“I've found that today's spa-goers can pick up on the
negative moods of therapists who are being used rather
than supported.”
P: You contributed a chapter to the
whitepaper on “Caring for the Carers.”
Can you tell us more about that?
o: Based on my twenty-five years’ experience in setting
up successful spas, i cautioned that a lack of adequate
staff support systems exacerbates burn-out among
staff. i’ve seen it time and time again. Working
weekends, every weekend…it’s unsustainable not to
have a personal life. moreover, lack of support for the
emotional and physical stressors experienced by staff
can cause these individuals to abandon their spa careers.
Given these current trends, as iSPa has identified, the
industry will face—or is already facing—a serious
shortage of qualified experienced personnel. if we do not
have the foundations of mental wellness underpinning
spa culture this shortage will be exacerbated further.
The irony is that the general population has accepted the
messaging of our industry and become increasingly
aware of the health benefits of spa, but many spas are
unable or unwilling to apply that knowledge to their
own staff.
P: So fostering mental health is essential for
the survival of the industry?
o: absolutely. not only is it leading to a shortage of
employees, but i’ve found that today’s spa-goers can pick
up on the negative moods of therapists who are being
used rather than supported. The informed consumer of
the future will not choose a spa that is not in integrity.
mentally healthy leaders and team members will be a
basic requirement, as consumers will detect organiza-
tions not practicing a culture of therapeutic congruency.
caring for the mental wellness of your staff can lead
to long-term cost savings, too. fewer sick days taken, less
turnover, reduced hiring costs, lower medical costs.
People want to work with businesses that respect them,
that promote having a personal life. They want to be in
that kind of environment.
P: What are the main problems facing the
mental health of the spa industry?
o: here we are in the spa industry and people continue
to struggle with mental wellness. We’re not immune to
phone addiction, drug addition, alcohol addiction. and i
know that everyone reading this article has heard
someone say, “you work in the spa business, it must be
so relaxing!” But we all know that it’s a very challenging
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