Revive launches innovative new marketing workshops for holistic therapists

I'm very excited to announce that Revive Holistic Marketing has launched its marketing workshops and marketing services for holistic therapists.


Revive Holistic Marketing was created in 2009, after it became clear to me that there was a need for further training for massage therapists and other holistic therapies practitioners. Nationally accredited courses such as the Certificate IV in Massage Therapy, Diploma of Remedial Massage and Diploma of Aromatherapy, provide excellent technical training, however therapists often do not receive specific and thorough guidance on how to market their services.

The Expedition to Success – Marketing Your Holistic Therapies Business workshop provides therapists with a solid overview of marketing, and offers practical tools and templates to help them launch or grow their businesses, and attract and retain clients.

Designed for newly qualified and practising massage therapists, aromatherapists, reflexologists, Chinese medicine practitioners, naturopaths, homeopaths, astrologers, numerologists, energy healers and virtually any holistic therapies practitioner, participants require no previous experience in marketing.

Workshops are currently scheduled to run in Brisbane, Byron Bay, Cairns, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Newcastle and Sydney, with more locations to be added throughout the year. The workshop fee is $385 per person and includes course materials, a complimentary listing on the searchable global therapy directory, Local Therapy, a 50% discount on a custom 6-page website (this offer is valued at $125) and more.

Revive’s workshops can also be customised for, and delivered to, natural therapies colleges, holistic therapies associations and other related organisations throughout Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

I’m passionate about holistic therapies, and my vision is to help holistic therapists grow successful businesses, while raising awareness of the benefits of holistic therapies in the community.

Therapists invest substantial time and money in gaining and maintaining their holistic therapies qualifications. By better understanding how marketing can drive sales and revenue, therapists who attend our workshops will also learn how to convert that investment into profit quicker, while earning continuing professional education points (CPE points).

Feel free to check out the site, or to contact us if you have any queries about the workshops.

Free reflexology treatments during World Reflexology Week!

Feel like a free reflexology treatment?

If you're around the Burleigh Heads area next Friday (26 September) check out the Reflexology Open Day at Massage Schools of Queensland.

Members of the public are invited to attend the event, and will hear one of Australia’s pioneers in reflexology, Heather Edwards, discuss and demonstrate this fascinating holistic therapy. Visitors can then sample free reflexology treatments, with qualified reflexologists on hand to answer any questions.

Date: Friday, 26 September 2008
Time: 9.45am for a 10.00am start; reflexology treatments will run all day till 5.00pm
Venue: Massage Schools of Queensland, Level 1, 36 Kortum Drive, Burleigh Heads, QLD 4220
Ph: 5576 6366

Heather is involved in many firsts’ in reflexology education in Australia, most notably being one of Australia’s first registered reflexologists with the International Institute of Reflexology. She is a trained teacher, Aromatherapist and herbalist. She is a founding member of the Reflexology Association of Australia (RAA) and the International Council of Reflexologists (ICR).

Heather commenced her training with Dwight Byers in 1984 and became Australian Director in 1991. She has developed, co-ordinated and taught reflexology courses throughout Australia and Singapore for the past 19 years.

Having just completed my introductory reflexology studies with Heather, I'm sure that anyone who wants to learn more about reflexology, will find her talk invaluable.

Be positive about your health!

I'm sure we all know someone who loves to bask in their ill health.

New research suggests that people who focus on ill heath (whether it is perceived or real) could actually be talking themselves into illness, and even an early death.



















Healthy Pages reports on an article in the Medical Care journal, where researchers from Duke University discovered the astonishing difference in survival rate for 3,000 heart patients who were requested to describe their health as 'poor' or 'very good', irrespective of their condition. Those who said 'very good' were three times more likely to survive.

"This report supports the results from Johns Hopkins University who questioned 5,000 people over 65 years of age about their health. Those who said 'poor', regardless of their actual condition doubled their risk of death within five years."

A positive attitude about health can ward off mental distress and may help provide important protection against diseases," says Professor Gunnar Engstrom, MD, from Lund University, Sweden."

The article also goes on to suggest that laughter can play a huge role in physiological stimulation that leads to a number of health benefits by reducing stress, and boosting antibodies that fight infection.

Holistic therapies such as massage and reflexology have similar benefits, in that they have also been proven to reduce stress, and improve the body's circulatory systems - which assist in the production of antibodies.

Next time that person you know is moaning about their ill health, suggest that they watch a funny movie, have a giggle or have a massage!

