Melissa De Jong (left) is bringing together wellness practitioners from across Yass Valley to showcase their growing industry. Photo: Yass Valley Business Chamber.
Holistic health practitioner Melissa de Jong has seen her industry start small and grow into a supportive community of wellness practitioners in the rolling hills of the Yass Valley.
Naturopaths, kinesiologists, mindset workers, reiki practitioners, yoga teachers and meditation practitioners, as well as those in similar fields, are working together, seeking investment, and supporting each other as a thriving community. The latest example is the Holistic Wellness Taster Expo, part of the collaborative efforts, bringing wellness practitioners from across Yass Valley into one place to showcase their work.
The Holistic Wellness Taster Expo will be held on Sunday, 7 April, and will see various practitioners set up stalls and host some demonstrations.
“If you really like what this practitioner or therapist has to say, or you feel really positive about what they can do for you, you can find out more information on the spot,” she said.
“Many are offering paid services, but some are just there to have a chat and connect with you for future relationships in the healing space.”
The stallholders will represent a range of holistic therapies, such as EFT tapping, aura photographs, crystal healing, Bowen therapy, tarot readings, seed cycling and Qigong.
A separate “mini-retreat” on the night before the Taster Expo (6 April) will give priority access to stallholders and mind and body self-care sessions.
Ms de Jong said the Expo was open to people across Yass and the wider capital country.
“We want people to feel empowered around their own health, to know that there are so many choices out there,” she said.
“You can come if you don’t know what to do with your health.
“You’re not going to solve every single problem that you have, but I want people to walk away with a more positive mindset around what’s possible for their health.”
While the Expo focused on holistic health, Ms de Jong said it could also bring the wider community together.
“It is that benefit of somebody coming and seeing that they aren’t alone,” she said.
“Other people have the ailments and these mystery illnesses that they can’t really figure out what they are. Then you have the conversation with people and realise that’s normal or something other people experience.”
Jennifer Lyddiard, yoga studio owner and participant in the Holistic Wellness Taster Expo, said attendees did not need to be experts in holistic wellness.
“There is this amazing community around Murrumbateman,” she said.
“By coming to this event, you can see all these different ways to nurture yourself, your mind, your body and your spirit.”
Ms Lyddiard said the past few years had seen the holistic health industry across Yass Valley find its feet in recent years – just as curiosity in their work was starting to spread in the public.
“One of the beautiful things about this industry growing is that more people are looking for other ways to manage their health,” she said.
“I think the word is spreading on how we can be empowered to take our health into our own hands.”
The Holistic Wellness Taster Expo will be held on 7 April at Murrumbateman Primary School, 2 Fairley Street, Murrumbateman. Tickets can be purchased online.
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