A BIT ABOUT ME
Anca Bratu,
the person behind Orchard.
For more than a decade, my treatment room has brought me into contact with people of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life. I genuinely enjoy getting to know the person in front of me their story, what matters to them and what they hope to get back to.
I want people to feel comfortable, listened to and completely themselves here. The skilled hands-on work matters, and so does the trust and connection we build around it.
WHAT MY CLIENTS HAVE TAUGHT ME
My clients have been my greatest teachers.
I began in sports and remedial massage, fascinated by the way skilled hands-on work could change how someone moved and felt. Over the years, the people I have treated have broadened that understanding. They have brought injuries, scars, pregnancy, cancer treatment, demanding training, persistent pain - and lives that rarely fit neatly into a treatment plan.
Those conversations have taught me to listen beyond the first answer. I want to understand what has changed, what you miss doing and what feeling better would actually mean in your life. You never need to arrive with the right words. We work it out together.
“My clients aren’t just sore. They’re training for something, recovering from something, adapting to change, or trying to feel at home in their bodies again.”
CURIOSITY & LEARNING
I’ve never been very good at leaving a question alone.
I’m endlessly curious about people and bodies, particularly the mind–body connection: why one person responds differently from another, why an old scar can still feel significant, how stress and experience can affect the way we move and recover, and how being listened to can change the whole experience of treatment.
That curiosity keeps me reading, researching and exploring ideas from neuroscience, psychology and epigenetics, so I can continue developing an approach that considers the whole person and what they need.
That curiosity has taken me from sports and remedial massage into Scar Therapy, pregnancy and oncology massage, myofascial release and medical acupuncture. My clients’ questions and experiences continue to send me reading, researching and learning.
The purpose is always practical: to choose what is useful for the person in front of me, explain things clearly and remain honest about what treatment can and cannot offer.
Alongside my hands-on training, I have also studied coaching and communication. That learning has strengthened the way I listen, ask thoughtful questions and create space for honest conversation.
OUTSIDE THE TREATMENT ROOM
I'm happiest when I'm moving
Movement is a big part of who I am. You’ll find me walking, Olympic weightlifting, attempting gymnastics or training at The Training Zone in Welwyn Garden City. I love discovering what my body can do, even on the days when it appears to have other plans.
The Training Zone in Welwyn Garden City is one of my favourite places because of the people, the energy and the genuine sense of community. That matters enormously to me - I’m drawn to spaces where people encourage one another, laugh together and feel that they belong.
I also love travelling and experiencing new places, cultures and perspectives. There is always something new to notice, learn or bring home with me.
So yes… catch me if you can.
EXPERIENCE & TRAINING
Experience shaped by real people and real situations.
Over more than a decade in practice, I have worked with people from 12 to 85 - athletes, gym-goers, desk workers, people recovering after surgery or injury, those navigating pregnancy or cancer treatment, and people simply wanting to feel more comfortable in everyday life.
Professional training
Level 5 Sports & Remedial Massage
Scar Therapy
Pregnancy Massage
Oncology Massage
Myofascial Release
Medical Acupuncture
I continue to learn through ongoing professional development, research and, most importantly, the people I work with.
A few places the work has taken me
London Marathon - supporting Young Lives vs Cancer and the British Heart Foundation
2015 Argentinian Rugby World Cup team
Nike Epic Training and major endurance events
Hever Castle Triathlon, London to Cambridge and Thames Path Challenges
Palantir Technologies
Assistant tutor at NLSSM, 2016–2020
Rennie Grove Peace St Albans
Every setting has taught me something different about people, pressure, recovery and the many ways bodies adapt.