A Surplice of Spirit

A change in focus...

2011-04-13T22:34:00.001+10:00

Hi! If you reached this blog, you can now find me me blogging at A Surplice of Photography.

While I still am fascinated by, and passionate about holistic therapies, I've turned my attentions more to the wonderful world of photography.

Cheers,
Melanie

Revive Launches Marketing Master Class Series for Small Business Owners

2009-12-30T13:49:00.007+10:00

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas! With 2010 just around the corner, I'm pleased to announce that Revive has launched a series of marketing master classes that will run in Brisbane and the Gold Coast throughout 2010.

The affordable three-hour master classes are designed for holistic therapists and other small business owners who need to better understand marketing and how to use low-cost online marketing tools to grow their business. The new classes include:

Increasing Revenue in Your Small Business - This master class provides a high-level overview of marketing in which we'll help small business owners to clarify their business vision, understand how to segment the market and identify the most lucrative clients, find new clients and keep existing clients coming back. It also covers the importance of tracking marketing activities.

Marketing Your Business Online - Getting Started - This master class provides an overview of the exciting world of online marketing. It covers why having an online presence is critical, what makes a good website, how to go about creating and structuring business websites, how to make websites visible in the search engines and how to launch a website. It also covers webhosting, domain names and setting up email.

Creating Low-Cost Online Marketing Campaigns - This master class outlines how to build an online presence and take advantage of many of the free and low-cost marketing techniques that the Internet has made available. It covers the importance of targeting an audience, how to build a client database, how to plan marketing campaigns, what landing pages are and why they're critical, and how to track and measure marketing activities. It also looks at some low-cost online advertising options.

Promoting Your Business with Social Media - This master class is about the growing phenomenon of social media and how small businesses can make the most of it. It covers what social media is and outlines some of the many low-cost marketing opportunities this medium makes available. It also covers blogging and social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, as well as the opportunities and risks involved with social media. This class looks at several case studies of small businesses that are successfully using social media to attract and retain more clients.

Many small business owners have recognised the need to get their business online and take advantage of low-cost marketing tools and techniques, but still find the whole arena of websites, online marketing and social media daunting. We developed this series of master classes to cater for holistic therapists and other small business owners who want to learn the fundamentals of marketing and then develop their skills over time. The classes provide entry points for businesses that do not yet have a website through to those that really want to give their online marketing activities a boost in 2010.

Revive's master class series kicks off on 3 February 2010, with classes running regularly at Teneriffe in Brisbane, and Nerang on the Gold Coast. Each master class costs $85 and can be booked separately. Further details are available on Revive's master class page, with dates and bookings available via our calendar.

Wishing you and your business much success in 2010!

Creating Communities: Quantity vs. Intensity?

2009-11-26T14:16:00.004+10:00

It’s fascinating to watch how different companies attempt to harness social media to create what Seth Godin describes as tribes.

Clearly there are many benefits to organisations creating online communities and engaging with their customers and potential customers via social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter – the most obvious being that communication is interactive, direct and instant.

I recently wrote a blog post in my role as a part time report writer in the Dow Jones Media Lab, about how a small Australian photography training company, Blue Dog Photography is using Facebook to create an enthusiastic, highly interactive tribe.

Are you using Facebook or social media as part of your marketing strategy? I'd love to hear if you are (or would like to!).

Revive launches Website Promotion Packages

2009-10-15T09:33:00.004+10:00

Struggling to attract visitors to your website? Overwhelmed about how and where to start your online marketing activities?

Revive Holistic Marketing has just launched a series of Website Promotion Packages to help you get the word out about your business.

Our Website Audit Package offers an objective review of the structure, content and overall look and feel of your website, by a professional marketer and writer who'll then make recommendations about how to improve the site's chances of being found and understood.

Our Website Optimisation Package gets your website in tip top shape for the search engines, where we review and improve your keywords, lodge your site properly with the search engines, list on some of the high-ranking, high-traffic directories and set up Google's tracking software so you can see exactly where your traffic is coming from, and which of your online marketing activities are working effectively for you.

Our Website Copywriting Package offers content written specifically for your business and website in a way that sounds like you've written it.

Overhaul your website and online marketing initiatives and jump start your business for 2010! Feel free to contact us to discuss your requirements.

