Holistic | Military clients Stand easy · LinkedIn and on websites such as Netmums. When I started supporting the mother of a local soldier who died in Afghanistan, ... Luton News.

22 Issue 105 July 2013 InternatIonal therapIst www.fht.org.uk

Holistic | Military clients

Stand easySUNITA JOHAL

I completed the fi rst of many therapy

qualifi cations in 1996 and now run a health and beauty company (Crimson Catz) with my twin sister and business partner, Anita, offering a range of treatments, health and well-being programmes and training courses. As a company, we do a lot of work for various charities and will always try to support our

local community where possible.I was interested in working with war veterans because I saw it as a

new challenge. I also feel that the government doesn’t do a great

deal for our war veterans after they have fought to protect their country or the civilians within the

country they are in at the time of war, and wanted to show that there are people who care, and treatments

that can help. That said, fi nding these clients

wasn’t

Two FHT members share their experiences of working with military personnel and veterans

an easy task. I signed up to the FHT BVRC Scheme [see p24], but sadly the BVRC did not have any veteran members based in our area. So Anita and I started to explore different avenues to spread the word. We posted information on business networking sites and social media platforms, including on our personal and company Facebook pages, and those of army-related organisations, asking if there were any war veterans who would

like a treatment at a discounted rate via the BVRC Scheme. We also contacted the Salvation

Army, Royal British Legion, army personnel recruiters and even shops that stocked army

gear, hoping to leave no stone unturned.

In the end, all 11 of our veteran clients learned

about us through friends and

family who had seen our information

via social networking sites. These clients consisted mostly of men who we encouraged to bring a partner or friend along, for support and to help them feel at ease during the consultation and treatment.

Stab victim ‘livedin fear of husband’

Twins’ BUsinEss is GiVinGA HELPinG HAnDfULL sTory – PAGE 14

Stab victim ‘livedStab victim ‘livedTwins’ BUsinEss is GiVinGTwins’ BUsinEss is GiVinG

TUrn To PAGE 25

Stab victim ‘livedStab victim ‘livedTUrn To PAGE 25TUrn To PAGE 25

www.lutontoday.co.uk

60p Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Young mummurdered in jealous rage, then killer tried to take his own life –

GUiLTy PLEA: Jan MichalBiliniewicz (right) and thescene on Downs road, Lutonduring the investigation

TribuTesTo Fred – AgenTle mAn

Stab victim ‘livedStab victim ‘livedTwins’ BUsinEss is GiVinGTwins’ BUsinEss is GiVinG

sisTer AcT helpsWAr heroes

full story page 2

an easy task. I signed up to the FHT BVRC

14 Luton News, Wednesday, February 1, 2012 www.lutontoday.co.uk

newscontact us 01582 [email protected]

nEWs onLInE sEVEn DaYs aWEEKwww.lutontoday.co.uk

Crimson Catzaids veteransLUTON TWINS Sunita JohalandAnitaCormier runahealthand beauty company with a sil-ver lining – helping charitiescomes pretty high on their listof priorities.Last year the duo - known

professionally as Crimson Catz– offered to help British warveterans. And they now have11 on their books.Sunita said: “They’re mainly

soldiers who’ve fought in Af-ghanistan.“It’s quite a challenge and

can be quite emotional.“They’ve been through

so much and you can feel it– they’re from a completely dif-ferent world.“You don’t know what

they’re going to be like whenthey walk through the door.“We give them aromathera-

py, reflexology and massage.“Sometimes they want to

talk and it’s completely confi-dential, one-to-one.”The 38-year-old sisters are

also involved with the Samari-

tans,GreatOrmondStreetHos-pital, the iZulu orphan projectand other good causes.They started their business

three years ago and hope tobranch out into fashion. Anita

said: “Suni’s the creative, flam-boyant one. I’m more practi-cal.”> For more information call

07786088126 or email [email protected]

COPYCATS: Twins Anita Cormier (left) and Sunita Johal

Tastermorning

4th February2012*

☎ DIPIKA SODHA01582 798536

☎ LAILA HORAN01582 798528

with advertisingpackages to suitnearly eVeRYbudget, why notgive our Retailteam a call tosee how we canhelp you?

CALLINGALL

BUSINESSES!

Have you got

something

special going

on?

Or do you justwant people toknow what youhave to offer?

Have you got

something

special going

on?

Or do you justwant people toknow what youhave to offer?

MLU

126450_v2•1133•021/Luton/001•HE

pIC

tUre

s: l

Uto

n n

eWs;

hel

en l

ehrl

e; B

VrC

; sh

Ut

ters

toC

K

www.fht.org.uk InternatIonal therapIst Issue 105 July 2013 23

Military clients | Holistic

InternatIonal therapIst www.fht.org.uk

Top: Helen Lehrle with local MP Mike Penning; Left: Each November the Centre’s window is dedicated to Remembrance Sunday; Above: with the Hemel 100 Milers running group

about the BVRC, as I am part of the FHT BVRC Scheme.

