A reflexologist from Allington says more people have been considering alternative therapies to help with their mental health since lockdown restrictions eased.

Peter Vaughan who runs Concordia Complementary Therapies has been practising reflexology since 2011 and says since opening back up, he has seen a rise in people seeking help for financial and bereavement struggles as a result of the pandemic.

Reflexology works by applying gentle pressure to the feet or hands to bring about a state of deep relaxation and to stimulate the body’s healing processes.

The fundamental idea is that the manipulation of the reflexes helps to clear energy blocks elsewhere in the body and correct any imbalances.

Mr Vaughan, 60, said: "One of the lasting legacies of the pandemic is that people haven't been able to go to funerals when they've lost a loved one.

"It's heartbreaking and seriously taking its toll on people.

"If you are suffering mentally it will eventually come out in a physical manifestation.

"This is where reflexology comes in and I’m a firm believer that if everybody had regular treatments, or something similar, hospitals would be half as full as they are.

"It complements mainstream medical treatments and helps people heal emotionally."

Mr Vaughan has also started a bursary scheme and is giving away six free reflexology sessions to people who have been adversely affected by lockdown.

He hopes by offering his services to people who may not have considered the therapy before he can help ease anxieties and give something back to the community he has lived in for 22 years.

"It's during the lockdown that people have had a really hard time and we have lost the connection with our fellow human beings," he said.

"Personally, I’ve come through this being so grateful for everything in my life and I can see that there is a need for people who feel they have been bent out of shape.

"I'm not a counsellor so if somebody is in a really bad state, they will be beyond my capabilities but I know reflexology can help so many people which is why I started the scheme.

"When people come to see me, we will chat about the problem briefly but it's not a talking therapy, it's a light touch therapy.

"They will then get in the chair and then we start the session."

To find out more and apply for the bursary scheme, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone