About Me

I help women reconnect to themselves, addressing the root cause of their health issues so real and lasting change can be made.

I believe there's a permanent place inside us where we are always okay, and this is the place where we are most truly ourselves. It is always there and never leaves us, but sometimes, we need help letting go and clearing what's blocking it.

That's where I come in. There is freedom and true peace in knowing there's nothing intrinsically wrong with us. It's my work and passion to help you live from this place, bringing a renewed sense of aliveness, energy and possibility.

Why I became an Acupuncturist

My love of Chinese medicine was sparked at a young age by my uncle, who was in the first wave of Western acupuncturists to start practising in the 70s. His passion for this system of medicine was infectious. He would describe himself as a ‘detective’, piecing together a patient’s story to get to the core of their problems.

Even then, the idea of needing to understand the root of someone’s illness or unhappiness rather than just treating their symptoms made sense to me.

I worked in London for ten years in two busy clinics, treating all aspects of women’s health - from conception and pregnancy support, working alongside fertility clinics, providing post-natal care, helping manage the daily stressors of family life, right through to perimenopausal and menopause treatments.

My practice grew alongside my own family, and after our third son was born, it felt like the right time to leave the city and follow our dream of raising free-range children in the Devon countryside.

How I found Coaching

Covid and the lockdown created a natural pause in my acupuncture practice, and like so many people, it was an opportunity to reflect on my work and myself.

Central to Chinese Medicine is the link between the body and mind. I would see this day-in and day-out in my clinic: how our thoughts, emotions and physical well-being are not just connected but in a constant dance.

A patient would come for treatment for a chronic cough and find waves of grief releasing, or someone coming in for anxiety would find their digestion and sleep improve alongside.

What I also noticed, in my patients but also in myself, is how often repeating patterns would occur in people’s lives - the same familiar feelings & experiences would come up again and again despite the changes people were making.

I was drawn to this particular form of coaching, ‘maturation coaching’, because of the depths it took people to and also how beautifully it complements Chinese Medicine - both going to the root of these repeating patterns and moving or clearing what’s getting in the way of who you really are.

Before training to be a coach, I undertook a huge amount of this work myself through intensive group coaching programs and working one-on-one with different maturation coaches. Because, as my teacher says, you’re only able to take people as deep as you’re willing to go yourself.

For me, this process has been a shedding of layers, piercing blindspots and stories that I couldn’t see for myself and thought were just the way things are, feeling it all instead of running and resisting, actively inviting and sitting with the full messiness of being human.

What I have found through this work is a feeling of freedom inside, of not being constantly thrown around like a leaf in the wind, but a gentle grounding and sense of space.

And through this space, there is a very alive presence that allows me to be much more connected to myself and my family, friends, work, and the world around me.

This sense of vitality and connection is available to us all. It is my intention, through holding a safe, compassionate space in my coaching and my acupuncture, to bring you back to your body and back to yourself so you can live from this steady stillness, which is who you already are.

“Jo is incredibly kind, caring and supportive and her acupuncture treatments are of the absolute highest standard.

The regular treatments have been enormously beneficial and have supported me through a very difficult period of poor health.

I always look forward to my treatments and after a session I always feel so much better.”

“I can't recommend Jo Ridgway highly enough.

Jo is gentle, empathetic and professional. I felt listened to and supported, and how she described what was going on in my body from a holistic point of view was thorough, clear and incredibly helpful.

My acupuncture treatments with Jo not only helped my back pain and stomach problems, but also left me feeling relaxed, nourished and energised, made my skin glow, and have massively improved my sleep.”

“I learned so much about myself during my coaching with Jo. She helped me to better understand my behaviour patterns in a way that I didn't have insight into before.

It has helped me to create lasting change and greater compassion for myself when I’m trying to make positive changes in my life.

I would highly recommend Jo as a maturation coach.”

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