Deciphering dreams

2009-07-23T14:23:00.003+10:00

I went to the most fascinating talk last night at WomenSpace, presented by dream expert and "dream alchemist", Jane Teresa Anderson.

Jane Teresa has been analysing dreams since about 1991 and has written a stack of books on the subject of what dreams mean and how we can change our lives if we pay attention to our dreams. She frequently appears on radio and TV, and seems to do presentations all over the place.

She talked about some of the common dreams - like the "tidal wave" dream, the "flying" dream and the "slow-motion" dream - it was reassuring to know that other people in the room had faced that giant tidal wave like I've done in various dreams over the years.

Dreams give us an amazing opportunity to explore how our subsconscious mind works. Jane Teresa said that we would all be really ill if we did not dream - that dreams are a way for the subconscious mind to process the day's events.

She also said that because we were so busy these days, it could sometimes take a couple of days for the sub-conscious mind to catch up - so that whatever I dreamt last night for example, is probably processing "stuff" from 1-2 days earlier.

She said that generally, if you dream about "stuff" that happened in the past, it typically means that something that happened inyour current day triggered a memory (typically a negative memory) of something that happened and made you feel the same way when you young.

Another interesting point was that if you dream about a person, it typically has nothing to do with that person at all - but rather something IN or ABOUT that person that mirrors what needs processing in yourself. So it may be for example, that you're dreaming about someone who is extremely angry - Jane Teresa's take on it was that it would be about anger you're feeling yourself. A dream expert would work with you to explore the dream in full detail and explain what was really going on.

Yet another curious fact was that if we're presented with the opportunity to kill something in a dream - like a monster or animal, or something or someone that is attacking us - that we shouln't kill it off, because that represents killing off a part of our psyche. We ran out of time for her to go into too much more detail about that, but it was all quite fascinating.

Jane Teresa has a stack of resources about dreams on her website at http://www.dream.net.au/, including free dream analysis podcasts, ebooks and dream glossaries. She also runs workshops and seminars.

One final point - we all dream. Whether or not we remember our dreams is another story, but if we work to understand what our dreams mean and what underlying issues they represent, it can help us to unblock and reach our full potential.

Have you had any interesting dreams lately?

Why holistic therapists need to network

2009-07-11T13:30:00.002+10:00

The saying that "It's not what you know, but WHO you know" rings so true in business.

Getting out, meeting and connecting with people is a critical business skill - networking is widely practiced in the business world, and this brief video talks about the value of networking for holistic therapists.

It points out why, if you're not currently doing any form of regular networking, it may be worth considering doing so as a way of growing your holistic therapies business.

The video mentions some of Revive's networking events and our online networking forum, http://thetherapyexchange.ning.com/, as well providing a number of other suggestions for finding networking events near you.

Networking has worked for me - it has generated corporate and private massage work, writing and marketing work. I'm sure that if you begin to expand your network, and are out there talking about what you do with enthusiasm and passion, you'll reap the rewards too.

I'd love to hear any of your networking success stories. Please feel free to reply to this post.

New networking events for complementary therapists on the Gold Coast

2009-07-07T13:12:00.002+10:00

As the dust from our first Brisbane networking event settles, I'm thrilled to announce that our networking events for complementary therapists will run each month on the Gold Coast from August 2009.

Revive launched The Therapy Exchange networking events in Brisbane in May 2009. Since the first event in early July, additional sessions of each event have been scheduled to cater for the growing interest in the opportunity to network with fellow therapists.

The Gold Coast events will be held in the Board Room of the Nerang RSL and Memorial Club on the second Tuesday evening of each month. Each event will focus on an aspect of marketing or business development related to the holistic therapies industry. The theme of the first Gold Coast event on 11 August 2009 is The Value of Marketing for Holistic Therapists.

Subsequent events will feature expert speakers and group discussions, and will showcase new products and services related to the holistic therapies industry.

The Brisbane networking events have demonstrated a strong desire by therapists of all modalities to connect with other practitioners and discuss the business challenges they face.

Therapists typically work in isolation, and these events provide a forum to discuss issues such as marketing, business development, practice administration and management, customer service, industry trends and developments, and many other issues that can determine their success.

Date & Time:
11th August 2009
6.45pm for a 7.00pm start – finishes at 9pm.

Cost: $20 per person

Venue:
The Board Room, Nerang RSL and Memorial Club
69 Nerang Street, Nerang QLD 4211

CPE Points:
AAMT members earn 5 CPE per networking event.
Other associations may recognise the events for CPE purposes.

