Hana Rajabally finds out the diverse range of services offered at the Peak Performance centre

A group of people listening to a talk at the launch event for a new health and wellness centre — The launch event for Whetstone’s Peak Performance

A Whetstone health and wellness centre celebrated its launch last month with an opening night featuring a local artist and health specialists.

High Road-based Peak Performance, which was set up by sports therapist Joe Silber in February, aims to provide a holistic approach to health and wellbeing, with practitioners coming from a range of fields including counselling and therapy, yoga and pilates, aesthetics and osteopathy.

The official launch on May 14th featured artwork by local artist Joanna Gilbert, whose abstract pieces are intended to evoke tranquillity, joy and positive energy, all of which reflects Peak Performance’s mission to empower individuals on their wellness journeys.

Talking about his reason for launching the centre, Joe, who has worked as a sports therapist for six years, told Barnet Post: “I wanted to create a community hub that people could come to for more than just a massage, but for all their wellness needs.

“Since I started being a sports therapist doing deep massages, I’ve heard from a lot of clients that they’ve had bad experiences with untrustworthy people. Particularly speaking to the women I’ve treated, they were crying out for a high street place that has a trustworthy reputation.”

He said that given that there aren’t many health and wellness centres in the High Barnet area, his new health and wellness centre intends to fill that gap.

He added: “We can cater to everyone’s needs, whether you’re into yoga or beauty, we have it all!”

The centre offers osteopathy, psychodynamic counselling, yoga and pilates sessions, aesthetic treatment, as well as breathwork and healing sessions, and deep massages.

The launch event in May brought together a variety of practitioners from a range of fields, including one of the centre’s therapists, Gill, who spoke about her work.

Gill, who works in the centre as a private therapist, said: “The launch was a really good evening, well attended by the local community. People were asking questions and it was a great networking event. It felt really positive, and the GP menopause specialist gave a really interesting talk.”

She continued: “I joined the clinic because I was excited to be part of a new community offering services in the High Barnet, north London area.

“I love the fact there’s yoga here, sports therapy. It’s a really supportive environment and great to have something like this on the high street.”

Having worked as a counsellor and clinical supervisor for more than 25 years, Gill is registered with BUPA and is BACP accredited. She is a trauma specialist, with a focus on anxiety and depression, and has worked in higher and further education, as well as a staff counsellor for companies such as Boots and the Employee Assistance Programmes.

Gill emphasised the importance of taking a holistic approach to health: “For many people, going to therapy feels like a big thing, and so often exhibits itself in physical symptoms.”

Aimee Thomas works at Peak Performance as a pilates instructor offering both one-to-one sessions and small private group lessons, having qualified last year through Body Control Pilates, a renowned pilates training centre.

Asked why she was interested in joining the centre, Aimee said: “I could see that it was a really good way of working. It’s a location where there are other specialists who can provide help with injuries, such as deep tissue massage. So alongside that, clients can do pilates which will help their recovery.

Joe Catton is an osteopath who previously worked in banking but retrained in 2014 and qualified in osteopathy in 2018, having been working in the field since then in a variety of clinics. Joe then set up his own business, called Move Well Osteopathy.

Joe Catton said: “The launch event was a very positive evening. I found it really beneficial and everyone was really friendly. It was nice to meet everyone and see how we can help each other.”

But it’s not just the broad range of services that gives Peak Performance its unique selling point. The nature of the building the centre is located in has also proven to be particularly popular.

The centre is located in a former solicitors’ office, and contains old wooden beams on the ceiling, with each separate room containing a fireplace, and the kitchen and toilet are located in the roof space, making it a particularly unique space for a health and wellness centre.

Joe Silber said: “Everyone has been impressed by the building as it has a lot of character, being 600 years old. The doors to the centre are about three feet high, it’s like walking into Narnia. People can’t quite believe that they’re walking into it!”

If you’d like to visit Peak Performance, you can find it at 1268a High Road, Whetstone, N20 9HH. You can make a booking on 07511 752355 or online via https://www.peakperformancelondon.co.uk/book-online.

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else. £84 annual supporters get a print copy by post and a digital copy of each month's before anyone else.