Fall is one of my favorite times of year, and one of the
reasons for that is Fall Spa Week! From October 15-21, you can enjoy luxurious,
high end, full-length signature treatments and services from more than 1000 top
salons, spas, and wellness centers across the US for only $50. Booking is going
on RIGHT NOW! Visit Spa Week today to find a participating spa near you and
take advantage of this amazing opportunity to get some extra self care for a
great price.
Yesterday, I was invited by Spa Week and The Family Wellness Center at Briarsdale in Harrisburg, PA to experience their 75 minute Pumpkin
Spice Massage. They didn’t have to twist my arm, of course. I had just returned
from a jam-packed, very exciting weekend at the IIN Live Fall Conference in New
York City, and my mind and body were tired and a little wound-up. I knew this
would be perfect timing to help me settle down and relax. Plus, my back was a
little stiff from all the travel, and I was really to not have to wait until my
next scheduled massage with my own therapist.
About the massage therapist
My massage was performed by Tiffany Weese, who has been
practicing as a licensed massage therapist for 5 years. She is fairly new to
The Family Wellness Center, and previously worked in the spa setting. Tiffany
really enjoys working at the wellness center, because she feels she has the
opportunity to help a larger number of people achieve their goals in healing
and overall wellness. She works closely with the providers of the different
modalities at the Center to give their patients/clients extended holistic care.
Tiffany enjoys all aspects of massage therapy, but currently
specializes in bamboo and deep tissue massage, as well as energy work. I asked
her how she views massage in terms of healing, and she quickly responded that
one cannot properly heal from injury or trauma, or properly manage stress
without massage. Stress and trauma negatively affect the body’s ability to
function properly and heal on its own, and massage works very well to restore
balance, reduce pain, and reduce physical and mental/emotional stress. Tiffany
believes strongly in the value of continuing education, and looks forward to
furthering her knowledge of Reiki, shiatsu, myofascial, Ayurvedic, and
craniosacral massage therapies.
Tiffany was very professional, and conducted a detailed
consultation and health/wellness history in the privacy of the treatment room prior
to the massage. She let me know everything that was going to happen, checked
with me periodically to make sure I was comfortable and was enjoying the
service, and encouraged me to communicate with her regarding the intensity of
pressure. This is very important during massage, because people have different
levels of sensitivity and also have different preferences for pressure. Some
massages are meant to be for relaxation only, others are meant to release
pinched nerves and loosen up tight muscles and tendons—these may require more
probing and more pressure. It’s important to let your therapist know if anything
does not feel good. Some discomfort is normal during a more therapeutic
massage, but it should never make you wince or become unbearable. The therapist
does not know how you are feeling during the massage unless you tell him or
her.
The Pumpkin Spice Massage
I have to admit that I was both intrigued and a little
nervous about the idea of a pumpkin spice massage. Intrigued, because I love
the sweet and earthy aromas of Fall—pumpkin and cinnamon are wonderful.
However, these fragrances in products are often artificial which is what made
me nervous. I was careful to let Tiffany know that I did not want any products
with harsh chemicals or synthetic fragrances and she assured me that they only
use products made with natural ingredients, oils, and extracts. All products
comply with the parameters set by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which I
always appreciate. Once I had that knowledge, I relaxed and enjoyed the
wonderful scent of the creams and heat packs.
I started on my back, and enjoyed a great scalp, shoulder,
arm and leg massage with a cinnamon-infused heated neck roll under my neck.
Then I flipped over, and had cinnamon-infused heating pads on my back as I
enjoyed a foot and leg massage. Tiffany noticed that my upper back and
shoulders were very tight and stiff (I tend to hold my stress in my shoulders),
and really spent a lot of time working the muscles, nerves, and tissues to
loosen me up. This was definitely more intense than the rest of the treatment,
but it was done skillfully and never crossed from “good pain” to “bad pain”—and
if it had, I would have told her.
After the massage I was told to relax a bit more and be
careful getting up and getting dressed, and I was given a warm cloth to wipe
off any excess massage cream. Once I was done, I met Tiffany in the lobby where
she had prepared a visual diagram of where she noticed I had tightness, and
made some recommendations (one of which was for more massage, which I certainly
wasn’t going to argue!).
About The Family Wellness Center at Briarsdale
The Family Wellness Center is a wonderful facility that
offers integrative healthcare, chiropractic, counseling, massage/bodywork, holistic
nutrition, and yoga all under one roof. How cool is that? It’s a one stop shop.
I’d like to see many more of practices like these in all areas.
The ambiance and staff are warm, welcoming, and friendly,
and the massage therapy room was spacious, comfortable, and attractive without
being overly fussy. I think it would appeal to all clients, male and female, of
all ages.
If you are in the Harrisburg area, or would like to give a
gift to someone who is, I highly recommend the 75-minute Pumpkin Spice Massage
at The Family Wellness Center at Briarsdale, which is only $50 for Spa Week. Visit
their website for more information on their services, providers, and events.
Click HERE to book your Spa Week appointments at this, or
any other participating Spa Week spa.
Thanks to Tiffany Weese for your healing hands, and thanks
to The Family Wellness Center at Briarsdale and of course to Spa Week for the
wonderful service.
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