Being empathetic and caring are key to mother of three, Natalie Nugent’s role as a Complementary Therapist and business owner at Complete Wellness Therapies.
Find out how she became a Complementary Therapist
Give a brief outline of your career to date.
I have a huge passion for Health and Wellbeing and after studying and practising many complementary therapies over the years, in 2016 the opportunity came along to open up my own Complete Wellness Therapies centre in Lisburn City Centre. This was my dream! From this space, I have been able to create three treatment rooms and a larger room to facilitate workshops/classes. I now have a team of therapists offering a variety of services to help people. These therapies include massage, reflexology, reiki, hypnotherapy, fertility and pregnancy treatments.
To reach my next goal, I committed to more studying last year and have recently secured a teaching qualification. I will soon be opening my own Complementary Therapy School and I am excited to be able to teach others who are interested in learning more about different therapies and/or who would like to pursue a career in this field. I intend to still carry out a specific number of 1-1 appointments per week and the school will run alongside this.
What was your favourite subject at school?
My favourite subject was English Literature. I loved reading and could get lost in books and stories for hours.
Did you go on to further/ higher education, if so what did you study and where?
After successfully completing my A-levels, I studied Geography at Queen’s University Belfast. Once I completed my degree I went straight into Banking and it was a few years later that I decided on a career change and subsequently went back to studying to gain all my qualifications in Complementary Therapies.
How did you get into your area of work?
After having my first child nine years ago I knew I wanted to change from my career at the time to something more fulfilling. I always had a passion and interest in Complementary Therapies and recognised the benefits they could bring from having different treatments myself over the years. It was during my maternity leave that I started exploring different options in this field and signed up to courses in both Reflexology and Aromatherapy Massage.
After achieving Diplomas in these therapies, my hunger and passion to learn more grew and this allowed me to explore more specialised therapies. I was particularly drawn to Women’s Health issues and the benefits that Complementary Therapies can bring, so I went on to specialise in fertility issues and pregnancy and achieved qualifications to enable me to provide treatments in this area.
Is this what you always wanted to do?
In a nutshell yes! I think I fell into the Banking role straight from University without thinking if it was something I really wanted to do long term but then the time came when I knew it wasn’t fulfilling for me as a career and that’s when I started to really think about what would be. I knew that I wanted to have a career that I was passionate about, that I really enjoyed and that was rewarding.
Were there any particular essential qualifications or experience needed?
To begin with, having a Level 3 Diploma in both Reflexology and Aromatherapy Massage is essential for starting a career in Complementary Therapies. From this a therapist can gain lots of knowledge and experience and begin work as a therapist.
Are there alternative routes into the job?
I would say to people considering becoming a therapist that it depends on which Therapy you want to practice in. It is essential that you gain the relevant qualification whether it be via college or a private school.
What are the main personal skills your job requires?
Being empathetic and caring are key skills to have when seeing your clients, as many have personal issues they are dealing with. Listening is also an important skill to have as that can be very therapeutic in itself – sometimes the client just needs someone with a good listening ear.
What does a typical day entail?
In the morning I set up the treatment rooms for upcoming appointments. My days can be very varied so I might begin with treating someone to a relaxing Indian Head Massage, followed by a Reflexology treatment. The afternoon might involve a consultation with a client regarding their fertility journey and constructing a Fertility Plan/ Treatment tailored specifically to them and their needs. The day could finish off with a client having a relaxing Aromatherapy Massage. Between appointments I’ll catch up on any admin such as taking new bookings, answering any queries clients may have and keeping up to date with marketing and social media posts.
What are the best and most challenging aspects of the job?
Overall, my job is wonderfully fulfilling. To help a client feel better whether mentally, physically and/ or emotionally is so rewarding. Specialising in Fertility means that I get particularly close to these clients whilst on their fertility journey. The most challenging part is the feeling of frustration for those couples who it doesn’t work out for. I feel genuine pain and heartache for them.
How has COVID- 19 impacted your business/ role?
It has hugely impacted my business as I had to close the Wellness Centre for 16 weeks. The uncertainty surrounding the business was very concerning at the time as we primarily provide close contact treatments. Thankfully we are now able to do 1-1 appointments again but have had to postpone any group workshops for the time being. However, we are hoping to return to hosting workshops in the near future.
What adjustments have you had to make?
We have had to limit the number of appointments we can take to leave sufficient time for cleaning between appointments and to limit the amount of people in the centre at one time. We have had to organise PPE for all therapists and buy extra towels/linens for the treatments. There has been a big increase in washing – the washing machine rarely stops!
Why is what you do important?
My job is important because of the benefits my clients feel from their treatments. To hear about their Improvements after a session is so lovely, such as a client being able to walk better, having reduced migraines, being in less pain, feeling happier or less anxious, getting a positive on a pregnancy test or giving birth to their baby. Our health and wellness is so important and as life has become too fast and too stressful for a lot of people, this can get in the way of happiness and feeling good. My role helps people reduce their stress and find the happier version of themselves again.
What advice would you give anyone looking to follow a similar career path?
If you are passionate about Complementary Therapies and feel the benefits that they can bring people, then this could be a career for you. It is so important to gain lots of hands on experience whilst studying and get in as much practice and case studies as you can, as this can set you apart from other therapists. Clients can sense if the therapist is genuine so being authentic is key to being successful.
Keep up to date with the latest news and views on the NI job market and more by following the nijobfinder blog.
Follow nijobfinder on Facebook and Twitter to see the latest jobs and to ensure your dream job won’t pass you by.