Massage business essential in helping people relax Ambient light illuminated the room, lulling the client into a relaxed state and providing just enough luminescence for the therapist to follow the lines of her muscles. Outside, cars sped past on Del Prado Boulevard. But inside Body Essential Massage, massage therapist George Kolebas’ room was quiet, serene. It was a much more stressful event that led client Heide Gabriel-Zwaetz to seek the help of massage therapy.
“When we moved here in 2001 somebody hit us from the back (a car?,” Gabriel-Zwaetz said. “I had physical therapy for my neck, and then massage.” Once Gabriel-Zwaetz discovered massage, she was hooked. “I continue having massage, so no pain comes up,” she said. Body Essential Massage is a part-new, part established business. The building has been home to massage businesses for 14 years. Co-owners Cliff Woodhall and Robert Terrasi took over the business in August from The Best Massage. With new ownership came a new name, though the staff of four massage therapists have chosen to remain in place. “The employees are very strong in their methods,” Woodhall said. “When you get a massage here you get a well-seasoned, experienced therapist.” Therapists train in their preferred specialties, which include therapeutic, relaxation, sports and deep tissue massage. The company also offers wraps, personal yoga instruction, reiki, hot stone therapy and a new therapy, bamboo fusion. Bamboo fusion is similar to hot stone therapy but employs the use of bamboo instead of stones. The company motto “walking away feeling like you are on a cloud … priceless” is a mantra that Woodhall takes seriously. “We can’t give a bad massage,” he said. Gabriel-Zwaetz has been a loyal client for the past three years. “I feel relaxed when I get a massage,” she said. “My muscles are used to it and I feel great, like I could cut the bushes when I get home.” Kolebas said he sees a wide range of clients – from young athletes who want to prevent injury to older people who want to maintain health and reduce stress levels. “The idea is to achieve some level of transformation,” Kolebas said. “If (someone) comes in with a tight shoulder or are stressed out, we want to see a different person walk out the door. To see change, that’s what drives massage therapists.
