Bodyworker, botanical formulator and founder of Hansen Botanics, Fran shares her thoughts on cyclical living, botanical bodywork, daily rituals and the gentle support of flower essences.
Where are you based and how did you find your way into the work you do?
My name is Fran and I'm a women's body worker. I'm based in Shrewsbury town centre on the ancient and medieval Wyle Cop. Shrewsbury is known as the town of flowers, we are famous for our roots in horticulture and being the birth place of Charles Darwin, I often wonder if I was destined to be fascinated by the natural world!
The path unfolded for me as it does for most in this work, from a period of suffering that altered my state of being and brought me to the edge of my soul. I experienced a true death of self. At times it was harrowing, I was fractured and just about surviving, but in hindsight I believe it was necessary. I was deeply unhappy and knew I had to take serious action. Healing has been long, but so incredibly transformative, and aside from my own sheer determination and grit, I credit my recovery largely to medicinal plants, therapy and holistic bodywork.
Around seven years in, I experienced a paradigm shift. I literally woke up and thought this is not supposed to be my life, I am supposed to help others. From that moment everything changed, I found a course, retrained, set up my business, quit my job six months later and never looked back.
Both Fleur Remedies and Hansen Botanics celebrate the power of slower, natural rhythms. In a fast-paced world that constantly demands 'go-go-go,' how do you practically practice cyclical living in your own life and business without burning out?
This is really important and something I struggled with in my previous life. Establishing boundaries in the modern world is incredibly healing as a woman, so I've spent a long time curating a life that feels beautiful and wholesome for me, one that is slower paced, fills my cup and is brimming with joy. One of the most important questions you can ask yourself is, 'what do I truly need?'.
We only have this one, multifaceted deeply humbling experience as a human being, it's so rare and so unique, and I want to seize it with both hands! As an Earth-centred person, that means grounding myself in nature whenever I can, observing and honouring the changing seasons through daily ritual, intention and presence. It shapes what I consume, how I work and how I show up in the world. The ripple effect of that is not to be underestimated! I am truly so grateful for existence and I want to live with kindness for all beings and reverence for life, as a human being, not a human doing.
Ensuring I am nourished in body, mind and spirit and limiting my client load to just 3-4 per day feels important. It is my ethical responsibility to ensure that I provide excellent service to those in my care and I take that seriously.
Everything is energy, and I want to give the best of me to myself, my family and my clients. Living a peaceful life in rhythm with the earth, and adjusting my workload around my own inner seasons has allowed me to cultivate authentic peace in my heart and with that I know am truly rich in this life.
What does a truly nourishing, grounded day look like for you? And do you have a favourite ritual or plant ally to wind down in the evening?
I like to treat everyday as a ceremony, for everything is sacred when you practice the art of noticing. To open, I love to wake up to birdsong, but I must go outside as soon as I can! I make a cacao and flower remedy elixir in the morning, pouring some on the earth before my first sip and holding a prayer of gratitude in my heart. Time in the garden truly is the greatest gift and I relish every second of it. I experienced severe depression in my life and gardening literally saved my life. As soon as I get my hands in soil it doesn't matter if I woke up feeling a heaviness, the earth seems to take whatever I'm carrying for me. I found out last year that there are bacteria in soil that help regulate serotonin, how amazing is that?! To close, in the evening I like to massage my hands with a beautiful plant butter, read, journal, and practice reiki healing on myself, spending time with my husband and my little rescue cat Hilda. If I'm feeling frazzled and feel myself needing support, I lean on herbal allies like lemon balm, passion flower or milky oats. A warm cup of supportive tea really does wonders for the soul.
For anyone reading who might be completely new to the world of therapeutic bodywork, how do you explain what it is, and what kind of support can people find when they step into your holistic studio?
My role is to meet you exactly where you're at without judgment, to create space for you to feel safe enough to slow down. What do you need? How are you feeling? Bodywork is medicine, but when combined with plants, it becomes something entirely different, and when you find your inner listening, the magic happens! I curate the botanicals in your session to help guide your nervous system back to homeostasis, selecting clays, oils, butters and extracts to soothe the soul and ease the mind. It's electrifying to perform and a privilege to facilitate, it feels transcendent for both me and the receiver, almost psychedelic at times! Ultimately, I'm here to create the conditions where your body feels safe enough to remember how to heal. The healing always comes from within you.
What are the most common reasons women first reach out to you? Have you noticed a specific turning point where people realise they need the kind of grounded support you offer?
Most women come to me because they're burnt out, overwhelmed or dysregulated. Deep down they know something has to change if they're going to keep showing up for themselves, and the people and the life they love. Thankfully, we're moving away from the belief that women have to carry it all; being a partner, a mother, working, running a home or a business or maybe even all of these without tending to themselves with that same love. It feels like a revolution! I'm so grateful that we're shedding generational shame around putting ourselves first. You simply cannot pour from an empty cup!
