Topping therapy

LIKE so many things, it started as a bit of a laugh. North Yorkshire homeopath Christine King had begun training as a milliner when a friend observed that not only was she now "looking at the inside of someone's head, but the outside too".

"And that's how I came up with the idea of homeopathic hats," said Christine. "We were being playful, but it got me thinking about making hats which not only finish off someone's outfit but empower them as well."

And so the concept of 'hat therapy' was born.

Christine, 42, who until June ran the Sun Inn at Colton with chef husband Stephen, 48, set up her business, More Than One Therapy, with the aim of bringing together art and healing. Besides offering consultations for homeopathy and millinery, Christine can also help select therapeutic colours for the home. Borrowing a simple colour test she uses in homeopathy, Christine helps clients discover the best hue for their well-being, wardrobe or walls.

In the sunny sitting room of her home in a farmhouse at East Cottingwith, near Pocklington, she puts me through the test. I have to sit on a chair, knees together, right arm raised at shoulder height, hand lightly clenched while I hold a piece of coloured acetate over my left eye as Christine presses down on my raised arm.

My instructions are to resist her pressure, while I hold the different coloured acetates over my eye. First up is red and I'm suddenly as weak as a kitten. My arm flops as she pushes down. With blue I'm stronger and with green I do not budge at all.

Christine then shows me a diagram of the body split into segments, called chakras, each with its own colour.

Christine explains: "The body's energy system, or chakras, are linked to colours which when unbalanced result in feeling unwell. So when we don't seem to have much energy the choice of colour can be really important."

To prove her point, Christine drapes green scarves around my neck. I'm taken aback by how great they look. It's never been a colour I've been attracted to.

Colour tests are carried out on all clients and form part of the Hat Therapy parties which Christine hosts. The idea is for women to get together, learn about colour, look at designs and fabrics and work out the perfect hat for them. Christine will then make to order.

It's a bespoke service with a difference: a tailor-made hat to make you look and feel good too.

Although Christine only began training as a milliner last year, at York College, she has always been arty. Her mother taught her to sew and as a child she loved drawing and painting. Her first career was as a florist, and she sees parallels between millinery and floristry.

"There is the design and the way something has to have the perfect angle. Also, when you make something, you have to cover your work - if you stitch something on, you have got to not see it."

Her therapy business is the latest in a line of ventures and adventures. Christine, from Derbyshire, spent much of her youth in New Zealand, where her family still live, and it was there she met and married Stephen, an executive hotel chef.

Through his work, the couple travelled the world, with spells in Mexico, Thailand and Malaysia, which gave Christine opportunity to absorb the fabrics and colours on display in local markets. Today, she uses material she has collected over the years in her hats.

From her home in East Yorkshire, which she also shares with her rescue dog Zinny - named after All Blacks star Zinzan Brooke - Christine is running a veritable cottage industry.

In one nook and cranny is her homeopathy corner, crammed with books and remedies. In the utility room rests a large hat block, on which Christine pulls and stretches her fabric of choice to get it into the desired shape.

"I grunt a lot when I do that, so much so that Stephen asks me what I'm up to," says Christine with a giggle.

Besides making show-piece hats for a wedding or a day at the races, Christine makes smaller pieces to be worn in the hair with a slide. These are perfect for an evening event, or for someone who wants to make a more subtle impression.

Prices range from £15 for a small piece to £150-plus for a head-turner.

There is no charge for a hat therapy party, which can be arranged for the evenings or weekends. Christine said that the parties she has hosted so far have been great fun.

"People love it. After I've done the colour tests, they ask me to do it again.

"It's all light-hearted, but at the same time there is a serious background to it. At the end of the day, I'm a therapist who makes hats."

For more details about More Than One Therapy contact Christine on 01759 318127 or (m) 0794 451 9004.

:: Colour therapy

Colour therapists believe colour can have a deep impact on our health and well-being. Here is a brief guide to the healing qualities of colour.

Orange (represents the kidneys, abdomen and lower back): Can improve appetite, increase energy levels, combat depression and menstrual problems

Green (represents the heart and circulation of the blood): Treats nervous conditions and brings harmony and peace after emotional trauma

Red (represents the base of the body and reproductive organs): For sexual problems, lack of confidence, anaemia, poor circulation, phobias and to relieve lower back pain

Indigo (represents the forehead, pituitary gland and right-hand side of the brain): Eases voice, neck and throat problems, heals sunburn and wounds, calms nerves and conditions associated with anxiety

Yellow (represents the solar plexus, liver, pancreas and digestive system): Aids digestion, also for arthritis and rheumatism, helps skin conditions, and for jaundice and hepatitis

Turquoise (represents the thymus gland, immune system and lungs): Helps the immune system

Violet (represents the crown and pineal gland): Treats emotional disturbances, addictions, neuroses and obsessions and feelings of worthlessness and despair.

Source: The Secrets Of Colour Healing edited by Stephanie Farrow (Dorling Kindersley, £4.99).

Updated: 09:27 Tuesday, November 23, 2004