Since 1976, the Reflexology Association of Canada (RAC) has worked to bring awareness of reflexology to the forefront when it comes to Canadians’ health. We spoke with Laura Marrast, Director of Operations at RAC, to hear her story and learn about what RAC is doing to promote reflexology as an alternative health solution and ensure the integrity of the industry in Canada.

01. Tell us about yourself.

Laura: I’ve been at RAC for eight years – I don’t know where the time has gone! Originally, I was hired on as an Executive Assistant, then moved into an Operations Manager role, and am now the Director of Operations as of this year.

I’m a Winnipeg native and have a background in journalism, political science, and international affairs. I really like having something different to do every day, so this role works really well for me.

I’m responsible for all our big projects and oversee the coordination of all our provincial chapters. As a national organization, we have members across Canada and have networking groups based in most provinces.

02. What is RAC and what makes it different?

Laura: RAC was established in 1976. It’s one of the oldest reflexology associations in the world and the largest in North America. We’re a national professional association, which means we register and support reflexology therapists across Canada and advocate for them on their behalf with governments and legislation.

We also have a public role to play as well in terms of setting standards, protocols, codes of conduct, managing feedback – all of this helps us promote reflexology as an alternative health solution and ensure the integrity of the industry. Currently, there are no provincial governments that regulate reflexology which is where associations like RAC fill in the gap with standards, protocols, etc.

With RAC, our clients aren’t just paying their dues and going on their way. They receive additional professional development opportunities and support for their business by joining.

Laura Marrast speaks with RAC member for the Marc and Mandy show in 2022.

Photos: Reflexology Association of Canada.

2023 RAC Conference attendees smile after a great 2-day weekend in May 2023.

03. What are you seeing coming out of the pandemic?

Laura: People taking control of their health and wellness! Family doctors, hospitals, clinics, even surgeries often have very long wait times and backlog, so people are looking elsewhere to relieve their pain and seek paramedical services like reflexology.

Because of this, we’re also seeing a big growth in demand for reflexology and not enough reflexology therapists to supply that need. The pandemic unfortunately delayed those that were in school to get certified and their graduation.

There has been an increase in the amount of insurers accepting reflexology receipts too – employers are seeing the benefits of their employees accessing this alternative health solution. They’re saying “this is beneficial and let’s include it in our health insurance plans”.

04. What are some major wins you’ve had in the last year?

Laura: One of the big ones is that we [hosted] the first national reflexology day in Canada on May 30. Reflexology is now recognized by the government on their list of health promotion days, which is something we had been working on for a couple of years and it finally came to fruition this year. This is a big step for reflexology.

Therapist cleans a hand before doing hand reflexology.

Photos: Reflexology Association of Canada.

Therapist works on toes during a foot reflexology session.

As I mentioned, there has been an increase in insurance firms accepting our members’ receipts. We’ve done a lot of outreach in terms of what the insurers need from professional associations – vetting, policies, when you get a receipt number you know the therapist does this or that and abides by this standard, etc. They all have their own set of guidelines so it has not been a simple task!

We’ve hosted two conferences in the last year. It’s been great to see the amount of support and speakers from the traditional medical community talk about the importance of integrated healthcare and moving healthcare forward in Canada. We even got support from the Minister of Health in Ontario at our last conference!

05. What’s a resource you think more people should use or know about?

Laura: For more people to look into whether their [benefits] plan has a Wellness Spending Account. It’s a great resource and allows those to really take control of their own health – you can decide what you want to spend and how.

06. Where do you get your own personal support from?

Laura: Family for sure, but also I love and appreciate the colleagues I have [at RAC]. I was a nomad in my younger years, so being here for eight years just shows that they make it so fun and easy to come into work every day.

Learn more about the Reflexology Association of Canada and how to contact them by visiting their website – reflexologycanada.org.

This interview has been edited and condensed.