What is Wellness?

Global Wellness Institute Senior Research Fellows Ophelia Yeung and Katherine Johnston point out that wellness continues to be a murky term, often inconsistently used and misunderstood. They offer the definition of wellness as “the active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.”

Active pursuit. State of holistic health. The elements of this definition bring me back to the same premise I shared in my previous article. As massage practitioners and wellness providers, we have an opportunity to expand the benefits and service we provide our clients. Massage is a wonderful wellness tool, and it can also be a door that opens to so much more for our clients.

Through your touch, you bring clients to a state of healing and new understanding about their bodies and overall health. People want to feel better. They want wellness. They also often want that “active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health” to be simplified for them.

See also: Aromatherapy 101: The Benefits of Lavender

How Can You Help?

Look for ways to package wellness offerings for your clients. Who can you partner with—who offers integrative services, such as acupuncture? Expanding wellness options for your clients will reinforce their loyalty to you and creates a scenario where all win.

If you aren’t ready for partnerships, start with how you can maximize the time your clients spend with you. I developed Saltability’s Himalayan Salt Stone Massage for exactly that purpose, because I knew we could improve upon how we support the client’s wellness in a one-hour massage session through the nourishment of Himalayan salt upon the skin.

Brainstorm about easy ways to do more, such as adding aromatherapy to a session. Think about how to enhance what a client can do in a short period of time—how you can create a great experience with some simple additions to your practice?

At the end of the day, your clients will reap the benefits. Clients who invest their time and money in maintaining their own wellness may become more loyal, and refer more business to you.

See also: How Massage Therapists Can Support Mental Health