. We had this. Sweet little little mother son Bond that was formed over. You know, this sharing of this information. And they were these, these these ladies were rock stars. I mean, they just totally picked up everything I taught them. And I was amazed at what they were able to accomplish, you know, from what I had passed on virtually. So it can be done.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Absolutely, absolutely. So I can’t wait to learn more. And for those who want to learn about the work you’re doing and your course, it’s going to be courses, right? Yes, they can head over to your website here. I love your you’re welcome video here. It’s very, very soothing. I want to go sit on that couch.
Speaker
Thank you.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Yes, very nice. Thank you. So your course is going to be found here at the top as well as your resources. And we’ve been featured on other prominent podcasts such as the Ask PAT, right, that would smart passive income. You have quite the testimonials and user certification, right?
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Yes, yes, we RCB.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
So that’s that’s. That’s the symbol you want to look for. Everybody.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
That that is spot on. Yep.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
It’s jumping around. That’s the. All right. And if we go up here to courses, imagine if we. Yep, there we are. Nice. Self reflexology for stress and anxiety. Yeah, perfect.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
I’m so thrilled that it’s live. I’m just can’t wait.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
And. Yes, I’m very impressed for, OK, maybe our audience, I know a lot of our audience is made of therapists, but I think very few have ventured into the land. Of course creation. So it’s not. It’s not an overnight process. It’s quite. Quite the learning curve and quite the process to make to make sure everything. Is smooth and and working properly so. Props to you, Wendy.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Thank you so much.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
That’s no small undertaking and.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Now I can’t wait. I can’t wait for it to start, you know, creating a wave of positivity in the world.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Yeah. And this is just just the the beginning, I’m sure.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
I hope.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
So if anybody wants to get, we have an e-mail list I assume.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Yeah, that’s a good way to do it.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
And they can. Sign up for. That and so when you’re, I see another course coming out here on fabulous footwork. So if people want to stay abreast of that, they can sign up for.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Yep.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Your newsletter right there.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Absolutely.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
OK. And I will be sure, of course as always to link up all the resources in the show notes of the podcast, the YouTube channel, the show notes on the blog. So make sure you’re easy to find.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Sounds good.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
All right. All right. Well, thank you for the wonderful work you’re doing. If anybody has questions for Wendy, be sure to post those on the YouTube comments and then I’ll tap her shoulder and. So she can try and back in, and maybe if you want a live Q&A with her, we can always rope her and. Maybe down the road.
[WENDY “Z” LEWIS]
Sounds good. Thank you so much. I always love talking about what I do. I just get me up on a soapbox and I’ll talk and talk.
[PATRICK MARTIN]
Alright, my pleasure. Well, you’re doing wonderful work, Wendy. I appreciate you making time to be on today and you have a great rest of your week. You too. Thank you. Take care. Hey, if you’re getting value from this content and you haven’t done so already, be sure to like and subscribe to the YouTube channel and podcast and be sure to subscribe to the MHT newsletter. That way you don’t miss out on any new content as it’s released links and the description.
Thanks for listening to the mental Health Toolbox Podcast. Learn more at www.thementalhealthtoolbox.com.
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