so confusing - courses

Our 7 day Holistic Therapy course will cover Body Massage (2 days), Aromatherapy (3 days) and Reflexology (2 days) hmm not sure, I studied a diploma a year, Reflexology, Health and Safety and Anatomy and Physiology with Indian Head Massage on another day, then Aromatherapy, Body Massage, I learnt alot on my years courses, it took me months to learn my Reflexology routine, seriously doubt you can learn it in 2 days 🙁

Hi Mrs JKN

It is very confusing when you see ads on HP claiming to make you a qualified Reflexologist in a weekend, or via 20 online distance learning lessons. Anyone who has been around HP for any length of time sees questions such as yours, again and again. And we feel very sad for you guys because you take the ads on face value, being here on the HP site... seemingly endorsed by HP. And yet, most of the folk here would warn you against taking something like that unless it's for general interest.

I hold my hands up and confess to being enrolled on 4 online distance learning courses (Chinese Medical Theory, CBT, NLP and oops.... can't remember the last one). I am taking all of them for personal interest and enjoyment - and would recommend each of them for this reason. I would be very hesitant to endorse them as a route to treating paying clients. I am also taking a 3-year face-to-face programme which runs for 10 weekends in the first year, and 20 weekends in the second and third years - and it's that one which I will be getting insurance and registration for.

My suggestion would be to enroll on these one-day courses to give yourself an idea of whether these modalities are something you would like to pursue properly. Then, look at your budget and the time you have available - and find a reputable College which offers high quality training. You may find that you have to wait a couple of years until you can afford it, or take time off work. It's a career change, it's a big decision... and not something that a few online lessons or a weekend is going to properly equip you for.

Good luck finding the right course!

Ava x

Thanks for your replies.

I just dont know how I am going to find a college course I can actually attend. I work day and night shifts and even when I am dayshift I finish at 7.15 so to late for everything I can find. On my days off my H works, he works around me for childcare reasons.
I would like to do the VTCT Swedish massage course my Husband did, but he did it before we had the babies and had some free time.

Oh, dear, that's rough - I feel for you. It may be that at this point in your life you don't have the time to study for your qualification. Or maybe your husband and you need to sit down and really work out how much time can be liberated for you to able to be a student? Maybe it can be done if your extended family get behind you to help... after all it'll make you happier, and it'll be better for the family in the longer term.

There's something else that I've heard folk hear speak about. Perhaps you could explore the possibility of taking an Anatomy and Physiology online certificate or HND course? Quite a few people seem to have done that... and for some programmes you can then skip the Anatomy and Physiology part. Maybe someone reading this who has done that could share their experience, and whether you can get credit for your studies on other programmes?

Ava x

Thanks for your replies.

I just dont know how I am going to find a college course I can actually attend. I work day and night shifts and even when I am dayshift I finish at 7.15 so to late for everything I can find. On my days off my H works, he works around me for childcare reasons.
I would like to do the VTCT Swedish massage course my Husband did, but he did it before we had the babies and had some free time.

Something will turn up, be positive, good luck 🙂

The problem is if I am going to retrain I need to do it now as I am being made redundant this time next year so my plan was to find a course asap and train now so that when the time comes I can start working in Hollistics.
We cant really relay on my parents anymore than we do at the moment. They do alot of childcare for us when H has a client and I am working.

Do you think it would work if I did the short course and then practised/learned from my Husband until I felt comfortable and able/confident enough to do a massage myself?

I am confused because with all the short courses I can find they say you recieve their own Diploma and you are able to obtain public liability insurance, so I take it legally you can work with just those? And its only to keep up with the industry standard that VTCT etc are regarded as the proper qualification?

Hi there
Surely it's not just about getting insurance? We're in an increasingly competitive market and these days you have to be very good to make a half decent living in complementary therapies.

If you want clients to love what you do & keep coming back then you need to be properly trained. Remember you'll be competing with therapists who have spent anything up to a year learning each of the disciplines outlined above.

