Beverley Faulds-Barber has been running Isle of Wight Hypnotherapy since this summer. It’s a new start for Beverley, who took early retirement from the NHS after 38 years.
“I love change and I love a challenge,” Beverley says. “I had a career as a health visitor for nearly 20 years and I’m a registered nurse. I have huge connections with the whole health structure on the Island and it becomes a part of you, it’s quite funny. I’d also qualified years ago in aromatherapy and reflexology but I felt that hypnotherapy really went on from my career in health. I didn’t want to turn by back on all of that background, experience and information. It gives me a good understanding of people’s health on every sort of level, emotionally and physically.”
Beverley had some problems with her back and was looking for a change in lifestyle. She’s currently offering hypnotherapy for phobias and weight loss. She’s also looking to expand in other areas too, as well as pursuing work in the arts.
“I have got quite a way to go before I can get a state pension so I need to earn money. I am also starting to set up as a textiles artist as well. I have a degree in fine art and a master’s degree in creative writing. I always liked the arts but hadn’t been able to do that as a living because I needed to earn money and my career went in another direction.”
Beverley attended a one day business start-up course at the Chamber which she found very helpful. Since then she’s met regularly with Fiona her business mentor.
“I have come from a very corporate background in the NHS and the wider primary health team but it’s just me now! I used to do things because I was part of an organisation, whereas now I have to find my own support, peers and links. The mentoring with Fiona has been really good, having someone to bounce off and to ask questions. Asking people for money is a bit alien to me. The business has to be self-funding and that’s the difficult thing. I have to learn to be good at advertising myself and marketing myself. It’s a big step for me, to learn and to keep doing all of that.
“I think the biggest thing was that it is all possible and there is mentoring out there and there is support and you’re not just out there on your own trying to paddle. Age isn’t a barrier for me. I suppose I don’t have the worries that I might have had in my twenties where you’ve got to earn money, support yourself, and pay your mortgage. I can indulge myself a bit now. I have the confidence and the time to do it too. I am quite busy all the time really and I am having a good time!”
