Our,’ Ten Minutes With,’ series of interviews gives businesses the opportunity to tell us how they’ve adapted in response to the Covid-19 crisis, what their experiences have been and as we continue to live alongside the virus and changing restrictions, what their plans are for business now we’ve seen the back of 2020.
This week we’re talking to Mum of two Dr Nicola Brough who owns and runs Torus Wellbeing Clinic in Cemetery Road, Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent. Here she tells us what last year was like for her, how travelling the world gave her a new focus, and how the Mum of two is looking to strengthen business relationships in 2021.
Describe yourself in five words
· Passionate
· Hardworking
· Brave (putting myself out there business-wise as I’m actually quite an introvert)
· Visionary
· Shy
Tell us about yourself
I live with my partner Ian, our two beautiful daughters aged eight and ten and our cat called Caspar.
I love nature and being outside.
Tell us about your business?
If I could sum up what we do at Torus Wellbeing Clinic I would say we support people to feel good and function well in mind and body, whether they’re a child, adult or older person.
We offer a wide range of holistic treatments, classes and services both face to face and virtually, including:
· Counselling & Psychotherapy
· Massage
· Colonic Hydrotherapy
· Craniosacral therapy
· Reflexology
· Nutritional therapy
· Reiki
· Yoga
· Qi-gong
All the details are on our website which is www.toruswellbeingclinic.co.uk
What did you do before launching your business?
I’ve worked in sales, admin and support roles at various companies but for the last twenty years, I’ve been fascinated by how the mind and body heal and how complementary therapies can support this process.
In my 20’s I spent a lot of time travelling and spent time living in Amsterdam, Melbourne, Australia and Malaysian Island Langkawi.
Whilst I was there, I met a nutritional therapist and a reflexologist and they transformed the way I ate, drank and looked after myself. It was at that point that I found my passion and went onto study at the Southern School of Natural Therapies in, Melbourne,
When I came back to the UK, long-term I knew I wanted to work with people and support them holistically and studied for a PhD at Warwick Medical School and opened Torus Wellbeing Clinic not long afterwards. I was awarded the Federation of Holistic Therapies Research Award in 2018 for my contribution to the measurement of wellbeing, which was a really proud moment.
What’s your favourite part of your job?
I love seeing clients having that light-bulb moment when the work we’re doing clicks into place, where they get an insight or understand more about themselves, which helps them long-term and can be really transformational.
How did you cope in the first lockdown?
The first time was a real challenge. It was very difficult – I couldn’t meet face to face with clients and on top of that, I was the homeschooling which brought its own challenges and it felt like a huge responsibility.
From a personal perspective, I made sure I took time out to either walk, run or do yoga daily.
Over the years I’ve learnt that self-care is really important, and you can’t help others if you’re running on empty.
Are you going to do anything differently?
My work-life balance has definitely improved. I work hard but I’ve got clearer boundaries now, so I want to make sure that continues.
Have you learnt anything about yourself because of Covid?
I’ve learnt that I’m more resilient than I give myself credit for. Lockdown also gave me the opportunity to look at the business through a fresh pair of eyes and helped me refocus.
What are your plans for the future?
The team at Torus Wellbeing have developed three twelve session programmes (‘Worked up and worried’, ‘Feeling frazzled’ and ‘Difficult to Digest,’) these packages are for those that are prepared to go deep and are wanted to make real and sustained changes in their life… so it’s not for the faint-hearted. When delivering these Programmes the teamwork together to support the individual by sharing their expertise whilst providing space for reflection, learning, change and new ways of being to emerge. This makes my heart burst with excitement as I know anything is possible when the conditions are right.
Our Employee Assistance Programme will also go on-line this year which looks at workplace well-being and mental health which is so important in the current climate.
I’ve built some really good relationships with local businesses and I’m looking to building on those too as the year progresses.
And finally, what was your dream job when you were at school?
I either wanted to work with horses (I was a showjumping groom for a while) or become a PE teacher! Obviously, life had a different plan for me and I’m doing what I love.
If you’d like to be one of our, ‘Ten Minutes With,’ interviewees find out more by dropping us a line at hello@legspr.agency
