Julia Bramble

I have been a registered general nurse since 1998, and I am currently a prescribing Advanced Nurse Practitioner working in the NHS in General Practice. I have studied nursing related courses both at degree and masters level. As a nurse I have a comprehensive understanding of the anatomy of human body and how it works, and the psychological and emotional impact of ill health also. 

I also qualified as a therapeutic counsellor in 2008 with a Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling and then graduated with a BSc degree in Therapeutic Counselling at Leeds Metropolitan University. I have worked as a volunteer counsellor for Wakefield MIND, Leeds Counselling Service and Terrence Higgins Trust Cardiff. My capacity to offer counselling skills alongside shiatsu I feel strengthens the shiatsu experience. 

My journey towards discovering shiatsu began In my late teens and early 20’s, I experienced moderate to severe back pain caused by several sporting injuries in running and judo. As a result of these injuries, in 1997 I had my L4/L5 disc removed. I was heavily reliant before and after my surgery on strong analgesia to help manage my pain. 

As a young person growing up, I also experienced several adverse childhood events, which at the time and later on in life presented me with psychological challenges and manifested in physical ill health. 

Fortunately, however, in 2001, I discovered shiatsu, and I started receiving shiatsu as part of an occupational health scheme run by the NHS health board I worked for at the time. After some months of receiving regular shiatsu treatments, I started noticing improvements in how my back pain was being managed and improvements in my mental wellbeing. 

That, along with completing my counselling training and receiving personal therapy as part of the counselling diploma, allowed me to realise there was more than likely a relationship between the level of pain I was experiencing in my lower back, the adverse events that had occurred in my life that had left their residue of trauma, and the benefits of shiatsu bodywork in helping manage these symptoms. 

I still regularly receive shiatsu treatments as part of my own ongoing physical emotional mental and spiritual health and wellbeing, and also because I feel it is a beautiful treatment, and a perfect way of being more present, self-aware, connected and resilient. I believe energy work and shiatsu is powerful and transformational, and I encourage those of you who have yet to try it to do so to see how it may change your physical mental and emotional relationship with yourself. 

Many years after first receiving shiatsu, I decided to undertake shiatsu training to help others with similar issues to myself, and in 2025, I proudly graduated from the Bristol School of Shiatsu. As part of this course I completed more than 200 hours of Shiatsu Practices, and completed all required CPD requirements to obtain my MRSS. My relationship with shiatsu began in about 2001 when I started having shiatsu for a chronic back problem following an injury in Judo. I was then and still am working as a nurse in the NHS, and found that having regular shiatsu enabled me to keep doing my job, supported my mental health, and helped keep me pain free. 

Starting my shiatsu training in the last few years was one of my best life decisions. I wanted to learn more about why shiatsu was helping me in the way it did, and I felt I wanted to take a deep dive by holding the mirror up to myself to find out what makes me the person I am. I recognised also that I had a natural leaning towards wanting to help others with their symptoms. 

I love shiatsu as it helps me to slow down, to take more notice of myself, it helps me to be more mindful, and I notice I listen more to my body now and feel more self compassionate. I love being curious about myself and others, and as a result shiatsu enables the people I give shiatsu treatments to to feel more connected with themselves. 

I practice shiatsu from my home in the beautiful area of Gwaelod Y Garth, and have two resident dobs, Bertie (westie) and Ernie (Mini schnauzer.) The surroundings of my home are wonderfully condusive to helping you relax. 

You're curious about shiatsu and how it may help you, or maybe you've had shiatsu before, and recognise the benefits shiatsu can bring to the body and mind. There are different styles of shiatsu, but I have trained in Zen shiatsu. 

Zen Shiatsu (developed by Shizuto Masunaga in the 1970s) zen shiatsu utilises a diagnostic system called the hara (abdomen,) it is a Japanese therapeutic bodywork practice combining Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with Western psychological insights. I use rhythmic finger, palm, and elbow pressure along the body’s energy pathways (meridians) whilst you remain fully clothed on a floor futon or chair. 

Every shiatsu practitioner has their own unique style and connection with shiatsu. I would like to share with you what I feel defines me as a shiatsu practitioner. 

My aim is to meet you exactly where you are, by working with your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energy in the therapeutic space to help promote your sense of self awareness, to help rebalance your energy and to promote self-healing. 

I aim to offer a compassionate, empathic and supportive environment where you feel empowered and safe to explore aspects of yourself. 

My style of Shiatsu is relational, in that as the receiver you are in relationship with yourself, your experiences, your mind and emotions, and your physical body as well as being in relationship with shiatsu, me as your shiatsu practitioner and the wider world. I will help you make sense of that during your treatments. 

Shiatsu touch helps us feel more deeply into our bodies physical mental emotional and spiritual state of being. It is this depth of connection that enables true healing to take place. Being truly connected with ourselves, others and the wider universe helps us become more present and can help promote healing. 

Shiatsu touch is non-invasive, meaning you are always fully clothed. I use finger pressure, palm pressure, elbow pressure, kneading, holding and gentle mobilisation of the main body and limbs. 

All shiatsu sessions begin with an opportunity for a check in, for you to connect with the here and now, feeling the temperature to get a sense of how you are. We will work with where you are in the here and now. 

I will encourage you to connect with your breath, and may sometimes at the start and end of a treatment use basic mindfulness techniques to help you become more aware of your body and mind processes. The therapeutic space may bring up current and past emotions and memories, and this can sometimes be unexpected for you, but I will endeavour to support you to safely explore these experiences through shiatsu. 

I play gentle meditative music during shiatsu treatments to help create a calming reflective space. I actively encourage you to explore and experience thoughts, feelings and emotions that come up for you both during and after the treatments. We can discuss anything that comes up for you during the treatment sessions.