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Simple Acupressure Self-Massage for Office Worker

It’s 2:30pm and you’ve just realised you’ve been sitting in the exact same position since 9am, hunched over your keyboard like a question mark that gave up on life. Your neck clicks when you turn it. Your shoulders feel like they’ve been up near your ears since the Monday standup. And somewhere between your third coffee and your inbox hitting triple digits, your lower back quietly filed a complaint that nobody read.

Sound familiar? Welcome to the daily reality of working in Perth’s CBD, West Perth, or anywhere with a desk, a chair, and a deadline. Whether you’re in an office tower or working from your kitchen table in your trackies, the aches are the same.

The good news is you don’t need a fancy ergonomic chair or a full remedial massage to feel some relief. A few simple acupressure points can be applied right at your desk, using nothing more than your own hands and a couple of spare minutes between meetings.

Here are five points I recommend to clients who spend their day glued to a screen.

Each one is easy to reach yourself, so there’s no need to recruit a coworker or explain why you’re doing something that looks suspiciously like yoga at your desk.

1. GB20, at the Base of Your Skull

Find the two soft hollows where your skull meets your neck, a couple of centimetres either side of your spine. Use your thumbs and press upward and inward, holding for a slow count of ten, a few times.

This point is wonderful for the neck ache that builds up from staring at a monitor while nodding along in yet another video call. Tilt your head back slightly as you press for extra relief.

2. G21 (Jianjing), on Top of the Shoulder

Reach across your body and find the fleshy muscle on top of your opposite shoulder, roughly halfway between your neck and the edge of your shoulder. Use your fingers or thumb and squeeze gently, holding for 20 to 30 seconds before switching sides.

This is the exact spot that tightens up when you spend the day hunched over a laptop, silently carrying the weight of your entire inbox. A little pressure here can feel remarkably good.

Note: this point is traditionally avoided during pregnancy.

3. LI4, in the Web of Your Hand

Find the fleshy web between your thumb and index finger. Press firmly with the thumb of your other hand and hold for 30 seconds to a minute, then switch sides.

Perfect for tension headaches that creep in after a long stretch of typing, and easy enough to do while you’re on a call and nobody can even tell.

Note: this point is also traditionally avoided during pregnancy.

4. TH5 (Waiguan), on Your Forearm

Turn your palm downward and measure about three finger widths up from the crease of your wrist, on the outer side of your forearm, between the two bones. Press firmly with your thumb for 30 seconds, then switch arms.

This point is great for the ache that builds up in your wrists and forearms from typing all day. Give it a go the next time your hands start to feel stiff from scrolling or clicking.

5. SI3 (Houxi), on the Side of Your Hand

Make a loose fist and look at the outer edge of your hand, below your pinky finger. You’ll find a small bony bump right where your palm meets your wrist. Press into it with the thumb of your other hand for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch sides.

This point is often used for easing tension along the spine and lower back, which makes it a handy one for anyone who’s been sitting far longer than they meant to (which, let’s be honest, is most of us most days).

A Quick, Honest Note

These points are lovely for everyday tension and general relaxation, and many people find real comfort in using them throughout the day. They are not a substitute for proper medical care, and if you’re dealing with ongoing pain, numbness, or anything that feels off, please see your GP or physio to rule anything else out.

Try It Before You Even Leave Your Chair

Next time you notice your shoulders creeping up towards your ears, try one of these points before reaching for another coffee or standing up to complain to the person at the next desk. It takes less time than waiting for your computer to update.

Want a proper reset? At WA Holistic Healing, we offer in person and online acupressure sessions right here in Perth, where we will show you exactly how to use these points, plus a few more, for lasting relief from desk related aches.

It’s 5:15pm on a Tuesday. You’re sitting in traffic on the Mitchell Freeway, three cars back from a merge that hasn’t moved in ten minutes.  And now there’s a little man with a jackhammer setting up shop right behind your eyes.

Sound familiar?

After a full day work, nobody wants to waste time sitting in the car and unknowingly develop headaches.

The good news? You don’t need a dark room, a fistful of painkillers, or a week in Bali to feel some relief.

