If you’ve never been to see an holistic therapist, you may be wondering why you would want to book. They can seem expensive, with no indication of what they may help, and with no guarantees to their efficacy.
What’s in a name?
An holistic therapist is someone who takes you as a person, you may have a collection of symptoms, but we’re interested in you. You may find us called complementary therapists – there is no set standard wording and it is common to use these terms if we practise a few different modalities. If a therapist specialises in only one field then they may call themselves a reflexologist, an aromatherapist, a massage therapist, a Bach Flower Remedy practitioner, a nutritionist, a Reiki practitioner, an EFT practitioner, a homeopath. The list is endless, but they’re designed to try and help you choose the right option for you.
Regardless of what you choose to book, we’re all looking towards the same outcome – to get you to a better point of wellness. Different therapists will specialise in different areas which may be better option if you have a particular issue. For example, if you have a back ache then seeing someone who offers massage may be more beneficial than EFT (unless you’ve had it a long time and there’s a psychological influence which needs to be addressed. While it can seem disheartening to think its all in your head, the psychological aspect is being seen as a big influencer in recovery of back issues). The thing with holistic therapists is that they’re looking to help you become a better version of you, to improve those niggles, work with you to encourage your body or you to make changes.
Why won’t you tell me what you can help with?
Everyone is an individual, we all respond differently and what works for one won’t work for another. We have to find the right option for you and it’s about tailoring our approach so it works for you. Sometimes, we need to recommend you to another professional, sometimes we need to tweak an aspect or we need to wait for your body to become more receptive to what we’re all trying to achieve. On a practical level, we also can’t give you false hope, the research is slowly being carried out in therapies but we can’t advertise things that haven’t been scientifically proven. For complementary therapists it is often word of mouth which brings new clients – if someone asks me if I can help with a particular condition, I can’t say if it will not or not, as while I may have experience and seen improvements with others, your situation is unique to you.
What if I choose the wrong therapy?
If a client isn’t sure what to book, I always tell them there’s no right or wrong. Do a bit of research into the different modalities, speak to the therapist – if they’re saying they can definitely help and to get booking in, then I’d personally recommend looking elsewhere (except a physio, who’s part of a regulated body!) If you try something and you don’t like it, try something else – you’re not committed to just having that therapy. Sometimes a combination can be useful, sometimes a course of one therapy may be more applicable – speak to the therapist and they can advise you further. Just remember they’re all designed to support and help you
Will I end up wasting loads of money?
Therapies can be considered expensive, but if you’re buying lunch or a coffee, think how much that would go towards the cost of a session. Smokers can give up and easily transfer the funds to supporting their therapy habit, while for others realising some time out for yourself will keep you going in a busy family environment can be priceless.
Our perception of expense is based on what we think is valuable. If you’ve never had a therapy it’s easy to wonder why someone would spend so much each month on a pamper. For those who regularly have appointments, they know its not a waste of money and that the benefits carry on until their next session – they no longer see it as a pamper but an important part of their self-care. If you’re looking for a specific outcome, then you may feel you’re wasting money if you don’t get it, but if you’re open to the idea that you may get some unexpected benefits then you should find you’re getting value for money. Occasionally, I see people where we don’t achieve the initial aim, but they enjoy the relaxation, the calm, the time out, and even though I’ve suggested another therapy they seem to find their way back so they can experience the feeling once again – it’s only a waste of money if you get absolutely nothing from it and the likelihood of that is low
Louise is an holistic therapist who owns Therapy Centre, Bristol BS14 9HB, a clinic offering a range of holistic and beauty therapies. Louise offers reflexology, aromatherapy, holistic massage, Indian head massage, reiki, baby massage and story massage. She is a mum of two boys and when she is not working she enjoys getting outdoors with her family. For further information about Louise, visit louise-morgan.co.uk.