Garden rooms are pretty much the perfect setting for any type of therapy: counselling, massage therapy, acupressure, podiatry, chiropody, hypnotherapy, acupuncture, reflexology, reiki healing, cognitive behavioural therapy, psychotherapy, art and music therapy, to name just a few. Surrounded by nature, your treatment room offers more than your skills and professional equipment; it offers the subtle but always present benefits that nature offers us: fresh air, peace, tranquillity and a brief respite from stress, many plants produce phytoncides, healing chemicals that boost our immunity, let’s not forget the pure beauty of the trees, bushes, vines, and flowering plants.
What are the benefits of a garden therapy room for you?
Once you start thinking of the benefits of establishing your therapy business in your own separate structure in your garden, near your home, you will wonder why you did not think of it before;
- You can arrange it exactly how you want it: colours, décor, size, windows, and doors that are just perfect for your type of therapy;
- You will have no commute;
- You will be able to see more clients because you can be more flexible and even offer sessions in the evening or early morning, depending upon your client’s needs;
- Your job will give you more pleasure than when working in a health centre. You will be surrounded by nature, listening to the birds and bees instead of traffic noises;
- Your family will be able to see more of you since you do not have to leave early and come late because of the commute to and from work.
What are the benefits for your clients?
- Most of the people in the world today live in cities and have little opportunity to spend time amongst nature. Science has found strong evidence that we all need time in the natural world to stay mentally and physically healthy. By offering your clients the opportunity to spend some time in your garden, before or after the therapy session, you are giving them the opportunity to relax and de-stress surrounded by greenery and flowers. This can offer additional benefits to the therapy you offer, your clients will start the therapy session already relaxed and more open to the healing you offer.
- You can offer more flexibility when scheduling therapy sessions when you own your own garden therapy room;
- A garden therapy room offers the privacy, comfort, peace and tranquillity not normally found in built up urban surroundings.
What makes a perfect garden therapy room?
Your garden therapy room is your place of business. You know what equipment is necessary; you also know how important it is to make the room comfortable, relaxing, and pleasant. Now that you have your own therapy room, you can choose just the right soothing colours for the walls and appropriate decorative pieces.
To make the room comfortable, think of your four-season needs: heating and cooling will be helped by quality insulation. It is not a garden shed, it is your workspace. You may wish to add a sound system, some indoor plants, scented candles, or even a water feature.
For those nice days, make sure that you have the ability to open your doors and windows wide and let the outside in. If funds allow, perhaps bi-folding doors could be considered.
Make your garden a part of the healing process. If you have a large, mature garden, you are already set. If not, plant as many bushes and trees as possible. Choose plants for fragrance – such as jasmine and honeysuckle, for colour – such as roses and annuals, for touch – such as succulents and for taste – such as plum and apple trees.
Place a bench in the garden near your garden therapy room, for your clients to sit if they come early for their session, or if they want to spend some time to reset after they are finished.
A separate entrance to your garden room with a path that leads to your therapy room will give your clients total privacy and your family separation from your business and the strangers coming in and out. Of course this may not always be possible, if you have no other option and your clients must use your front door then your treatment room should be as close to the front of the house as possible.
Can you afford it?
Start by browsing the net and look at what is available in your area. There are manufacturers of garden rooms that come fully constructed and need only to be assembled in your garden. While you may be tempted to cut some corners when it comes to the price, think of your professional reputation and image, appearances really do matter.
The price will very much depend on the size of the garden room you want, whether you intend to buy a custom built structure, a prefabricated modular garden room or an “off the shelf” wooden building. Skylights, bi-folding doors, under floor heating and air conditioning will all add significantly to the overall cost of your garden therapy room.
Think also about how much money you would be saving by not having to rent your therapy room, you would also save on the costs of your daily commute.
Don’t forget the rules
Different parts of the UK have different rules and restrictions when it comes to constructing a separate structure on your property. We recommend that you contact your local planning authority (LPA) through your local council for advice regarding planning permission rules and regulations in your area.
It is important to visit a few suppliers of garden rooms as a part of your research, they will be more than happy to answer any questions and offer advice; they may also be able to help you with any issues regarding planning permission.
Conclusion
There is really no downside to a therapy business situated in a garden room. Your clients will enjoy the peace and quiet of your garden, surrounded by nature and all the benefits it has to offer.