Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Whitley.
Hi Lauren, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I started this journey 14 years ago when I interned with a physical therapist. I liked being able to assist people in their physical healing but knew I wanted to find a different path to doing that. I have very big hands for my size (yes, I’ve been told it’s like holding hands with a dude) and I just felt like I was capable of helping people and that would be how I did it.
I went to massage therapy school and absolutely loved it! I love that massage has so many modalities to help people in all the different ways they need healing. I really love the energy side of bodywork but due to some things in my own past I knew it would be hard for me to truly assist in that healing, however, I know that the therapeutic hands-on side of bodywork is how I would be able to help people. I’ve worked many different types of massage jobs and have loved doing it as my career along with being a master esthetician.
2.5 years ago I had my first baby and I was in the thick of that new adjustment in my life when the opportunity presented itself that I could build out my own spa. It felt scary and overwhelming being a new mom and trying to navigate that but I knew if I passed on the opportunity I would never get it again. I said okay and got to work designing the space and creating an amazing spa with what I had.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It has been a roller coaster getting here. Some really amazing things that fell into place but also a lot of struggles to deal with.
The journey started with having a newborn and the adjustment to being a new mom. I also got pregnant with my second baby when my oldest was 8 months old. Unfortunately, I was so sick during both pregnancies and threw up all 9 months, it was hard to get out of bed.
There were all sorts of issues with the construction process, I was grateful to have my husband really taking care of that side of things. The general contractor left to work with a new company halfway through the project, it was difficult finding contractors to complete the job. Wood was stolen from us because of the lumber shortage during that time.
It took me a whole extra year to get open from when I originally planned to, but the spa opened on December 15, 2022, and everything eventually came together!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We do massage at the spa and are working on building our aesthetic side. I currently have 3 very talented massage therapists who work at the spa and I would say that our style is more of a therapeutic firm massage.
We are very proud of the add-ons that we can offer at the spa. We have 2 couples rooms and were really wanting to make those nice for people who are coming in with their partner or friend to enjoy together. One of our couple’s rooms has a custom infrared dry sauna and the other has a steam shower. We also offer hot stone, paraffin wax, poultice, and aromatherapy, and are in the process of adding a few more things! We like the ability to add to massage and make it exactly what our client needs that day.
We also do a lot of chair massages, we love this because it’s a great way for people who say they don’t like massage to come to get bodywork in a way that makes them feel a lot more comfortable. It’s a great introduction to massage. We also pride ourselves in really listening to what clients say, I want anyone who comes to the spa to feel like they were listened to and got what they were hoping for out of their massage.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
It can be so scary, but if you take the gamble on yourself, you’ll be amazed at what you can do and how good it can feel! I wish when I was starting out I had had more confidence in myself. I was second-guessing myself and getting overwhelmed because it was a lot I was taking on.
Once I was able to take a breath and make my game plan and knock out each item one by one, I could start to see how it was coming together and that it was going to be okay. It’s so scary but it will be so worth it!
Pricing:
- 50-minute massage – $85
- 80-minute massage – $115
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thejuniperspa.com
- Instagram: @the.juniper.spa
- Facebook: @thejuniperspa