Upcoming Events
8 September - Promoting Your Holistic Therapies Business Online
13 October - Expanding Your Business: How to Find New Clients
10 November - Love Thy Client: Keep Them Coming Back for More

We welcome the complementary therapists of the Gold Coast region to our upcoming events. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any queries about our networking events.

Revive's marketing workshops accredited by the A.R.M

2009-07-03T22:31:00.003+10:00

More accreditation news! The Expedition to Success - Marketing Your Holistic Therapies Business workshop has been accredited by the Association of Remedial Masseurs (ARM).

ARM members who attend our two-day or 5-session workshop are eligible for 12 CPE points. In order for ARM members to remain on the Health Fund Provider's lists, they must earn 20 CPE points a year.

Our workshops are running in Brisbane, Byron Bay, Cairns, Coffs Harbour, Newcastle, Port Macquarie and Sydney in 2009, with more locations planned for next year. Check out our calendar for details and dates of a workshop near you.

We came, we saw, we networked!

2009-07-03T22:22:00.004+10:00

The first of The Therapy Exchange networking events ran in Teneriffe this week, themed: The Value of Marketing for Holistic Therapists.

Such a diverse group of people brought an exceptionally diverse a range of skills - massage therapists, reiki practitioners, counsellors and beauticians. The range of business experience in the group ranged from people just starting out in their own business to those who had been running their business for a few years.

Some of the common business challenges the group members currently face, include branching out from a full time job to grow a business from scratch, understanding how to get the best “bang for buck” from limited marketing dollars, how to find new clients and how to retain existing clients.

Throughout the explanation of some of the key elements of marketing – product, place, price and promotion – a lively discussion ensued. Group members were happy to share what had and had not worked for them, and everyone agreed that it was valuable to mingle with other therapists and learn from each other.

Discussion moved onto a common desire for the various holistic therapies association to do more for their members – provide more business-based advice; more lobbying to raise the awareness of certain modalities and to gain Government recognition for particular modalities. It was valuable to hear of everyone’s experience with their respective associations.

It felt like the discussion could have kept going all evening! It was very much my intention in running these monthly networking events, to inspire discussion and sharing amongst therapists across all modalities. There is some reassurance in knowing that although we may work mainly in isolation, we have many colleagues in the same boat. I would like to thank everyone for participating with such enthusiasm. I can’t wait for the next event!

The theme proved to be so popular that we’ve scheduled a second event on 15 July. This session is filling up quickly - please register quickly if you’d like to attend. Bookings are essential. August’s event is themed Promoting Your Holistic Therapies Business Online. The 5 August session is booked out, but there are still a few vacancies for the session on 20 August.

Members of the AAMT can earn 5 CPE points by attending Revive Holistic Marketing’s networking events. Members of other associations may also be eligible to earn CPE or CPD points by attending networking events. Please feel free to contact me if you have any queries about our networking events.

Don't forget that we also offer online networking opportunities for complementary therapists at http://thetherapyexchange.ning.com/. Check it out today. It's free to join!

Revive Holistic Marketing Recognised as an AAMT Approved Provider

2009-06-21T14:27:00.008+10:00

Great news this week! Revive Holistic Marketing has been recognised as an Approved Provider by the Australian Association of Massage Therapists (AAMT).

Revive’s recently launched marketing workshops for holistic therapists are now accredited under the AAMT Approved Provider program, allowing AAMT members to earn 20 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) points. The AAMT requires that Massage Therapists and Remedial Massage Therapists accrue a total of 90 and 120 CPE points respectively, over a three-year period, in order to retain their AAMT membership.

According to the AAMT’s Approved Providers Program Guidelines:

“Ultimately the creation and support of quality continuing education courses is AAMT's goal. CPE activities should promote professional goals related to the massage therapy industry in order to increase competency and excellence in the AAMT membership. The CPE approved provider courses should be programs that cannot be obtained from initial or foundational massage therapy courses. They should be characterised by program designs that offer newly emerging concepts, principles, theories and research in massage therapy, bodywork or health care.”

Revive’s 2-day and 5-session workshops are scheduled to run in 2009 in Brisbane, Byron Bay, Cairns, Coffs Harbour, Newcastle, Port Macquarie and Sydney. Throughout my own massage studies in the UK and Australia, I identified a need for therapists to receive specific, thorough and affordable training on how to market their services and position their businesses for success.

