THREE growing Derby Businesses have joined forces to launch a centre which offers stress relief and anger management, particularly for those with learning disabilities.

The three companies involved – Palm People, Inspirative Arts and Beating Anger – have relocated to Burley House, in Rowditch Place, Derby.

Beating Anger's Julian Hall explained that the work carried out by the different organisations was complementary and that it made sense for them to join together.

"Inspirative Arts delivers social, emotional and learning support to adults with learning difficulties.

"In Beating Anger we help people develop a healthy relationship with anger and stress.

"Palm People offers accredited training in complementary therapies, ranging from beginners' sessions to professional qualifications, which is a great all-round fit."

The alliance initially formed as a collaboration between Beating Anger and Inspirative Arts.

Sarah Paine from Inspirative Arts said: "We wanted to take some of the work Julian does and help our client base.

"Julian kindly helped us adapt it and we now run an emotional development course with outstanding results in areas of confidence, self-esteem and social skills."

It was when they started to look at new premises that they met Ewa Lewandowska from Palm People.

She said: "It's fantastic that, through coincidence, three such complementary businesses have come to the same place."

The companies yesterday held an open day which featured taster sessions for people with learning difficulties and their carers.

There were also taster sessions in anger management as well as an introduction to reflexology and massage.

Burley House is just over a year old and so is modern and fully compliant with requirements under the disability discrimination act.

There is still one vacant unit in the building which the three companies are hoping could be occupied by another complementary organisation.

Mr Hall said: "We would love to have a therapist or counsellor in the building or any other businessthat complemented what we offer."

The centre was officially opened by the Mayor of Derby, Councillor Lisa Higginbottom, during yesterday's open event.

Overview

Massage therapists are commonly credited with having "magic hands" or a "magic touch." For the uninitiated, this may seem like mere hyperbole. But anyone who has felt a massage therapist use those magic hands to relieve pain, reduce stress, and unwind tired, bound-up muscles knows, the praise is entirely justified. With more than 80 types of treatments, massage therapists have many different ways to deliver this relief. Massage therapists can specialize in deep-tissue, acupressure, reflexology, orthopedic, sports massage, and other areas. Often, massage therapists become experts in several modalities, all of which require specific skills and techniques. The length and type of massage provided typically depends on the client's condition and desires. Elderly clients and those recovering from a severe injury usually receive different treatments than elite athletes or those simply seeking relaxation. The nature of the massage is often discussed and agreed upon during a short interview with the client before it takes place. Massage therapists either work for an employer—in a variety of environments, from spas to hospitals—or are self-employed with their own small business. Regardless of the working arrangement, massage therapists should be friendly and personable to attract a consistent client base.

An increasing number of spas and massage clinics in recent years underscores a growing demand for massage services. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects massage therapists employment growth of 20.1 percent between 2010 and 2020, adding 30,900 more professionals to the 153,700 jobs currently in this field.

Salary

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median annual wage for massage therapists was $34,900 in 2010. The best-paid 10 percent in the profession made approximately $69,000, while the bottom 10 percent made approximately $17,970. The top-paying metropolitan areas for this occupation include Anchorage, Alaska, Tallahassee, Fla., and York-Hanover, Pa.

Training

Requirements and standards vary greatly by state. To earn a license, most states require massage therapists to complete a formal training program and pass an examination. Programs offered at colleges and universities typically require a minimum of 500 hours of training. Some programs may focus on particular massage specializations, while others provide a general overview of the field. For students planning to run their own business, taking a few business courses is advisable. Marilyn Kier, a self-employed massage therapist in the Chicago area, says extra business training is important because starting and running a business requires a entire set of skills not covered in most programs.

Reviews and Advice

Distinguishing yourself in a particular area of massage is Kier's top piece of advice. She says this requires first identifying your passion within massage therapy and then working hard to become an expert in that area. The next step, according to Kier, is "practice, practice, practice." If the practice pays off and you are providing a good service to your clients, people will begin to refer friends, family, and co-workers. As a specialist in pain management and orthopedic massage, Kier is an example of how effective this approach can be. Even in this economy, she has a two-month waiting list, and often has to pass clients onto colleagues who can help them sooner. Picking a mentor who can help you learn the ropes is another way Kier says young massage therapists can get a leg up on the competition. "Get someone who has experience, and that person can guide you along the way," she says. "Get the benefit of their experience."

The recent Introduction to Reflexology workshops here at Palm People have left all who attended with a great sense of achievement.

I was surprised at the high number of people who had never had a Reflexology treatment before and were attending the course from pure curiosity as well as those either training for or already in the medical profession.

After a brief look at the history and benefits of Reflexology, a short warm-up massage routine was covered and then the reflex points chosen specifically to aid the skeletal and endocrine systems; in short to help balance the body in times of stress.

The most common question was “What does a reflex point feel like and how will I know when I’ve found it?” There is no simple answer to that, everyone feels something different, and practical application is a far more reliable way of showing what giver and receiver should feel.

The looks of satisfaction on the faces of participants when they found a reflex point tells its own tale and everyone left the class with a sense of achievement and feeling very relaxed too!

We are very pleased to introduce our new colleague Evelyn Minall, who is a new teacher at Palm People Massage School.

Evelyn’s background is in holistic therapies and she now specialises in both Aromatherapy and Reflexology.

Over the coming months, Evelyn will be running some exciting new courses which are ideal for those wanting to set up as a therapist, or to simply gain some fantastic new skills. The ITEC courses that Evelyn will be teaching are:  Aromatherapy, Hot Stones and Reflexology. She will also be running several  CPD short courses including Cold Stone Massage, Introduction to Aromatherapy and Reflex therapy  alongside a great new course: Aromatherapy blending techniques for therapists.

We are really looking forward to Evelyn’s new courses, we hope you will enjoy them too. It’s not too late to sign up for Evelyn’s  Introduction to reflexology course which is running on the 26th May, so don’t miss out, contact us today!

Our recent Beginner’s Massage Workshop held on the 3rd of March was a great success that was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended.

A wide range of people had booked onto the course, so it was interesting to find out their reasons for wanting to be introduced to the basic massage techniques. One participant had decided to enrol on the course as she wanted to surprise her partner, knowing that he would benefit greatly from an effective massage after a hard day’s work. Everyone quickly realised that learning a few basic techniques would have a real positive impact when performing a massage on a loved one.

Others were there to increase their knowledge of what massage really involves and to learn about the many benefits that massage can have on a person’s health and wellbeing.

All of the participants admitted that they had been a little nervous at first but were really pleased with the way that the course was designed to get everyone feeling really relaxed and at ease straight away. With such a lot of valuable and interesting practical information to cover, the day went surprisingly quickly and everyone left feeling that they had learnt valuable new skills that they couldn’t wait to try out on their husbands,  partners and friends!