A BUSINESSWOMAN who turned to holistic medicine to help her deal with the grief of losing her mother has launched a clinic to help people in the region improve their wellbeing.

Angela Chapman has set up The Indigo Tree Wellbeing Centre, in Bedale, North Yorkshire, which aims to restore and nurture the soul through complementary therapies such as massage, reflexology, energy healing and crystal healing.

The launch of the clinic is the culmination of a six-year exploration into complementary therapy for Ms Chapman, which started with the death of her mother from breast cancer.

She discovered the healing technique of Reiki, which not only helped her cope with her situation, but also inspired her to train as a practitioner in the treatment.

During the course of her training, she met Angela Scott, who became her business partner, and the pair decided to launch a company that would help tackle the many stresses faced in modern living using traditional techniques.

After benefiting from various treatments on a personal level, helping her through some difficult times both mentally, emotionally and physically, Ms Scott retrained in holistic therapy and now specialises in healing through crystals and reflexology at the clinic.

The clinic runs a wide range of treatments for stress release and relaxation journeys specifically for insomnia, detox and deep-seated emotional trauma.

It also offers hot stone therapy and Reiki, while also hosting workshops for people interested in learning more about the various therapies.

Ms Chapman said: “When my mum died unexpectedly, it was a life-changing time for me and my whole world came crashing down.

“I found Reiki and was also lucky enough to find an inspiring teacher who gave me the opportunity to train as a practitioner, and this was a real turning point in my life.

“This is an exciting time to launch a business, but we have enough faith and confidence in our abilities to believe that we are doing the right thing – although it is quite scary.”

The centre will initially employ two full-time therapists and a receptionist, as well as a team of self-employed therapists in a number of fields of treatment.

■ The Indigo Tree launch weekend will be held in Suite 1, 1st Floor, Market chambers, 14 Market Place, Bedale, on Saturday and Sunday, between 1pm and 6pm.