You can contact me at the end of this blog to receive a copy of the article.

When I trained as a reflexologist, it wasn’t a well known therapy and even as an holistic therapy student, I was hearing about it and experiencing it for the first time. That was in 1998!

Map of the body

Since then, I’ve been a qualified reflexologist and taught it for many years. I think the reason I fell in love with it is that it made sense to me. The feet are like a little map of the body. All the organs and body systems can be mapped on the feet. The thousands of nerve endings on the soles of the feet mean that the treatment is powerful! In most cases, I’ve found it to be more powerful than a full body massage. If you’re open and receptive to its power, it can work wonders.

I look back to the college days and remember how well I felt. I was studying reflexology and aromatherapy at the same time. That meant receiving both treatments every week as part of our training so it was no wonder that I felt great. These days, I make sure I undertake one reflexology exchange per month with a fellow practitioner and an additional holistic therapy.

Reflexology training

When you attend the reflexology training with me, you’ll experience the treatment in full, at least once. It’s a key part of becoming a great therapist. This is why the hands-on focus is so important.

In April, I’m attending a weekend long, online conference entitled Neuro Reflexology. Kevon Kunz is one of the keynote speakers and he will provide an in-depth look at how reflexology impacts the nervous system, movement and essential survival mechanisms. For many years, Barbara and Kevin Kunz’s book, Reflexology – Health at your fingertips has been one of my most recommended books to students.

I’ll be writing a full blog report after attending the conference. Once again, if you want to receive this, click the link and I’ll add you to my list.

Next Reflexology 2 day Diploma Course

13th & 14th April (London)
18th & 19th May (Derby)

Add your name and email address to receive a copy of the Reflexology article and my latest blogs!

Thank you for reading this months blog, Reflexology & its impact on the nervous system. If you would like more information about How to create Holistic Fusion please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Have a lovely day,
Sughra

The post Reflexology & its impact on the nervous system appeared first on The Body Temple.

Her clients have become more sophisticated because massage is no longer a luxury. They’ve read the articles, they’ve had the conversations and they’ve often self-diagnosed.

They’re familiar with all the current and newly emerging trends:-

• gut health
• the microbiome
• hormonal health
• remedies for peri-menopause and menopause
• cyclical living … to name but a few

As a therapist, she’s become ever more interested in female health and the nuances surrounding all of the above. She wants to consider the following:-

• preserve her own health whilst continuing to serve clients
• offer deeper work, both emotionally and physically
• be able to address female specific health issues
• have a better vision of what her business looks like in the future
• streamline her service offering but still add new modalities – yes, it’s tricky!

My own therapy practise – How to create Holistic Fusion

I would like to think I’ve created my entire training business around solving these issues. Let me tell you what happened in my own therapy practise first. Like many of us, I fell back on hands-on therapies when I became a carer for my parents. It’s a skill you never lose and if you have the passion for it, it serves you well. I left the high-flying job, returned to the UK and got stuck in where I was needed most. I thought it would be a temporary measure but the more I did it, the more I loved it. It was completely different to being a therapist first time around, over 20 years ago.

I could pick and choose what I offered. I eliminated a lot of treatments. All of my treatments would be a tailor made, combination of reflexology, Indonesian massage, facials and Temple Therapy (for womb and reproductive health). I occasionally throw in lymphatic drainage, Indian head massage and cupping.

Selling treatments by time

I mainly sell treatments by time. My clients come in for 2 hours or 90 minutes and most of the time they let me decide what they need that day. So … when I relaunched my training business in 2022, I created courses for all the therapies I offer. An holistic experience can be made up of any of the following:-

• Swedish massage
• Indonesian massage
• Reflexology
• Indian Head massage
• Cupping (yes, I sometimes throw this in too for tight shoulders and backs)
• Lymphatic drainage
• Temple Therapy

Initially, I created packages called Journey to the Temple, The Sensory Experience and Body Temple Bliss. They were all unique combinations of the above.

