As a practitioner in wellness and a small business owner, I make it a point to visit as many spas and centers as possible, across the fifty states and all over the world including China, Thailand, Bali, Central and South America, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, and Italy to name some of the highlights. These places range from high end to smaller more modest establishments. The quality of the therapists have varied drastically! Smells; moods; music & calming sounds (or not); dimmed lighting or jarring halogens; sheet & towel quality; supporting bolsters or warm blankets; heat lamps; tables; lotion/oil/ gel/ cream use; and the all-important level of cleanliness are the aspects that I assess, besides critical issues of therapist quality.
Many times, I’ve wanted to immediately flee, yet just as frequently, I have melted into the amazingness of the experience. With the language barriers in other countries, it can be disconcerting, or not, depending on the level of skill and comfort. Sometimes, I’m naked on a table thinking, is this right? Even in so-called high end facilities, the experience can be off-putting (generally safer and cleaner, though). When it’s great, I find massage can be a language understood all over the world, even with language and cultural differences. Exposing myself to different styles, techniques, esthetics, and overall treatments helps me to hone the experience we offer at Element, by distilling the best of the best and making it available to our clients!
Contributor
Acupuncturist, herbalist, Maya abdominal practitioner, and reflexologist Christina Morris is the founder of Element Natural Healing Arts. Writing about health and wellness gives her an outlet to express her care and concern for her beloved community. She believes everyone can achieve better health and happiness–emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually.