Naomi Davidson joins Salus Wellness

We are pleased to announce that Naomi Davidson joined Salus Wellness Clinics.  Naomi is an excellent massage therapist offering various types of massage including, deep tissue, Swedish, acupressure and more.

Naomi is a great addition to the already comprehensive and successful team, we are confident that she will achieve great outcomes whilst offering fantastic treatments to the members of the public.

Visit here profile by HERE and book a session with Naomi soon.

Interview with Elke Hausler

Salus Wellness well into its second year in business decided to interview some of the practitioners who joined during the startup period and are now celebrating a year of activity with the health centre.

Elke, what is your specialisation and how long have you been practicing?

I believe in empowering my clients to help themselves as much as they can. That’s what I do. Since 2007, I have mainly helped people stepping out of pain, emotional or physical pain. I love my work. It is so rewarding!

I started out as a complementary health practitioner in 2004, doing Swedish Massage, Reiki and Indian Head Massage. The more people I saw, the more I realised how stressed many of them were and that they often were in emotional and/or physical pain. I went on to deepen my knowledge and get more qualifications (Thought Field Therapy, Dorn Method, Sports Massage and Rossiter System Workouts).

When did you start working at Salus Wellness and what influenced your decision to work here?

About 15 months ago, I met Luca and Massimo who run Salus Wellness clinics at a business networking event. When I mentioned I was intending to spread out my work to Cambridge in the near future, they invited me to have a look at the premises and we arranged a meeting. I loved the atmosphere straight away, the location, the rooms and easy parking seemed ideal and my gut feeling told me to go for it. I’m glad I did.

How many clients do you see in an average week?

I currently only work two half days a week in Cambridge – every Monday plus every other Wednesday and alternate Saturday. I have been able to fill most slots easily and am looking to increase my hours at Salus Wellness in the future. The rest of the week I am busy working at my clinic in Newmarket.

What is your general view of the facilities offered by Salus Wellness?

They offer a variety of rooms with different equipment, so a wide range of treatments can be offered. I like the idea of having it all under one roof.

How did the help received from Salus Wellness in terms of running your business, sales, and marketing helped to develop your business?

I was pretty impressed with the workshops they put on – free of charge or next to nothing -, Profit Dojo, a networking meeting every second Friday of the month including a free workshop afterwards, tips and tricks they give away all year long, the help with and design of my promotional material including my website etc. All of it, I am sure, has helped me build my practice in Cambridge fairly quickly.

What are your future plans at the clinic?

I am planning to be part of it for a long time. I would love to meet more colleagues with the possibility to cross-refer clients if I feel they benefit from their treatments.

Would you recommend Salus Wellness to other practitioners?

Yes, I certainly would.

What advice would you give to new practitioners?

What are you waiting for? Jump at the occasion!

New phone number for Salus Wellness Clinics

We would like to inform you all that our phone number has changed today to 01223 300222.

Salus Wellness among the organisers of NCHS

It was outlined in a recent article on this blog that starting a complementary health business implies more than just getting a qualification and waiting for clients to knock at your door.

Starting a complementary health practice means  starting and managing a business.  It needs to have all common functions typical of a standard commercial organisation with all its aspects; from marketing to business development and accounting.

The National Complementary Health Summit (NCHS) is a one day workshop where experts of marketing, sales, social media and business development within the complementary health sector will talk about the basic concepts involved in running and growing a private practice.  The NCHS  is suitable for both professionals with an existing practice, and newly qualified practitioners that are just starting.

Salus Wellness, given its proven experience in coaching and training professionals in complementary health, is one of the organisers and promoters of this event, first of its kind.  Check the NCHS website http://www.nchs-uk.org/ and book your place now!

Christmas Dinner 2011

Another year is ending and so we decided to go out and celebrate a great year of good work together with some our practitioners. Last Friday, 16 December, we have hit town and has a whole lot of fun.  Here are some pictures we took during the evening:

Getting Started in Complementary Health

An increasing number of people decide at some point in their life to get the necessary qualifications and become a complementary health practitioner.  The recession and job losses of the recent years have somehow inspired many people to make the big step and, sometimes without other choices, start their own private practice. The challenges which can be found when   working in private practice affects both professionals with university degrees like psychotherapists and psychologists, as well as other recognised qualifications.

Starting a complementary health business is similar to opening a shop, an office based service supplier or any other traditional commercial business.  Like in any other business, sales and cash flow are essential to guarantee positive results and so one of the most important things you need to do is to ensure that you  have plenty of clients  to pay your overheads  and  guarantee yourself a decent income.  Depending on the country where the complementary health business is based, it is also necessary to be familiar with legal, professional and business requirements.