Acupressure, which is gentle pressure on specific points on the body, is something you can try right now, in the car (parked, please), at your desk, or on the couch the moment you get home. It’s simple, it’s free, and it doesn’t require you to explain to anyone why you’re pressing your own hand. If the pain makes it hard to apply pressure yourself, ask someone nearby to help. It’s a good idea to keep this guide handy so it’s ready when you need it.

Here are five points team at WA Holistic Healing use with clients:

A quick, honest note

Acupressure is a lovely tool for everyday tension and relaxation, and many people find it genuinely soothing after a big day. It isn’t a substitute for medical care, and if you’re getting frequent, severe, or unusual headaches, please see your GP to rule anything else out. Think of these points as part of your wellbeing toolkit, not a replacement for one.

Try It Before You Even Get Home

Next time you’re stuck on the freeway (again), or waiting for the kettle to boil, try one of these points. It takes less time than scrolling through your phone deciding what to watch tonight and it might just take the edge off before you walk through the door.

Want to feel the difference properly? I offer in-person and online acupressure sessions right here in Perth, where I’ll show you exactly how to use these points (and a few more) for lasting relief.

If you live anywhere between Joondalup and Fremantle, you know the feeling. You’ve sat in Kwinana Freeway traffic after a long shift, picked the kids up, cooked dinner, and collapsed onto the couch without a single moment where someone simply asked, “How are you really doing?” and meant it.

I’ve spent over 20 years doing health, mindfulness, and acupressure work here in Perth. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that real human connection isn’t just a nice extra. It’s exactly what makes wellness work.

A Story That Stayed With Me

Earlier in my career, before I started my own practice at WA Holistic Healing, I worked in a customer-facing role where I met people from all walks of life. Some knew exactly what they needed and just wanted it delivered well. Others weren’t sure what they were looking for, and they needed someone to slow down, listen, and help them uncover it. And some, honestly, just wanted a genuine conversation. A moment where they felt like a person, not a transaction.

One client I worked with over time later did something I never expected. They wrote to the leadership of the organisation, describing how the way I’d shown up for them with care, patience and empathy which had made them want to keep coming back. That alone would have meant a lot. But what happened next stayed with me even more.

That same client booked a separate appointment with one of the executives, just to follow up on their own email. They wanted to know if their feedback actually reached the person who gave the service? Had it made a difference for them?

It had never been about a discount or a complaint resolution. It was about making sure a human being who had helped them felt genuinely valued for it.

That’s the kind of thing you can’t manufacture with a customer service script or a KPI target. It comes from somewhere deeper, an inner compass that says people matter, whether anyone is watching or not.

I’ve been lucky to work alongside colleagues over the years who lived by that same compass, at work and away from it. It’s a mindset, not a job description.

Why This Matters for Wellness

I think about that experience often in sessions here in Perth. Because whether I’m guiding someone through calm breathing techniques after a stressful week at work, offering acupressure for tension carried in the shoulders and neck, or simply holding space during a mindfulness or meditation session, the healing rarely comes from technique alone.

It comes from that profound moment of feeling completely seen and understood. Feeling like someone has genuinely tuned in to your needs, not rushed, not distracted, not reciting a routine.

Life for my Perth clients is a massive balancing act between work, family, and keeping a household running. There is rarely a moment to catch a breath. So many people walk into a session carrying way more than they realise. It’s the tight shoulders from hunching over a laptop all day, the shallow breathing from constant stress, and minds that honestly haven’t switched off in weeks. What often helps most isn’t just the acupressure point or the breathing pattern itself, but the experience of being fully present with another person who isn’t rushing them anywhere.

That’s the human element in holistic wellness. Techniques matter but the relationship, the empathy, and the willingness to genuinely listen are what make people feel safe enough to actually relax, reflect, and reset.

Bringing This into My Practice

This is part of why I built my practice the way I have and that is combining acupressure therapy, mindfulness exercises, relaxation breathing, healing meditation, and supportive coaching, delivered both online and in person for people across Perth. I want every session, whether it’s client’s first or fiftieth, to feel like they were genuinely seen and genuinely supported.

Please note: these practices are complementary wellness approaches designed to support relaxation, stress management and general wellbeing. They are not a substitute for medical, psychological or psychiatric treatment. If you have a diagnosed health condition or mental health concern, please continue working with your GP or a registered health professional alongside any sessions with me.

