Vicky approached Garden Affairs to discuss a permanent space for her hypnotherapy practice in Corsham. From building numerous therapy rooms and understanding the need for a private, quiet space, Garden Affairs set to work designing and creating a two-room garden to sit at the back of the garden, where separate access is available for Vicky's clients.
The 4.2m x 2.4m Prima - solid timber building, finished with 44mm thick walls, roof & floor insulation and a durable EPDM rubber roof, includes a WC with internal access and full-length narrow, vented windows.
We spoke with Vicky a few months later to see how the garden room had impacted their hypnotherapy practice.
Before the garden room, I practised my hypnotherapy in my living room and online. I also used to travel to my client’s houses. It wasn’t ideal in the living room as I had photos of the children in there and I had to keep tidying the house every time I saw a client! I do still sometimes see clients online as this works well, but now I’ll be able to conduct the online sessions in the garden room.
I use my garden room mainly to see clients for my hypnotherapy business. I help clients to overcome a range of problems such as anxiety, depression, stress, confidence, weight management and phobias. We spend the first half of the session having solution-focused discussions, and then for the second part, they lie down on my sofa or reclining chair for some lovely, guided relaxation.
I loved the idea of a garden room as it meant that I would have a confidential space separate from the house to see clients. As I have two children it was essential to separate my business from the house and for providing a more professional space for clients.
I wanted to have somewhere where I had access to it all week. I had looked into renting a space in town but there wasn’t much availability and the rooms I did find were expensive. Renting a therapy room also meant that I would need to have allotted time to see clients, which is tricky when just starting up a business and not knowing when clients would be available or how much demand there would be. By having my own space in the garden room, I can offer more flexibility in terms of times and days, and even see clients after school hours as they won’t need to come in the house.
I also liked the idea that when I wasn’t using the garden room for hypnotherapy, it could still be enjoyed by my family and friends. It’s a nice quiet space where any of us can relax when we need some time alone, or in the summer we can open up the doors and enjoy socialising in it with friends and family. We also felt that it will add value to our house in the future if we did ever sell, and it could even serve as an extra bedroom if we had friends or family staying over and couldn’t all fit in the house.
I looked online and Garden Affairs was one of the first sites to come up, then my friend who is also a hypnotherapist said that she had just ordered a garden room from you too. She also knew of a couple of other people who had been really happy with their garden rooms and the customer service from Garden Affairs. I liked how professional the website was, that it was local to us and also that they had great reviews. I did look on other sites but found Garden Affairs to be reasonably priced in comparison and they had a great variety of buildings. After having a meeting in person at the shop in Trowbridge we were sold. Anna was so friendly and helpful and provided all the reassurance we needed that this could be the perfect option for my hypnotherapy.
We were influenced by cost, size, (so that it would fit nicely at the top corner of our garden), insulation so that I could use it all year round, the way it looked as we wanted it to blend nicely in our garden, and also the quality, so it would last a long time in all weather conditions.
For hypnotherapy to be effective, it’s important that the client feels relaxed and at ease, and the environment plays a key role in this. The garden room is therefore a key selling point for my hypnotherapy business, as it’s so cosy, inviting, and warm and clients can be put at ease knowing that it’s a confidential and safe space. They can use my back gate to enter so they don’t need to come near my house, and I’ve put up blinds and curtains so no one can see in. I even had a toilet and sink fitted, so clients don’t need to worry about that either!
I think the other main benefit is the flexibility it affords me. I can be flexible about when I see clients which is great and allows me to see a larger range of people. I even let my husband use it sometimes as he works from home a lot! And when I’m not using it, my children enjoy relaxing in here with a book or doing their homework in peace.
I love how peaceful, cosy, comfortable and relaxing it is. I love being able to provide such a warm and friendly environment for my clients which is all part of the experience, and I love that I’m not answerable to other people in terms of planning ahead and having to book a space in town.
Learn more about Vicky's hypnotherapy practice:
Website: https://www.vickysutherlandhypno.co.uk