What is a Complementary Health Business?

Complementary health treatments include a broad range of disciplines. It is important to learn about the particular form of holistic health practice and  complete the necessary training before committing to opening a practice. . Examples of complementary health businesses include:

• Hypnotherapy
• Massage
• Reflexology
• Reiki
• Acupuncture
• Homeopathy
• NLP

Setting Up a Private Practice in Complementary Health

Some complementary health practitioners work from home whereas others set up a separate office/studio in which to work from.  There are both advantages and disadvantages in working  from home  as there are in working from a private studio; initial set up for a home practice may be cheaper but there will need to be enough space to work professionally and take into account:

• equipment/furniture needed
• health and safety
• legal requirements
• scheduling and managing appointments
• associated costs
• personal privacy and security

Insurance, Legal and Professional Requirements for a Complementary Health Practice

There are different insurance, legal and professional requirements in the UK. It may be necessary to obtain a business license (even if working from home) from the local authorities and comply with certain local and national laws. In addition, it may be necessary to obtain professional memberships in order to apply for an adequate professional insurance cover; different types of insurance cover may be needed.

Maintaining Tax Records and Banking for a Complementary Health Practice

It is important to keep a record of all purchases and expenses and receipt of income for tax purposes; at the end of the tax year, a complimentary health business will be expected to file a tax return either as a sole trader or an incorporated limited company (partnerships may be applicable if two or more practitioners work together).  Opening a business’ bank account is also essential in order to keep business transactions separate from personal ones.

Marketing a Holistic Health Business

I hope it doesn’t come as a surprise when I say that in the 21^st century, every business should have a web presence in addition to other direct and indirect marketing operations.   A complementary health business can be marketed through a combination of web site, blogs, forums and social networking. Depending on the skills level of the holistic health practitioner, it may be necessary to employ someone to both set up and maintain the various web marketing tools required.

Some complementary health practices, both in the UK and abroad , are not tightly regulated, making it simple for almost anyone to set up and call themselves a holistic health practitioner or practice. However, in order to maintain high standards and increase the chances  for success, it is advisable to take all accredited training in the chosen discipline, obtain insurance,  memberships to the relevant governing body and comply with the relevant legal requirements.

Working Within a Professional Health Centre

While working from home can be a simple and cost-effective way to get started, it can limit the opportunities of expansion as well as the amount of money that can be charged.  An effective alternative is to work from a complementary health centre which, a mong other basic things   can offer:

• good quality therapy rooms that are suitable for your  therapy/discipline
• a central and easily accessible location reception and phone answering service to ensure that your phone calls are answered and your clients or prospects are well looked after
• a place where you always feel  safe  when working with clients

The main advantages of working from a professional complementary health centre are:

• better image
• possibility of justifying higher fees
• building up a stronger brand

Conclusion

Getting Started in Complementary Health can be a very rewarding and life changing decision.  When well-managed, it can bring financial accomplishments, the opportunity of making a difference in many people’s lives and achieving a great level of satisfaction.

However, it should be considered for what it really is: a business venture which as such requires accurate planning and adequate business skills in marketing and sales.

Bernitta Willoughby joins Salus Wellness

We are pleased to announce that Bernitta Willoughby, a GOsC registered Osteopath based in Cambridge, has joined Salus Wellness, the complementary health centre located in the hearth of Cambridge city.

Bernitta is a passionate GOsC and BOA registered Osteopath, who gained a Master’s of Osteopathy Degree from the reputable European school of Osteopathy. After being inspired by the professions’ ability to significantly help with numerous everyday pains without the use of drug therapy, the career choice was an easy one.

Although specializing in paediatric and maternity Osteopathy, Bernitta enjoys treating patients of all ages and abilities. Focusing on the needs of the patients and tailoring treatments appropriate to each complaint.

Osteopathy is a primary healthcare system which is becoming more and more well-known and accepted within the medical profession.

Osteopathic treatments use a range of techniques to improve mobility in the spine, joints and muscles. Bernitta often uses articulation, soft tissue methods, manipulation, inhibition and Cranial Osteopathy as part of a treatment specific to each patient.

When treating babies and young children, Bernitta prefers to use gentle cranial and articulation techniques to help with common issues this age group experiences such as sleeping disturbances, general irritability and birth ‘trauma’.

Since qualifying Bernitta constantly is developing her knowledge and skills within the profession, also using medical acupuncture to complement her osteopathic treatment of adults, particularly with common problems involving high muscular tension.

