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THERAPIST,
OR THERAPIST?
By Will Fennell
Ok, I am going to be totally honest with you here and not
pretend that I love every blessed moment of my chosen
career...... So, I will come clean.... Yes, there are some
days I wish to stab my clients with (sterilised) tweezers.
Not actually kill them as such. No, no, no! I’d never pull
off an orange jumpsuit in prison, just perhaps hurt them
enough, so they’d at least stop talking.
Does this make me a bad person, or even worse, a bad skin
therapist?
Don’t get me wrong, I am so blessed to have clients I call
family and I love nearly every single moment with them, it’s just
sometimes in the mornings I hardly have the energy to apply
deodorant under both arms, without then having to spend the
day listening to the unique “personal” challenges, that each of our
clients are facing in their day to days shenanigans.
I love being challenged with skin conditions such as acne,
rosacea, lines, wrinkles, sensitivities. These tests of my
professional expertise are why I went to Beauty School and not
what I am talking about - these challenges are why I do what I do,
and I wouldn’t change it for the world!
It’s more the other side of our profession when we slip from being
skin therapists into being more “budget” mental therapists. Maybe
they did teach us this particular forte at college? I just must have
been doing pedicure training and missed the class at school on
how to advise your client on whether to keep the lover she is
sleeping with behind her husband’s back?
So, can we be good skin therapists and balance it all. One that
treats skin, is empathetic, but is able to keep their clients at a
healthy distance?
I myself have always had trouble with this one. I once advised
a client to divorce her douchebag husband. Let’s just say it all
ended badly, for all parties. But mostly me. It is surprising just
how far a 100kg muscle man can throw a 65kg twinkie.
Admitting that I am not so good at it myself and to make sure I
don’t ever go to prison for stabbing a client, I asked my business
partner Peta Friend, who without doubt is the best skin therapist I
know, who somehow perfectly balances professionalism with the
warmth of a client/friend relationship, for some advice.
Here are some points she gave me that help her keep a healthy
therapist /client relationship balance in her life.
Peta; “Lead with kindness, ask questions about skin first, but then
if the client wants to open up about their private life, listen, but
don’t pry and never (ever) give advice.
Will; “But what if they won’t shut up”?
Peta; “I am always really firm, I never reply with any questions. I
just listen and then lead the conversation back to their skin.
Will; “What about invitations to weddings and birthdays”?
Peta; “Depends on how good the food and champagne is! This
one I decide client by client. You need to remember for a lot of
my clients I have been a big part of their wedding preparation and
they want me to be a part of their special day. Mostly I am very
proud to be there with them”!
I really love this advice. Remember we are skin therapists, not
psychologists and I think that there needs to be a very firm wall
between therapists and clients when it comes to their personal
lives.
But never discount that what we do is an incredibly personal
service. Our clients often adore us and think of us as family.
Sometimes we just need to use our common sense, listen to
them, show them our appreciation and love, but remember they
are clients, and you are their skin therapist. Set boundaries and
stick to them.
Give them good skin, leave their personalise lives to them and
that will have them coming back for more!
Will Fennell is an international trainer for BIODROGA
biodroga.com.au @biodroga_aus
56 Beauty Biz Year 14 Issue 1