I often get comments that my clinic never looks open, and it’s true, I don’t run a clinic where you can drop in. When I first took the centre I knew I wouldn’t be able to have it open all the time, and it’s why I chose the location it’s in. I also knew I wouldn’t have a receptionist, and it would need to be appointment only.

So why have I made these unconventional business choices?

My decisions are based on the people who are investing themselves with me. When I have a client the door needs to be locked, as my priority is the person I’m seeing. I also tend to keep the lights off, partly because I don’t have the main lights on when I’m giving a therapy but also because I prefer natural light. I don’t open the blinds fully, as I’m keen for clients to have privacy and confidentiality when they visit.

The truth is, we don’t get many people walking in so it doesn’t justify a receptionist. We do run a bit of an exclusive club, and while it is open to anyone, you do have to make contact to get in. Sometimes we will have an open door for several hours, but only when we don’t have therapies booked. It means I can be more flexible with our opening times: I offer appointments until 9pm some nights but I wouldn’t be happy to do that if I’d already been there all day.

I also have two young children who I enjoy spending time with. I like a flexible diary, where I can fit in their school plays and events but still get to see all my clients during the week. It suits me and its one of the reasons I enjoy being self-employed.

Another reason I can’t be there all the time is my other work. I am a full time therapist but my work takes me to provide baby massage courses to childrens’ centres, a nursing home three times a week to provide therapies to several complex needs clients, an office to provide corporate massage, a charity to provide therapies to mums with depression or other mental health issues, and I have mobile clients, some of whom I’ve been seeing for over 9 years. I love the experience it gives me and the wide variety of clients I get to see in a month, but I wouldn’t be able to do all this if I stayed at my clinic each day.

So, why do I have a clinic space? I love having my own therapy rooms I can use when I want. I love that if I want to offer a client something that may help them, I will have it to hand. I love that I have a space for all my business work and it doesn’t invade my home. I love that I do have a base where I see a lot of my private clients.

So if you see the Therapy Centre and think it doesn’t look open, try contacting me and I will be there for you. Yes, you may get a voicemail but I’ll call you back. For an holistic therapy I’ll ask you if you’d prefer days, evenings or weekends and we’ll start from there – it may seem unconventional, but I run an unconventional clinic!

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, aromatology, 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 you can visit her website louise-morgan.co.uk. 

The therapy centre website is kinsaletherapycentre.co.uk, the contact number is 01275 217160