Professional Associations

I have allowed my membership of the BCMA to lapse, as I didn't see any benefit to membership. After having been a member of a professional association ever since I trained in 2008 (see Professional Associations Posts for previous posts on this topic), indeed for many years a heavily involved one volunteering my time, I have decided not to be a member of any. I do of course remain fully qualified and insured to practice.

Professional Associations: APNT Dissolved, still a BCMA Member

Unfortunately, the Professional Association I joined in March, the Association of Physical and Natural Therapists, because of their fantastic support for therapists during the pandemic, has been dissolved, as of 31st August 2021. While this was originally with the intention of starting a new organisation with a different structure, such as a Limited Company or Community Interest Company, very sadly for a respected organisation founded in 1986, financial irregularities discovered during this process have lead to a criminal investigation. 

I do however remain a member of the BCMA - the British Complementary Medicine Association, which is a member of the General Council for Soft Tissue Therapies (GCMT),  and a founder member of the Integrated Healthcare Collaborative (IHC), bringing together professional associations and stakeholders within complementary, traditional and natural healthcare​.

(NB as referred to here I have now also left the BCMA since this blog post)

Changing Professional Association from FHT to APNT

I will be able to re-open when England goes into Phase 2 of the 'roadmap' out of lockdown. The government has told us that will be at the earliest, from the 12th April. We will hear on Monday 5th whether that has the go ahead, or if it has to be put back. So, watch this space!

 
Meanwhile, as part of preparing to re-open Holistyx... I have changed my Professional Association.

 

Handing over Holistic Therapists Support Group to new Co-ordinators

Isobel Hamid and I set up Lancaster Local Support Group five years ago, in association with the FHT - the Federation of Holistic Therapists - the largest and leading professional association for complementary, beauty and sports therapists in the UK and Ireland. Having been voluntary Co-ordinators for the group ever since including organising 47 meetings with speakers on a wide range of topics we are stepping down at the end of this year and handing over to new Co-ordinators Sarah Bowers and Fran Leaver. 

From January 2016 they will continue to offer 9 meetings a year at the St John's Hospice (at Beaumont Bridge, Slyne Road, Lancaster, LA2 6ST) though now in the Oak Centre instead of in the Education Room.

I am passing the group on in deep gratitude to all the speakers to date for their time and efforts. Most of our speakers have been local practitioners. We are very lucky to have people with such a range of knowledge and skills in this area. 

I am also grateful to all our lovely attendees, who have made it such a friendly group, whether attending regularly or occasionally, especially those who have made the trip to join us from further afield in North Lancashire and right across South Cumbria.

Lastly, I am very grateful to Fran and Sarah for taking on the work to enable to group to continue, and wishing them all the best and looking forward to seeing what speakers and topics we have in the future. :)

I did have a whole page on this website about the group, but with stepping down I am removing it today, but I wanted to keep a record here as I am very proud to supporting the very many practitioners who have attended regularly or occasionally from not just locally but from further afield in North Lancashire and right across South Cumbria.

Being busy, and looking after my own health and wellbeing

So I recently realised that I've gone all year without doing a blog update!

So, its been a busy year. I started Holistyx nearly 7 years ago, and the first few years it was very slow going getting regular clients. Whenever I meet a discouraged Holistic or Complementary therapist in the first few years of their practice, I tell them that after my first 3 years, building up this business part time while also doing other work to make a living, I had earned so little once my expenses were taken out of my takings I seriously considered giving up, packing it all in. I am so glad that with my partner's support I kept going.

This is the year I have become so in demand I have had to learn what my physical, mental and emotional limits are, and to respect them. I've had burn out before in my previous career, don't want to do that again. I have seen a local massage therapist get such serious repetitive strain injury from overwork that she had to have no clients at all for over a month. I have read the dreadful statistics on drop out rates in the massage profession due to strain and injury. I am determined that's not going to happen to me! So I have set my limits to look after myself.

I had already decided at the end of 2014 that I would have no more than 2 evenings a week where I get home after 8pm, 2 Saturdays a month off, and have Monday mornings to catch up on admin so I sometimes get a full weekend. One less evening a week working late also meant I could start doing a weekly Pilates class to support my core strength and general fitness as well as continuing with my weekly Yoga class. .

As the year progressed I realised I also could not - cannot - do the number of sessions a week I thought I would be able to. I was aiming for 20 every week. I have discovered I cannot sustain that level of workload without my own health and wellbeing suffering, and also the quality of my work. I am aiming for an average of 15 clients a week, with a maximum of 17. I also decided I needed to have no more than 4 clients a day, pretty strictly.

