In this special series our in-house therapists here at The Secret Space take the opportunity to tell us more about themselves and what brought them to where they are.
We begin with Acupuncturist, Jody Ragg.

How long have you been at the Secret Space and what brought you here?

I’ve been at the Secret Space for 9 years. I originally came for Iyengar yoga and then started seeing patients here a couple of days a week. During Covid I moved my acupuncture clinic in full-time. I absolutely love having my acupuncture clinic in a yogic healing centre.

Tell us about your career journey so far? How long have you been practising?

I have been in practice for 20 years. I originally did a business degree and worked in marketing for most of my 20’s. As I got older, I felt like a square peg in a round hole - once I found acupuncture I never looked back. I am also a trained yoga teacher and have practiced yoga since I was a teenager. I taught for 4/5 years but as my acupuncture practice got busier, I let go of the yoga and concentrated on acupuncture full time.

What are your qualifications?

I have a Licentiate in Acupuncture and am a Member of the British Acupuncture Council. The course is degree level and takes just over 3 years. However, the real learning begins once you start seeing patients and never stops...Chinese Medicine is a vast, vast subject and is over 2,000 years old.

What does a typical session with you look like?

The first session is slightly longer as I need a good half an hour (longer with fertility cases) to find out all about you and how your physical systems are working, as well as get an understanding of your mental/emotional/spiritual well-being. I assess your pulse and your tongue which, along with everything you’ve told me about your body and emotions, helps me to come up with an energetic diagnosis. You then get to lay down for 20-30 minutes with the needles in. It’s very common for my patients to fall asleep (snoring is always welcome!) and it’s really important to me that the treatment leaves you feeling relaxed and nourished. Some type of gentle massage is often included in my treatments, and I have a few other tricks up our sleeve like moxibustion, cupping and gua sha.

How long is a typical recommended course?

It depends on what you are coming for. A very ‘average’ course of treatment is six weekly treatments. Generally, you could say the longer you’ve had the issue, the more treatments you’ll need. For example, if you’re coming for a back issue that only started 2 weeks ago, 3-4 sessions may be enough. But if you’ve had sciatica and back issues for years it would be more realistic to be expecting to come for 6 - 12 sessions. It’s also quite common for someone to come for one issue which gets resolved but then to continue coming for maintenance or general well-being treatment. We are always looking at you as a whole person; whether you come for arthritis in your big toe or migraines, we are always treating the whole of you which means you’re likely to feel better in more ways than just your toes or your head. Therefore, I have a lot of patients that continue seeing me monthly to keep in balance mentally, emotionally, and physically.

How do you create a supportive, safe space for clients?

By listening. By communicating and getting consent for what I’m about to do. By lighting, music, and warmth. And also, by knowing when to refer on, as in some situations my needles aren’t going to help, and Western medicine, nutrition or counselling will be a better option. I’m also very good with people who are scared of needles, so I might work with your breath or different diversion techniques as I put the needles in. I’ve only ever had one patient that couldn’t get over their needle phobia in 20 years of practice!

Do you have a specific philosophy or mantra that you live by?

I once got told that ‘softness is my strength’ and it changed my relationship to myself and my outlook on life. It’s something I like to remind myself of in a world where power, pushing on through and ‘more and more’ is valued above softness, rest, and wisdom.

Tell us something surprising about what you do.

I used to have a needle phobia myself. My family thought it was hilarious when I said I’d decided I was going to train as an acupuncturist. I still can’t watch when I have a blood test or when injections are shown on TV. However, the needles used in acupuncture are very different from medical needles. This does make me very empathetic to people that come and see me but are scared of needles.

What’s the most rewarding thing about what you do?

Three main things - taking away pain, helping people conceive and helping people find inner balance.

What does life look like for you outside of work?

My home and garden are my sanctuary and I share them with my two favourite beings - my husband and my rescue dog, Stanley. Gardening is my therapy and grounding and I adore the process of supporting nature to create beauty. I’m a real foodie - I love cooking and going out for dinner and enjoy a glass of good wine at the weekends. I also love dancing and try to get to a five rhythms class as often as I can. Being out in nature is important to me and I’ll always get a weekend away hiking in big nature in Autumn and Spring. I love travelling and exploring especially when it involves fabulous food and wine!

Your favourite thing about the Secret Space

The care and love of all the people that make up the Secret Space - it is a hugely supportive and open-hearted community.

Tell us a fun fact about you!

I’m really good at waterskiing!

To find out more about how Jody can use Acupuncture to support you in your wellbeing or fertility journey, visit her page here to drop her an email or schedule a call.

Therapist Spotlight: Jody Ragg