Why become a Complementary Therapist?
Complementary therapy is a wonderful profession to be a part of and we feel so lucky to be able to share our knowledge with existing therapists, as well as newbies who are just starting out on their complementary therapy journey.
But the big question is: Why should you consider becoming a complementary therapist?
Having trained over 10,000 therapists since our establishment in 1992, we know that they each have their own individual reasons for entering this wonderful world. In this article, we will look at a few of those reasons and explore what a career in complementary therapies could look like for you.
- Career change – Do something you love!
Many people are called to complementary therapies when they are no longer enjoying their existing career. Some work in demanding corporate jobs; some in high-pressure healthcare roles; some in stressful schools or Universities. Whatever job they come from, most of the time they are run-down or exhausted and no longer find joy in what they do. That Sunday Night Dread starts to creep in as the weekend comes to a close…
They want to enter a new and exciting career which will reignite their passion. They want to learn new skills and do something which will make them wake up everyday with a smile! Or maybe they are drawn to doing something more heart-centred, making a positive difference to people’s lives. Overall, they want to be happy and love their work. Whether it’s massage, reflexology, aromatherapy or something else, many are are drawn to complementary therapies as a positive and refreshing change for their career.
You might be surprised to hear that a large number of our students come from backgrounds which are completely unrelated to complementary therapies; we’ve had everyone from police officers, solicitors and administrators to carers, midwives and stay-at-home parents. These can all be incredibly stressful and demanding jobs and, whilst complementary therapies can present healthy challenges, it is a far more heart-centred career and can reignite your passion for helping others.
- Personal experience
For some of our students, they have been drawn to complementary therapies from personal experience. Perhaps they received reflexology during pregnancy or menopause and really felt the positive benefit from these treatments. Perhaps they have experienced stress or anxiety during a difficult time in their life, or from their demanding job, and have explored Sound Healing or Craniosacral therapies to improve their mental and emotional wellbeing. Or maybe they are hoping to provide relief to a family member or friend suffering with health problems, leading them to train in more specialist treatments (eg. Pregnancy/Preconception treatments or Lymphatic/Oncology therapies).
Personal experience can play a huge part in a person’s decision to train in complementary therapies and allows them to apply their own real-life experiences to their practise. By drawing on your own experience of emotional, physical or psychological pain, you can empathise and connect with clients in a unique way, making for a rewarding and fulfilling career in complementary therapy.
- Flexibility
In today’s world, flexibility is key. We want to work where and when it suits us, we want to control our own pay and we don’t want to have to ask permission for a day off if we need it… In most corporate jobs, this is a tough ask!
Families are also becoming more and more stretched for time, and childcare issues can make the usual 9 – 5 job a nightmare especially during school holidays!
Many of our students choose to train in complementary therapies so that they can have more flexibility over their working lives. They choose where, when and how they work to suit their schedules, and those with children can often save money on childcare as a result.
The beauty of complementary therapies is that there are so many paths which you can choose to suit your lifestyle and preferred way of working. By far the most flexible is to work for yourself by becoming self-employed. This provides ultimate flexibility because you run the show! Many therapists have even created beautiful treatment spaces in their own homes, meaning they save time and money on commuting!
If being self-employed doesn’t appeal to you, there are so many other places that you can work, including at athletics events (eg. Marathons), hospitals, hospices, GP surgeries, physiotherapy/chiropractic clinics, cruise ships, spas, hotels, ski resorts and festivals. These all come with different hours and working arrangements, so you can choose whichever suits you best.
- Extra income
In the current financial climate, many people are seeking additional streams of income to support themselves and their families. Training as a complementary therapist can provide a fantastic way to supplement your income. Many of the therapists we’ve trained over the years work full-time in other industries, whilst giving therapy treatments during evenings and weekends. For many of them, they had a string of regular clients before they knew it and were able to go part-time at their existing jobs, or even full-time into complementary therapy, building their careers and income around themselves and their families.
- Opportunities for travel
Imagine how fantastic it would be if your job allowed you to travel the world whilst earning at the same time… A career in complementary therapies could be just the ticket!
Many of the therapists we have trained have gone on to work for cruise ships, hotels, spas, athletic events, ski resorts and festivals all around the world, using their skills to make a living whilst exploring new places at the same time. Complementary therapies are used all around the world and there is demand for massage and other therapies in almost every country.
There are also endless learning opportunities within complementary therapies which can be taken abroad. For example, we have taken many of our students to Kerala, India to learn more about the native flora there and to combine it with their aromatherapy practises.
So, next time you have a treatment booked in with your local complementary therapist, ask them about how and why they do what they do. Chances are their faces will light up with the passion that they have for their work. It is a wonderful way to make a living. No one says it is easy, but ask any successful therapist if they would go back to the desk job… I think we all know the answer!
If you’re interested in finding a new career path into complementary therapies, have a look at our full course list here: https://mscm.co.uk/complete-course-list/. We have full-time and part-time courses available, as well as weekend or weekday courses to suit you.
Or better still, why not join us on one of our Free Taster Days? These are ideal if you are interested in pursuing a career in complementary therapies.
Click here to book onto our Free Taster Day for Massage:
https://mscm.co.uk/events/free-taster-workshop-in-massage/
Click here to book onto our Free Taster Day for Reflexology:
https://mscm.co.uk/events/free-taster-course-in-reflexology/
Alternatively, feel free to call us on 020 8429 2895 to discuss your options.