We are almost at the end of 2021 and I always find this is a good time to reflect and look back on how the year evolved, the good, the different, the surprises and at times the challenges.

How was it for you all? I am going to take a stab at saying I believe it has been a challenging year on many levels due to lockdowns, isolation, reduced income. Our worlds have all been affected one way or another.

My year started off with sadness and joy. The sadness was with the loss of my father. I know I am not alone in losing people we love dearly this year. It does not matter how long we have had someone in our lives or how old they are we are never ready to say goodbye and let go of them. The sweet blessing is that we had them in our lives in the first place.

The joy was seeing my eldest daughter marry her sweetheart. Due to the travel restrictions, there were no friends or extended family allowed and our wedding party consisted of ten people, all immediate family. Although it was a small wedding it was quite perfect with my two grandsons (11 & 9) writing their own speeches and entertaining us wonderfully as they delivered them.

My theme for this past year has been for universal kindness and to encourage others to let go of their fears and to fly. To ‘Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined’ – Henry David Thoreau

One of the most rewarding things for me was to hear feedback from therapists who have completed my training, saying how the courses have given them so much more confidence and reassurance to work with patients going through a cancer diagnosis, in private clinics or within a clinical setting.

The Clinical Practice Placement pathway grew throughout 2021 and to date we now have 7 organisations participating, 5 of these are hospices in Edinburgh, Darlington, Dorset and Milton Keynes, and Sutton-in-Ashfield, one of which is an NHS Trust. Then there is a BMI hospital in Glasgow, and a cancer care support centre in Oxford. All of these are offering ‘Clinical Practice Placements’ to Butterfly Touch Therapies students.

In these Placements we have therapists being guided under the wing of the Complementary Therapy Leads, gaining valuable experience while supporting many patients and carers. You can read more about the clinical practice trial we completed in 2020 in Edinburgh on the CNHC webpage –  https://www.cnhc.org.uk/accessible-clinical-practice

I also had the pleasure of hosting zoom meetings every few months with the Complementary Therapy Leads at the hospices and hospital. It had been a very tough 18 months for them with many services removed due to covid restrictions, and it was wonderful to connect and share what treatments and services could still be offered to patients and carers. I shared my free Sunrise Meditation with the hospices, along with a patient self-head massage video I had created which was put on the patient’s portal, for them to access at any time. It was also great to connect everyone at a time when we all felt isolated.

In February we created a lovely ‘Approved Practitioner’ logo badge for our qualified therapists to display on their social media, websites and literature. Later in the year we updated our Therapists Register to reflect therapists trained in the ‘Butterfly Touch’ around the world. This is a free listing and a great reference for therapists to showcase their services.

A first for me, was when in April I was approached by BBC Radio Tees, for the Gary Phillipson show to talk about palliative and hospice care. The interview was emotional as I shared my own personal experiences and listened while Gary spoke about losing someone he loved too.

In May I had another first and recorded a podcast for the FHT International Therapist about my work in cancer care. It was launched as their very first podcast episode (no pressure folks) on Spotify.  You can listen to my podcast and many other trainers at: spoti.fi/3eWnanB

In June I was also asked to contribute to the FHT Virtual Congress and created an hour long video ‘Complementary Therapies in Cancer Care’ for Massage, Reflexology and Reiki Practitioners”. Many therapists accessed the video throughout the weeklong congress on the 13th June this year. We will be releasing this video in 2022.

In June we also welcomed our first therapist from the USA, a highly experienced RN in cancer and palliative care, and an experienced Reflexologist. We now have therapists in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland North & South, Australia, Canada, France and the USA.

July brought the nominations for the FHT Excellence Awards. I nominated one of our students Suzanne Julian for ‘Student of the Year Award’. Suzanne was enrolled on the courses for Massage, Reflexology and Reiki. Within weeks of starting the course Suzanne was diagnosed with breast cancer and was facing surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. As most of you will know along with that diagnosis there is fear, shock, anger, sadness and many more emotions.

Despite her personal circumstances, Suzanne really wanted to complete the training so she could continue to help others. We agreed to suspend her course while she concentrated on her own health and path towards wellness again. After only a month Suzanne decided to take advantage of a gap in her cancer treatment to complete the course. With great courage and determination, she did complete all the training in a matter of weeks. I am so proud to say that just two weeks ago Suzanne was awarded ‘Student of the Year FHT Excellence Award in November this year. Suzanne is now through all her treatments and delivering treatments at the ‘Little Retreat Place’ in Marton-in-Cleveland, UK.

