A healing touch: Massage clinic opens in Benzie County - Traverse City Record Eagle

[massage]

BEULAH — Relax and Restore Massage Clinic exudes an aura that is equal parts relaxing and professional.

"I wanted to take the best of the spa world and the best of the clinical world and put it together," said owner Shannon Saunders, who opened the massage clinic in July at 275 N. Michigan Ave.

The delicate balance reflects her own experience in both sides of the field. Saunders, who holds an associate degree in Applied Science and a certificate in therapeutic massage, has previously worked as a massage therapist in spa and clinical settings. She now trains future massage therapists at Baker College.

The main focus of massages in a spa setting revolve around relaxation and stress reduction, she explained. Techniques like aromatherapy and hydrotherapy are common.

"Their whole thing is to take away time, stop the hustle and bustle and slow down," Saunders said. "When we’re in that parasympathetic state is when we heal."

Clinical massage offices — such as Discover Massage Specialists, 3337 W. South Airport Road, where Saunders works now — specialize in massage therapy for those who have been injured or experience chronic pain.

"Between teaching and working at Discover and the spa, it’s kind of like I’ve fine tuned what people really need," Saunders said. "Why go to two different places to get what you need when you could go to one and get it all?"

Relax and Restore Massage Clinic offers Swedish, deep tissue, hot stone, zone therapy and clinical massages. Each massage session costs $70 per hour, $40 per half-hour or $100 for 90 minutes. Saunders also offers fully clothed chair massages that target the neck, back and shoulders for $1 per minute. Clients get a $7 credit for every new customer they send to her, which can be saved or used immediately. Benzie County Chamber of Commerce members and local business employees will receive a 10 percent discount on the services.

"Benzie County employees work so hard," Saunders said. "My goal is to bring in the people working night shift, the ones working in factories, the ones doing unbelievably hard things to their bodies."

Saunders said business has been steady since she opened Relax and Restore last month. She still works part time at Discover, and opens the clinic Mondays from 2 to 8 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. She eventually will move to her business full time when she passes her spot at Discover to a student upon graduation.

"You get very attached to your clients and their well-being, so my replacement has to be hand picked," Saunders said.

She also hopes to eventually bring massage students on at her own practice, which she hopes will expand to include other amenities like a sauna by this time next year.

Saunders rolled out more immediate plans for her business to raise money for some of her favorite charities. Ten percent of her proceeds from September through November will go toward programs within the Benzie County Council on Aging, she said.

"The next three months will go toward programs for our homeless," Saunders said. "Proceeds from the summer months will be split between autism and Down syndrome, because I couldn't choose."

Visit http://relaxrestore.amtamembers.com for more information.

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