Holistic health club that sows seeds of recovery with its ‘human repair cafe’

AN holistic health club in Henley is to reduce its service in the new year.

The Human Repair Café has run every Thursday since November 13 from 12.30pm to 2.30pm in the King’s Arms Barn, off King’s Road.

After its last session on December 18, it will run on the last Thursday of the month, restarting on Thursday, January 29.

The cafe is run by Seed Wellness Henley, which is a community wellbeing initiative supported by Henley Town Council.

It is part of Seed Wellness UK, comprising independent practitioners, therapists and coaches to offer an integrated approach to natural health solutions across the mind, body and lifestyle. The free two-hour drop-in offers a space for residents to access mini-treatments, information and advice on a range of health concerns.

Among the conditions addressed include irritable bowel syndrome, sleep difficulties and long covid.

Tiffany Kertesz, from Northend, who runs the Henley sessions, said there is something for everyone.

She said: “The NHS is an amazing organisation and absolutely has its time and place, but when it comes to long-term illnesses, I believe they just don’t have the tools to help the body heal.

“If someone doesn’t know which way to turn and they’ve hit a dead end, we can find a way through those for people with our nutritionists, amazing ADHD coaches or cognitive behavioural therapists, who can create a plan for their health.”

Ms Kertesz transitioned from a corporate human resources background to acupuncture after experiencing burnout.

She said: “I think nearly everyone in the team has come from a corporate background or had a career previously.

“I was in HR before and I loved the element of the role that I was helping people move forward, and wanted that to translate into something else.”

Ms Kertesz found her calling in holistic healthcare, specifically acupuncture, which she has relied on since childhood.

She said: “Whenever I have had a time in my life where I felt overwhelmed, anxious, or my skin was awful, I turned to acupuncture.” A pivotal moment occurred when her premature baby was offered a standard vaccine dose, regardless of weight, leading her to question the one-size-fits-all approach.

She said: “Once my baby got to six weeks, they wanted to do her vaccine. I asked if they were going to weigh her for the right dose and they said no, as it’s the same for everyone. That was the first time I questioned, ‘How much can I support the body naturally?’”

Ms Kertesz trained as an acupuncturist during maternity leave, which she claims has given her a new sense of life.

She added: “I feel like I could retire now, happy that I’ve made a difference to people’s lives.”