My Biz: Reflexologist puts best foot forward

When her husband's new job brought them to America, Patricia Barrance intended to continue in the field she'd worked in back in Britain - chiropody.

Until she discovered that it didn't exist in Iowa.

“Chiropody is like basic podiatry,” she explained. “You work on corns and calluses and proper nails. It's very helpful for basic foot care for the elderly who cannot reach their nails, as well as for diabetic patients.”

So Barrance contacted a podiatry group in Cedar Rapids and spent time in their office helping. But she soon learned that what she would need was an additional two years' schooling on top of the two years' schooling and experience she'd already done back in Britain.

“What I found on my clients in Britain was that I would give a little foot rub to those who were shut-ins, handicapped or bedridden, and I noticed after a period of time their skin condition improved, their physical health improved and their mental attitude was improving.

“It was the healing touch,” she said, “and I'd had no massage training at all, so then I became very interested in reflexology, and when I moved to the U.S. I found a program to learn it.”

Reflexology is based on the premise that there are zones and reflex areas in the feet and hands that correspond to all body parts.

Barrance has been a certified reflexology practitioner for 26 years and a reflexology educator for the past 20. She is certified by the American Reflexology Certification Board and is an Accredited Educator with the American Commission for Accreditation of Reflexology Education and Training. She also is approved by the Iowa Department of Public Health.

In 2001 she began teaching her reflexology certification program, Barrance recalled.

“It is a 360-hour (American Reflexology Certification Board) credit hour course that consists of a series of five, three-day workshops over a period of 13 months.

“During the last level of the course our students then do written papers on anatomy and physiology, one on reflexology and another on pathology for diseases,” she said.

“Reflexology improves the well-being of the client in body, mind and spirit, and we are now getting good results with military personnel who have post-traumatic stress disorder,” she added.

“This is about holistic health care. We can't get rid of those horrible memories or flashbacks for them, but we can help them start to heal and find strength within themselves to cope with things a bit better.”

Owner: Patricia Barrance

Company: Reflexology-Plus

Address: 1590 17th Avenue, Marion

Phone: (319) 373-0345

Website: www.reflexology-plus.org

Know a manager or company that's been in business for at least a year that should be considered for “My Biz”? Contact business editor Michael Chevy Castranova at michael.castranova@sourcemedia.net.