Here’s what my treatment menu looked like

I’ve created these deeply indulgent packages based on your favourite combinations

THE SENSORY EXPERIENCE Indonesian Power Massage & an ageLOC results driven facial

BODY TEMPLE BLISS Indonesian Power Massage & Reflexology Zone Therapy

JOURNEY TO THE TEMPLE 3 treats in 1 Fusion Back & Beyond, Aroma Essential Facial & Reflexology

The packages were from 90 minutes upwards and although they went down a treat, most of my clients didn’t care what they were called, or even what they included. They knew how long they wanted to be on the bed, so I started creating unique combinations of what they needed that day.

Peri-menopause

I had found as I got older, reached peri-menopause and became more conscious of my own health and limits, adding reflexology to a back massage, an Indian head massage to a facial, switching Swedish for Indonesian and introducing cups for deep work, added depth to my work, was kind to my body and very importantly – made my clients happy.

The knowledge gained over time, with life experience and studying different modalities means I can pass this on to my clients. Now, they come for more than the treatment. The experience goes beyond ‘the bit on the massage bed’.

I guess this is where my training academy strapline came from …

Education . Empowerment . Evolution

My hope is that my course offering, content and mentorship, educates and empowers therapists to continue to evolve, re-invent and adapt and create a business that’s around for a long time. I also hope that at the heart of that is a therapist who puts her own health first, invests in herself and has complete faith in what she’s offering and why. We don’t need to be everything to everyone. No two treatments need to be the same – that’s why you have a toolkit of therapies.

The majority of my students come back and do a second course and often a third. Once you understand how the treatments can fit together, compliment one another and offer added value, the model starts to make sense.

Today, my most popular 2 hour treatment combination is an Indonesian back massage, facial and reflexology. My students often reach out to ask for help to put packages together, create treatment descriptions and marketing strategies. I’m always on hand for this.

Let’s talk and see what could work for you.

Email me on sughra@thebodytemple.co.uk or whatsapp07942 477 601 to arrange a chat.

Thank you for reading this months blog, How to create Holistic Fusion & a long term business. If you would like more information about How to create Holistic Fusion please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Have a lovely day,

Sughra

The post How to create Holistic Fusion & a long term business appeared first on The Body Temple.

Here are the common questions I’m asked …

• Can I learn massage from scratch in 2 days (or any treatment for that matter)?
• What about the theory?
• Am I safe to go off and practise?
• What if I forget the routine?
• What if I need help after the course?

Deciding to take a short course to learn any modality is a choice. The courses are out there so I suggest doing your research. Before you start, you must decide what your goal is. Are you going to be working for yourself or an employer?

Qualifications

If you’re going to find a job, it’s most likely an employer will want you to have any of the following:-

• an NVQ
• a VTCT
• a FHT
• an ITEC
• or a CIDESCO

Check with employers

They’re all different and the qualification they want you to have may be based on the requirements of their insurance company or their specific requirements. It’s also all about standards. Each qualification will have its unique set of criteria be it case studies, number of hours, theory modules and assessments.

Back in the day when I started out, the above were the only options. My qualifications include NVQs, VTCT and ITEC. If I had the choice then to take a short course, what would I have done? I certainly would have done the research and made comparisons.

Recognised Qualifications

I eventually ended up working abroad so these recognised qualifications served me well. Years later when I returned to the UK, short courses were fresh on the market, and I started teaching reflexology as a 2 day course. Keep in mind that I’d done it as part of a year long ITEC Diploma. I soon added Swedish massage, facials, manicures and pedicures and Indonesian massage to the list of courses I was teaching. I found students went away feeling pretty confident, completed their case studies and started working. In those first 7 years of teaching for Pinks Training Academy, there were no more than 2 students who didn’t receive their certificate. They couldn’t get the hang of the treatment, and it just wasn’t for them.

Short courses

This is where the answers lie to the questions at the beginning. What was different about these students and how could I teach in 2 days what I’d taken a year to learn in the past?

