I have to be honest, there are lots of us out there and it can be a bit overwhelming when faced with so much choice! Not all therapists will be right for all people so how do you go about choosing the one who will be able to help you achieve your goals?
Even though there are so many different therapists to choose from, all offering a vast range of treatments, setting out on your journey to find the best complementary therapist for you doesn’t have to be a difficult one.
The most important factor in making your decision, is ensuring that you find a therapist that makes you feel comfortable, confident and secure in your choice of treatment.
However, there are some other key elements you also need to look for. To make sure that you’re on the right path to discovering the right kind of therapist, we’ve put together 5 key questions you should ask any potential therapist to help you to find that perfect fit:
#1: What qualifications do you possess and how long have you been practising?
When looking for the right treatment plan and therapist, ensuring that the therapist is fully qualified and experienced is fundamental. Unfortuntately, there are training providers out there that offer on-line massage and reflexology courses or very short intensive one or two day reflexology courses that rarely meet the required professional standards.
Check out their qualifications and their experience and ask the therapist to explain how they approach their work. A professional therapist will always be happy to tell you about their skills and background. Some will also offer a complimentary consultation, either over the phone or in person, to ensure you are happy to proceed before booking a treatment.
#2: What appropriate registrations with professional bodies do you possess
There are a number of accredited bodies that regulate the professionalism of the therapists you are considering. Associations such as the CThA (Complementary Therapists Association), AoR (Association of Reflexologists), FHT (Federation of Holistic Therapists), GoC (General Osteopathic Council) and SST (Society of Sports Therapists) provide ongoing training, the opportunity for therapists to connect with other experienced therapists and give their members access to a range of seminars and continuing professional development courses.
Professional bodies also ensure that those offering complementary therapy are fully insured so you can obtain treatment in a safe and relaxed environment.
#3: What experiences or successes have you had with [your particular issue]?
Your therapist is there to offer the best opinion and experience when it comes to dealing with your issue. Their answer will help you to gain insight into how much experience they have had with your issue, their best approaches and what they think will work. This will allow you to obtain more understanding about the challenges you are facing.
Determining how much your potential therapist knows about your condition will also put you more at ease with the process and the treatment plan you decide to undertake.
#4: How often do you update your skills in your chosen therapies?
The field of holistic therapy is ever-progressing and dynamic and it is important that your therapist is too. Ask the therapist for details of recent training they have undergone and what future training is planned. A therapist may sound lovely when you speak to them but upon asking a few questions, you then find out they did one training course over twenty years ago and haven’t updated their skills in any way in that time. It’s a good question to ask before you get on that treatment couch.
It is important to note also, that therapists learn and develop their skills in various ways; through knowledge sharing events like seminars, webinars and training courses but also through treatment swaps with colleagues and regular reading and research.
#5: What do your current clients say about you?
Reading reviews, testimonials or speaking to the person who referred you (if applicable) is a highly useful way to gather information about any potential therapist.
What do their clients say about the services they provide? What do they say about their therapy rooms and how being there makes them feel? These are important considerations that can enable you to make the right decision without even needing to step in the door.
At the Camomile Rooms we are a team of friendly and knowledgeable therapists qualified in a range of therapies and treatments, that can allow you to find the way to feeling your best you. But don’t take our word for it, take a look at testimonials from our recent clients and discover more about our therapy centre, our offering and our team.
