Why I want to learn hormonal balancing touch therapies

Having been a therapist employed at a spa for more than 20 years, when Amanda started to experience symptoms of peri menopause she found that for self-care and the care of her clients, she wanted to gain more specialised knowledge and find ways to support clients sustainably. It was then that she discovered our menopause touch therapy qualifications. Here, she explains what she experienced and why she wanted to learn about hormonal balancing touch therapies.

What were the challenges that you faced as a therapist?

After 20 years in the industry I found that I couldn’t provide treatments that involved deep tissue massage back-to-back any more because my hands and thumbs were hurting and I didn’t have the strength to give it 100%. I would rather not do a treatment if I can’t give people 100% - they work hard for their money and deserve the best.

When I went self-employed I was debating whether to offer massage and as I felt I couldn’t do it properly I didn’t offer it at all. I did gentle massage and hot stones but not a full body massage. However, when I saw the Jennifer Young hormonal balancing touch therapies it ignited a passion in me.

What made you want to learn about hormonal balancing touch therapies?

When I worked in the spa I had 30 year olds coming for facials and they thought they had dementia because of brain fog. No one was talking about peri menopause and that you could have symptoms 10 years before menopause itself. When I had those symptoms I started to do my own research.

Post-pandemic I went back to the spa environment for a while, but it didn’t feel right. I wanted to offer a more personal service, focus on menopause and help women, providing more holistic care for clients. I saw the MPlus plant-based menopause skincare products and the inclusion of acupressure and I thought - this is amazing.

What did you want to know about the treatments before you signed up?

I contacted Jennifer before I signed up as I was concerned about the body massage. I am 51 and I want to be doing this work for the next few years. I want to invest in it but if it’s not something I can continue as I get older because it’s a physical treatment, then it’s not sustainable, so I wanted to know more about the pressure involved.

I am on a Facebook salon forum and I constantly read these points that therapists make. Many suffer with painful joints and bad backs from years of doing treatments. I have also found that having reached menopause myself, you start to get some joint pain no one tells you it could be menopause related, I found that out myself, but I think it leads to a lot of women leaving the industry, which is a shame as by that stage they have so much knowledge and experience to offer clients as well as new therapists coming into the market.

When I spoke to Jennifer, I felt that she really understood and that I wasn’t whining. She was honest and said that there is a little pressure involved, using the thumbs with acupressure points, but it’s not extensive and I didn’t feel as though it was a sales pitch from someone just telling me what I wanted to hear. I felt as though there was a lovely connection and that she was honest with me.

She explained that the treatments use the forearms more than anything, and that she and her team have created the massage with therapist wellbeing in mind.

What’s been your experience of menopause?

My own experiences have also influenced my interest. My first step trying to get in contact with my GP was a year ago. I just wanted advice as I really wanted to go down the natural route, but I didn’t know enough about HRT. I was told to go to the health food shop, where they were just ‘sell, sell, sell’. I bought a lot of products but didn’t see much change. When I had another chat with the doctor they gave me a prescription for HRT patches and immediately the hot flushes stopped. I asked for a low dose because I want to go down the natural route and use it to tide over while I learn about nutrition and natural products.

What are you looking forward to about the hormonal balance touch therapies?

I now work in a wellness centre alongside other professionals - counsellors and nutritionists for example. When I started working for myself I had all these ideas of doing lots of treatments, but I have learned that where I am located needs something different. It’s quite remote, and rather than coming for a treatment they could get somewhere else, I want to offer them something unique that ties in with that wellness environment.

I really want to make a commitment to my clients and to work with them to support them in managing their menopause symptoms. Having the hormonal touch therapies, the products and the other specialisms that are on site, that’s how I want to build my identity.

I’m excited to have found a specialism that I’m passionate about, but that I can also do for years to come. I think more mature therapists have a totally different way of seeing people to younger therapists. When you start out, you tend to do exactly as you’re told - if someone says they want a facial, you give them a facial. When you’re a bit more experienced you learn to read people, and you can see what people need.

If someone is booked in for one thing and you can see they need something else, you can add to their treatment and really tailor it to their needs. I think it’s a shame to lose the older therapists just because of those physical challenges.

I really like tailoring treatments to the individual, so I try to mix and match things to give people a taste of other options that they might not normally book. I also like to make sure I give clients the right amount of time - if they need to have a bit of a chat after their treatment, I want to give them that. When you’re rushing one person in and another out in a regular spa environment it gets very stressful.

I think this course works well as it’s really focused on the client and their needs.

Gain knowledge and support your clients as they go through menopause with dedicated touch therapies.

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