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!

Salus Wellness among the organisers of NCHS is a post from: Salus Wellness Limited

Nina specialises in routine skin and nail problems, biomechanical assessment and orthotic therapy with the particular interest given to a diabetic foot care and pain management. The way your feet function (therefore your gait and posture) may lead to a vast number of lower limbs or back pains. She treats all conditions which affect the foot as well as offer the post treatment advice about prevention of the condition in the future.

Read Nina’s full profile HERE.

Dr Nina Januszewska joins Salus Wellness Clinics is a post from: Salus Wellness Limited

Christmas Dinner 2011 is a post from: Salus Wellness Limited

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.

Getting Started in Complementary Health is a post from: Salus Wellness Limited

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”

Bernitta Willoughby joins Salus Wellness is a post from: Salus Wellness Limited

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.”

Katharine Warner joins Salus Wellness is a post from: Salus Wellness Limited

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

Exercises to deal with back pain is a post from: Salus Wellness Limited

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 Banni Koviely, click HERE or call us now on 01223 353 351

Frankie Luckock joins Salus Wellness Clinics is a post from: Salus Wellness Limited

She is a member of British Acupuncture Council and Association of Reflexologists.

Banni has a first degree in Mathematics and has worked in Mental Health and with the NHS. She became interested in complementary therapies some years ago. Her degree in Acupuncture (Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Five Element) is from the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine (CICM) inReading.

For more information about Banni Koviely, click HERE or call us now on 01223 353 351

Banni Koviely joins Salus Wellness Clinics is a post from: Salus Wellness Limited

The technique is called method rather than therapy, as it is a gentle “fix in motion” method that can be controlled by the client. The client helps the practitioner by swinging a leg or the arms or moving the head depending on the area that is worked on. The movement “distracts” the muscles so they cannot resist the correction done by very gentle pressure of the thumb against the spine. It’s a gentle, effective and safe treatment, free of unpleasant side effects.

The DORN Method is based on the idea that one leg – even if it is only very slight – is longer than the other, this can misalign or twist the hip and that again may have a knock-on-effect on the spine to cause back discomfort. Therefore every treatment starts with a test for even leg lengths. If this fails, the ankle, knee and/or hip might be misaligned and will be treated first. Then the sacro-iliac area will be looked at and may need to be treated before moving on to the whole of the spine (lower, middle and upper back as well as the neck).

What sets this unique technique apart from others is that every step of the “therapy” can be shown to the client to do at home for self-help without assistance. This allows the person to stabilise if not even further improve the situation in between sessions and to manage the pain. Although a course of 3-6 treatments is recommended, a single treatment can often do a lot for the client. The DORN Method is particularly good for someone who suffers from back pain, neck pain, headaches or migraines, joint pain, sciatica or scoliosis.

Special Offer (until end of November 2011): £5 off your first treatment of any therapy provided by and booked with me when you mention this article.

New treatment for back pain: the Dorn Method explained is a post from: Salus Wellness Limited