Holland Reflexology Institute

‘Dominant Theory™’ Vs ‘Zone Theory’

Zone Theory has been the prevalent reflexology theory for almost 100 years.  As the science of reflexology evolves and new practitioners discover new findings during their personal studies, few theories spring up to challenge the current dogma. Most just rearrange the zone theory and reflexes to make their own reflexology chart.

The Dominant theory, which was postulated by Doug Holland, takes a fresh approach to reflexology. It challenges the fact that reflexes are not found in ten zones but, rather, are found in a true hierarchical position from dominant to elementary.

This descending order in which reflexes are executed is how reflexology truly works.

To best explain the difference we took an excerpt (with copywrite permission) from Doug Holland’s book, The Holland Method of Advanced Reflexology.

“Long lasting comfort and circulation by de-stressing will not be achieved unless the ‘dominant reflex’ is struck with intensity.

With the dominant reflexes opened by the brain and nervous system, subservient reflexes become available for diagnosis and unlocking by the brain. How so? I will try to illustrate: A massage therapist may give ‘feathers’ (or light touch) to a client and achieve a measure of relaxation, however, the benefit will be short-lived because the root cause may not have been addressed.

For instance, trigger point therapy is used to remove knotted muscles which can be a painful process but the end result is deep relaxation for the muscular system. The root cause of tension was the knotted muscle. Gentle, light touch would not have resolved that issue. A reflexologist, also, must use pressure to unlock dominant, intermedial and elementary reflexes according to the uniqueness of each individual. Light touch will not reach the deepest of reflexes.

Another example: Based on traditional charts – has any of you ever worked on the neck area or the pituitary (pi-two-i-ter-ree) area of the great toe or the hip / sciatic and had the majority of clients express pain when those areas are worked? Almost all of my clients complain of discomfort and show marked sensitivity. Does that mean that every single one of them has a problem with their neck, low back or pituitary gland?

Or how about when you struck a reflex in a zone and pain ensued from the pressure, yet the client had no issues in any part of the zone? What about the individuals who had no pain in their feet as you made several passes over the entire foot, then after hitting a real zinger, the whole foot becomes sensitive?

Example: Let’s say I started my reflexology treatment by immediately working the knee reflex or the transverse colon or the lungs. I would find that the vast majority of my clients would exhibit little-to-no pain even though I used intense pressure (excluding plantar fasciitis clients).

Now remember I’m working over those reflex areas and there is no sensitivity which usually means it’s okay, right? Then I go to the amygdala reflex, strike it with minimal pressure and watch the client reel back in his chair in agony, yelling, “What the heck was that?!” Note that I used minimal pressure to receive that alarming response.

However, what is more interesting is I will go right back to those same reflexes I mentioned earlier and using LESS pressure than I did originally, the client would be jerking his feet; trying to get away from the pain. Now we have a reply of ‘yes’ from the brain.

It was this inconsistency that made me wonder: Why was an area that was insensitive all of a sudden sensitive and then after several passes became insensitive again? In performing treatments on many people over the years I noticed that my clients shared a commonality of the most sensitive (or dominant) reflexes. I also took note of how after working those more sensitive reflexes, the more minor reflexes would, in effect, ‘open up’ and become more sensitive to the client. It was as if they were given permission to join the conversation by tying into the party line. When this connection happens from unlocking the hierarchical reflexes the client will get what I call ‘the buzz’ (glowing, heavy eyes with a look of deep relaxation).

A new contradiction in pain?

The problem I started to see was this; is pain coming from the opening of the dominant reflex or is the pain from an issue in the referral area? Turns out it was both. In order to get communication working well amongst all the members you first have to break the defensive stance of hierarchical reflexes. This in itself gets a pain reply from the brain!

Then, it is the member itself that must be looked at more in depth by the brain. If further issues exist, more pain may be given as a return reply.

Note: To make it more confusing let me throw one more condition in here; real congestion in the feet. Calcium and uric acid are just a few elements that may block nerve pulses or circulation. When we free up congestion in the literal feet, it too can bring on pain because nerves may have been dormant from a lack of good circulation and now are responding.

If you were to tie your upper leg with a tourniquet, blood would no longer circulate to the nerves. Then once loosed, blood would flow freely. But the pain is very intense as a recalculation of the nerves and brain resumes with the fresh flow of blood.

Hierarchical Pain leads to new understanding.

This is what caused me to challenge Zone Therapy. It became clear that there are certain reflexes that always seem hypersensitive in people and by unlocking them, opened up ways to reach ‘intermedial’ and ‘elementary’ reflexes. Thus, striking reflexes is not staged in five imaginary lines from the anterior to the posterior aspects of the plantar surface (according to zone therapy), rather an outward sweeping motion from the distal aspect of the Hallux (hal-uhx) to the subsequent descending vitals.

That’s why even though you made passes earlier in the session and no pain occurred at certain reflex points, shortly, progressive new pains developed as exposure was now available from the opening of dominant reflexes.

If a massage therapist is to begin treatment with a client in the prone position, massaging glutes first and working his way down to the calves and then back up to the shoulders, would the client feel peak release and relief? No. Most therapists, in general, will tell you that people like to have their shoulders rubbed first, then their neck, followed by the rest.

The shoulders are worked first and then the neck because tension and stress is released systematically (hierarchal) in all humans. As a matter of fact, before you even touch a person, the atmosphere would be the most important beginning to a therapeutic treatment.

We all know what’s best for us and what feels good and it’s the same with the dominant, intermedial and elementary reflex system. They too are unlocked in a systematic, descending order.”

Doug Holland’s reflexology book goes into further detail of this subject if you’re interested.