One of the things which makes me a bit nervous about my clinic is when people call and say 'the one that always looks closed'. I've tried many things to address this: I put a note in the window to explain we may look closed and the door may be locked but there could be people inside (we often keep the lights off as the front room doesn't have a separate light switch) and I often open the blinds.
The truth is, we don't get many people walking in. 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 we 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. At the moment I'm providing baby massage courses to childrens centres, I visit a nursing home three times a week to provide therapies to several complex needs clients, I visit offices to provide corporate sessions twice a month and I have mobile clients, some of whom I've been seeing for over 6 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.
For 2016 I have decided I will no longer take on new mobile clients, as I do need to use my clinic space more. My existing mobile clients will have no change in their service, as I've been working with them for a while. I hope to spend more time at the the centre, but it still won't be all day and every day. Honestly, it does still makes me a little uncomfortable about how people may think about it, but I know the ones who need me will get in touch.
If you see the Therapy Centre and think it doesn't look open, try contacting me and I will be there for you.. 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 we're 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
