Lorna Smith, owner of Heal and Toes, rubs Evelyn Newman's feet during a reflexology session at her office on Market Boulevard in Chehalis on Tuesday morning.
Ever since a 19-year-old Lorna Smith broke her legs in five places in a car accident that left her disabled for a year, she knew what kind of life she wanted to have.
“It made me realize life is precious and I wanted to be healthy,” said Smith, who will turn 60 in September. “I want to help eradicate pain because I know how it is.”
Along with her 60th birthday, Smith is celebrating five years of helping patients with a variety of ailments through her business, Heal & Toes Therapeutic Reflexology, next month.
“My whole idea is to help people get out of pain and suffering,” she said. “I like people to get healthy and balance their bodies.”
Reflexology, which dates back 5,000 years to ancient China, India and Egypt, is a natural healing system based on the theory that a microcosm of the body is reflected in the hands and feet.
“I can be working on your back on your feet,” she explained. “It makes sense because it’s all connected.”
Smith applies specific pressure to points the feet and hands to stimulate organs and energy pathways called meridians.
“Regardless of the person’s issues, we do the whole body,” she said. “We’re trying to give that body balance because the body can heal if it’s relaxed.”
The technique can improve a variety of conditions including chronic pain, fibromyalgia, post traumatic stress disorder, migraines, poor circulation, sleep disorders and anxiety.
Evelyn Neumann, 78, of Chehalis, has suffered from poor circulation in her feet since she had to undergo chemotherapy when she was diagnosed with cancer.
“They’d be worse than ice cubes because there was just no circulation,” she said. “I came in to see if I wouldn’t have to wear socks to bed anymore.”
Neumann has received treatments from Smith twice a month for the last five years.
Chemotherapy often causes neuropathy, or degeneration of the nerves in the legs and feet that causes a feeling of numbness.
“I haven’t had any trouble with that,” Neumann said. “One of the reasons I come to Lorna is because I don’t want to have problems with my feet.”
Additionally, Neumann started getting reflexology on her hands about a year ago to help maintain mobility after having hand surgery. The treatments, she said, have helped her continue her work with a women’s service organization and be able to keep baking her famous homemade pies.
“They’re really popular with the men,” she said smiling.
While some patients, like Neumann come to help with medical conditions, others simply enjoy the relaxation that comes with the therapy.
“I do it because I enjoy it and it’s good to have therapeutic touch,” said Dr. Eugene Fine, a medical doctor from Olympia, who has been driving down for treatments with Smith once a week for several months now. “It’s a valid treatment and it has a place in the healing arts.”
Fine said reflexology works on the human nervous system and is just another way of accessing different points on the body.
Smith said she likes exposing doctors to her work and has even had some recommend her to their patients.
“She’s a good healer and does good work with her hands,” Fine said.
Smith said she is inspired by an 86-year-old reflexologist that still takes 10 clients a week.
“I’m hoping to do reflexology until I’m 90,” she said.
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Amy Nile: (360) 807-8235