I share the AAMT’s goal of increasing competency and excellence in the AAMT membership, and I'm very pleased that our workshops meet the rigorous quality standards of the AAMT National Education Committee.

I'm passionate about supporting holistic practitioners to launch and grow their businesses ethically and profitably, and remain committed to providing high quality, practical programs that teach them how to do this.

Feel free to contact me with any queries about the workshops.

45 Lessons about Life

2009-06-18T08:36:00.002+10:00

In amongst the growing amount of junk that lands in my inbox, appeared this little gem. It was apparently written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio.

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone...
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument.. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret,you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Such simple but profound advice. Delightful!

New online networking community for holistic therapists

2009-06-11T08:00:00.000+10:00

I'm pleased to announce The Therapy Exchange, a free online networking community for holistic therapists.

Complementing Revive’s recently launched series of networking events, The Therapy Exchange aims to help therapists connect online and provide a general forum for discussion about industry issues such as business development, marketing and continuing education.

Networking with therapists from various modalities not only helps to generate referrals, but can also provide valuable insights into how other practitioners are attracting and retaining clients.

We envisage that The Therapy Exchange will grow into a valuable resource for therapists, with an ever-growing collection of articles, event listings and resources. We look forward to welcoming holistic therapists from all modalities to our online community.

Adding value for your massage clients

2009-06-09T14:46:00.005+10:00

As consumers tighten their financial belts, it is the businesses and therapists that add that little more value and provide that extra, unexpected dash of service, who will prosper.

I loved the tip in this month’s Massage Mag about using add-ons to deliver more value to your massage clients.

The article outlines how to do a lovely foot massage, spa style, either on your massage table or a chair in your treatment room.

Such a simple idea, yet I can count on one hand, the number of times I’ve actually been offered this sort of treatment when I’ve paid for massages.

Speaking of hands, you could do a similar treatment on your client's hands.

It doesn’t take much effort or cost a whole lot more to add value to your clients. How have you added value to your clients recently?

The Serenity Prayer

2009-06-03T15:40:00.002+10:00

An oldie, but a goodie. The Serenity Prayer seems really relevant today and every day!

The inspirational women of Brisbane

2009-06-03T15:18:00.015+10:00

I attended a great networking event this week, run by Brisbane Women.

Founded by writer, Kylie Welsh, Brisbane Women now has over 400 members. 30 women attended Tuesday's event, and after Kylie's introduction, business coach Lisa Murray took the stand.

She asked us "what would it take to make our businesses phenomenal?" She first linked this to having a personal vision - which is more than just a list of goals. Lisa's take was that a vision was about asking the questions "what would satisfy me?" and "what do I need to do to make my heart and soul happy?".

Lisa discussed how our fears of success can hold us from achieving our personal vision, and reminded us of one of Marianne Williamson's beautiful quotes;

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Lisa then called on psychic intuitive, Shauna Teaken, who took us on a quick guided visualisation about our vision for our business. Shauna was about the most down-to-earth psychic intuitive I've ever met, and had us in stitches.

It was then time to write down our vision and break into groups of three to brainstorm it further. I teamed up with two fascinating women, Nirala Jacobi, a naturopathic physician, and Susan Living, director of the Clean Living Clinic. It was probably not coincidental that we all seemed to share a common interest in raising the awareness of holistic therapies, and helping therapists across all modalities to achieve this. How quickly that 15 minutes went! It felt like we only just touched the tip of the iceberg in terms of the possibilities for working towards a common objective.

Lisa then conducted a general question and answer session, the main focus of which turned to making money. Several of the women spoke of their reluctance to charge a full and fair fee for their services. We concluded that if we didn't value our own services, our potential clients would not do so either.

It was then time for a speed networking session, where we had about two minutes to chat to more women in the room, explain what we did and exchange cards. Phew! Exhausting but interesting stuff. There's so many interesting women in Brisbane carving out niche businesses for themselves - and everyone seemed willing to support each other where they could.

The Brisbane Women networking event was really worthwhile, and allows women to continue to network in an online community at http://brisbanewoman.ning.com/. On this site, users can create profiles and list any upcoming events or workshops, and simply connect with other inspiring, entrepreneurial business women in Brisbane.

