About

About Gemma

Holistic therapist in the Meon Valley, Hampshire. Ten years' practice, fully qualified, fully insured, and a full member of the Association of Reflexologists.

Gemma at work during a reflexology session in her treatment room, with reflexology charts visible on the wall behind her
Portrait of Gemma Avila, founder of Gemma Holistics and holistic therapist in the Meon Valley

Welcome

I'm Gemma Avila. I'm originally from Spain, though I've been living in the UK for over twenty-five years now, and I run Gemma Holistics from a therapy room in the Meon Valley, within the South Downs National Park.

I've been interested in complementary therapies all my life. I first studied natural medicine and herbalism in my twenties in Madrid, and in my fifties I still have the same curiosity and passion for holistic living that I had then.

My story

Before I moved to the UK, I worked in Spain as a herbalist, nurse assistant, and fitness instructor – roles that gave me a grounded, practical understanding of the body, and of what people actually find helpful when they're unwell, tired, or struggling.

I now work part-time in mental health for the NHS alongside my holistic therapy practice. The two sides of my working life sit comfortably together. The NHS work keeps me close to what medical care actually looks like and what it can and can't do. The therapy practice lets me offer something different – slower, quieter, and tailored to the individual person in front of me.

I've practised yoga and meditation for many years, and for a time I helped support a Buddhist meditation centre in Southampton. That's shaped how I work as a therapist more than any single qualification. I believe in taking time with people, in paying attention, and in not rushing.

My approach

I speak with every new client before confirming a booking. It's not a formality – it's genuinely how I work. It lets me understand what you're hoping for, what's going on for you, and whether the therapy you're considering is actually the right fit. Occasionally I'll suggest a different therapy from the one someone originally asked about. Sometimes I'll suggest a GP conversation first. Most of the time we simply arrange a session – but the conversation matters.

Every session is tailored to the person in front of me. I draw on whichever techniques seem most useful on the day – that might be the core therapy you booked, or it might include cupping, sound therapy, or one of the other techniques I've trained in. You don't need to know about any of this in advance. That's my job.

Qualifications

I commit to continuing professional development every year and add new techniques and training to my practice regularly. My core qualifications are:

Reflexology

  • VTCT Level 3 Diploma in Reflexology (QCF), Peter Symonds College, 2016
  • Lymph Drainage Reflexology (RLD) with Sally Kay
  • Manzanares Method® of Reflexology (science-based), with Dr Manzanares, MD
  • Pain Management – An Introduction to Nerve Reflexology, with Dr Carol Samuel, PhD
  • Maternity Reflexology, and Reflexology in the Treatment of Pain, Mauricio Kruchik Method (2020)
  • Spinal Advance Reflexology
  • Focussed Reflexology and its use in female reproductive health
  • Facial Reflexology, Ziggie Bergman, London School of Reflexology (2022)
  • Visual Reflexology workshop
  • Touchpoint International Summer School 2020, Dorthe Krogsgaard and Peter Lund Frandsen (Hip, Groin, Sciatica, Knee)

Indian Head Massage

  • Level 3 Certificate in Indian Head Massage, Penny Price Academy and Winchester School of Aromatherapy, FHT-accredited

Jikiden Reiki

  • Accredited Jikiden Reiki Practitioner, Level 1 (Shoden) and Level 2 (Okuden), with Debbie Cook (2018)
  • Ongoing monthly practice workshops with Debbie Cook since 2018

Additional techniques

  • Practitioner's Diploma in Myofascial Cupping (2025)
  • Practitioner's Diploma in Sound Therapy (2026)
  • VTCT Level 4 Certificate in Sports Massage Therapy (2021)
  • Kinesio Taping (qualification details to follow)

Therapies for children and special needs

  • Rainbow Kids Touch Therapy and Relaxation Certificate, with Giuliana Wheater
  • Therapies for Special Needs, with Giuliana Wheater
  • NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Children's Care, Learning and Development, Peter Symonds Adult Education

Broader training and background

  • Studies in Natural Medicine (nutrition and herbalism), Centro Hipócrates, Madrid, Spain
  • Diploma in Health and Social Care Adults, Level 3
  • International Massage Diploma
  • Sound Healing & Colour Therapy Certificate
  • NCFE Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of End of Life Care
  • Formation Integral al Acompañamiento en el Proceso de Morir (support in the dying process), Fundación Metta Hospice
  • Chair-based Exercise Instructor, AllActive

Professional memberships

I'm a member of the following professional associations, and I abide by their codes of practice:

Insurance

I hold full public liability and professional indemnity insurance through Alan Boswell Limited (Norwich), underwritten by NPA Insurance Ltd trading as Peach, with £5 million treatment risk cover. Policy details are available on request.

The treatment space

[Exterior of therapy room / setting]

[Interior of the treatment room]

[View from the therapy room / grounds]

The therapy room is in a rural setting near Warnford in the Meon Valley, within the South Downs National Park. It's quiet, private, and genuinely peaceful – one of the reasons clients keep coming back, in their own words.

Before or after your session, you're welcome to take a walk in the grounds of the Riversdown Estate or along the public footpath. There are tennis courts and a golf course in the grounds, and clients are welcome to make use of them around their session. It's an unusual offering for a therapy practice, I know. It comes from believing that the hour on the couch is only part of what makes a good session – how you arrive, and how you leave, matter too.

Outside of therapy

I still have close ties to Spain and I speak Spanish as my first language. If a client would prefer to work in Spanish, I'm happy to do that. Alongside my practice, I continue to deepen my own study of herbalism, natural medicine, and the broader tradition of holistic care that first drew me into this work.

Ready to arrange a session?

I'd be glad to hear from you. We can talk about what you're looking for, and work out together whether one of my therapies might suit.

Get in touch