• Short courses focus on the practical. 2 days of practical equates to at least 10 hours. This is often the same or more practical than you’ll do on a 3 or 4 month course. I remember my ITEC reflexology was excellent, but most evenings started with theory and a little practical would be thrown in
• The onus is on the student to continue their learning of the anatomy and physiology. The foundational knowledge, guidance and written materials are provided but the learning must be ongoing. If you’re serious about taking this path, then you’ll continue your learning
• You’re NOT a massage therapist after 2 days. You’re a student, equipped with a solid routine and basic knowledge. You should have the confidence to go off and practise and complete your case studies

I can safely say that all of the above areas are my focus. The majority of my students were and still are mature students, women with different careers making a choice for their future. The majority, very serious about their choice and giving it full focus and with the right tools and training, equipped to go and make a success of it.

Necessary tools to get started

The beauty of the short course in my eyes is that it’s not a massive time and financial commitment but it should give you all the necessary tools to get started. You may decide to go and take a longer course once you’re a little more experienced or you’re clearer on the route you want to take.

It should include help and advice on getting started, offer some form of ongoing support and inspire you to feel clear and confident about where you’re going.

Best of luck!!

Side note: all my students have the choice of being added to a private facebook group for on-going support. They have access to my mobile, social media and also a monthly zoom call.

Next in person course

• 2 day Diploma in Swedish Body Massage – 16th & 17th Feb (London)
• 1 day Certificate in Fire Cupping – 17th Feb – (Derby)
• or at your spa/salon on a date of your choice

Thank you for reading this months blog, You can’t become a therapist in 2 days. If you would like more information please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Have a lovely day,
Sughra

The post You can’t become a therapist in 2 days appeared first on The Body Temple.

As a caveat to that, I can’t speak highly enough of the products I worked with. I use them to this day for myself and my clients. The obsession however has dwindled.

Over-use of the term ‘anti-ageing’

I struggled with the over-use of the term ‘anti-ageing’ and had to dig deep to figure out the reasons why. I thought to myself

• Surely ageing is a privilege
• When I look at a client’s skin, the lines and wrinkles are the last thing I notice
• When I ask a client about her skincare concerns, she normally wants to look brighter and less tired
• Why are the signs of natural ageing demonised?

Knowing all of this, within myself I was still seeking ‘younger looking’ skin. Social media was a big culprit with the barrage of before and after photos. Wrinkles = bad. Looking 10 years younger = good.

Dr Zach Bush

I’d become an avid follower of Dr Zach Bush and still am to this day. I listened to one of his fantastic webinars called ‘The Skin: Discovering Beauty from Within’ and the deal was sealed so to speak. I decided to

• Never use the term anti-ageing again
• Never post before and after photos of skin
• Look at my skin from an holistic perspective
• Start to look at my life as the medicine I need

I wanted to share this poignant introduction to Dr Zach Bush’s webinar – CLICK HERE

Our skin is one of the most overlooked and misunderstood organs of the body, with less research dollars and hours committed to it than any other organ. In the US alone, we spend $55 billion yearly on cosmetics that bury our skin in a vast array of synthetic chemicals known to disrupt hormone signaling, damage the immune system, and even increase risk of cancer. This market is rapidly growing into one of the most long term, steady consumer markets in the world

Besides this powerful introduction, the panel talked about recent research into the possibility of the skin storing memory. That would mean every line and every age spot holds important information. If we’re trying to erase these all the time, what kind of a message are we sending to ourselves?

Ditching the term anti-ageing

As well as ditching the term anti-ageing, I decided to start focussing my work and time around the idea of living healthier rather than living longer. The age old cliché remains firmly in my mind – ageing is a privilege and indeed it is. However, if we don’t have our health and we’re not living a good life then what is it all for?

You know that I love to hear your thoughts on my musings.