Bernitta commented:

“Becoming a part of Salus Wellnes is something I am very much looking forward to, especially working alongside another passionate Osteopath and other committed healthcare practitioners within this vibrant clinic situated in the upbeat city of Cambridge”

Katharine Warner joins Salus Wellness

We are pleased to announce that Katharine Warner, an NLP Practitioner based in Cambridge, has joined Salus Wellness, the complementary health centre located in the hearth of Cambridge city.

Katharine specialises in NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), but will also incorporate Coaching and Clinical Hypnotherapy into her sessions where appropriate. NLP is a method of influencing the way the brain works through the use of language to allow the brain to be re-programmed, so that new and better behaviours can be achieved. She will work with you, training you to manage your thoughts, moods and behaviours more effectively.

Passionate about the importance of health and wellbeing in preventing and combatting illness, Katharine has experienced the power of NLP and Clinical Hypnotherapy by making a full recovery from a severely debilitating viral illness.

Katharine is experienced with resolving issues such as anxiety, confidence, exam performance, obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD), public speaking and many more. She has a particular interest in addictions, stress and pain management.

Katharine commented:

“I am very much looking forward to joining Salus Wellness. I will be working alongside a great existing team of highly qualified therapists, coaches and health care practitioners in a peaceful, professional and welcoming location in the heart of Cambridge.”

Exercises to deal with back pain

The Rossiter System Workouts explained:  fast, safely and effective therapy for back pain

This revolutionary stretching technique was developed by and named after the American, Richard Rossiter, a couple of decades ago and only came to England about 3-4 years ago. It is a fast, safe and effective method to help people with back pain!

Since 2003, I have been very passionate about helping people with complementary therapies: and I feel that this is by far the quickest way I learnt to help people to literally step out of pain.

How do Rossiter System workouts work? All you need is a Rossiter System coach who will put one clean socked foot on a part of your body, depending on where your pain is. You work as a team; you, the person in pain, are in charge. The warmth of the foot,  a bit of weight that  is put on your limb and the movement that you will be instructed to do under the foot, will stretch the connective tissue – a network of ligaments, tendons and fascia that holds everything together – in a way that it has probably never been stretched before. The Rossiter System workout gives the body  the space it has lost over time either through injury, overuse, bad posture or a mixture of those.

What happens in a session?

Let’s imagine that we are dealing with a client who suffers from back pain. The client gets to lie on a yoga mat on the floor, face up. The Rossiter System coach will put one foot on the side of the client’s leg. This may sound strange as we are addressing back pain but it works. If it’s an acute problem in the back, we will do the exercise on the leg of the same side, if it’s a chronic problem, we will do the exercise on the opposite side. The coach will put as much weight on the leg as the client can take at this point. The client needs to move the limb under the foot as well as the opposite leg according to the coach’s instructions. After 3 repetitions, the client may get up and walk around the room for a bit. After a few “laps” the client stands still and checks out the back, i.e. s/he does a few movements that were painful or restricted to do before this exercise. What happened? Is the movement easier? is there more range of movement? how is the pain? Then the client goes back on the yoga mat for the next challenge. We do 3 different exercises on the same leg and then the client decides which of these 3 exercises s/he felt benefited the most in terms of his/her back. That would be the one that we are going to do on the other leg to balance things out.

Let’s face it, people don’t necessarily like these exercises – as they will be somewhat uncomfortable to do – but people love the results! People don’t mind going through that bit of discomfort to finally be out of pain/discomfort in everyday life!

I often see people with rounded shoulders – due to too much work on the computer, too much driving etc – tennis or golfer’s elbow, knee pain, sciatica, frozen shoulders etc. They usually feel the benefits and changes from this workout almost instantly. The improvement is also quite visible for those with rounded shoulders. You can see the shoulders drop down and move back in just one session! We do one arm first, have a look in the mirror and then do the other. It’s usually noticeably improved.

This workout may well save you time, energy and money in the long run!

To find out if this is for you or to book your appointment at the reduced introductory price of £35/hour (until 30 November 2011), please don’t hesitate to give me a call on 07814089272 or visit www.elkehausler.com

Frankie Luckock joins Salus Wellness Clinics

We are pleased to announce that Frankie Luckock, a practitioner of the Five element & Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture based in Cambridge, has joined Salus Wellness; the complementary health centre which recently opened in Cambridge.

Frankie discovered the power and effectiveness of Acupuncture after being successfully treated herself for a condition that conventional medicine had failed to alleviate.

Inspired by this experience she studied Acupuncture at the respected College of Integrated Chinese Medicine (CICM) in Reading, where she completed a full time degree course over three and a half years to obtain her BSc and licence to practice.   She also studied fire cupping, the use of moxibustion in treatment and TuiNa. She is a member of the British Acupuncture Council.

For more information about Frankie Luckock, click HERE or call us now on 01223 300 222