Amanda Hughes

Hello, I’m Amanda Hughes, the founder and owner of House of Equilibrium.

My role embodies many hats including Pilates Teacher, Massage Therapist, Mindfulness Teacher, Boxing Fitness Instructor and Holistic Practitioner. All of which come together as I work with you through mindful movement, massage therapy and meditation, to boost your mental and physical health so you can lead a healthier, happier life. 

My Story

After many years battling with anxiety and depression fuelled by work related stress and fatigue, I made the decision in 2010 to put my health first, left my pressurised job and retrained in the world of Complementary Therapies. 

This is where my journey began when I qualified through VTCT as a Level 3 Complementary Therapist. After working with clients with more specific needs and requirements, I returned to my studies and obtained a Level 4 qualification in Sports Therapy Massage. This gave me a thorough understanding of not only specialized massage techniques but also advanced anatomy & physiology, body mechanics and psychology, enabling me to develop and grow as a therapist.

To keep my health and wellbeing in check I started researching nutrition, relaxation techniques and practicing Mindfulness. I then went on to attend an NHS led 8 week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy programme (MBCT) followed by distance learning (including self-study) and gained a Diploma in Mindfulness. 

In 2016 I broadened my skillset further qualifying as a Level 3 Mat Pilates Teacher and Boxing Fitness Instructor as I wanted to assist clients off the massage couch helping them develop awareness and a healthy mind and body through movement. Health and fitness have always been my passion, including over 10 years in Mat Pilates so I wanted to incorporate this into my work life. 

I created House of Equilibrium in 2011 to help people improve their mental as well as physical health primarily through Complementary Therapies. I initially worked from a room at home and also offered a mobile service a couple of times a week. As my knowledge, experience and confidence grew in this field I started working alongside other wellbeing practitioners including an Osteopath to complement their services. My therapies also took me off into Derby to host Corporate Wellbeing days for businesses as part of their health and wellbeing initiatives.

In October 2018 I opened Boutique Pilates & Wellness Studio in Ripley and hosted small group Pilate’s classes, meditation groups, as well as a range of Complementary Therapies. I also collaborated with likeminded health and wellbeing professionals to share our experiences, knowledge and expertise through support groups and educational workshops. 

During this year I encountered several life changing events, which affected my health. My mobility was severely impacted due to excruciating nerve and joint pain. This was followed in 2019 by a diagnosis of hip osteoarthritis. After several discussions with my specialist at Nuffield Hospital, we came to the conclusion that it would be beneficial for me to cut down on the amount of Pilates classes that I taught. To enable me to do this I made the decision to close Boutique Pilates and move to teaching larger classes to ensure my students could continue with their practice.

The next 2 years I researched and wrote my own rehabilitation programmes to strengthen my mind and body and get me more mobile.

In March 2020 I opened “The Garden Room”, a tranquil space nestled in the beautiful village of Holbrook, Belper, providing bespoke services in Massage Therapy, Private Pilates lessons and Mind and Body Wellbeing packages. However, this was short lived as we had the Coronavirus outbreak and had to close.

I used this time productively, moved my Pilates classes online and created an online health and wellness programme called Mind & Body. This was a balance of mindful movement based fitness activities and going inwards practicing relaxation/meditation techniques to boost mental and physical health. 

I wanted to do something to help people stay connected, healthy and happy during these uncertain times. And by taking small steps and learning daily how the whole online platform worked, I created a small inclusive, supportive online community.

Coming out of lockdown I have seen the huge impact it has had on our mental and physical wellbeing, including overwhelm, heightened anxiety, depression, withdrawal from being isolated, fear and lethargy to name a few.

With this in mind I continue to create a variety of Wellbeing packages available to individuals and/or groups to help manage this and boost mental and physical health.

I look forward to meeting you in the near future!

Amanda Hughes Founder & Owner @ House of Equilibrium