So now with those limits in place, most weeks I don't have any unbooked spaces unless I've had a cancellation and even then it often fills up. I am still not quite used to the fact that sometimes - mostly before or after I take any time off - I get so booked up that I get a waiting list. I am starting to get used to responding to an enquiry from a potential new client and knowing that they may not wish to or be able to wait until I am available - especially as my evenings and Saturdays sometimes get fully booked up 2 or 3 weeks, even a month ahead - and so may choose to go to someone else who can fit them in.

The other thing I have done this year is to practice what I preach and.... get more massage and Reflexology myself! I am having Reflexology every other month, and massage about every 6 weeks.

Last but not least, in terms of looking after my own energy and not trying to do too much... 5 years ago Isobel Hamid and myself started a Local Support Group on a voluntary basis in association with the Federation of Holistic Therapists. Providing education, professional development and mutual support for local therapists in the fields of sports, beauty and complementary therapies.

Each meeting had a speaker on a different topic, and we had an average of 9 meetings a year. 47 meetings later, at the end of this year we are passing the group over to new Co-ordinators. I am looking forward to passing on the responsibility and the work - and also to seeing what speakers they bring to the group!

Federation of Holistic Therapists Membership

FHT = The Federation of Holistic Therapists - the largest and leading professional association for complementary, holistic beauty and sports therapists in the UK and Ireland.

What does it mean that I am a member of the FHT?

Choosing an FHT member means you can relax in the knowledge that you are in the hands of a highly qualified therapist, fully insured and practicing to recognised standards, including that all marketing material is legal, decent, honest, truthful and not misleading; that the therapist is undertaking regular Continuing Professional Development; and adhering to a Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.

Massage, Aromatherapy and Reflexology are all self-regulating industries in the UK. The government does not set any standards, anyone can legally practice them. Various independent bodies exist however regulate these industries and to reassure the public of the standard of practitioners registered with them.

If you see a therapist has letters after their name, it may denote a qualification - or membership of a professional association. You may wish to check with the association that that person is indeed registered with them - I have a direct link to the FHT website on my sidebar where you can check my membership is listed with other members in this area. Some other professional associations which can reassure you about a therapist registered with them are:

• The International Federation for Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA)
• The International Federation of Aromatherapists (IFA)
• Association of Beauty Therapists (ABT)
• The Association of Reflexologists (AOR)
• The British Reflexology Association (BRA) 
• Complementary Therapists Association (CThA)
• The British Complementary Medicine Association (BCMA)
• The Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)

Federation of Holistic Therapists Lancaster Local Support Group

A Lancaster based support group for practitioners in the fields of Complementary and Holistic Health, Beauty and Sports Therapy was recently set up by myself and fellow therapist Isobel Hamid in association with the FHT (Federation of Holistic Therapists).

Monthly meetings on Mondays 7-9pm, will provide opportunities to hear talks, see demonstrations, network, and exchange information and ideas, and participate in various activities and events such as therapy swaps, training, and promotional events. The meetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend. Fee: £5.00 for FHT members and £7.00 for non-members.

Our first meeting in January had a good turn out of 27 people, mostly therapists who had been informed about the new group by the FHT; and focused on giving information about our plans and ideas for the group, getting feedback and suggestions, and general networking. Feedback forms gave universally positive feedback, that the meeting was informative, interesting, and enjoyable and that people are looking forward to future talks, events, etc. I very much enjoyed meeting everyone and got one of the types of support I had hoped for by arranging some therapy swaps for both Massage and Reflexology. Fabulous!

Our second meeting in February had a demonstration by Isobel Hamid of Cupping. By using specially heated glass jars as an aid to massage, a vacuum is created to increase blood flow and movement of body fluids, stimulate muscles and enhance internal organ function.

Our March meeting will include a talk by Shelan Holden of Women's Aid.

A Facebook group has been set up Here. Feel free to join, and share any bits of info or weblinks that you feel group members may be interested in, particularly if they are local.

Are you a therapist? - you are welcome to post a short intro about yourself and a link to your website if you wish (there is a shared document to which you may also add your weblink and which therapies you offer).

Be aware that this is an open group - everyone on Facebook can view the group and join. The group will appear in search results and all content (e.g., photos, videos and discussions) is visible to anyone viewing the group.

Let me know if you'd like me to add you to my email mailing list for info on future meetings. We have demos and talks in the pipeline on Women's Aid, Yoga, Alexander Technique, Acupuncture, plus plans for a Therapy Market (items for sale) and a Therapy Swap evening.

PS - For more information I have a page about the Group. FHT LLSG