Leanne has been supported by her local Catalyst as part of the Kent Community Enterprise Project. The support from Community Catalysts has enabled Leanne to ensure that her existing enterprise is safe and legal and that she has all the relevant policies and procedures in place. The project has also assisted her to complete additional training so that she can offer a wider range of services to customers in West Kent. With marketing and promotional assistance from her local Catalyst, Leanne is expanding her business and taking on more customers.

Improving relaxation and connection through massage

Leanne has extensive knowledge and experience supporting people with a learning disability and caring for older people. She is passionate about sharing her skills within her local community and when she saw how beneficial massage can be, she decided to add massage and beauty therapy to her skill set.

After over a decade of varied experience in the care and education sectors, Leanne decided to take the leap and set up her own community enterprise dedicated to offering the benefits of massage to local people. Relax and Refine was born.

Leanne offers a range of bespoke massage therapies that help people to relax, improve their mental health and assist with mobility and remaining independent for as long as possible. Here she explains the benefits of the therapies she offers:

• Indian Head Massage – people with learning disabilities often become anxious and stressed in a variety of environments including the classroom, home and new settings. This increased tension can impact on sleep patterns, increase stress and anxiety levels and lead to low self-esteem. This bespoke, clothed massage can be performed using hand cream and/or essential oil, depending on the individual needs.
• Massage tailored for people living with Dementia – a lack of human touch is very common for people living with Dementia which can lead to feelings of isolation, anxiety, poor trust, insecurity and decreased sensory awareness. Person-centred therapeutic touch and massage can provide enormous benefits, often providing comfort and connection.  Hand massage in particular may be gladly accepted, reducing cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and increasing serotonin levels which can subdue anxiety and regulate mood.
• Story Massage – this combines the benefits of agreed positive touch and consists of ten simple massage strokes that can be used in different ways throughout different sessions. Story Massage can be used with any story, rhyme or song and can be personalised for the individual.
• Reflexology – this treatment can help improve circulation, reduce tension, stimulate muscles and often eases pain. It can also help people to increase mobility and assist with falls prevention and balance.

Here are some of the positive comments from people who have used Relax and Refine Therapies:

Leanne offers group or individual sessions throughout Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Swanley, Dartford, Meopham, Longfield, Hartley, Paddock Wood and surrounding villages.

You can find Relax and Refine and other local community enterprises supported by Community Catalysts on the Kent Small Good Stuff directory.