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Reflexologist
Hours
Variable
Starting salary
£15,000 + per year
Reflexologists aim to encourage the body's natural healing processes by applying pressure to reflex points on the hands and feet, which is said to restore the body’s natural balance. If you have a good understanding of human biology and anatomy, and would like to help people with their health problems, this job could be for you.
In this job you would need to be a good communicator and listener. You would also need to have good co-ordination and be able to work accurately with your hands.
There is a number of courses that can help you get into this type of work, from level 3 diplomas to degrees and postgraduate qualifications.
WorkDesc
The work
Reflexology is based on the belief that points in the feet and hands are joined to all the major organs and parts of the body by 'energy pathways'.
As a reflexologist, you would work with clients to treat a variety of conditions, including stress, sleep disorders, sports injuries and chronic back pain. Your work would involve:
- explaining the treatment to the client
- taking a medical history, covering issues such as health, diet and lifestyle
- examining the client’s feet and hands for possible ‘blockages’ and problem areas
- applying pressure with the thumb and fingers to the client’s feet and hands
- keeping treatment records
- referring clients to their GP, if necessary.
You could focus just on reflexology, or you could combine this with other complementary therapies, such as massage therapy.
HoursDesc
Hours
Your working hours would depend on how many clients you have, particularly if you are self-employed. You may start by working part-time until you have built a solid reputation and client base. You may need to work some evenings and weekends to accommodate your clients.
You could work in a variety of settings, from hospices and hospitals to clients’ homes and complementary or holistic medicine clinics. You could also work in a beauty salon or health farm. You may travel around, seeing clients in a number of settings.
IncomeDesc
Income
Reflexologists may earn around £15,000 to £20,000 a year, depending on the number of clients and the location. Practitioners with established practices may earn around £30,000 a year.
Self-employed reflexologists charge a sessional rate, which usually varies from £25 to £60 for a 45 to 60 minute session. Business costs such as rent and materials come out of these fees.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
There is a variety of courses available that can help you prepare for a career in reflexology. These range from level 3 diplomas (created by the VTCT, ITEC, City & Guilds and ABC exam boards) to degree and postgraduate qualifications.
To get on to the diploma, you may need knowledge of anatomy and physiology, and it could also be useful to have a GCSE (A-C) in biology. Contact course providers (listed on the exam board's websites) for exact entry details.
If you decide to take a degree-level qualification in complementary medicine/therapies (specialising in reflexology), you will usually need five GCSEs (A-C) plus around two A levels. Check with course providers, listed on the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) website, for exact entry requirements because alternative qualifications may also be accepted.
It may help your career to join a professional body. Membership criteria can vary, so it is important to check directly with the organisation you feel would represent you best. Some of the main associations are listed on the Reflexology Forum website, including:
You may have an advantage when applying for a course if you have previous experience in healthcare, massage, beauty therapy or counselling.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
You may need to follow your initial training course with extra study and more hours of supervised client-contact if you want to become a full member of one of the professional bodies. Each organisation's website has further details of approved training and membership requirements.
Being a member of a professional body could improve your chances of work or increase your client numbers. Membership will also usually provide access to professional development opportunities, conferences and workshops, which can help you keep your skills up to date and extend your contacts.
Voluntary self-regulation
Organisations from a variety of complementary therapies, including reflexology, have worked to create a single (voluntary) regulatory body, known as the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). The aim of the CNHC is to protect the public by registering practitioners, setting standards for safe practice and providing a means of redress if things go wrong.
It is anticipated that health professionals and the public will use the CNHC register to check if a therapist is of sufficient standard, so it may help your reputation and business if you are registered.
Reflexology is one of the first areas to have access to the CNHC register. You can join via your professional body (check with them for details) or directly through the CNHC website.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
As a reflexologist you should have:
- a good understanding of human biology and anatomy
- good communication and listening skills
- the ability to develop empathy with clients
- a genuine desire to help people
- the ability to inspire confidence in your clients
- good co-ordination and practical skills
- the ability to recognise when a client needs to be referred to a medical doctor
- business and marketing skills (to be successful as a self-employed therapist).
MoreInformationDesc
More information
Institute for Complementary Medicine 
Can-Mezzanine
32-36 Loman Street
London
SE1 0EH
Tel: 020 7922 7980
www.i-c-m.org.uk
Reflexology Forum
www.reflexologyforum.org.uk
Association of Reflexologists
5 Fore Street
Taunton
TA1 1HX
Tel: 01823 351 010
www.aor.org.uk
British Reflexology Association
www.britreflex.co.uk
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
You could work in a variety of settings ranging from hospitals, hospices and practices attached to GP surgeries to holistic health centres, beauty salons, gyms and luxury hotels. You may also work from home, from rented premises or visit clients in their homes.
You are likely to find most opportunities as a self-employed reflexologist. To be successful you will need to build up and maintain a sound reputation and client base. You will also need to the ability to market your business, which may involve working long hours at first until you have established your practice.