Since opening, we have treated lots of marines, army personnel and veterans, who have learned about our services through word of mouth, our website, local advertising, and various social networks. The centre is featured on lots of Facebook pages, is connected to different military services and the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, and we have links on Twitter, LinkedIn and on websites such as Netmums.

When I started supporting the mother of a local soldier who died in Afghanistan, she kindly put us in touch with RAF Halton, which now refers individuals to us for counselling. We also offer counselling to those who have family members on tour, or who have lost loved ones in combat, which can then be complemented by the other services available at the centre. In the summer, we hope to start a support group for parents who have lost their sons and daughters in combat, which other family members can also attend.

At the centre, we always make every effort to encourage both serving personnel and veterans to pop in and see us, and to make them feel at ease when they come to us for treatments. When we dedicate a morning or afternoon to counselling people with PTSD or treating those with injuries, we close the centre, to ensure privacy and to make them feel as secure and comfortable as possible. We have also put in soundproof walls to

They ranged in age from 25 to 40 and they had served mainly in Afghanistan, with two out of the 11 serving in Iraq. Some had lower back problems, others had missing limbs. They didn’t moan about their situation, but instead showed that they could still manage, even though mentally they were quite fragile.

All of our veteran clients were offered access to aromatherapy, body massage or refl exology, with back and leg massage proving the most popular. Sometimes all they wanted to do was talk or sit quietly – it became clear that one of the key benefi ts of treatment for these clients was simply talking to someone neutral, who would empathise and not judge. As I have a Level 3 counselling qualifi cation, I was able to use this either on its own or alongside a therapy, depending on the individual needs of the client.

Some clients didn’t feel that complementary therapy could help them, as people in general often regard such treatments as ‘pampering’. Those who did choose to have a treatment benefi ted in the end, even if they initially weren’t sure what to expect or how they would feel. Explaining the treatment before it took place certainly helped to make them feel at ease, and having a partner or someone they knew and trusted present throughout also proved benefi cial. The veterans’ partners in particular were very encouraging – not only because they offered physical, mental and moral support, but because they reassured them and made them believe that there was something out there that could help.

In terms of feedback, the veterans were very appreciative – even those who only wanted to talk. However, I was actually thanked more by their partners, supporters and care workers who came to sit with them.

I felt a little limited in how far I could go with these clients on a psychological level, however listening and understanding is what they wanted at the time and it truly helped. To see a broken man leave with a smile made me smile, too.

When we saw fi rst-hand what a difference therapies could make, not just to the veterans, but also to those caring for and supporting them, Anita and I wanted to make others aware of the benefi ts they could gain through complementary therapies. With more than 20 years’ experience in marketing and PR, I quickly used my contact book and press release writing skills, which resulted in a piece being published in the Luton News.

The reporters were particularly interested in the fact that the treatments were available to veterans at a discounted rate, though none of our clients wanted to be interviewed or photographed for the piece. Their reasons were clear enough – some of the cases were sensitive (in the military sense), a number of our clients weren’t mentally able to speak

of their time in Afghanistan, and of course having treatments isn’t quite the ‘norm’ in the army.

Working with war veterans has made me realise how lucky we are having men and women who protect our country, whether this is on the frontline or not. Generally people’s attitude is ‘well, they chose to fi ght and we didn’t’, but perhaps without these brave individuals we’d have to go back to the days when men had to serve their country, without a choice.

I believe that the experience has actually encouraged Anita and I to reach out much more within our community. We don’t know what kind of situations the people we treat, teach and support come from, so we aim to build a family where everyone can try to relate to each other and their stories.

HELEN LEHRLEThe Acorn Wellbeing Centre was offi cially opened in July 2012 by our local MP, Mike Penning, who is very involved with the armed forces and was a soldier as a young man, serving with the Grenadier Guards.

It is situated in the oldest part of Hemel Hempstead, with an estimated 400 serving personnel living in the area. When I opened the centre I wondered if any other therapists were offering the local service men and women discounted treatments. When I discovered no one was, I made every effort to change this as soon as possible.

My passion has always been in helping those involved in the forces. When my future son-in-law was injured in Afghanistan in 2011, which impaired his hearing, I soon realised there is not a huge amount of support for the families of serving personnel. I decided we should focus on helping these deserving members of our community, as well as supporting clients with disabilities – another area I am particularly passionate about and in which I have worked for many years.

I have fi ve self-employed therapists who hold clinics at the centre, offering a wide range of treatments – from refl exology, aromatherapy and reiki, to sports massage, chiropractic, counselling and more.

