Holistic rooms raise money for Purple House
CAROLINE Murphy is a holistic therapist, qualified in reflexology and massage. With the help of the team at Ladies Workout Express, she set up a room at the gym in December.
To mark the opening of her business, Caroline initially offered treatments to gum members in return for a donation to Purple House.
She is now accepting bookings from the public and provides some lovely treatments designed to re-balance, relax and soothe her clients.
Some of the more popular therapies she offers include reflexology, full-body massage, facial massage and hopi ear-candling.
‘I started at the beginning of December and to celebrate the launch I decided to raise money for Purple House,’ said Caroline. ‘I offered services to gym members in return for a donation,’ she said. ‘I put up a list which could fit 30 names and ended up with two lists!’
The fundraiser was a huge success. Caroline was inspired to help the cancer support Purple House because there has been cancer in her family, as in so many others.
‘Also with the nature of what I do, it’s nice to give back,’ she said.
Her background includes working in sales, travelling and working as a teacher. ‘I finally went back to study the September before last,’ she said. She went to BIFE where she qualified in holistic massage and reflexology.
She decided to set up the room and still continues to further her studies at BIFE, with aromatherapy and hot stone massage.
She decided to go into the therapies as a response to the way the world has changed. ‘We live in a society in which people are obsessed with their appearance as opposed to what is on the inside,’ said Caroline. ‘People are more stressed out than ever before and they are deprived of human touch.’
She said that the work in fact relaxes her also. ‘I love to go into the room and put on the music, get the incense going,’ she said. ‘It’s wonderful.’
She said that she enjoys making connections with the people who come to her room.
‘As different as we might seem, everyone has the same sort of stress and problems,’ she said.
Her background in sales and teaching has delivered many of the skills she needs to go forward in this or in fact any career.
She has basic bookkeeping, experience in social media, and most importantly, the ability to relate to people.
In the field she has chosen, her studies need never end. In the future, Caroline would like to study herbalism perhaps.
She will also continue to support Purple House in any way she can.
‘I would also really love to get involved with a mental health organisation, providing affordable treatments. They can be really beneficial in dealing with stress or anxiety. If someone is just with you for half an hour, they can come in and switch off.’
Meanwhile, Caroline is very busy with both her studies and clients.
She meets people at the room by appointment and can be contacted on (087) 7741476