To retrain in something more holistic?

[Howsweetitis]

I'd like to seek advice and guidance from anyone who has retrained in or gone into holistic therapy, and is currently working in this field. I'm a working professional, with 20 years of experience in mental health and social care but I'm constantly fighting burn out. I have no time or energy resource to come home and care for myself effectively.

I'd love to use my transferable skills in a more holistic way, be it reflexology, acupuncture etc. I am currently perimenopausal and would love to perhaps specialise in this area. Would others recommend this, or is there other holistic services you would recommend? I've looked into training at it is available in my location.

For context I'm 40 and based in Chester.

Thank you.

As I’m training in reflexology (and doing an acupuncture degree) I’d totally say go for it!
However, I’m quite a bit older and was fortunate to be able to leave my horrendous role for p/t - alongside finally no caring responsibility or partner, so plenty of free time.
The acupuncture will mainly end up for interest, as I have not the years to gain deep knowledge and experience- which you do. But I love the learning and hope to use it for wellbeing for people rather than build a career.
I also have use of a room for free for the other stuff (which will include reflexology and massage) and no massive income is needed so I’m very fortunate and possibly your circumstances are different which may need more juggling/consideration.
I could no longer bear my role - and many on reflexology at least are similar - most are around your age with outliers at both ends of the age spectrum.
I think acupuncture can make a good living - but only with proper training which would be between 2-4 years, not just a needling course (very limiting, and to me a bit scary that is a thing unless you’re already a medic) so that’s some investment. The other holistic therapies possibly make enough but not individually particularly unless you find the place/advertising/clients and take off.
Have you thought about counselling? Maybe that could work with your background- again some cash/time investment in training.
I think it’s very reasonable to have more than one role in our working lives nowadays and 40 is a great age to review - experience behind you to take to a new skill, but many, many years to practice it before retirement.
Partly answered as I’m interested in what others have to say. There will be more sensible folk than I - who happily jumps into a change when even the least bit possible!

@MsJinks Thank you for your comment. My background is actually in Counselling, I'm a level 6 practitioner and hold CBT certificates too. I don't think people understand how emotionally and mentally draining of a profession it is. I'm now a wellbeing practitioner, offering talking therapy and other services at a local college.

I am ready to preserve some of my energy and do something that actually brings a bit of joy into my life. I'd still like to use some of my skills but in a different kind of setting. I love the idea of acupuncture and have researched it a lot. I do think it needs to be regulated more thoroughly though. Can I ask is your degree at a university or online?

I'm in a position at the moment to cut my hours back and still make ok money, as I ah w recently had a promotion. The concern I think I have would be getting up and running until I'm established. Though I suppose this is the case for anyone who is starting up in this kind of area.

I understand how you're feeling, giving years of yourself really does have an impact eventually and it brings you no positive outcomes. The burn out I currently feel is literally drowning me alive. Very little support and supervision is poor. I was being managed by someone with next to no experience, so this promotion was a godsend in that aspect.

Can I ask if you did a level 3/4 qual in Reflexology? I'd also like to complete a lymphatic drainage course too.

Hi
My acupuncture course is at the Northern College of Acupuncture and is a BSc - lots of clinic days and in person tuition. I’m doing it p/t but practically that is Yrs 1 and 4 full time and the 2nd year is split into 2. I did p/t as funding required it, as I already had a degree.
It’s all sort of p/t attendance in a way though - I do the weekend course, full time years it’s around every other weekend, both full days. There’s weekday as well but 2 half days each week. There’s also online learning every week. Some lessons at the weekend/weekday are delivered online, but not that many. Clinic days are separate and have to be completed with clinics available in York all week, and a day a week Cheshire and London.
There are other degree/long courses, that look great, but this worked best for me. The main ones in the U.K. have joint history with the development of acupuncture here too.
As I say the learning interested me, but either way I fully agree it shouldn’t really be possible to practice with less - to deliver it properly (and safely!) some detailed understanding, learning and practice is essential.
The reflexology is actually (unusually) a Level 5 - so learning treatment plans etc. As I’m concurrently doing a degree and both have anatomy and physiology (well degree is biomedicine) then I can see a huge difference though the A&P is at L3 itself tbh. This is 10 weekends in person and the practical learning is really good, and the specific reflexology learning too, but some theoretical background needs self study really. I think the difference is that L5 (probably 4) you learn to treatment plan and know more about how to help varying conditions specifically. Level 3 is more of using a set routine - both will work. I find it astounding that as a new, fairly rubbish still student, I get/give reactions. It is continuing to push to get results accepted scientifically. Unfortunately, our western medicine based research models are difficult to match with holistic treatments or even medicines.
The reflexology course I am doing requires we find our own clients and do 100 hours of those - harder than having access to a clinic! Obviously though can’t just find family/friends and practice sticking needles in them ha!
Sorry re the counselling- I have no illusions it may be straightforward- I could barely manage listening to certain staff with issues sometimes. However, I did have one myself who found she could work mornings, outsource admin, and manage her own space/downtime needs pretty well - and so enjoy it - but I guess that’s both lucky and uncommon.
Happy to send you any info on the stuff I’m doing if it is of interest. If I do nothing with it except let others know - that’s still an achievement from it all 😃

Should add - holistic therapies that can ‘support’ people (support rather than treat or cure has to be the word!) will only get more in demand. Partly due to NHS issues and partly as they’re really useful for functional issues, things like ME, MS, menopause (also fertility) that the NHS just can’t manage as well.
I’m told it is possible reflexology may be used by social prescribers at some point - so that would help with jobs. Our reflexology college principal has just assisted on training nurses in Taiwan to deliver reflexology as they are all going to have to learn it. This is not so useful to you I know, but it is interesting perhaps.
Acupuncture I would say has probably more potential to earn as it is more recognised and there are options such as working in multi bed clinics, in the NHS/private medical or solo. I think nearly all former students are working, and living ok, from acupuncture.