A Small Invitation

If you are feeling stressed, exhausted, or just overwhelmed by a never-ending to-do list then pause for a moment and listen to our latest podcast episode.

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Key Takeaways

Here are the key takeaways, simplified for quick reading:

• True wellness comes from genuine human connection, not just following a formula.
• Empathy and compassion are powerful only when they are sincere, not when they are forced by metrics.
• Simply being truly heard can be just as healing as the therapy itself.
• Holistic wellness works alongside modern medical and mental health care but it never replaces it.

A Morning Among the Orchards

There’s a kind of quiet you only find in the Perth Hills. It’s not silence exactly but there’s the rustle of leaves, the low chatter of locals, the occasional thud of fruit dropping into a crate — but it’s a quiet that settles into your chest and slows everything down.

I went up to the Hills last weekend with no real plan, just a craving for green space and fresh air. What I found was a landscape of rolling orchards, serene bushland, and views that made we want to put my phone away for the day. As someone who spends my working life helping people manage stress and reconnect with themselves, I wasn’t expecting the trip to double as a masterclass in wellbeing. But it did.

Nature and Human Connections

The Perth Hills region — places like Carmel, Bickley, Karragullen, and Roleystone — has long been known for its fruit-growing heritage. Wandering between the rows of trees, I found myself genuinely present in a way that’s rare in day-to-day life. No notifications, no to-do list, just the smell of ripening fruit and the soft crunch of gravel underfoot.

Eventually I stopped at a small produce stall, where a local grower was selling fruit straight from their orchard.

We got talking, and what struck me most wasn’t the produce — though it was excellent — it was the warmth. There was a genuine appreciation in the way this person greeted each customer, a groundedness that comes from people who’ve built their lives around something real and tangible.

We ended up in conversation for a good while, swapping stories about the land, the seasons, and the community that holds this part of Perth together.

It was a small moment, but it stayed with me. In a world that often feels rushed and disconnected, here was a simple, human exchange — unhurried, sincere, and quietly restorative.

Why This Matters for Your Wellbeing

We talk a lot about wellness in terms of routines: meditation apps, structured exercise, eight hours of sleep. All of that matters. But what my weekend in the Hills reminded me is that wellbeing is also built in small, accessible moments — a conversation, a view, a slower pace. You don’t need a retreat or a perfect morning routine to feel grounded. Sometimes you just need to step outside and let a place do some of the work for you.

Here are a few simple tips, inspired by my time in the Perth Hills, that you can fold into your own life.

1. Seek out green space, even briefly. You don’t need a full day off to benefit from nature. A short walk through a local park, reserve, or garden can lower stress hormones and reset a busy mind. Perth is fortunate to have green pockets in almost every direction — make use of them.
2. Talk to a stranger. It sounds small, but a genuine, unhurried conversation with someone outside your usual circle — a market stallholder, a neighbour, a fellow walker — can be surprisingly nourishing. Human connection is one of the most underrated tools we have for emotional regulation.
3. Support something local. Buying produce directly from a grower, or visiting a small local business, creates a sense of contribution and connection to community. It’s a small act, but it reinforces the feeling that you’re part of something bigger than yourself.
4. Practise unstructured presence. Not every mindful moment needs to be a formal meditation session. Simply walking without your phone, noticing the smell of the air or the sound of birds, is a legitimate and effective way to settle your nervous system.
5. Let the pace slow naturally. We often try to force relaxation into tight windows of time. Instead, choose an environment — like the Hills, a beach, a riverside path — where slowing down happens on its own, simply because there’s nowhere else you need to be.
6. Notice the people, not just the place. Beautiful landscapes are restorative, but it’s often the human moments within them — a kind word, a shared laugh, a story exchanged — that leave the deepest impression on our wellbeing.

A Gentle Invitation

If you’re feeling stretched thin, overstimulated, or simply disconnected from the things that matter, consider this your gentle nudge to find your own version of the Perth Hills. It doesn’t have to be far. It doesn’t have to be planned. Sometimes wellness is as simple as a drive into green hills, a chat with a stranger selling fruit from their orchard, and a little time spent remembering how good it feels to slow down.

Western Australia has no shortage of these places. I would love to hear where yours is.

Moving Mindfulness from the Cushion to the Chaos

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to feel peaceful during a meditation? You sit comfortably, close your eyes, take a slow breath in, and softly breathe out. In that moment, you feel connected, present, and quietly charged.

