Holistic Therapist

Holistic therapists can provide alternative healing therapies to those suffering from either mind or body ailments, or simply want to unwind with a relaxing massage. Potential ailments leading to recommended holistic therapy could range from emotional-related conditions such as stress or anxiety, to physical exertion or muscle-related injuries, making this an extremely rewarding industry to be in. There are a wide range of massage treatments to learn as a holistic therapist, and you can either work in a fixed premises or work as a self-employed, freelance therapist, depending on your circumstances and preferred working environment.

Due to the nature of the role, it is important that holistic therapists are aware of the health and safety procedures, as well as hygienic requirements, before embarking on a role in this industry. The Beauty Academy offer a wide range of treatments to assist you in launching into this chosen career.

To embark on a career as a successful holistic therapist, it is important that you are able to make your clients to feel relaxed and welcome in your company, especially as many holistic treatments can make the client feel exposed and potentially uncomfortable, so a sensitive and professional manner is paramount when performing these treatments. Interpersonal skills are also required to successfully network potential clients, as well as a tactful, empathetic and diplomatic manner in the company of clients, along with the ability to patiently listen to your client’s symptoms and diagnose accordingly.   

You will also benefit from having a business-orientated mindset when at work; being able to retail products whilst you are performing treatments could potentially generate further income and selling additional treatments can encourage repeat business. Many spas and mobile holistic therapists work closely with brands for this purpose.   

You will develop all the appropriate technical skills for this career route during your training, covering the basics of hygiene in the workplace, health and safety factors, contraindications, as well as the specific treatments involved in becoming a holistic therapist, working to an industry-required standard. 

To work from home and/or mobile, you will need to obtain diploma certificates in your specified treatments in order to obtain the necessary insurance.

If you are considering gaining employment within the industry in the future, or looking to eventually open your own Spa, it is in your interest to achieve a Level 3 qualification (which is focused on massage therapy) or even also a Level 2 qualification (which would cover beauty treatments like facial skincare, manicures, waxing etc. to expand your skill-set).

As a self-employed holistic therapist, your working hours will be structured around the appointments you make with your clients. Your working days and hours can be flexible, and you have the scope to structure your hours to your own schedule, however you may be required to work both in the evenings and over weekends, as this is when many people are likely to book in treatments. This working pattern is particularly suitable for those with other commitments, such as young children, who like to schedule their work inside of school hours, and many therapists are self-employed over salon-employed for this reason. 

A factor to be aware of as a holistic therapist is the travelling involved in working from mobile. You may have to travel to your clients’ houses when working mobile, which could be a distance from your own, depending on the range of which you wish to work.  Being self-employed also means that you are relying on your clients to generate your financial income; it is important that you are aware that clients can occasionally be unreliable.  Compared to other areas within the beauty industry, holistic treatments have a relatively low start-up cost and, as a massage therapist, you can dictate your pattern of work to suit your lifestyle.    

Many holistic therapists find their work particularly rewarding for the reason that they are responsible for alleviating aches, pains or ailments from their clients, improving their mental welfare or state of mind through the treatments that they provide. Furthermore, it is often not just the treatment that clients look forward to, but often the general experience and connection with their therapist, and this leads to repeat custom and client satisfaction.

As your abilities in offering treatments and financial stability increases, you may choose to open your own fixed premises once you have the means to do so in terms of clientele and income, and respectively employ junior therapists to work for you whilst in a managerial role, giving you more flexibility in working hours.   

You may also wish to specialize in one particular type of massage, such as becoming a Reiki master or reflexology expert, depending on your personal preference of treatments. Varying from promoting bodily self-healing to alleviating a variety of aches and pains, holistic treatments sought after all-year round and the popularity of massage in general allows you to specialize in one treatment and still have a lucrative source of income.

Book your training…    

It is important that if you are looking to work as a self-employed holistic therapist, you hold the required certificates to obtain appropriate public liability insurance to cover you working from home or mobile. You will also need to be working to an appropriate level of practice, including hygiene requirements and health and safety factors to avoid incidents whilst at work. Your training with The Beauty Academy will cover this vital information, along with the required practical skills to enable you to launch your mobile holistic therapy business with confidence.  If you are looking to open your own salon or gain employment at some point in the future, it may be in your interest to look into completing a Level 3 qualification.

Build up your client base…    

As soon as you have begun your training, you will want to start building a client base. Advertising via social media, creating hand-outs for friends and family to spread around and even advertising in the local paper can all help encourage potential clients to book in for treatments with you. Once they have received and enjoyed their treatment, it is likely they will recommend you to their friends and thus building your client base and creating repeat custom. 

Create your brand…   

To establish your business, you will need a memorable and appropriate brand to represent what you do. Elements to your brand, such as logo, website and social media pages are all important in ensuring your brand has the appropriate amount of exposure and accessibility to potential clients, and this will inevitably help you to get noticed and discover more clients. Our Starting a Business in Beauty Therapy course will help you to acquire the required business know-how to do this successfully.