Feel brand new after visit to Westport wellness hub

THE Wellness Centre in Westport offers a range of therapies to suit the individual needs of each client, writes Tom Gillespie.

They have created an oasis at Shop Street that will nurture all the senses and provide a supportive environment for the rejuvenation of mind, body and spirit - a dedicated space away from all distraction.

Proprietors Lisa Shackleton and Nicole Langan first opened at The Fairgreen in 2015 and two years later moved to their present location across from the AIB.

Both come from family businesses in Westport. Nicole’s parents, Sean and Kathleen, had Country Fresh and Lisa’s dad had the Tweed Factory in Westport.

Nicole, whose background is in journalism, said: "We hope that The Wellness Centre is somewhere people know they are going to leave feeling brand new, relaxed and ready to face the world with a smile and a positive attitude.

"We are constantly updating our therapies so we can offer a wide range of healing therapies to suit each client."

In addition to their therapy centre they have a wellness room and a retail shop which supplies their clients and customers with all their wellness needs.

Nicole added: "We supply crystals, incense, salt lamps, essential oils and blends to suit individual requirements. We hold a variety of handmade and own branded products to suit each individual's taste. We try and cater for everyone and if we don’t have it we will do our very best to source it for you.

"We also rent out self-help books to help as many people to find wellness within themselves. Our mission is to assist people in finding their wellness centre.

"It’s a beautiful life when you have the tools to manifest the positive in it but without the support of others it can be extremely hard on your own."

Nicole explained how the business came about: "It was an organic manifestation. Lisa and I knew each other from Westport. I did a Reiki course with Lisa and we decided to join forces and to create a concept called the Wellness Centre where it would allow people to feel well in every area of their lives, be it emotional or financial."

With 30 certifications between them, Nicole and Lisa wanted to bring something to Ireland and mostly to Mayo.

They also work a lot online through America and all over Europe and they are currently finishing a book which is with publishers in America.

Nicole added: "We have written a few children’s books and wellness handbooks on our story in what we do with our clients.

"It is like a new age philosophy in life, a philosophical way of anxiety and stress and how to help yourself.

"We created the shop to be a holistic chemist and the products that we use can’t be purchased in a retail capacity in Ireland.

"We make our blends with oils made by doctors in America. We have a licence for different products all over the world and we are the only ones that retail them in Ireland."

Expanding to Shop Street gave them the facility to hold workshops in the premises where people can come and have an organic tea or coffee, sit down and chill out in a space away from reality for a while.

Nicole continued: "As therapists, we would work with self-confidence, self-esteem, as well as motivational coaching. A lot of it is personal develop-mentoring. It reconditions the mind so you can chose your thoughts like you chose your clothes and befriend anxiety because you cannot ever get rid of it because we need it. Anxiety is an accelerant for excitement so this whole thing of getting rid of anxiety is ridiculous."

Lisa took up the story: "I have been doing energy therapy for over 10 years. I started off small from home and built it up gradually. So many people are starting to open up to it now.

"I work with Reiki, past life regression, angel card reading and angel therapy. This works very well with what Nicole does with personal development. It is a support network and that is what we are trying to create in this hub in Westport."

Their clients range in age from four years to the later 80s.

The Wellness Centre at Shop Street, Westport, is open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and can be contacted on (098) 55151, or call Lisa on (087) 9978383 or Nicole on (086) 0892856.