Shan Holistic Massage Therapy

23/01/2026

I am very excited to be able to give you advance notice of Ilkley Healing Alternatives Festival - SPRING 2026 is back at Kings Hall and Winter Gardens 11th & 12 April.

This Spring I will be offering a 2 hour workshop on Sunday 12th "Softening the Armour: Touch, Trauma & the Wisdom of the Body" along with Angela Green (of BodyWise Facilitation).
... and here’s a link for the tickets.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ilkley-healing-alternatives-festival-spring-2026-tickets-1980915444419?

"Amazing extended spotlight workshops with two of our key speakers Edwin Courtnay and Gerry Andrews and Angela Green (joining forces as 'The Body-Mind Collective'), as well as readings, retail and holistic therapies and up to 20 x 45minute talks/demos/ workshops to choose from.

Interested in complementary therapies? Seeking alternatives approaches to wellbeing? Looking for a space to recharge and gather inspiration? Don’t miss this event on your doorstep." 🤩

Join us for an amazing weekend April 11th & 12th for exclusive workshops, exploration, wellbeing, holistic therapies and retail in Ilkley

02/12/2025

Family Constellation workshop - uncovering and addressing childhood and intergenerational trauma.

Last one of the year ....

Some representative places left ...

See you Saturday :)

02/12/2025

Last one of the year ....

Some representative places left ...

See you Saturday :)

18/11/2025

Relief & recovery from persistent / chronic pain is possible & not as difficult as you may have been led to believe. It's all about understanding & addressing the intricate connections between our mind & body.

15/11/2025

When people feel excluded, unseen, or undervalued, it triggers stress responses and can negatively impact learning, relationships, and overall health. Inclusion and equity are not abstract political ideals; they are conditions that support the nervous system, relationships, and community resilience.

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14/11/2025

Often, when we're in chronic pain - or anxiety, fear, overwhelm or depression - this can become our identity.

As Dr Frank Anderson, MD says, this can, in some ways, be a the way in which you have been able to make sense of trauma that you may have experienced - and in all of this, to say "it mattered" - "I MATTER!!"

💥But this DOES NOT have to be way it is for the rest of your life!

💥Recovery is possible.

Having a safe space to be seen, heard, 'held' and working with your nervous system to feel safe, confident and at peace within yourself, is a way through the current state you may be in.

It takes time, persistence and courage to face yourself openly, honestly and with compassion, but transformation and healing IS possible!

If any of this resonates with you and you'd like to talk about getting some help, I'd be happy to talk.

There’s a difference between acknowledging what hurt you and rehearsing it until it becomes who you are.

At first, reliving the story feels protective. Your mind thinks, If I can just understand it enough, I’ll finally feel safe. But the brain learns safety through experience, not rumination.

Each time you revisit the wound without resolution, your nervous system fires the same survival pathways - tightening the loop between what happened then and what you feel now.

Sometimes we replay the story because we still feel unseen. When justice never came, when no one protected you or believed you, retelling it can become the only way your pain feels real.

In that sense, holding on isn’t weakness - it’s belonging. It’s your system trying to say, This mattered. I mattered.

But over time, that survival loop can start to shape how you see yourself - organizing your life around the very wound that deserved care, not identity. You start anticipating rejection, mistaking vigilance for strength, confusing protection for personality.

The way out isn’t erasing the story - it’s helping your body learn that being seen now is possible. Every moment of calm, connection, or self-compassion teaches your system a new truth:

The danger is over.
You made it through.
You’re safe to be witnessed in the present, not just remembered in the past.

13/11/2025

"Teaching by Hand, Learning by Heart - More than just the Alexander Technique"

If you're a therapist who works with other people, if you're a bodyworker or even if you just want to learn to move better in life, you don't want to miss this rare and exciting opportunity to work with a master of his craft.