Student clinics at massage schools - great value and great experience

Massage Schools Queensland (MSQ), the school where I'm currently doing my reflexology studies, runs a student clinic, whereby students practice on members of the public, at highly discounted prices.

I'd come across the clinic concept when I did my massage studies in the UK, and had to participate in one clinic day. It seems to be different in Australia, or certainly at this school. Cert IV students at MSQ are required to do 40 hours of massage in the clinic, on top of their 100 or so practice hours outside of the school.

I think it's a great idea that benefits the soon-to-be massage students by giving them a broader range of experience while they're still under the guidance of teachers, while giving the public access to massage and other therapies such as aromatherapy, remedial massage and reflexology at greatly reduced prices.

Until I'd participated in a clinic day and received a massage at one, I'd always been a bit sceptical about whether I wanted a "beginner" practicing on me. However, I was extremely impressed at the quality of the massage I had at the MSQ clinic last week - done by one of my reflexology study buddies after our class.

Everything about the clinic, the pre-treatment consultation and the massage was professional. It was more thorough, in fact, than many massages I've paid full price for.

I think the main benefit of student clinics is that the students are keen to do their massage well, and are constantly receiving feedback from tutors and other students in class, and then put it to practice immediately in the clinic. It also simulates an actual clinic environment, so students gain relevant experience in the logistics of back-to-back appointments, changing treatment rooms over and building rapport with clients in a short period of time. It's also a great, cheap way to try out massage if you've never had one.

I completely recommend the MSQ clinic and am looking forward to another massage in a couple of weeks.

Check out your local massage school's clinic - chances are you'll save money and get a great massage treatment!

Fixated with feet!

I'm nearly halfway through my reflexology unit and I continue to be amazed (and mortified) about what my feet are revealing about the inner workings of my body and mind. It's SO interesting!

Heather, our teacher, goes off onto what she calls digressions, but for us, they're the most interesting parts: like how the hands relate to how you're managing life and the things around you - basically how you're "handling" things. And the feet are about stepping forward in life.

We're getting down and gritty with bunions and calluses, heel fissues and puffiness, all of which have their own meanings. Bunions for example, which cause the big toe to bend away from the centreline of the spine reflex, represent moving away from one's path.

Heel fissures, which are deep, sometimes open cracks at the base of the heel, are directly related to the base of the spine, and can represent carrying extra weight or burdens in life.

We're learning which part of the feet correspond to the spine, and how working the spine reflex on the foot can actually reduce tension in say, the lower back! How cool is that!

The recommended textbook, "Better Health with Foot Reflexology" is an equally fascinating read, as it goes into the numerous reflexes in depth.

Today after class, I'm getting a therapeutic massage in the college's clinic, so will be checking out for similarities and differences in massage techniques. I can't wait.

I wonder what my feet will reveal today!

Reading the feet - reflexology reveals all

As part of the conversion of my UK massage qualifications to a recognisable Australian qualification, I have to do 30 hours of reflexology studies. I'll be doing this in 10 x 3-hour lectures over the next 4 weeks, and I started the course today at Massage Schools of Queensland.

Our teacher is a veteran in reflexology, having been one of the first people to be licenced to practice and teach reflexology into Australia. She's been doing it since 1984 and clearly knows her stuff. I was hooked after the first 10 minutes of discussion about reflexology.

According to the Reflexology Association of Australia, this modality's governing association in Australia, reflexology is:

"A gentle, holistic therapy based on the principle that certain parts of the body reflect the whole. Reflex points, which relate to all parts of the body, can be found in the feet, hands and ears. A reflexology treatment is a systematic working of these points, stimulating the body's own natural healing process, resulting in better health."

The reflex points are typically depicted in a map like the one below. The highlighted area below shows the area on the foot that represents the liver, for example. Theoretically, if this area is a bit tender or numb while a reflexologist is doing a sequence across your foot, it could indicate a problem with the liver or surrounds.





















I had this experience first hand in the class today, as the teacher demonstrated the sequence on me. After a couple of months worth of farewells and reunions (and the associated drinking that seems to have gone with that), this area of my foot was really sensitive! She pointed out this sensitivity before I could even start justifying the cause...! So, lotsa of fruit, vegies and healthy eating for me in the next few weeks.

In any case, it was an eye-opener, and I can't wait to learn more about the various reflex points, and see this stuff in action for myself.

