Transcription of Poo Taboo podcast 

Kelly

Hi Kelly Hopley here of the Poo Taboo because poo, is just another thing that shouldn’t be taboo. And today I’ve got on, colon hydrotherapist here, Erica Hartley here so welcome, Erica.

Erica

Hi Kelly

Kelly

So Erica was one of my students a really long time ago now. And I thought it’d be nice for Erica to talk about her journey as a colon hydrotherapist. So, first question for you. What was your inspiration? So how did you get into colon hydrotherapy therapy?

Erica

Well, for a number of years before I got into colon hydrotherapy, I ran a contract cleaning company with my ex husband, we decided to separate and go our separate ways. And I just wanted a new career path. I’d had colonics, just a few times, maybe about six times, something like that. And it absolutely fascinated me, the lady that carried out the curl on hydrotherapy with me, on me, should I say she was a nurse. So I just automatically presumed that you had to be a medic, to be a colon hydrotherapist. I’ve just sort of put into the back of my mind. But then when me and my ex husband decided to go our separate ways, I just thought that really fascinates me, every time I go, I feel so much better. It’s really, really amazing. So I just started to do a lot of research online, I found yourself, decided to go with RICTAT (The International Register of Integrative Colon Hydrotherapists and Trainers), found that that was the better option. And then took it from there. You were my inspiration because we spoke on the phone quite a few times. And you came across a lot more professional than the lady that had sort of been to us so much. And it was just really inspirational. I just thought, wow, I really want to do that.

Kelly

I think it’s really common, I think people think that they can’t become a colon hydrotherapist because they’ve not got the right medical background. And the truth is you need to have anatomy and physiology level four, which you can do self-study online through us. So you know, it’s not necessary to have a medical background, because you can obviously learn as you go through the process, I’m not going to say anatomy and physiology level four is really simple, because it’s not, but it’s certainly achievable. And it as it has with Erica, you know, it’s taken a completely different career path, which is, you know what, hopefully, I’ll hear from Erica, but hopefully it’s been a good one. So what would you say is the best thing, what’s the best thing about your job?

Erica

The flexibility, I think more than anything, because RICTAT (The International Register of Integrative Colon Hydrotherapists and Trainers) is such a lovely family as well, that’s another real positive. Because when I first got into it, I did my training with a lady that, she was a nurse, you’ve got a nursing background. And I was a little bit panicky before thinking, I don’t really know the ins and outs, I’ve done my anatomy and physiology level four, but then I was like, I don’t know if I’ll be able to do this. But RICTAT (The International Register of Integrative Colon Hydrotherapists and Trainers) and yourself, were just so welcoming. And if I didn’t understand anything, I could just say, look, I really don’t understand that. And it was explained a little bit more simply and just just so welcoming, just just easy really.

Kelly

to have that flexibility as well around children. It does really help. So you can pick your own hours. And now how many years on are we now from when you trained, roughly.

Erica

11 this year

Kelly

11 years on, you’ve got on phenomenally

Erica

12 this year, actually.

Kelly

So phenomenally booming business in Sheffield, and seeing you know, regular clients and a number of clients per week. And keeping those regulars is really important because of course, you know, it’s building that trust with your clients. But we always have a joking time in colon hydrotherapy that, you know, we fix people too quick. You know, but, you know, if we can help people with whatever it is they’re looking to get support with, then, obviously, that gives you the job satisfaction that you know, we’re looking for. And if you got any funny stories you can tell us, Erica?

Erica

Oh, yeah, when I first qualified, obviously, everybody was my guinea pigs, family, all that sort of thing. And I’d met my husband now. And I’ve done my herbs and enema training as well. And I needed to have a bit of a guinea pig. So he came to the clinic and I’ve carried out because we were just dating and carried out a colon hydrotherapy then did a coffee enema at the end of it. As you’re chatting to your client, are you up too much this weekend? All that sort of things he says I’m going out with lads tonight. And I said oh great, but it’s not really advisable that you go out and you know, like loads to drink. I would recommend it them, to spicy say all that sort of thing if you’re going out for something to eat and so they were going for a curry and I thought so I said I wouldn’t advise against I wouldn’t advise that you would do it. Anyway he did totally ignore the advice and then rang me, you know, had a bit of an accident, shall we say?

