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MEET KAREN SEALEAF- WHITTAM FOUNDER OF OXTON BARNS WELLNESS CENTRE
Tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to open your holistic therapy centre?
I am the founder of Oxton Barns and Aughton Wellness. Following the diagnosis of my husband’ s stage 3 cancer 2 years ago it made me realise that so many people and families need support and time for Self-care. Those 12 to 18 months changed our family life completely. We worked hard to keep life as normal as possible, maintaining routines while caring for Paul through an incredibly difficult time. One day, as I walked past a neglected former bathroom showroom in Aughton, I saw more than a building in need of repair. I imagined a place that could open its doors to the community, offering treatments, support, and a space where people could focus on self care and their wellbeing. Following the success of Aughton Wellness a fantastic friend Graham Atherton offered me the space in Oxton Barns and there I was excited to open my second clinic alongside a Reformer Studio. The Barns is centred around longevity, movement, and holistic therapies.
What was your vision when you first started the business, and has it evolved over time? At the start my vision was to simply have this small clinic close to my home and just help who I can in the local area. Since then, hearing the incredible stories and seeing the positive difference it has made to so many people, I quickly realised that every village and every community deserves a place like this. To have the opportunity to open another clinic on the Wirral was such a fantastic opportunity that I grabbed with both hands! Not only did we extend via a new clinic, but we have also grown our“ Workplace Wellness” offering. It dawned on me one day that we don’ t have to keep this in a clinic and that I can take Wellness to clients and businesses! Little did I know how popular that would become too! Since offering Workplace Wellness we have several large organisations using these services including the NHS. Not only do we provide half or full day wellness days on site, we produce data to show the employers the benefits of the event. We provide feedback on areas that may need some additional support. It doesn’ t just stop the minute they leave the venue; We provide the tools for them to take home and practice to help with their daily work life. This helps with the three“ R” – Resilience, retention, and results. Employers will really see the benefit of this service.
For readers who may not be familiar with holistic therapies, how would you describe what you do? Holistic therapies for me are treatments that sit outside of any medical, non-invasive, and maybe even a little bit out of the box. Everyone deserves Self Care and I believe that we all have something that makes us feel better even if others find this a little weird and wonderful. If weird and wonderful works for you then I am an advocate for it. We all need to spend time doing the things that we love and make us feel good. Relax our minds, relax our bodies or put our energy into something that feels right. Reformer is a great way to move the body and brings mobility to joints even in mature bodies and men. There is a stigma around reformer being for the younger bodies but that’ s not the case, Reformer is for everyone and I am so focussed on getting more men and older ladies on these classes!
What services do you currently offer, and which are proving most popular with clients? Alongside our treatments, one of the things I enjoy most is hosting Wellness Events. We find beautiful locations where groups of people can come together to relax, unwind and experience what we have to offer. We even host Mellow Hen Parties, creating a unique and meaningful way to celebrate with friends. There is something incredibly rewarding about seeing people leave feeling happier, calmer and more connected than when they arrived.
What are some of the most common reasons people come to see you? Stress and Anxiety are one of main problems but also some pain relief. Finding alternative ways to assist with pain. Recovery is so important and this can be via a treatment such as acupuncture, massage and reformer. Reformer can be used as rehabilitation following surgery.
How can holistic therapies support someone’ s overall health and wellbeing? For me this is a simple answer.. Holistic treatments provide a natural support to help with your overall wellbeing, along with movement. A 45-minute treatment can provide you will the tools and relaxation tools to deal with daily stress. Our in-house Hypnotherapist can help with things like stop smoking, diet, and anxiety relief. This provides a long-lasting treatment.
Many people lead busy and stressful lives. What advice would you give to someone feeling overwhelmed or burnt out? Exercise and treatments are key. We all know exercise has its benefits but if you can mix that along with Holistic Treatments then you would be in a great place. Taking time out for you is so vital. Even if just 15-20mins a day just take some time to breathe. This can be a simple tool done at home whilst watching television.
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