The Affected: Massage therapist Asia Stockwell - The Sheridan Press

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Massage therapist Asia Stockwell has made a career of helping people maintain their bodies. Like so many others, as of March 19, the state-issued orders by Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have forced Stockwell to close the doors at Maven Massage and Body Work Studio.

Not being able to care for her clients has affected her greatly. With Maven closed, Stockwell has lost her primary source of income.

“I am my own boss so I don’t have somebody to give me hours outside of massage,” Stockwell said.

Her saving grace through these hard times comes in the form of an online yoga class she teaches for Purenergy. Although it does not generate enough income to pay the bills, it helps.

“I wanted to hold my online class because I need to maintain as much normalcy in my own life, for my own mental health and well-being and just to be able to offer that to other people,” Stockwell said.

Stockwell is conflicted about the shutdown, particularly as a massage therapist. In the state of Wyoming, there are no regulations for massage therapy. For Stockwell, the majority of her clients see her for therapeutic purposes., “realizing that the body needs care in ways that pills can’t do and Western medicine can’t do,” she said.

Matthew Gaston | The Sheridan Press
Asia Stockwell performs the Camatkarasana (wild thing) pose in the waiting room at Maven Massage and Bodywork Wednesday, April 1, 2020. While the massage studio is closed due to COVID-19, Stockwell still offers yoga classes online through Purenergy.


She believes the state should re-evaluate the closure of massage studios. To most of her clients, the work Stockwell does is essential. As far as being exposed to COVID-19, she is confident she and her clients would behave responsibly.

“I think it is really easy to fall into the fear that is being dumped down our throats. But I make a conscious choice to not live my life in fear. In doing that, then I can move and act and live from that space and show people that you can still function, life still goes on,” she said.

On a personal level, social distancing has been a struggle. She makes a living through touch. She is affectionate with family, friends and the clients in whom she is invested.

“I thrive on touch. I am a hugger, big time. That is so hard for me. You see someone you love and care about and you can’t give them hug; that’s really hard for me,” Stockwell said.

This carries over into her professional life, as well. She misses not being able to help people physically release trauma held in by her clients’ bodies. Stockwell is concerned the current situation will have a negative effect on the progress her clients made.

“I miss finding the things and working them out. I really miss seeing people coming out of my room and hearing them say I feel so much better,” Stockwell said.

Her inability to interact with clients and provide much-needed therapeutic solutions to issues concerns Stockwell.

“It’s a big deal,” Stockwell said. “I do this because I love my job, I love what I do, I love being able to help people, and I can’t. I’m forced not to right now, and I think this type of work should be consider more of a necessity than what it is looked at.”

Matthew Gaston | The Sheridan Press
Massage therapist Asia Stockwell sits alone at Maven Massage and Body Work Studio longing for a return to normalcy Wednesday, April 1, 2020.