The genal on the way home, sounds like that’s why your bodies rejected it because I’ve cleansed it all and you felt amazing. And then you’ve gone out and you’re like, I’ll never ever do that again.

Kelly

It’s like, that’s why. Yeah, oh, you the same night not to be drinking, too spicy the day after fine. But on that day, just let your body rest and obviously repair. But as you said that guy became your husband. So you couldn’t have caused to much trauma.

Erica

No, no. It wasn’t a client that he, you know, he saw chatted me up in the pub and said, You know, I’ve always wanted a colonic type of thing because he him again, he’d watched. It was a program, the adrenaline junkie with Jack Osborne a number of years ago. And he had some colonics during that program and said he felt amazing and all that sort of thing he said, so I’ve always thought about it since then. And then it found out what our newly qualified when we sort of got chatting and things. So I went from there.

Kelly

Yeah, absolutely. And I think that’s something to talk about, as well, you know, people can think that, you know, colonic is very much just for women. And it’s absolutely not, you know, I would say that in terms of proportion of clients. Now, it’s probably 60/40 in the favour of women, but certainly, you know, that’s becoming very close to 50/50. Because men do realize that they need to be proactive about their health, just in the same way that women do. And I think certainly, we’ve seen that more sort of post COVID, where people are being more proactive about getting their health right, as opposed to reactive, when they feel like they’ve got got an issue. So anyone out here who’s thinking of being a colon hydrotherapist or changing career generally, what would your advice. Excuse me, what would your advice be for them?

Erica

Oh, go for it. It’s absolutely amazing. It can seem a little bit daunting at first, but the RICTAT (The International Register of Integrative Colon Hydrotherapists and Trainers) family, we’re all there as mentors of support. We all have, you know, different groups and things. And it’s just amazing, absolutely fantastic to work in clinic and still have see somebody and go on the journey with them. And get them to a stage I always said to every one of my clients when they come in, I would say with all the respect in the world, the aim is to not see me as often as you can. And because once we get you to a level, whereas you know, you’re a lot more comfortable digestive wise, and we’ve worked with what you’re comfortable with, then I don’t see them and maybe only see them a couple of times a year, but it’s so lovely because they sort of become like almost like friends really, like distant friends also a lot, you know, like my only daughter got married, or I’ve got a grandchild now and all that sort of thing. And it’s really, really nice. I always make a little of note, of, you know, what my clients said to me so that I can be a bit more personal, you know, the next time they come to see me, but I’ve got so many lovely, lovely clients, and it is absolutely amazing.

Kelly

And it is, it is building up that trust relationship. And I completely agree with what you’re saying about, you know, only seeing your client a couple of times per year that to me if that’s the case, and you’ve done your job, you know, colon hydrotherapy is not just about having somebody on the couch, you know, with a pipe and removing waste or gas. Colon hydrotherapy is about educating the client and that being client led and how would you say creating behavior change, and allowing them to be educated about their health genuinely and so if they are only having to come twice or three times per year, you’ve done your job, because it means that they’ve listened to what you’re saying they started to look at the diet, the lifestyle, hydration, etc. And that’s wonderful. So just before we finish, let’s give you a big plug. So where are you? And how can people get hold of you?

Erica

I’m in Sheffield, I cover the whole of South Yorkshire. You can contact via website, got online booking, which is www.anewu.uk.com. And it’s the letter U. But yeah, I cover the whole of South Yorkshire. My one of my clients, the furthest away is, Australia. She comes once a year when she visited a family to come. So it’s just it’s all over the place, really. But it’s fantastic. I’ve got such a lovely, a lovely business and I thoroughly enjoy it. It’s fantastic.

Kelly

Absolutely. Every year, and you’re looking for a registered RICTAT (The International Register of Integrative Colon Hydrotherapists and Trainers) colon hydrotherapist for your colon hydrotherapy, and then Erica is definitely your lady. So thank you so much for today. It’s been an absolute pleasure to see you. And I’m sure we’ll catch up again soon.