A WREXHAM Holistic therapist has launched a self-help book on the importance of looking after yourself.

Gwersyllt based Holistic Therapist Emma Sims has teamed up with Wrexham’s Motiv8.me Press, a publisher based in Wrexham Enterprise Hub, to launch a book that aims to help professionals to take care of themselves.

The book, entitled “Self-Care for Givers and the Helping Professions”, draws on Emma’s decades of experience, both personal and as a practitioner of holistic health in the community, to help those who look after others to understand why we so often fail to look after ourselves and offers a comprehensive guide to techniques to help restore the balance.

After Wrexham was plunged into a second ‘lockdown’ just a week before launch, Emma and her publisher, with the support of the team from Town Square - operators of Wrexham Enterprise Hub - rose to the challenge to deliver a virtual book launch event on October 3.

The event, which featured an interactive Q&A session and a virtual toast was a great success, with over 40 people attending from all over the UK and as far afield as Spain and America.

In a socially-distanced interview with Jan Longshadow from Motiv8.me Magazine, Emma described how in writing the book, she reflected on how she overcame depression, anxiety and Fibromyalgia through holistic therapies, and how this inspired her to become a successful community-based holistic therapist.

She said: "It’s timely that the release of the book coincides with the highlighted need for self-care during the pandemic.

"When we were advised that the NHS wouldn’t be able to cope, many of us may have thought more about self- care, but not always known how to.

"Sales of immune support vitamins have apparently increased during this time, which is good news. There is more need for us to take responsibility for our own health and do what we can to be well.

"It might mean that we need to take action to call a GP during this current crisis to get checked out. It’s been reported how less people picking up the phone may be the reason for a current decline in cancer diagnosis at this time, so please do get checked out if you need to.

"During this journey to better self-care we learn to value ourselves more, to begin to care about ourselves, as we care for others."

Jan Longshadow, founder of Motiv8.me added: "We are delighted to be able to bring such a tremendously powerful, transformative book from a local author into the world at a time when the topic of self-care and wellbeing is more important than ever before and so many people feel that they are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders with little or no support.

"This book will empower people so that they can take better care of themselves as well as those who depend on them."

As a special gesture of thanks to the community, the book is also available with 10 per cent off for all key workers when purchased directly via the Motiv8.me website - just visit https://www.motiv8.me/product/self-care-for-givers-and-the-helping-professions/ Self-Care for Givers and the Helping Professions is also available in paperback from Amazon and will shortly also be available in a Kindle edition.