Bruce Fertman, Alexander Technique teacher, author, dancer, martial artist is bringing his many years of experience and knowledge to Leeds for two days, 24th and 25th November at the Leeds Quaker Meeting Rooms, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9DQ.

Day 1 - 'At the Still Point of the Turning World' - for caregivers, teachers, artists, therapists, parents...anyone who gives of themselves.
How to find more balance, less strain...more ease amidst the swirls and rush of life...

Day 2 - 'Lessons in Longevity' - In Beauty, Lively May We Walk
Bruce's mentors, many first-generation Alexander students, lived and taught into their 90s. They knew how to relax deeply, move effortlessly, and live well, poised, centred, balanced, in a world that is profoundly out of balance. Bruce will be passing on the lessons he has learnt on this second day.

You can find out more about Bruce, his work and these days here - www.brucefertman.org and https://youtu.be/LCSWeFvvyPQ?si=5l_k6l_T4iOUQQ47

"We were absolutely over the moon about the hands-on work. To be able to study directly with someone who has not only 50 years of Alexander experience but has also worked with so many first generation teachers is a rare privilege. We were soaking up every word, and every moment of your touch and direction, with enormous appreciation. The depth, precision, and history behind your teaching are irreplaceable."

We still have a few places on either day...£125 per day (£200 for both days).

To book your place email Gerry Andrews at gerryandrews@live.co.uk or call/text me on 07794366227

11/11/2025

The body really does keep the score!! With Body-Mind Coach and my Freedom.Programme we attend to both..

The field of Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) explains it simply: trauma overloads the nervous system. An overloaded nervous system cannot function properly. It is dysregulated. A dysregulated nervous system cannot produce regulated emotions, thoughts, behaviors, or bodily systems. Dysregulated bodily systems cannot achieve and maintain homeostasis. Like any overloaded system, the body falters before it fails.

When the bodily systems can't function properly, we get symptoms like recurrent pain, chronic health conditions, and so-called mental illness, all of which are signs of an overloaded nervous system.

Reduce the load on the nervous system--by restoring the conditions that support our core biological need for safety and connection--and the symptoms fade.

10/11/2025

If you’ve ever wondered why symptoms can shift so dramatically with reassurance, fear, or a change in belief, this conversation is worth your time.
In this powerful podcast from the Association for Treatment of Neuroplastic Symptoms (Symptomatic.me), Dr Becca Kennedy and Dr Howard Schubiner explore how expectation and belief create real physiological changes in the body. They unpack the neuroscience behind the placebo effect, why the brain can amplify or reduce pain based on perceived threat, and how understanding this can completely transform the way we approach chronic pain and other persistent symptoms.
This is the science that helps so many people finally make sense of what’s happening in their bodies, and opens the door to genuine healing 💪🌱

Watch the full discussion here:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rivKAhOKqPA

A question for you:
Which part of this mindbody explanation resonates most with your own experience? 💭💙

07/11/2025

06/11/2025

🔥WORDS THAT TOUCH - a workshop for body-mind therapists and coaches.🔥

If you're a , or and would like to bring the body into your conversation, or you're a , , who would like to develop your ability to listen and hold space for your clients through your presence as well as your touch, then we'd love you to join us in this unique workshop:

💥SATURDAY 8th NOV - 10am-3pm at the Sancta Bookshop Cafe in Otley. Only £15!!!💥

We'll be exploring the use of touch and language and introducing the use of and .

So, this really is a unique opportunity to connect, learn and reflect with other like-minded therapists and share YOUR experiences and skills too! 😊

You will leave with new knowledge and practices you can use in your work straightaway.👍👍
And importantly, new connections and networks.👍👍

Note: we will be working together on yoga mats, cushions (no chairs) so bring any extra cushions and blankets you may want to help support your comfort on the day.

Also, do bring a notebook and pen to make any notes, but you will also have some resources to take away with you.

TO BOOK - you can DM me today, or email me at gerryandrews@live.co.uk, or call me on 07794366227

04/11/2025