Next in person course

2 day Diploma in The Body Temple Method – for Womb and Reproductive Health

• 9th & 10th February in Derby or 22nd & 23rd June in London
• or at your spa/salon on a date of your choice

Thank you for reading this months blog, The day I ditched ANTI-AGEING. If you would like more information please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Have a lovely day,
Sughra

The post The day I ditched ANTI-AGEING appeared first on The Body Temple.

I’ve seen my fair share of HUGE treatment menus too which read like an encyclopaedia but if the client is still having the 60 minute massage, what’s going wrong? Either it’s being built into spa experiences so they’re having it by default or there’s so much choice causing overwhelm that they go for what they know.

Now, we can look at 2 different types of guests

The spa day guest who’s indulging in all the facilities, on a package which includes a set treatment. Then you have the treatment client who may or may not be local or a regular but is probably selecting something from the menu. There is a great opportunity with both to create a tailor made experience based on the following:-

• Allow them to dive into the ethos of your spa and what’s at the heart of your offering (how do you do this and how does the guest find this information?)
• Allow time and space for add-on treatments for those on a package.
• Promote the idea of ‘time’ and the ‘journey’ as opposed to a set treatment.
• Drastically reduce your treatment menu – the age old cliché of quality over quantity but it really means something here.

Private Clients

As well as teaching, I see a small number of private clients every week. Most of them come for 90 minutes or 2 hours and that’s where the conversation begins.

• How much time do you want to take for yourself?
• How are you feeling?
• What’s important for you right now?

In that case, I recommend …

And in my client’s case, they have a ritual that is made up of any of the following:-

• Reflexology
• Indonesian Massage
• Facial
• Womb therapy

Regular clients often know exactly what they want but even then, if I change it last minute they know it’s for a good reason. Maybe 1 in 20 opt for a 60 minute treatment, it’s normally reflexology but by the time they arrived we’ve added 30 minutes.

Read the LinkedIn article: Click Here

Next in person course

2 day Diploma in The Body Temple Method – for Womb and Reproductive Health
9th & 10th February in Derby or 22nd & 23rd June in London
or at your spa/salon on a date of your choice

Thank you for reading this months blog, What’s Your Time Worth? If you would like more information please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Have a lovely day,
Sughra

The post What’s Your Time Worth? appeared first on The Body Temple.

Now I’ll make a confession. In recent years, when I relaunched my academy, I was very firm that I would teach from my East Midlands base only! No travelling, no on-site training and no new venues! Ha! That didn’t last long. It never made business sense for you or for me. You can’t always send half your team away for 2 or 3 nights and selfishly, I sooo miss the spa environment. My bug bear was that in a spa, I’m not in control of anything. The space I need, the facilities and not to mention the schedule!

However, that’s the beauty of having been in the spa world for decades. The last-minute changes, the moments of chaos, and being able to just ‘work it all out’ when needed.

I LOVE people

I LOVE spa people and teaching has been beyond a career – it was my calling. So … I’m putting this out there, knowing in my heart of hearts that it’s for the work I find the most important – teaching others.

What’s the lesson I can share? Let’s see – when you’re running a business and want it to be around for a long time, don’t set hard and fast rules until you’ve explored the following:

• Which parts of your business do you LOVE? The bits which bring you joy, are rewarding and you’d really miss them. Yes of course those bits need to make financial sense too but really dig deep and understand this
• Which bits are you PURELY doing for the MONEY and if the cash wasn’t an issue you’d ditch them without a second thought
• WHO are you at your CORE? What makes you tick? What are your real strengths are where are you harnessing them in your business?

I could think of 10 more questions but let’s just work with these for now. I would love to have your thoughts and also, please reach out for more details. As well as accredited courses, I offer enhanced training for those newbie therapists who need a confidence boost and some advanced skills.

Next in person course

2 day Diploma in Indian Head Massage where you’ll learn a seated version as well as a bed version

19 & 20 Jan or 1 & 2 June Derby, 11/12 May London or at your spa/salon on a date of your choice

Thank you for reading this months blog, Never Say Never! If you would like more information please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Have a lovely day,
Sughra

The post Never Say Never! appeared first on The Body Temple.