People suffering from attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, stress, anxiety or any other emotional issue should consider reflexology as a complementary treatment to conventional therapies, says Dr. Laurie R. Mallis, owner of SearchLight Medical in Hopewell Junction, NY.

“Many people believe that a reflexology treatment is essentially a foot massage, but that’s not the case,” she says. “Reflexology is a noninvasive energy treatment that works by stimulating areas on the feet and hands that connect with natural energy pathways that run through the body, corresponding to all major organs, glands and systems. Applying pressure to these areas can promote health in the corresponding organs by sending signals that balance the nervous system or by releasing chemicals, such as endorphins, that reduce pain and stress.” Zone (reflex) therapy was developed by Dr. William H. Fitzgerald, an ENT, in 1915, and then refined in 1930 by American physiotherapist Eunice Ingram into what is now known as reflexology, whose main goal is to return the body to a state of equilibrium and balance, restoring health and well-being.

Mallis says treatments should always be performed by a certified reflexologist. (Visit the website of the American Reflexology Certification Board, ARCB.net, to check the status of a practitioner.) At SearchLight Medical, reflexology sessions are provided by Margaret Pelzer, a registered nurse who has been a certified reflexologist for more than ten years. “Margaret’s skill, caring nature and intuitive approach allow her to connect with each of her patients to provide individualized treatments,” Mallis says.

SearchLight Medical is located at 2345 Route 52, Ste. 1F, Hopewell Junction, NY. For info, visit SearchLightMedical.com or call 845.592.4310.