At first, many women feel guilty for carving out this time for themselves. But once they begin experiencing the benefits, something shifts. They might start making different choices, creating healthier boundaries and honouring themselves more deeply. I like to think of bodywork and holding space as a key. It unlocks a part of ourselves that is ancient, intuitive and already knows the way home.
For women who are new to working with botanical tools and are feeling disconnected from their bodies or cycles, is there a gentle daily ritual you'd recommend to help them start rebuilding that connection?
I am often reminded that the best tools we have are completely accessible and often free or low cost. A morning meditation that resonates with you, using herbal teas or gentle aromatherapy to support your mood. Self massage with your favourite body oil or butter is so grounding and nurturing! What truly matters is the intention within the act, it's what transforms it from performing an action to embodying self connection.
I have curated a box of aromatherapy roll-on remedies designed to support your emotional landscape throughout your cycle launching next month, it felt important to create supportive tools that move with the ever changing rhythms of being a woman. The important thing is to not over complicate it. You are the medicine, trust your intuition, you know what to do.
Alongside your treatment space, you also curate a beautiful range of handcrafted physical products. Do you have a current favourite from your range or one you couldn't live without?
I have been living for Flower Water during this intense heat, it's so cooling and gentle, it calms the skin and acts as an energetic cleanse too. Soothe Oil will always have a place in my heart. I originally made Soothe in lockdown when I was experiencing debilitating social anxiety and agoraphobia, it became a potion I leaned on during a very difficult time. Despite it being a quite unusual blend, it became one of my best sellers. I think people sense it is formulated from the heart.
What was it that originally drew you to trying Fleur Remedies?
Initially, integrity and alignment for sure. I love that Fleur Remedies are forged using English wild flowers and suitable for even highly sensitive people like me. I'm deeply passionate about plant medicine, but because of our loss of history we tend to look towards other cultures for wisdom. There's nothing wrong with that of course, so long as it's approached with reverence and respect, but our land is verdant and our ancestors were highly knowledgeable of our native medicinal plants. It's time to reclaim that. Flower remedies contain the energetic signature of our land, and to weave that into daily ritual is an act of reclamation.
Do you weave flower essences into your daily routines or rituals? Do you ever find yourself leaning on them before or after holding space for your clients?
I carry SOS blend in my bag at all times, it was a saviour for me recently when I experienced shock. I love my daily blend for hormones, and Grounded really helps when I'm working. Bodywork is energy work and staying grounded is part of my ethical responsibility to myself and others, allowing me to stay steady, rooted and present.
One of the blends you worked with was Grounded. Why did you choose that specific formula at that point in your life, and do you remember how it made you feel while taking it?
I originally chose Grounded because I could feel some old feelings of rising panic, specifically surrounding world events. It helps me soften internal walls that previously kept me in a state of fear. For me, it's not about not feeling emotions, they're there for a reason, but staying present enough to honour them without judgment, and I have found flower remedies are a supportive ally for exactly that. I've actually leaned more on Grounded in the last few weeks as I develop my new studio space, I've had to draw all my energy into birthing the space, experiencing a huge period of growth and creativity - it's a beautiful place to be in but I also have to remain rooted. It's non negotiable!
Life has a habit of throwing us off-center, even when we work in the healing space. How do you get back to balance when this happens?
Holding myself accountable, and being willing to surrender to whatever is unfolding for me. I recently experienced a really difficult time for the first time in a long time, but in that time I discovered I'd cultivated so many resources, skills and tools I found myself in awe of my own capabilities. That in itself was incredibly empowering. I can't express how important it is to have worked on yourself before working on others, it's imperative. It's an honour to facilitate healing, but to do that with integrity I have to keep growing too. Through therapy, plants and acquiring knowledge, I have developed the ability to sit with my feelings with dual awareness, always listening for the lessons hardship has to teach me. It always ends up that the most difficult parts of self end up becoming my greatest teachers.
Have you noticed any changes in yourself or your life since you started taking flower essences?
Flower remedies really do form an important part of my emotional toolkit. It's not about not feeling, it's about working through energetic blocks so you can transmute pain into power. This year has been utterly transformative for me in so many ways, I've found I'm handling life with more resilience and grace than I knew I was capable of. One of my intentions for the year was to cultivate authentic peace within my body and flower remedies have undoubtedly been a huge part of that.
Where can people go to explore more of your work and book a session with you?
If my work resonates with you, I'd love to welcome you! You can explore my treatments, botanical offerings and book a session at hansenbotanics.co.uk, or find me on Instagram @hansen_botanics, where I share more of my work and daily life.
I look forward to assisting you on your journey.