But then, daily life happens.

You step out the door, work begins, responsibilities pile up, and that hard-earned inner calm starts to fade. So, how do we fix this? How can we stay in that beautiful state of mind throughout the entire day, even in the middle of noise and stress?

The secret isn’t meditating more; it’s changing how we look at our daily routine. Here is how you can transform your ordinary day into a continuous mindfulness practice.

A wellness coach at WA Holistic Healing has recently recorded and published a brand-new podcast episode. If you’ve ever felt like your morning peace shatters the moment you hit the morning traffic or open your inbox, this one is for you

Listen to this podcast here Calm State – Anytime Anywhere.

You can read the core philosophy behind the episode below, and I truly hope it brings some calm to your week.

1. Supercharge Your Morning Routine

Before you grab your phone or rush into your day, pause. Gently say, “Thank you.” Connect with the quiet, pure energy within your heart.

When you make your morning tea or coffee, try something new: visualises sending calm, positive energy into it. As you take that first sip, smile. You aren’t just drinking; you are charging your body from within and practicing gratitude for the resources so many in our world go without.

As you step outside, shift your mindset entirely. Tell yourself: “This is not stress… this is a picnic.” Let the traffic and delays just be part of the experience. Remind yourself: “I am with myself, and I am enough.”

2. Turn Chores into Inner Healing

We can turn our everyday tasks into powerful mental resets:

• Getting Dressed: View choosing your clothes as putting on the costume of a leader—someone ready to show up with clarity, strength, and calm.
• Doing Laundry: As the water flows, imagine it washing away old beliefs, emotional stains, and the weight of past hurts or resentments. With every rinse, you become lighter.
• Cleaning and Organising: See clearing a surface as decluttering your thoughts, removing mental noise to create space for new possibilities.
• Cooking and Gardening: Prepare food as pure nourishment for your body. When tending to plants, imagine you are gently trimming away old emotional scars.

3. See the World as One Family

When you interact with people today—whether at work, school, or the local shops—try to see them not as strangers, but as part of one human family.

Some people are here to support you, some to teach you, and some to challenge you so that you can grow. Even the difficult interactions carry hidden value. Silently bless them, and you’ll find that life has a beautiful way of blessing you back.

4. Hit Your Daytime Reset Button

Whenever the day starts to feel heavy or overwhelming, remember that you carry a reset button right inside you.

Stop what you are doing. Take a slow, deep breath in… and gently release it. Do it again. In just a few seconds, you can return to your calm state—anytime, anywhere.

5. Close the Day with Love

When you return home, acknowledge your own presence: “I was with myself all day. I am never alone.”

Before you sleep, reflect on the day without a single ounce of judgment. Say softly, “Thank you for today.” If something didn’t go well, remind yourself gently, “I am learning… I will grow.” Finally, place a hand over your heart and speak directly to yourself: “I thank you. I appreciate you. I love you.”

Live the Awareness

This calm and presence is not something you have to force or fabricate. It is already inside you; you just have to remember it. With a bit of practice, you won’t just feel it when your eyes are closed in meditation—you will begin to live it, fully charged, all day long.

We would love to know: Which part of your daily routine are you going to turn into a mindfulness practice today? Let us know in the comments below, or reach out; we are always here to chat and help out!

Stress used to feel like a constant companion in my life. Between work responsibilities, personal commitments, and everyday challenges, it often felt like there was always something demanding my attention. My mind was constantly busy, and even when I had time to relax, I struggled to switch off.

That’s when I began exploring mindfulness as a tool for stress relief.

Initially, I was skeptical. Stress seemed like a complicated problem, and mindfulness sounded almost too simple. However, after incorporating mindfulness into my routine, I discovered that it provided a practical way to manage stress without needing to completely change my circumstances.

One of the first things mindfulness taught me was that stress often comes from our relationship with our thoughts rather than the situation itself. When something stressful happened, my mind would immediately jump to worst-case scenarios, future worries, and endless what-if questions. Mindfulness helped me recognize these thought patterns before they spiraled out of control.

The foundation of my mindfulness practice was breathing. Whenever I felt overwhelmed, I would pause and focus on my breath for a few moments. I noticed the sensation of air entering and leaving my body and allowed my attention to settle on that simple experience. While it didn’t make my problems disappear, it helped create a sense of calm and clarity.

