Unlike earlier generations, nowadays it is rare to stay in the same job until retirement.
Increasingly, many jobs are created from our personal and professional experience; we try several jobs, and we use our experiences to forge our own professional path. Hence for me, my path led me to be a Wellness Facilitator.
Conversations though generally go like this:
“Hello Madam, what’s your job?”
“Well, it’s quite simple. I’m an administrative-technical sales assistant, but also a wellness event manager, a performer, and a host for burlesque shows. If you’re looking for a personal trainer, a nutritionist, a hairdresser, a yoga or dance teacher, I know experts I can introduce you to. Oh, and I also give massages.”
“Hmm… so what do you really do?”
“I’m a Wellness Facilitator.”
A Wellness Facilitator is someone who cares about people’s well-being.
They provide advice about specific needs at a specific time. Importantly, if there is an area they cannot help in, they will redirect people to the expert who can help.
With friends, we usually recommend restaurants, bars, a painter to renovate a kitchen… the Wellness Facilitator does the same thing but in a specific area. Sometimes, they think about solutions nobody has imagined before to solve a specific problem. They share information and create links between people, and have a lot of knowledge about health.
In the beginning, there are many questions to answer for anyone who wants to go on this path. The first is how to become a Wellness Facilitator, and more personally, why?
The why is about wanting to have a profession closely aligned to one's own values, and fulfilling the need to help people.
My own professional path was atypical (hairdresser, waitress, sales assistant), with some health issues along the way (stroke), but strong interests in many areas (sport, dance, health, nutrition, alternative medicine, personal development…).
I contacted a "life coach" to help to sort out my thoughts and provide a push to take the first step towards my dream job. This led to organizing my first wellness event. On this day, experts in different areas were moved by the same caring flame, allowing people to discover themselves with workshops or getting specific advice, support, and hands-on care.
A Wellness Facilitator’s activitiesGiving advice requires spending time with a person.
To determine someone’s real needs, you have to be an attentive listener. I have to permit people to express themselves without any judgment to understand their problems or discomfort. Asking questions allows me to know what has been already done and what can be suggested.
It is important to reformulate what people said to be sure to understand exactly what they mean.
After that, the Wellness Facilitator could suggest the type of care, a line of thought, or recommend a trusted expert from their network.
In 2019, I have followed a healing massage training. I have discovered that it was totally linked with my aspiration; being aware of people's body, enhancing relationships with them, and with my own wellness. Many customers gave the same feedback: I gave them exactly what they needed at the right time.
The main role of the Wellness Facilitator is to facilitate the introduction of clients to appropriate experts.
Therefore, organising events is an important part of the job.
A Wellness event is akin to creating a display of available services.
Choosing a team is important, as is cultivating team spirit and working with people who share the same values to provide a safe atmosphere for clients.
Managing an event required a lot of skills, such as dealing with budgets, being sure that every team member and the client has all materials and supplies they need, scheduling the day but being ready for any last-minute changes to be sure that everybody feels considered (both the team and clients).
The post-event is important too. It allows me to keep in touch with clients and receive feedback so I can improve the process for the next event.
My experience as founder and manager of my own wellness event (Bien Dans Tes Escarpins) helped me to improve my soft skills. To find a better way to communicate, I decided to do a course in public speaking. Finding the right words and means of expressing myself helped clients feel more comfortable.
Every day the Wellness Facilitator has to be mindful of people she meets because everybody could be a potential client. She has to be open-minded and do training, coaching, and attend conferences to stay on top of new trends and information. Each new person you get to meet is an opportunity to improve your professional network and to be better known.
During the first lockdown, a magician has contacted me via Instagram to participate in an online show. The goal was to teach a magic trick to the audience and let them speak about their activity or business. I was invited as a burlesque performer, but I took the advantage to speak about wellness and about my projects because they are complementary. This show allowed me to share my passions and projects using the magician's network. It has also allowed me to meet someone who has the same desire as me and gave me an opportunity to be on the stage again.
What are the necessary skills of a Wellness Facilitator?First of all, they have to love people.
You need also to show trust to the client, and not be judgemental. The wellness facilitator must also care for themselves. As the saying goes, “charity begins at home”.
Beyond that, it is important to have administrative, management, communication, and interpersonal skills. I have found that it is important also to be proactive, creative, patient, sometimes a “mummy bear”, sometimes “mummy bird and pushing kids to fly”, organized, flexible, a good listener… and last, but not least, be ready to do training, get news skills and share knowledge. It is like being an updated Swiss-knife.
Being a Wellness Facilitator is to be aware of everything anytime and catch every opportunity to create a contact. Work will never end. As Confucius said:
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
Further reading:
Facilitatrice du bien-être : un lien entre les gens by
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