When did you open Therapeutic Bodywork?
I took my first massage client in this building, upstairs on June 8th, 2004. Really hard to believe that I’ve been in this very building for 19 years. That wasn’t exactly the plan, but it turned out better than I imagined.
Why did you want to open a wellness center?
Well, the short answer is that I grew up ‘holistically’. My mom sought other ways to help us with our health - mostly treating us through dietary changes - less sugar, cutting out gluten, etc. That seems status quo these days, but this was in the late 80’s/90’s so it was a bit unconventional. I’m forever grateful to her for teaching me at such a young age how food can affect our health. That awareness had a profound shift on my health and has stayed a constant in my life. I always wanted to open others up to that idea - to empower them to take control of their health. That a pill isn’t always necessary and certainly isn’t the only way. It’s been amazing to see how this understanding has grown since the 80s. My entire IG feed is FULL of people practicing medicine this way - I LOVE IT!
How has TB changed over the years?
Someone once told me that running a business is like flying a plane. The plane takes off and then you have to learn how to fly the plane. Somehow this plane hasn’t reached altitude yet - I feel like we’re still climbing and I’m like ‘let’s hit cruise control’ - haha.
I think the biggest shift I’ve seen is that in 2004 some of my clients were referring to their massage as their ‘luxury’ or ‘a treat’. When we expanded in 2016 and diversified into the Wellness Center, I wasn’t sure if the cape was ready for it. Acupuncture, CranioSacral - I didn’t know if we were maybe a little too in front of the curve, so to speak.
But I would say over these last 7 years not only has the community completely embraced us, they really understand us and value us. When we reopened after covid, those first few summer months I would overhear clients say ‘I go to the grocery store and I come here.’ I was always like - ‘whoa, first of all what a complete honor that we had earned that kind of trust’. But also - ‘whoa, something has changed’. What we're doing here is really understood and prioritized. That feels different - and really good.
What is your favorite part of running TB?
Oh, so many things. I’m grateful to work with an incredible group of women each day. That can never be taken for granted. We work closely together, so of course there are bumps, but at the end of the day we are all here for one another and have moved through so much together. Particularly the group that went through those early days of covid with me - I mean, we didn’t know the answers to any of the questions, but we navigated with love, respect and deep trust and that formed a profound bond.
Our wellness community is incredible and some of our clients have been here since I opened in 2004. They’ve gone on to fall in love with other practitioners, try other modalities, but they’re still here and that makes me so happy. I want to make t-shirts that say “TB OG” - they were my ‘originals’ and are still fixtures here.
And of course, just hearing the stories of how TB has helped someone through a tough time, or with a particular health challenge. Those stories are a constant reminder of why I started and the reason that I keep going - even through the hardest of days.
What’s your favorite service to have?
I don’t think I’m shy about telling everyone how much I love reflexology. It never ceases to amaze me how profoundly effective it is. Everything is better after a reflexology session - my digestion, my sleep, my body just feels lighter. And there is nothing that puts me into such deep relaxation as a reflexology session. I’m forever grateful to Michelle Becz for starting the program here and really introducing me to the benefits of reflexology. Michelle moved back to CT in 2020, but continues to train and mentor all of our Reflexologists.
I’ve also been going to seeing an acupuncturist since I was in my early twenties, so I’d say Acupuncture has been a constant in my wellness regime for decades. Chinese Medicine is where it’s at for me - they treat the root cause and imbalances in the body, not the symptoms. Our patients are often getting the results they’ve been seeking for years. And we are consistently hearing that their doctors referred them - how exciting. Integrative is the future of medicine. It just is.
What are your go-to products in the wellness shop?
Oh, gosh - so many. There are several products that are in here because I’ve had incredible experiences with them over the years and needed to share them with the masses.
But, I have a few that I cannot live without - my Nasya Oil. I swear once you try it, you’ll be hooked. It just helps clear my sinuses, makes me feel more alert. I use it every morning faithfully.
Sweet Dreams Magnesium Cream is my other favorite. I never really had problems with sleep, but since using the sweet dreams, my sleep is just deeper and I wake up feeling more rested. I think I have everyone I know and love using it. We all need more magnesium.
Kind of random, but the Yoga Toes are my other must have. I don’t know if my feet aren’t aging well, or if this is happening to everyone after living in sneakers/shoes for all these years, but I use these as I’m relaxing, watching TV at night. I always describe them as using a retainer for your feet. You know that feeling? When you put in an old retainer after your teeth have shifted and it almost hurts so good? The Yoga Toes allow my feet to stretch out and realign after being in shoes all day. You’ve got to try them. I have so many friends who are going to laugh when they read this because I’ve been pushing these things on them for years.
And, of course anything Cosmedix - I’ve seen such an improvement in my skin since I faithfully started using these products. The Revert has been a new favorite. I have noticed such brightening of my skin since I started using it.