Another powerful mindfulness technique for stress relief was grounding myself in the present moment. Stress often pulls us into worries about the future or regrets about the past. By focusing on what was happening right now, I could reduce the mental load I was carrying.
For example, during stressful days, I would take a short walk and pay attention to my surroundings. I would notice the colors of the trees, the sound of birds, or the feeling of sunlight on my skin. These moments reminded me that not every second needed to be consumed by stress.

Mindful body scans also became a valuable tool. I learned that stress frequently showed up in my body before I consciously recognized it. Tight shoulders, headaches, and muscle tension were often signs that I needed to slow down. Taking a few minutes to scan my body and release tension helped prevent stress from building further.

One unexpected benefit of mindfulness was improved emotional awareness. Instead of immediately reacting to stressful situations, I became better at observing my emotions. This created a small but important gap between feeling stressed and acting on that stress. Within that gap, I could choose a more thoughtful response.

I also discovered that mindfulness works best when practiced consistently rather than only during difficult moments. By incorporating mindfulness into my daily routine, I built a foundation of resilience that made it easier to handle challenges when they arose.

Simple practices like mindful eating, mindful walking, or a few minutes of meditation each morning helped strengthen this habit. Over time, mindfulness became less of an exercise and more of a way of living.

Perhaps the most important lesson mindfulness taught me was acceptance. Stress often becomes worse when we fight against reality or wish circumstances were different. Mindfulness encouraged me to acknowledge what was happening without judgment. From that place of acceptance, I found it easier to make decisions and move forward productively.

Today, I still experience stress because stress is a normal part of life. The difference is that stress no longer feels like something that controls me. Mindfulness has given me practical tools to remain calm, focused, and present even during challenging situations.

If you’re looking for a natural way to manage stress, mindfulness is worth exploring. You don’t need tobe an expert, and you don’t need hours of free time. Start with a few mindful breaths, a short walk, or amoment of awareness during your day.

Small practices, repeated consistently, can have a remarkable impact on how we experience stress. They certainly did for me.

Contact us at WA Holistic Healing to explore more and allow us to help. Explore our services.

You Belong Here

Posted by the WA Holistic Healing Team

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Hello, and welcome. If you’ve found your way here, something tells me you’re ready — ready to feel better, breathe deeper, and live with a little more intention. And for that, we’re so glad you’re here.

This is the very first post on the WA Holistic Healing blog, and honestly? It feels like a big moment. Not just for us, but hopefully for you too, because this space is being created with one person in mind: you.

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So, Who Are We?

At WA Holistic Healing, we believe that true wellness isn’t just about the absence of illness. It’s about feeling whole — in your mind, your body, and your spirit. It’s waking up with energy and purpose. It’s managing the stress that modern life throws at you without feeling crushed by it. It’s finding balance in your relationships, your career, and most importantly, within yourself.

Our mantra says it best: Listen with purpose. Connect with intent. That’s not just something we say — it’s the heartbeat of everything we do, from our one-on-one wellness coaching sessions to our rejuvenating head massages and guided mindfulness practices.

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Why a Blog?

Because healing doesn’t only happen in a session. It happens in the quiet moments — when you read something that shifts your perspective, when a breathing technique suddenly makes sense, or when you realize you’re not alone in what you’re feeling.

This blog is going to be that space. Expect to find:

• Practical wellness tips you can use every single day
• Mindfulness practices for managing anxiety, stress, and life’s curveballs
• Insights on mental health — real, compassionate, and judgment-free
• Guides on holistic therapies and how they support your mind-body connection
• Stories and inspiration to remind you that growth is always possible

No fluff. No unrealistic promises. Just honest, grounded content from a team that genuinely cares about your wellbeing.

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A Little Something We Want You to Know

Wherever you are on your wellness journey — whether you’re just starting out, feeling lost, or simply looking to deepen your self-care practice — you are welcome here. There’s no perfect starting point. There’s no “too far gone.” There’s only right now, and the small, meaningful steps you can take from this moment forward.

We’ve seen incredible transformations happen when people simply decide to show up for themselves. And we’d be honoured to walk alongside you as you do the same.

Contact Us – WA Holistic Healing