I'm very much looking forward to the next Brisbane Woman event on 7 July!

Launching The Therapy Exchange - Networking Events for Brisbane's Holistic Therapists

2009-05-28T22:34:00.007+10:00

It's all go at Revive Holistic Marketing! We've just launched The Therapy Exchange - a series of networking events for holistic therapists in Brisbane.

The Therapy Exchange aims to help therapists network with like-minded people, and to keep abreast of industry developments and the issues that impact their business.

Held on the first Wednesday (or Thursday) of the month, each event will focus on a particular theme related to the holistic therapies industry. As well as networking with fellow practitioners, we'll:

- Learn from an expert presenter and each other
- Participate in a group discussion related to the theme
- Discover new holistic therapies products

Above all, we'll have a great time and meet some fabulous people over drinks and nibblies!

All events are run at Revive's premises at Teneriffe from 7.00pm - 9.00pm and cost $20 per person. Check our networking calendar for dates and to book your place at our next event.

The series kicks off on 1 July 2009 with an event themed The Value of Marketing for Holistic Therapists.

"The Australian natural (complementary) healthcare industry has domestic sales of over $1 billion per year...the popularity of natural healthcare products is increasing with a growth rate of 7% year on year."

Even in today's economic climate, there are huge opportunities for holistic therapists - so why is it that the average weekly earnings before tax of massage therapists is $600, compared with the average weekly earnings of all occupations of $940?

Marketing is critical for any business - and holistic therapists are no different! Effective marketing can not only help to improve this large discrepancy in earnings, but can help therapists to create and grow successful businesses.

This event will focus on the value of, and need for, effective marketing in the holistic therapies industry. As well networking with fellow therapists, you'll receive valuable tips for your business and loads of information about the range of marketing resources available. Click here for more information or to download the flyer.

Places are limited - book online or call us to secure your place!

The Secrets of Spiritual Marketing

2009-05-28T09:13:00.006+10:00

Lawrence Ellyard, CEO and Founder of the International Institute for Complementary Therapists is launching a new book called The Secrets of Spiritual Marketing, A Complete Guide for Natural Therapists to Making Money doing what they Love.

I've had the privilege of seeing a pre-publication preview of the book, and can't wait for it to be launched.

As therapists, we spend much time and money gaining and maintaining our holistic therapies qualifications, but receive little guidance about how to market ourselves and our services.

This book should be incorporated into all holistic studies courses as a recommened text - its down-to-earth, practical advice - written in plain English, provides a great overview of how therapists can develop a successful business.

For therapists requiring further information about marketing, Revive Holistic Marketing offers 2-day or 5-session marketing workshops throughout Queensland and NSW. You can also earn CPE/CPD points as you learn!

The importance of marketing can never be underestimated. You can be the best therapist in the world, but if your potential customers don't know about you, or if your service does not match their expectations, it may be a short career!

Keep an eye out for The Secrets of Spiritual Marketing!

Places still available at a Yoga Retreat on Sunday

2009-05-13T11:22:00.003+10:00

I just received an email from the Australian School of Meditation & Yoga: Gold Coast announcing they still have spaces available for their mini yoga retreat this Sunday. I did a retreat with the ASMY a few months ago and it was an awesome day - highly relaxing, informative and surrounded by lovely people.

Here's the details below for anyone who may be interested.

------------------------
Hi everyone,

The Free Mini-yoga retreat is coming up on Sunday the 17th May, we have some spaces if anyone would like to come. The retreat starts with the normal Sunday yoga program at Burleigh which will be an hour and a half of yoga and relaxation followed by 30 minutes of kirtan (meditation to music), a talk on the timeless wisdom of yoga and how we can apply it in our daily lives. Lunch is served about 1.00 pm and after about 10 minutes of yoga dance we have a massage workshop.

This month the workshop will be Shared Neck and Shoulder Massage.

If you would like to book in for this event please call Andrew: 5554 5440 or email: margaret@asm.org.au

When: 10:15 am for 10:30 am, Sunday 17th May

Where: Fradgley Hall (Above Burleigh Heads Library), Cnr Gold Coast Hwy & Park Ave, Burleigh Heads

Bookings: (07) 5554 5550 or margaret@asm.org.au

Free talk on the Value of Marketing to New Therapists at Q Academy

2009-05-11T13:30:00.004+10:00

I'm very excited to be speaking about the Value of Marketing to New Therapists at the Q Academy's (Brisbane Campus) Careers Evening this Thursday from 7.00pm - 7.30pm.