All of our complementary therapy and counselling services are available to local serving personnel at a discounted rate, and we also have a sign in the window

Stab victim ‘livedin fear of husband’

Twins’ BUsinEss is GiVinGA HELPinG HAnDfULL sTory – PAGE 14

Stab victim ‘livedStab victim ‘livedTwins’ BUsinEss is GiVinGTwins’ BUsinEss is GiVinG

TUrn To PAGE 25

Stab victim ‘livedStab victim ‘livedTUrn To PAGE 25TUrn To PAGE 25

www.lutontoday.co.uk

60p Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Young mummurdered in jealous rage, then killer tried to take his own life –

GUiLTy PLEA: Jan MichalBiliniewicz (right) and thescene on Downs road, Lutonduring the investigation

TribuTesTo Fred – AgenTle mAn

Stab victim ‘livedStab victim ‘livedTwins’ BUsinEss is GiVinGTwins’ BUsinEss is GiVinG

sisTer AcT helpsWAr heroes

full story page 2

24 Issue 105 July 2013 InternatIonal therapIst www.fht.org.uk

Helen Lehrle outside the Acorn Wellbeing Centre with the Hemel 100 Milers

Holistic | Military clients

enhance confidentiality and will adjust the décor to make it more masculine, if we feel this will be beneficial for those clients coming for the session.

The centre has a large window at the front and although we change the display every month, we always ensure that there is a splash of red, white and blue, no matter how small. For the whole of November, we dedicate our window display to Remembrance Sunday, and when a local soldier was killed in Afghanistan last year, we placed his framed photograph in the window as a mark of respect, which is now a permanent feature on one of the clinic’s main walls, alongside a picture of my future son-in-law. At the time of writing, we are planning an open day at the centre on Armed Forces day and, again, the window dressing will reflect this with a camouflage theme.

When we first opened the centre, I contacted James Allsopp, a serving marine from Hemel Hempstead, to ask him for advice on how we could help to raise the profile of the forces, and also promote the benefits of therapies to those serving. James was organising a 100-mile run over four days to raise money for the Royal British Legion, and so we offered our support by providing the 15 runners free massages throughout the event. Karen Brown, a sports therapist working at the centre and also a member of the FHT, joined me along the route, providing treatments before and after the

runs, to help keep injuries to a minimum. Numerous toenails were lost, muscles pulled, and general exhaustion prevailed! We also offered all of the runners free treatments in the few days after the run, to help ease their aches and pains.

Shortly after the event, James wrote a short piece for our website: ‘We [the ‘Hemel 100 Milers’] raised a total of £22,390.28 for the Royal British Legion, covering an average of 28 miles a day. Although this was further than most of the runners had run before, that wasn’t the real challenge. The challenge was the recovery time for the next day’s run. The physio and massage therapy we received along the way helped us massively. Even with this it took us several miles to start running comfortably again so I hate to imagine what it would have been like without. Myself and the lads were very grateful for their time and effort during the week for a charity that means a lot of us – without them, I doubt we could have finished it.’

Others who took part in the run said the treatments they received during and after the event – and the aromatherapy massage in particular – was not what they had expected, because up until then, they had thought ‘that’s for girls’. But after one runner said he could not believe how much it had helped him, the rest started to follow suit. As skilled therapists, we are able to deal with the banter and comradely acts; on a one-to-one treatment basis, they soon get rid of the ‘macho stuff’. We simply act professionally at all times, explain what we are doing and why, and they have respect for that.

The benefits complementary therapies and counselling have to offer those serving and retired from the forces are huge, because just like everyone else, attention to the mind, body and spirit is essential for healing. We feel by just being empathic and adapting

Atten-tion!Fht adviser herman Fenton, MFht, offers some top tips for those hoping to work with military personnel and war veterans.l When dealing with people from the forces,

be tactful and sensitive, particularly as some may have post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsD). [to learn more about ptsD, please visit p51.] But talk to them in black and white terms; tell them what you do, how it works and how it may help, and avoid what I call being ‘too fluffy’ or ‘airy fairy’.

l Be prepared to do a lot of listening. and as with any client, confidentiality is king, but more so when treating clients involved with the forces, past or present. they need to know that they can trust you implicitly, and their trust is not easily given.

l empathise, but don’t sympathise. Unless you have been in the forces and walked in their shoes, you will not understand what these men and women have been through.

l refer the client on to another health professional or more experienced therapist if you feel their needs are beyond the scope of your training.

l think about your treatment environment and menu and make adaptations to suit. In my experience, a lot of members of the armed forces, both ex and serving, will be put off by anything that veers too heavily towards ‘pampering’. think more ‘clinic or health centre’ than ‘salon or spa’ – these people usually want to be ‘fixed’, and that’s true for both sexes.

Herman is a sports therapist and war veteran, who served in the British army for more than 23 years. Throughout his career as a therapist, he has worked with both military personnel and civilians

competing at all levels in sport – from amateur karate fighters to professional fencers.

the treatment to each client we can give a bespoke service to them and are ‘giving something back’. We feel honoured to be able to offer treatments, counselling and support to people who have gone through so much for us.

FHT BVRC Schemethe Fht has formed a partnership with the British Veterans recognition Card (BVrC), which enables BVrC members to access a range of sports and complementary therapy treatments from qualified Fht members at a maximum price of £30 per treatment. Fht members can opt on to the scheme at any time (criteria permitting) and will be listed on a dedicated section of the Fht website where BVrC members can search for a member in their area. For more information, visit www.fht.org.uk/BVrCscheme