I sent one of my beauty therapists (who has a HND at level 5), to do some additional training there, in electricals, and she was so appalled she complained to the company and was offered some other course free of charge, which she declined!

The tutor literally read everything from a book, didnt know about contra-indications and other serious issues. When she was asked a question, she couldnt answer.

If you look at their website, you can do sports massage in one day....and again I know someone who was fooled into doing this, and felt cheated (well she was really).

Just because a course is insurable doesnt make it good, if you look at course in question, it isnt recognised by any of the major (genuine) professional associations, and isnt recognised by the complementary therapy regulator, so whilst you could legally work, would you really want to work knowing that you have done a course that doesnt meet any UK standards?

Davec

I too work shifts and have similar problems I notice theres a lot of posts stating what not to do but not many offering positive help.Is there anyone out there able to help the likes of MrsJKN and myself:(:confused::mad:

my advice would be to go to the CNHC website, look at which profession you want to enter, then see who the governing bodies or professional associations are, and then go through them. They should have lists of accredited schools in your areas.

Sorry Davec and others but why should education be placed on your lap? Life by its very nature is restrictive and we all can't do want we want to do in life. BUT we can work towards shapening (sp) life in a direction that may provide the training and career you may be looking for. It takes risks and sacrifices at times (and a bit of faith in yourselves and life). You have to pardon my arrogance but I had to, and I'm poor country bumpkin working class lad with dyslexia. I'll stop my bleeding heart now, lol :-))

To be more useful in terms of advice: Anatomy & Physiology can be studied by distant learning. This is important prerequisite for the study of complementary therapies. Also there are schools out there there provide intensive study over a period of time. Many people who study this way often use their holiday entitlement. Like I said sacrifices have to be made. And there is Career Development Loans (from the goverment) if finances are tight.

Also there seems to be a growing trend for small teaching groups and personal tuition. Can be a more expensive route, but at least more convenient in terms of time.

Best advice: do an A&P with body massage course, which is a fantastic foundation in complementary health, and then think BIG! Too many people want to run before their can walk, or the total opposite: too timid and shy to work on people and too worried to go self-employed. Like in any opposites the balance is in the middle.

Best Wishes

RP

I too work shifts and have similar problems I notice theres a lot of posts stating what not to do but not many offering positive help.Is there anyone out there able to help the likes of MrsJKN and myself

Hello Davec

Goodness, I feel that I did give MrsJKN practical advice!

I suggested that MrsJKN look at her life and try and rearrange things with her spouse to see if time could be liberated to enable her to take a course. Or enlist help from her extended family to look after the children.

I also suggested that she consider taking an online distance learning course in Anatomy and Physiology... because some programmes will accept these as credit for their own face-to-face modules.

I too had health, financial and housing issues which prevented me from studying. It was only last year that the pieces fell into place and I was able to a begin a 3-year face-to-face programme (as mentioned earlier). I've taken distance learning courses, and they are interesting, but they are not enough to equip you for the reality of practising on real people. Neither are they recognised outside the UK... something which is important to me.

I'm sorry if you don't feel that's helpful. But I had to wait until the time was right for me before I could study. Having got to know all of the people on my course over the past year - all of them have said they wanted to do this years earlier, but weren't able to. It's a common theme. And... we've lost 3 people because life got in the way and they couldn't continue the commitment. Maybe you and MrsJKN will also need to wait until the time is right?

Ava x

Our 7 day Holistic Therapy course will cover Body Massage (2 days), Aromatherapy (3 days) and Reflexology (2 days) hmm not sure, I studied a diploma a year, Reflexology, Health and Safety and Anatomy and Physiology with Indian Head Massage on another day, then Aromatherapy, Body Massage, I learnt alot on my years courses, it took me months to learn my Reflexology routine, seriously doubt you can learn it in 2 days 🙁

Is it serious????????((((((