Prospective massage students are welcome to attend this free event. Please contact Q Academy on 1300 20 40 80 for more information about the Careers Evening.

Hope to see you there!

Slumber party!

2009-05-09T08:12:00.007+10:00

For any insomnia sufferers, the Sydney Morning Herald ran a great article this week on getting a good night's sleep.

"Poorly manufactured beds and bases, inappropriate lighting, the wrong bedding, bad usage habits and inadequate airflow can all contribute to us getting a dreadful night's sleep."

The article suggests many things, including decluttering your bedroom, to get a better night's sleep.

Did you know that regular massage can also help to relaxed a stressed mind and body, and therefore promote sleep?

Revive launches innovative new marketing workshops for holistic therapists

2009-05-05T14:11:00.020+10:00

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.

Fantastic digital photography workshops in Mt Tamborine

2009-05-03T08:09:00.009+10:00

I love photography. I've been tinkering with cameras, both non-digital and digital, for as long as I can remember.

For me, wandering round a park or garden, or out in the bush somewhere, photographing nature, is as relaxing as it is inspiring. It doesn't matter if the pictures are not perfect; it's finding the details, scrutinising the minutae, seeking out unusual shadows and angles.

In searching for a birthday present for my Dad recently, I came across some photography workshops up at Mt Tamborine run by Bluedog. It looked like the perfect pressie, so I booked us both in.

Hosted by Danielle and Nick Lancaster, the Introductory Workshop kicked off with introductions and a brief description of which of the camera's functions we use the most.

"Er...the automatic function", was the general reply. "After this workshop, we want you to promise that you will never use the auto function again," said a smiling Danielle. "It's a smackable and sackable offence."

We started with a discussion about the three main variables we could control on our cameras, the ISO, shutter speed and aperture - all terms I'd heard of before, but really had no clue how to apply in a practical way.

Our first practical exercise was to test out different shutter speeds. Until then, I had no idea what shutter speed my Canon EOS 400D could go up to - nor what I could do with it at high speed.

Danielle explained that she would start pouring water over her fingers, and our task was to try to get a shot of the water, "frozen" in mid air. We started with our cameras on the slowest shutter speeds, gradually notching it up until indeed, the water started to form funky patterns in our viewfinders.

We discussed depth of field and looked through a bunch of photographs as a way of talking about composition - how pictures should be constructed. The Rule of Thirds, which I had heard about, came up, and we looked through batches of stunning photos taken by the Lancasters, to see how this rule worked in practice.

During the afternoon, we headed out for a practical session in the stunning Mt Tamborine Botanic Gardens. Danielle and Nick were on hand to advise about settings, composition and all of the stuff we'd talked about.

The gardens up at Mt Tamborine are definitely worth a visit for anyone remotely within the vicinity. They were lush and gorgeous.....so peaceful!

The final hands-on session took place back at the studio. It simulated night work, and let's just say, Nick did some incredible drawing work with a live sparkler. Who'd have thought my camera shutter could stay open for that long!

Bluedog also does retreats, and I'm definitely going to do more of their photography workshops. I learnt heaps on the Introductory Workshop, so I can only imagine what lays ahead in the more advanced courses.

Womenspace

2009-05-03T07:50:00.003+10:00

I was out looking at various venues last week, and came across Womenspsace, a little oasis out in the north Brisbane suburb of Kedron.

It's simply a place for women to commune and explore their spirituality. As well as hiring out rooms suitable for workshops and therapists, Womenspace runs a wide array of workshops and discussion groups - click here on all sorts of topics.

Women can drop in, any time from 10am - 4pm on Tuesday to Friday. It's a lovely, peaceful space and worth checking out if you live in Brisbane.

We will remember them

2009-04-25T14:11:00.013+10:00

Last May, on a holiday to Turkey, I visited the legendary Gallipoli: a peninsula in the North West of the country.

Perfect, clear skies framed our view. The area was calm, peaceful and spectacularly picturesque - glistening blue sea out to the front of us, dramatic cliffs and bushland to the rear.

However, this idyllic setting belied the hell that it bore witness to some 94 years earlier.

Our coach pulled over to the side of the road nearest the water. There it was: one word in bold, simple letters: A N Z A C.

