Melanie Matheney, Warsaw, prepares for a massage client. She loves giving her clients relief from pain, or just a pleasant massage experience. Matheney is the owner/operator of Melanie’s Massage in Warsaw. Photo provided by Melanie Matheney.
By Laurie Lechlitner
InkFreeNews
WARSAW — “I love many things,” stated Melanie Matheney, Warsaw. “I enjoy taking educational classes at a local college. I’ve studied dance, art, music and philosophy in the past. I enjoy working out and doing yoga. That’s why I’m glad I have a flexible schedule. Being a massage therapist not only allows me the time to explore my world but puts me in touch with clients who become lifelong friends.”
Matheney is the owner/operator of Melanie’s Massage, Warsaw.
Before Matheney began her career in massage therapy, she was in food service. “My job helped make my hands and body strong. It wasn’t unusual for me to pick up 50 pounds of potatoes or flour. I eventually started baking for the last four years of my food service career and developed an allergy to flour. Then I knew it was time to change directions.”
While living in California, Matheney attended Twin Lakes College of the Healing Arts. “California is a great state to start as a massage therapist. People on the West Coast are all into health and wellness. With mountain hiking and watersports, people are also interested in becoming as healthy as possible.”
When her mother, Barbara Skeans, developed stage-four lung cancer, she made another turn. “I moved to Warsaw to take care of her. We had a marvelous four years together. We just celebrated her 70th birthday with a party this past March. She passed away in May.”
Matheney received so much love from clients when her mother was very sick in her last days. “Even my clients from California called once a week to check on my mother’s progress and ask how I was holding up.”
Her local clients were very understanding of her schedule. “When Mother had a doctor’s appointment or was very sick and I’d have to switch appointment times, they were very supportive.”
Matheney has always enjoyed helping people. “I like to make them happy. When I was a cook, then a baker, I made people happy. Now as a massage therapist, I can give them relief from pain or a pleasant massage experience.”
Massage therapy is hard work. “I’ve had very good teachers. Much of it is the height of the bed and using the body correctly. I place the bed level with my hips and lean into the massage, that way I’m not placing undo stress on my fingers. Kneading dough as a baker has given me strong hands over the years.”
Matheney is very aware that she needs to keep her body in the best shape possible. “The ideal for me is to spend three times a week doing both yoga and weight training. Yoga helps with my peace of mind and balance. Weight training gives me physical strength and endurance.”
Living in Sweden a couple of years, Matheney is an advocate for Swedish massage. “I didn’t learn that type of massage when I lived there. But I’ve adopted some of the principles of Swedish massage. It’s a combination of light relaxing massage and deep tissue massage. I use a lubricant on the body, working out the tight spots, along with relaxing the client and at the end I use the light chops/strikes to enhance circulation. It’s very therapeutic.”
A lover of the great outdoors, she enjoys hiking. She also enjoys cooking and baking. Matheney collects both cookbooks and comic books.
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