Meet the Master: Helene Abram

NO HANDS Masters have completed the full journey from zero strain bodywork, through potent and transactional bodywork to being able to offer truly Transformational Touch Therapy. Master Helene Abram became a Master in 2015 and works near Mold, in North Wales.

After finishing a part-time secretarial job, a friend suggested that, like her, I should go to college, so over a coffee, we made our choices – I chose French, German….and Massage? Ooh, I’ve always fancied that, and I went for that, too. So in 1995 my first foray into Massage began - and the languages fell by the wayside as my interest in Massage and its many forms consumed me. At 40 I had finally found my vocation!!!

After qualifying in Swedish Massage in 1996 I went on to study a whole range of complementary therapies - all Massage based - and set up my small clinic at home. With the encouragement (persuasion) and support of my teachers I even qualified as a teacher myself in the college, teaching mainly Indian Head Massage for about 8 or 9 years. For someone who is happier at the back of a class, this was a huge challenge. However, I loved seeing and helping the students grow in their skills and confidence.

Over time I became more and more dissatisfied with the ‘prescriptive’ way of giving and receiving Massage and their patterns – three of this stroke, three of that… When receiving a Massage I felt the therapist wasn’t treating me, rather they were just going through the motions - I was feeling the therapists counting the strokes which was even worse!!! That was not the impression I wanted my clients to go home with and each new technique I learned seemed to fall short in some way.

In 2005 I received an invitation to attend a TRANSFORMING TOUCH course being held at the Royal College of Surgeons early in 2006. Very impressive! After some research of Gerry Pyves & NO HANDS Massage I booked on to it and I am so pleased I did! I also ordered Gerry’s first book ‘The Principles and Practice of NO HANDS Massage’ which I devoured before attending.

I loved the course and the refreshingly different way it was taught. I remember being confused that there were students who had attended this same course several times. It would take me a while to appreciate what they already knew -  the benefits of repeating… There were about one hundred students attending and I found witnessing the focus of so many therapists giving Massage inspiring and very moving. At some point on the course, while I was on the couch, Gerry came to help my practitioner ‘fall’ on to my back by demonstrating on me. WOW! THAT was my moment of revelation. The moment when NO HANDS Massage became what I wanted to pursue as far as I possibly could. I could see that it looked good, but for me the FEEL of it made me sign up for the full training. If I could give my clients that kind of feel…..WOW!

I went home and immediately ‘modified’ my couch for NO HANDS and started to give my clients this new Massage. After a few years I became so uncomfortable teaching Massage in the college that I stopped. I didn’t want to teach something that could cause injury long term - especially after experiencing pain through my wrists and forearms after giving an aromatherapy treatment. It became the last time I used my hands to any depth in a treatment.

Since then I have repeated all the courses and spent several years repeating the Mastery programme. I also went on Assessment weekends, Summer School and Master support sessions as well as getting regular NO HANDS Massage myself – basically, as much NO HANDS Massage and courses as I could fit into my life. It was so lovely to be with like-minded people and the generosity of the therapists within the NO HANDS community is truly humbling. The clear communication, the support from the trainers & the NO HANDS community, and learning that the only expert in my clinic is the client – phew, no more guessing! Also, encouraging my clients to take control of their session with the leading question of “How do you want to feel at the end of this session?” has increased the potency of their sessions massively.

Through NO HANDS I also learnt how to promote myself and increase my client base. I had a stand at my local village show for a few years and other NO HANDers generously came to help me. I also helped some other NO HANDers at their events and did some presentations. I found the business building materials available to Association members invaluable and hugely time saving for me. I would never have done any of those things without the encouragement,   support and opportunities I received within NO HANDS.

After 3 attempts I finally became a Master in 2015 at my 4th Assessment. Each time I ‘failed’ I learned a huge amount. Gaps in my knowledge and behaviour that I was unaware of were highlighted for me to work on. I am so, so grateful for this process and the generosity of the Masters and trainers who have helped me, guided me and supported me to become a Master myself. After additional training and support, I became a Supervising Master in 2016. With new clients and new situations (& world pandemics!) the learning and challenges continue to teach me so much.

Looking back over the years it’s all such along way from my first job from school - of being a Bank clerk, then getting married, becoming a full time mum, then a part time secretary. In those days my creativity was through sewing, decorating, gardening, cooking, DIY & entering many, many competitions. Work was just work - a means to payday. Now I feel my work is much more meaningful and my creativity is in creating and delivering the Massage that the client wants with the NO HANDS tools I have learnt, because the client really is the most important person in the room.

NO HANDS Massage has had such an enormous impact on my personal life as well as in my clinic...

• The light bulb moments of the importance of clear communication
• The support of Masters, trainers and fellow NO HANDers – as well as my husband.
• The clarifying of boundaries
• Taking the opportunities to ‘check out reality’ - to get really honest feedback from Masters and trainers is such a generous opportunity that I didn’t get anywhere else.
• Trusting my Hara
• Learning that I am enough

These and so much more have helped me become a more effective therapist. I am so utterly grateful that NO HANDS Massage found me and so glad I took up that first course – it really was transformational.

There is a paragraph in Gerry’s introduction in my (quite tatty) TT Manual which inspired me on my first TT course:-

‘The purpose of NO HANDS Massage is to help create a generation of inspired and fulfilled octogenarian masters of bodywork who can inspire and lead future generations of healers to the profoundly transformational power of “Healing Synergy”.

It inspired me then and it continues to inspire me now.