What Is Your Company Name and Contacts?
The Holistic Alternatives
Sunita Teckchand – Cell +971528275479
Email: sunita@theholisticinstitute.org
Who are the founders and co-founders of the company?
Sunita Teckchand is the Founder
A Complete Journey About the Company? When did you start, and where?
First, to start at the beginning, when I moved to Dubai from Hong Kong in 1997 I opened Essensuals Aromatherapy Centre in Magrudy’s which ran for 9 years. We offered Holistic therapies in aromatherapy, reflexology, manual lymphatic drainage, jin shin Jyutsu, regression sessions, and more. After that,I took a sabbatical for one year to heal myself from being run down and then decided to teach and the formation of The Holistic Institute was created in 2010. This was an academy, teaching diploma courses in alternative therapies offering IFPA and ITEC qualifications. We offered several diploma courses to train students to become professionals in their chosen field. Due to unforeseen circumstances we had to close in 2014, after which The Holistic Alternatives was established. This is an online digital learning platform, teaching alternative therapies purely online, and operates till today.Students can get qualified in Clinical aromatherapy and study at their own pace worldwide.
The Journey of Founder and Co-Founder
I moved to Dubai in 1997 leaving Hong Kong with my family to start a new life here. When I came here there were hardly any alternative medicine clinics or places to buy essential oils or anything natural to pharmaceuticals. I decided to open the first-of-its-kind Aromatherapy center in Jumeirah (1999) with a specialized rehabilitation license so I could treat men and women equally.
I ran that center for 9 years until I got burnt out and paralyzed in my right arm and decided to sell the business. I took a sabbatical for one year and when the time was right decided to open an academy to teach IFPA (International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists UK)and ITEC curriculum in Holistic Therapies. The academy was a place filled with amazing students wanting to learn the healing arts, however, the authorities changed some regulations that did not support me, and I shut the Institute in 2014.
The journey of my career did not end here. I decided to teach in Hong Kong and London and worked as a freelancer for several years and then in 2018 decided to create an online digital learning platform where students from overseas can also obtain a diploma in clinical aromatherapy studies. This took me 2 years to create and still runs today with several students on the platform. Basically, it was the right time as we launched in 2020 which was lockdown time.
However, many students now prefer face-to-face studies, we do offer short courses in the Art of blending essential oils, practical courses in reflexology, and manual lymphatic drainage for someone who would like to study this art for themselves. We also train spa therapists to up their skills and the journey continues.
Who are Your customers? And have you supplied it to anyone? What is the feedback?
Our students and clients range from 18 years of age to 80 years of age. Our learning platform is open to anyone who has reasonable English skills and is either wanting a Diploma or just a Certificate of attendance in the various courses we offer.
We also have clients who come in and see me for sessions, whether it is for aromatherapy, manual lymphatic drainage, or to create a bespoke blend for their migraine or aches and pains. I have a vast amount of knowledge in many fields. I have studied regression with Dr. Brian Weiss, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Dr. Leila Edwards, NLP, Kinesiology and so much more.
We also have our own brand of organic pure grade A essential oils and base oils with the brand eSSensuals. It can be purchased from our website theholisticalternatives.org with delivery to your doorstep in UAE.
We have always received positive feedback from our clients, whether they studied with us, or had a session or practical training, they are very happy with the outcome.
What support do you need from the public and customers?
The only support I can say we need from our customers and the public is to have an open mind to natural healing modalities. They are not a quick fix, but they do work as they hold a very subtle energy and life force is much better than taking drugs for every ache and pain.
Website and social media pages
Learning platform website: www.theholisticalternatives.org
Personal website: www.sunitateckchand.com
Instagram: the holistic alternatives
Facebook: theholisticalternatives
Linked In: Sunita Teckchand
Message to your customers and viewers
My message is plain and simple. Give alternative therapies a try. I know in today’s AI filled world we have everything at our fingertips. Dr. Google is so easy to go to, and Chat Bots, etc., However, there is nothing like real experience when it comes to using Natures Pharmacy to heal oneself from so many ailments. It is easy to just pop a pill for any disharmony but if using natural therapies, the results are much better and go much deeper in the body than taking care of illness only on the surface.
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