Profound emotion took over me - I felt overwhelming sadness and began to sob. I had lost no relatives in the battle that began there at 4.28am on April 25, 1915 - indeed my grandfathers and forebears had not even fought in Turkey nor had they died in any war.

But I cried for the ANZACS - the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who landed on that small beach in the first joint military operation between the two countries. Theirs was part of a broader campaign mounted by the British and French to capture the Ottoman capital of Istanbul and secure a sea route to Russia.

I cried at the futility of the situation the ANZACs faced, many gunned down as they emerged from boats that had taken them to shore, thousands more killed in a bloody battle up and down those towering cliffs.

It is said that this battle forced the birth of consciousness of Australia and New Zealand. It was a place where our young men died; and a place where the ANZAC legend was born.

We departed Anzac Cove and wound our way up the hill to Lone Pine, the Australian memorial and cemetary at the top of the peninsula. The poignant melody of the Last Post started to replay itself in my mind. I tried to imagine what those young soldiers must have seen - or what some of them almost saw. The gravestone of one R.H Stevens said he was killed the very day he arrived on Turkish soil.

Chanuk Bair, New Zealand's ANZAC memorial and cemetary at Gallipoli, and the Turkish cemetary were equally moving. Those headstones represented way too many lives cut short, wherever they had come from.

Our young Turkish guide and coach driver showed so much compassion and respect for the few Australians and New Zealanders on the tour that day; indeed Ceylan and Burhan, both beautiful, warm souls, had hosted us in their beautiful country for the previous two weeks. It made me cry all the more to think that our countries had once been at war.

The battle to retain control of the Gelibolu peninsula and the Straits of the Dardanelles was also one of the defining moments in Turkish history. I believe that because Turkey, Australia and New Zealand share such a history; we also share a future in always remembering what that history means.

The bond between the ordinary soldiers and sailors who fought at Gallipoli was expressed this way by the President of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1934, on a large stone monument at Anzac Cove:

"Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives...
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore, rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours...
You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries, wipe away your tears,
Your sons are now lying in our bosom, and are in peace,
After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well"

My visit to Gallipoli had a profound impact on me. I had heard much about the ANZAC spirit and the legendary Gallipoli from my early childhood, but had never really personally connected with it. On that day, I felt as intensely proud to be Australian as I felt homesick, sad, humble and grateful. I longed to be back home with my family under blue skies and amongst the gum trees - but I now knew deeply why I would personally never forget those who fought for my country's freedom.

I went to my first Anzac Day Dawn Service last Saturday and was inspired by how many people of all ages packed into Brisbane's Anzac Square at such an early hour.

As the old diggers marched solemnly up to the Shrine of Rembrance to the drumbeat of the military band, I thought very fondly of my time in Turkey. Tears unashamedly rolled down my face as a buggler sounded the Last Post, before the two-minute silence. The mood was solemn, reflective. The silence was palpable.

I feel some regret that it took it nearly 37 years for me to really "get" Anzac Day and all that it represents; but, better late than never I suppose.

I will certainly watch future Anzac Day services with a different perspective, just as I will feel a bit more appreciation each time I walk past Anzac Square or see an Australian soldier. But I think it's the deeply ingrained Gallipoli experience - memories of my day there and of the even more extraordinary events that took place in 1915, that will remind me why we must always remember them.

Therapists Unite for the Red Cross Bush Fire Appeal

2009-02-21T08:27:00.005+10:00

The Australian spirit has never been more amplified than in the wake of the tragic bush fire disaster in Victoria. It feels like everyone is trying to do their bit to help the Victorians who lost their homes and loved ones, and the massage therapy industry is no different.

I received an email this week via the Australian Association of Massage Therapists, announcing a national fund raising event whereby massage therapists offer massages to the public, with all proceeds going to the Red Cross Bush Fire Appeal.

Endeavour College, in conjunction with ANTA, ATMS, RAoA, AAMT, AACMA and IFA has organised a fundraising event to take place in the following locations (more locations are being confirmed):

BRISBANE Queen Street Mall – confirmed 8am to 4pm Friday February 27, 2009
MELBOURNE City Square – confirmed 8am to 7:30pm Friday February 27,2009
PERTH Murray St Mall - to be confirmed

If you do happen to see the armies of massage therapists and reflexologists out at these venues, pop in for a treatment and help support a really worthy cause.