You could go on to train and qualify in other areas of complementary medicine, for example aromatherapy, massage therapy or reiki healing, which may help you attract a broader client base.
With experience and further training, you could go into teaching reflexology within colleges. You may also coach or mentor newly qualified reflexologists.
Vacancies may occasionally be advertised through Jobcentre Plus offices, in the local and national press, and in industry journals (often published by the professional bodies for reflexology).
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
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Related industry information
Industry summary
The health sector is represented by Skills for Health Sector Skills Council, which comprises three sub‐sectors:
- National Health Service (NHS)
- Independent Healthcare Sector (such as private and charitable healthcare providers)
- Third Sector (healthcare) (such as small local community and voluntary groups, registered charities, foundations, trusts, social enterprises and co‐operatives)
The health sector is made up of hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, dental practices, the ambulance service, nursing homes, residential care homes, complementary medicine and a huge range of other health related activities, from sight tests in opticians to research in medical laboratories. Most people in the health sector work in the publicly funded National Health Service (NHS), which includes:
- primary care (organisations which the public goes to first) – Doctors/General Practitioners (GPs), NHS Walk in Centres, NHS Direct, Out of Hours Emergency Care
- secondary care (organisations which the public are referred onto) – Ambulance Trusts, NHS Trusts/hospitals, NHS Foundation Trusts/hospitals, Mental Health Trusts, Care Trusts (provide joint health and social care activities)
NHS policy in England is directed from the centre by the Department of Health. Local organisations, known as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), are in charge of providing and commissioning services, controlling the majority of the budget. PCTs are overseen by 10 regional organisations called Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs).
The independent sector includes companies and charities that offer hospital and specialist services usually after referral from a doctor. Operations and other work are carried out in private hospitals, independent treatment centres, mental health units and hospices.
Key facts:
- The health sector is the largest employer in the UK, representing 5.5% of the working age population of the UK and 7.3% of the working age population that are currently in employment.
- It is estimated that the sector employs over 2 million people, including:
- over 1.5 million people in the NHS (72%)
- over 0.5 million people in the Independent Healthcare sector (26%)
- almost 40,000 in the voluntary sector (2%)
- 56% of the workforce has a higher education qualification (or equivalent).
- The age profile for the sector shows an older than average workforce, which is due in part to the fact that it takes some professions a long time to train and can mean that people enter the sector later.
There is a varied list of jobs in the sector ranging from a diverse number of clinical roles, to support and infrastructure staff, for instance: Allied Health Professionals (AHPs); Ambulance Staff; Dental Staff; Doctors/Medical staff; Nursing staff; Midwifery Staff; Healthcare Scientists; Health Informatics Staff; Management; Wider Healthcare Team; Complementary Therapists.
National and regional data
High proportions of the health sector workforce are located in:
- London
- South East
- North West
East Midlands - The health sector employs 131,515 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East Midlands employs 8% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 29% of all employment across the sector or 41,200 employees.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
East of England - The health sector employs 164,720 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East of England employs 9.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 52,300 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 14% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 103,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
London - The health sector employs over 249,524 people, which accounts for 6% of all the employment in the region.
- London employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 33% of all employment across the sector or 78,500 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 146,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North East - The health sector employs 89,201 people, which accounts for 8.7% of all employment in the region.
- The North East employs 5.3 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 23,800 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be almost 46,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North West - The health sector employs 251,960 people, which accounts for 8% of all employment in the region.
- The North West employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South East - The health sector employs 264,071 people, which accounts for 7.1% of all employment in the region.
- The South East employs 15.7% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 164,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South West - The health sector employs 182,187 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- The South West employs 10.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 60,700 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 105,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
West Midlands - The health sector employs 168,746 people, which accounts for 7.2% of all employment in the region.
- The West Midlands employs 10% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 43,000 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 9% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 108,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Yorkshire and the Humber - The health sector employs 182,848 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- Yorkshire and the Humber employ 10.9 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 24% of the total health care workforce or 42,000 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 97,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Northern Ireland - The health sector employs 61,300 people.
- Northern Ireland employs 3% of the total health sector workforce.
- 81% of the workforce is female.
- 26% of the workforce is aged 35‐44 years.
- 96% of the workforce is white.
- 10% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 48% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Scotland - The health sector employs 201,500 people.
- Scotland employs 10% of the total health sector workforce.
- 78% of the workforce is female.
- 30% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 95% of the workforce is white.
- 14% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 39% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Wales - The health sector employs 114,900 people.
- Wales employs 6% of the total health sector workforce.
- 74% of the workforce is female.
- 34% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 94% of the workforce is white.
- 18% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 40% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 27% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2008‐2009, Annual Business Inquiry, 2007, and Northern Ireland Census of Employment, 2007]
Career paths
Further sources
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