Alison Strauss ne de Vries

I have referred many of my doula clients to Alison over the years and they have always received amazing treatment and advice, uplifting and empowering them on their journey to becoming parents. Whether it be a pregnancy massage or treatment to try and encourage labour to begin, Alison is knowledgeable, Highly skilled and wonderfully talented.

I have also had treatment from her, so on a personal level, I can attest to her skill from my own experience.

I have known Alison Strauss nee’ de Vries for about 9 years to date. Initially as a Doctors Receptionist when she would call in for a consultation with the Doctor I worked for, related to her work and then later as a colleague as a Doula who trained with WOMBS, an association which we are both registered members of.
I have seen Alison for treatments myself, and often referred mothers to her, because her reputation goes before her. Having personally had treatment with her, I can vouch for her efficient, professional and absolutely amazing massage treatments. Whether it be for back pain or shoulder joint issues, her treatments have always been extremely helpful to me.
My doula clients have praised me personally for referring them to her for pregnancy & post-partum treatments.
Alison is a uniquely talented therapist and I cannot give her higher praise for her treatments.

I approached Alison at the recommendation of a friend, hoping that she would be able to help with a pregnancy massage/techniques to encourage my baby to turn from the breech position at 37 weeks.
I was hoping for a VBAC, and all had been tracking well until baby decided to turn from optimal position to Frank breech between 36 and 37 weeks. I bawled my eyes out as my gynae told me she didn’t think the baby would turn, and pencilled in our c section date. After crying my heart out to a good friend, she recommended I contact Alison to see if she could help. As with most things in 2020, COVID had halted her usual massage practice – but she was able to offer me a zoom session to go through some techniques.
I was skeptical at first, I needed someone to physically move my baby, not talk to me about doing it, but I gave it a go anyway – I was willing to try anything…and I am SO glad that I did.

Alison put me immediately at ease, and made me feel so calm. Being pregnant during COVID and lockdown was incredibly stressful and isolating – but she immediately made me feel loved and special – something that was missing from my pregnancy journey that had been filled with anxiety and worry.

She showed me exercises I could do on my yoga ball, to hopefully convince baby to turn and prepare my body for labour, but I think more importantly than that she reminded me that I needed to be nurtured and relaxed, and helped me find small ways and rituals to do that (Cups of tea, special baths etc) as well as guiding me in finding and developing affirmations to help me through the last stage of pregnancy and the birth.

My baby turned from breech by 38,5 weeks, and a week later I had a successful, completely unmedicated VBAC and Isla Alexandra was born after a relatively short labour.

I am beyond grateful for Alison and her Loving support during such a complicated, stressful time, and her insistence that I take the time to nurture myself to help me prepare for the birth I envisioned. Without her and her zoom session, I would have continued spiraling into the stress and fear I was feeling, and I’m sure that we would have ended up in theatre with a repeat c section. Her advice and kind words had huge influence and played an immense role in my last stretch of pregnancy and during the birth of my baby girl.

I would highly recommend setting up a session with Alison to help prepare for a great birth experience. It’s so important to have a strong support team during pregnancy and even more so during these strange times of a pandemic, and I would recommend to everyone to get Alison on your team, even if it is virtually.

Hi Alison

I trust you are well. I am emailing you regarding the amazing service you have provided for me throughout my pregnancy and even through my labour up until I gave birth and even now post partum. Needless to say the massages were amazing and heavenly for my strained body and were so personalised as to the areas that needed specific attention. I was really sad when we had to stop the massages owing to covid but that didn’t stop the service you were able to provide. I could message you for any type of advice and would receive the help straight away, you are able to not only provide me with the exercises and massages to continue with for myself but the support and motivation that I really did not receive from any one else. Even in my labour throughout my contractions, you had been there to answer any small and seemingly insignificant questions I had that I knew no Dr would even entertain. The exercises to get the contractions regular as well as coping strategies for my labour and even just being in a positive mind set were more than I could have ever asked for seeing as it was a virtual doula experience. It really felt as though you were there for me, with me, every step of the way. It is a paid service, yes, but I really had gotten way more than I could have even hoped for and for this my husband and I cannot thank you enough. I know you are known as “the Massage Specialist” but what you do goes beyond just a massage. It’s this type of care and advice that has made dealing with pregnancy to post partum a lot more manageable.

I’m really looking forward to covid free days where I’m able to see you again.

Thank you always!