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Entrepreneurs in Holistic Health Care
Monday, August 30, 2021, 12:50 PM
NHPC Members That Are Advancing the Industry
This month, we are highlighting the amazing creative minds in the NHPC community across Canada.
NHPC members are passionate about advancing the industry and finding new ways to support the health and well-being of people in their communities. Whether it's a product, a service, or education, our members are innovating in the health care landscape.
We recently spoke with three members to learn more about their inspirational experiences as entrepreneurs.
Jennifer Oborne Crolly
Inspiring and Educating in an Indigenous-focused Space
NHPC Member for Five Years
Holistic health care practitioners share the collective goal of supporting the growth of holistic health and wellness for all, and that desire is what drove Jennifer Oborne Crolly's latest venture.
Jennifer is a BodyTalk™ practitioner in Winnipeg, Manitoba, located on Treaty 1 Territory and homeland of the Métis Nation.
She has taken 18 BodyTalk™ courses to grow her knowledge and expand her practice, reflecting her passion for continuing education for all practitioners.
Following the passing of a close friend from the Indigenous community, Jennifer saw a gap in support for Indigenous people and the larger society that she wanted to help fill.
She explains:
There are many people out there who are trying to make their way out of a hole, trying to heal, trying to grow out of the circumstances they find themselves in. Access to healing support is a privilege that many either cannot afford or don't have the community connections to access. This project is a labour of love in honour of my friend, and in gratitude for how the Indigenous community has grown me.
This year, Jennifer launched the Blue Dragonfly Healing Community, a low-cost, online space for weekly BodyTalk™ healing support. Her goal was to create a space for all people to "grow and heal together—personally and collectively, Indigenous and non-Indigenous."
During a session, three participants are worked on at a time. All participants observe their own bodies, how they shift through the stories, and focus on balancing the priorities of the three selected participants.
This setting encourages a group consciousness that creates a space of mutual care, ongoing support, and healing.
Jennifer has always been committed to helping people heal, and this union between her BodyTalk™ practice, education, and relationship with Indigenous community resulted in this inspiring, inclusive project.
Jennifer encourages her fellow practitioners to continue to learn and seek educational opportunities. "I would urge any holistic practitioner to dive deep into their practice, to know and interact with it as fully as they can," she says.
Melissa Badine
Connecting through the Digital Realm
NHPC Member for 12 Years
Whether driving in the car, preparing dinner, or going for a walk, many of us enjoy tuning in to a favourite podcast. This digital space offers the opportunity for individuals to hear from speakers from around the world on any topic they could imagine.
NHPC member Melissa Badine launched The Mom Bun Media Podcast in Spring 2020 to connect with people about topics such as exploring the subconscious mind, dealing with trauma, and turning passions into profits.
As a young child, Melissa was a talker. "It was stated in every report card that 'Melissa tends to chatter'," she chuckles. "I realized what was once a nuisance for others became a superpower, and I use my chatter to collaborate, help, and inspire others."
Describing her podcast, Melissa prompts listeners to "think of it as a happy hour/coffee chat with a girlfriend." As part of her creative process for each episode, she listens to audience feedback to ensure the topic speaks to her listeners.
Melissa's passion for inspiring and connecting with others is not only seen in her podcast, but also in her work as a holistic health practitioner.
Melissa is a massage therapist who expanded her practice to include hot stone massage, aromatherapy, energetic healing through Usui Reiki and Karuna® Reiki, and more.
"I love seeing the transformation of a client from pre- to post-treatment, when someone comes in feeling stuck or blocked and leaves feeling inspired and transformed," Melissa says. "My focus is to never stop learning and always expand and grow, as this field is always expanding."
Mary Jane Donnelly
Improving the Client/Practitioner Experience
NHPC Member for 19 Years
COVID-19 introduced many struggles and unexpected changes, but it also sparked new ideas and innovations to protect clients and their practitioners who continued practising through it all.
NHPC member Mary Jane created the Prone Protective Cover™ (PPC) as a response to the mask mandate that quickly spread across Canada.
In March 2020, Mary Jane expressed the same concern that many practitioners were asking themselves: "How do I practise safely during a pandemic?" Her answer was to create a cover that allowed clients to receive treatments in a mask-free prone position.
While the Prone Protective Cover™ was born out of need, Mary Jane quickly realized that it was an invention relevant well beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It is something that enhances our standard of care and should be integrated into our regular practices. Between common colds and the flu, airborne droplets constantly exist and can spread between clients and practitioners, putting people at risk of getting sick," Mary Jane explains.
The PPC is machine washable, reusable, tucks easily between cradle and cushion, and is 100% Canadian-made.
"I hope that the Prone Protective Cover™ becomes as common to practitioners as sheets and washing our hands," Mary Jane says.
She imagines a time when new therapists are unaware that it hasn't been used all along and they just think of it as "the protective cover we use to keep ourselves and our clients safe."
Feeling inspired? Mary Jane urges her fellow practitioners to "believe deeply in their product; research, research, research; and have faith and patience."