Meet the Northampton business owner who turned her mental health struggles into a way of helping others

Meet the Northampton business owner who turned her mental health struggles into a way of helping others – which she has done successfully for the past six months.

Natalie Rock is the founder of Rock Wellbeing, which she runs from a treatment room attached to her home in Duston.

The business was launched in June last year, after Natalie built on the experience gained as a massage therapist and yoga teacher during her maternity leave.

As she was also completing a level three personal trainer qualification at the time – and draws close to the end of that now – she wanted to start an umbrella business based on the “concept of prioritising wellbeing” through her available services.

Asked when her passion for wellbeing treatments first began, Natalie told the Chronicle & Echo: “Seven or eight years ago I struggled with my mental health – panic attacks, anxiety and low mood.

“I turned to alternative therapies as I tried medication and it didn’t sit well with me, and I was accessing counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy.

“My yoga class was having such a positive effect on my wellbeing and lowering anxiety, and massages reduced my stress and I slept better. It went from me accessing services for my own wellbeing to being interested in providing them myself.”

When Natalie began her training, she realised just how much there was to learn and she wanted to pass that knowledge on to her own clients.

Natalie offers massage therapy, teaches yoga on an adhoc basis and hosts one-day wellness events, where yoga is part of the itinerary of activities.

“I try and make it a bespoke service,” said the business owner. “People come along, tell me what their intentions were, and we have a consultation of how to best use the time they’ve booked. I’m trying to be as inclusive as possible.”

Natalie has also undertaken an advanced course to be able to massage individuals with active cancer or terminal illnesses – to treat them safely and appropriately.

When asked how the business has been received by the Northampton community since last June, Natalie shared that 80 percent of her income comes from 20 percent of the clients in her database.

Many of her loyal customers visit her once a week, or every three to six weeks, and this has given Natalie the opportunity to get to know them on a personal level.

She said: “They appreciate and value the service I’m offering. It has a knock-on effect and makes them feel better until they come back.

“It’s not always about the muscle and body work, sometimes it’s about using massage to work with hormones to tackle mental health.”

Natalie was asked what message she wants to send about the importance of looking after your wellbeing, and the benefits of investing time and money into treatments.

“Humans are reactive,” she said. “We don’t do anything until something goes wrong, or is broken or damaged. We’re not very good at being proactive and using services like mine to keep us continually well.”

The business owner used the analogy of a vehicle. “If you don’t put time and money into it, you know it’s going to break,” said Natalie. “We should see our body and mind in the same way and prioritise wellbeing.”

Natalie’s hope for 2024 is to pass her level three personal trainer course and to begin offering small group fitness classes from April – with a focus on inclusivity.

She said: “I was the person who shied away from the gym as I didn’t know what I was doing. It will be a safe environment where people can exercise, feel good and get dopamine hormones from the workout.”

The business owner would also like to set up an initiative called ‘The Lasting Touch’. The hope is to create a fund for people with chronic illnesses or on end of life care, so “finances do not have to be a restriction to getting therapeutic treatments”.

Natalie’s clients will have the opportunity to donate and the pot of money will help those who would otherwise not be able to afford services like these.

For more information on Rock Wellbeing, visit the business’ Facebook page here.