In July I started creating newsletters to inform and connect more with like minded people. My first newsletter talked about care and hospices and had a link to the BBC interview with Gary Phillipson: https://butterflytouchtherapiestraining.com/complementary-therapies-palliative-care-interview/?fbclid=IwAR0nfDxMKcD3J4K0lPH1Jzhkp6YvVyUjNG3Bd0VTXc2JRElZIeCtYvax-Ww

In August we took a week’s break to Palm Cove in Northern QLD, which gave me the most wonderful opportunity to visit the lovely Caroline Sharp in Cairns. Caroline is a fellow Reflexologist who delivers reflexology for patients at the Couch Wellness Centre in Cairns. The centre provides an integrated cancer care service to enhance the quality of life for clients, their families and friends and is just over two years old, nestled in the most lush, beautiful surroundings in Manoora, Cairns. Upon arrival, the centre has the most serene and gentle energy and offers reflexology, massage, acupuncture, physiotherapy, nutrition and so much more. On site there is a fully equipped gym, exercise space, and relaxation rooms, with a cafe about to open.

Our new ‘Therapist Register’ was launched in August too. We want this to become a place where anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer can easily access the details of any of our certified complementary therapists, safe in the knowledge that they will be able to help them, and that they have been trained to the highest standard.

To view our new ‘Therapist Register’ please just click on the link below:

https://butterflytouchtherapiestraining.com/directory

In September we opened our Therapists Register to past students from my face-to-face training in cancer care, which will add several hundred more therapists to the register.

We also released my ‘Visualisation for Clearing Your Chakras’ – which I created primarily to help my Reiki students. This is a beautiful way to cleanse your system and chakras from negative and unwanted thoughts and cycles, to allow positivity and dreams to flow. It is useful no matter what therapy you practice.

Earlier in the year I was asked by Jane Sheehan (Foot Whisperer) if I would write a chapter in her book ‘Guru’s Guide to Reflexology in Cancer Care’. I wrote this in September and captured some of my experiences and adaptations when working with cancer patients. The chapter is now with Jane and the book will be launched early next year.

In October we contributed to building back our business by compiling suggestions into an article on expanding your therapy business, or indeed growing it from scratch. This article can be found in the newsletter for October and is to be published in the next edition of FHT International Therapies.  October was also breast cancer awareness month, so we shared research on therapies in cancer care and shared ideas on how to support your client with breast cancer in a newsletter.

November seemed to bring a heightened sense of fear amongst people, and the  therapists I was speaking to were struggling to maintain their calm vibration. I recommended listening to these wonderful meditations by the beautiful Pure Rasa .

Guided Meditation to Open Chakras & Ground Your Energy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkoyEVuN8po…

Cord Cutting From Your Past

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCQYsVSRgSA

Third Eye Activation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vIYch7nfuo

Meeting Your Spirit Guides

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B2NK0kx9WA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkoyEVuN8po…

#meditation #love #energyhealing #balance

Please take care good people, ground and protect yourself :

In November, as mentioned earlier, our wonderful Suanne Julian was announced FHT Excellence Award for ‘Student of the Year’ 2021 …. We’re so proud of you Suzanne!

This brings us to December and we have so far this year had 76 therapists complete the oncology training, of which 25 were for Massage, 35 for Reflexology and 15 for Reiki. Wow, that is a wonderful army of light workers out there delivering their beautiful treatments using Butterfly Touch Techniques on many people going through cancer. What a fabulous ripple effect that is, and so rewarding.

What has this year taught me?

So much. It has taught me that sorrow and joy can live alongside one another. It has taught me to take joy in every moment and count all blessings. I have found great reward from supporting and encouraging others to fulfil their hopes and aspirations, to embrace new ideas and concepts like BBC interviews and podcasts. Yes, we are out of our comfort zone, but I evolved so much from having the courage to say yes rather than no.

It also taught me that ‘Courage is Contagious’. When we do something courageous or see others doing it, there is a knock-on effect. We realise we are only limited by our own imagination.

Lastly, always, always, celebrate the wins, no matter how small or big.

Wishing each and everyone of you a peaceful Christmas filled with love and hope.

Sending blessings,

Marie xx