Meet Gwyn Featonby
About me
I’m Gwyn Featonby, a qualified nurse, acupuncturist, hypnotherapist, reflexologist, and aromatherapist. Much of my work has been within hospitals and hospices, where I use many complementary therapies to help adults and children manage symptoms related to cancer and other long term or life-threatening illness.
My interest in holistic care and complementary therapies was born 37 years ago during my nurse training. Since then I have trained in a number of therapies; aromatherapy, reflexology, hypnotherapy, acupuncture and EMMETT Technique.
It was my work as a children’s nurse at a hospice 20 years ago when these therapies really took over my life. The hospice gave me the opportunity to develop a complementary therapy service for adults and children and we trained a wonderful team of volunteer therapists. Within 3 years demand had escalated to around 5,000 free treatments for our patients and their families.
I then set up a social enterprise company to deliver complementary therapy training and private treatments, with the profits supporting care provision within the hospice.
My next step came when I was invited to join the first NHS approved complementary therapy school as part of Harrogate NHS Trust. My gratitude to Julie Crossman, a fabulous teacher and Reflexologist and Sarah Grant, the Wellbeing Manager at the Centre, who has set up many amazing patient services. Between them, they challenged the boundaries and put forward an innovative business plan to replicate the hospice model but within the NHS.
Now, I am proud to say we are opening the first NHS approved school- The NHS Natural Health School- offering level 3 foundation diplomas and CPD courses.
3 things you don’t know…
Fun and odd
Despite what a certain celebrity chef says I followed the recipe and the polenta cake still looked (and tasted) like a frisby. Cooking is not my forte!
Most dear
MY grandchildren have many interesting theories about me. The latest being I clearly wear really big knickers because I am very old! Mmm the anti- wrinkle cream was not a great investment then!
Super power
Don’t tell me you ‘do holistics’ or I turn into the hulk! Holism is a philosophy; a way to live your life and if we can incorporate it into the care we give that’s great but it doesn’t stop there.
