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Practical Reflexology: Interpretation and Techniques Authors: Susan Watson and Valerie Voner Publisher: McGraw-Hill ISBN: 978-0-07-351095-8 Price: $70.00
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REVIEW
“This book offers Practical application and indepth knowledge that is relevant to acquiring proficiency in reflexology. Illustrations support the discussion of techniques while providing an overall review of how reflexology affects each system, including key pathologies within the body systems”.
Now and again you come across a reflexology book which you think, wow this is fantastic, it ticks all the boxes that you think should make up a great reflexology book, until you start looking deeper, and find it’s not quite as great, as you first thought. This is such a book.
It is a squarish hard cover with ring bound pages, so that it opens flat, a good idea when you’re studying. Though the authors say the book is for both instructors and students, it seems that it’s content and presentation is more suited to the latter.
The book has been well thought out, in fact one of the best I have seen, and as a result it has also been well laid out with a lot of full colour drawings and photographs. Part One covers the basic Principles of Reflexology, which includes the usual history and zones, principles of anatomy and physiology and reflexology, anatomy and pathologies of the foot, mapping the feet, relaxation techniques, ethics, business and documentation procedures, etc.
Part Two is all the body systems, their disorders and system reflexes. At the end of this part are four quick guides covering reflexology for specific issues, step by step sessions, specific conditions of the foot, associations and schools both American and International.
Throughout the book there are different boxes of different colours, highlighting special features such as a red box for “fast fact” which give additional information important to the study of reflexology. “Scientific Support” boxes are blue/purple and are actual case studies or research reports, showing the benefits of reflexology. “Note to Students” boxes which are bone coloured, provide additional areas for learning and a need to know for concepts presented.
At the start of each chapter you will find a set of learning outcomes and a “key terms” box. At the end of each chapter summary, a review quiz and a critical thinking question.
The anatomical diagrams throughout the book are excellent as are the great many photographs of the feet, showing where to work and the direction to work for different ailments.
I mentioned at the start of this review that not everything was always as great as it first looks. The practical and theoretical (except the anatomy and physiology) aspect of the book is based on the teachings of the International Institute of Reflexology and therein lies my only gripe.
All to often you find in the book, that the written description is inadequate for the matching picture. The I.I.R. techniques in use are fairly fundamental and don’t seem to have been thought about in ways that they can be improved for the benefit of both the student / practitioner a well as the comfort of the client.
It’s wonderful to see the use of direct reflexes and helper reflexes in Part Two (an I.I.R. speciality) but again there is a lack of written detail attached to the pictures, and some secondary reflexes, which have a written description but are not shown pictorially, which is hopeless for a student to try to comprehend. Having directional arrows showing you the direction to work, is all very well, but one does also need to have a comprehensive written description with each one.
This book is very, very good, but as it is meant to be used by students (and others) it lets itself down in certain areas which from a students point of view is not the best. Worth getting though.
Graeme Murray
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