The therapy sessions are offered to patients who are staying on the ward, attending Day Hospice or sometimes attending as Out Patients.

Therapies offered include massage, aromatherapy, reflexology, Indian head massage, Reiki and HEARTS therapy. (HEARTS therapy is a gentle therapy which combines some or all of the elements of the other therapies to bring about a state of deep relaxation.) They can be given in the patient’s bed or chair on the ward, or in the relaxing comfort of the therapy room in the Day Hospice, surrounded by twinkling lights and gentle music. This can provide a rare and important opportunity for some of our patients to clear a space in their busy minds and to simply rest; or it can be a valuable clinical adjunct to standard medical interventions.

These are some of the things that the patients have said about how they feel following a therapy session:

“I felt calm and relieved.”
“….relaxed and energised.”
“I felt more at ease.”
“It’s comforting, soothing.”
“I went to my own special place.”
“I felt so relaxed and free of pain: quite high and energised.”
“I just zoned out.”

We are very fortunate to have a small and dedicated group of therapists who all donate their time and skills to give complementary therapy sessions to our patients. The therapists are all qualified to nationally recognized standards and able to adapt their treatments to suit patient’s individual needs.

We need more therapists to enable us to reach more patients more often, to give that feel-good factor. If you feel that you would like to join our team, gain valuable experience, benefit from educational opportunities, and work alongside like-minded people and meet new friends, please read on.

If you are:-
Qualified to level 2 in reiki or level 3 or equivalent in aromatherapy, with level 3 in two other therapies from the above list.
Comfortable working in a palliative care environment.
Able and confident to adapt treatments to suit our patients.
Registered with a governing body.
Insurable.
Have a knowledge and understanding of the aims of palliative care.
Able to commit to a minimum of 3 hours each week.

We would like to hear from you. Please contact Sarah Bowers, complementary Therapy Coordinator at St. John's Hospice, 01524 382538 or sabowers@sjhospice.org.uk to discuss volunteering opportunities in complementary therapy.