Reflexology has actually been used for thousands of years. Like massage, our forebears recognised the benefits of touch and have been practicing various forms of reflexology for years.

Reflexology is good for you because it:
- reduces stress and tension
- improves circulation
- balances the nervous system
- boosts lymphatic function thereby reducing oedema, reducing toxicity and improving immunity
- stimulates sluggish, congested systems
- reduces pain
- enhances the body's natural healing process, improves sleep, increases energy and vitality

And, just as you can read the feet, you can read the hands in a similar way. Cool huh!

If you are interested in finding a qualified reflexologist in your area, the Reflexology Association has a state-based search. Or ask your massage therapist - they may be able to help out

* The foot map image is the copyright of dorling kindersley books, who seem to have some cool resources for reflexology students or anyone else interested in their feet!

Mapping massage qualifications across countries – not as straightforward as you would think!

I am learning a thing or two about the differences in massage qualifications between countries! It would appear that a massage therapist in Australia is required to undergo far much more study to qualify for a Diploma, than a massage therapist in the UK.

When I simultaneously completed my ITEC Diploma Course in Holistic Massage and BTEC Professional Diploma Course in Holistic Massage Practice in the UK in 2007, I was led to believe that the ITEC qualification was recognised almost globally - and certainly in Commonwealth countries such as Australia. I was aware that the higher level BTEC qualification was specific to the UK, but it gave me a deeper knowledge of massage techniques than the ITEC course would have

I thought that when I relocated back to Australia, the transfer of my qualifications would be a simple affair – have someone review and approve my UK qualifications, join the Australian Association of Massage Therapists, get insurance and get out there massaging commercially. After all, in the UK, I had been practicing commercially, was a member of the Complementary Therapists Association, and had all my insurance sorted etc.

Enter the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) – the body that governs all accredited training courses in Australia. It’s about competencies, and any school, college, university or individual trainer who wants to offer nationally recognised courses must have their courses sanctioned under the AQF.

The Australian Association of Massage Therapists advised me to have my qualifications “RPL’d” – that is, assessed for Recognition of Prior Learning, either by a government department or one of the Australian massage schools. I chose to contact Massage Schools of Queensland and have them RPL my qualifications – I figured they would have far more of a clue about massage skills than a government department who simply mapped units of competency from the UK qualifications to the Australian framework.

Rhona, the owner of Massage Schools of Queensland was very helpful. When I was still in the UK, she asked me to send hard copies of my qualifications, detailed course syllabi and any supporting material about what my courses had included. That was all straightforward enough.

The next step was a face-to-face meeting, which I had earlier this week. We discussed my course in depth. The studies around anatomy and physiology, massage therapy practice and the clinical aspects of massage practice all seemed to map fairly consistently. Massage technique was another story however.

T o gain the minimum qualification in massage in Australia (the Certificate IV in Massage Therapy Practice), students have to complete practical units in Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, aromatherapy and reflexology. I don’t object to the fact that the Australian qualification requires students to study more modalities – in fact, I think that the more techniques a therapist can apply, the more effective treatment they can provide their clients.

In terms of the mapping to the UK qualification, my Swedish and deep tissue massage units were adequate. They had been the focus of my course. I had separately done a further, substantial qualification in seated/acupressure massage with TouchPro UK, and Rhona agreed that this could be substituted for either the aromatherapy or reflexology units. In the RPL process, “equivalent units” can also be counted – so the assessor will look to see how many hours the unit took to complete and determine whether it can be counted as an equivalent unit.

That still left me one unit short, and Rhona advised that I would need to do either the aromatherapy or reflexology modules before she could award me the Cert IV in Massage Therapy Practice.

I had previously investigated both modalities, and had intended to do some post-grad studies once life after my relocation was a bit more organised, and after I had practiced massage commercially more in Australia. When it became a matter of “you need to do another unit before you can qualify”, I decided to start a reflexology unit in July. I will most likely do the aromatherapy unit this year as well.

Once I’ve done the month’s worth of reflexology studies, I will gain my Cert IV, can join the association, get insurance, and start massaging. Who knows – I’ll probably go on to do the Diploma in Remedial Massage!

I’m all for further study, and I completely agree with the requirement for massage therapists and other holistic therapy professionals to continuously upgrade their skills - but I do object to the hoops (and additional cost!) that you have to go through to transfer qualifications between countries.

Anyway, I’m really looking forward to meeting my reflexology study buddies, and looking forward to being able to do a reflexology treatment by the end of July.