“ Arriving to The Broadmoor in 1998 and finding myself in a room full of professionals and peers , all facing the same challenges , was such a revelation .”
ideas , share learnings and tap into new resources . Within that community , I met industry leaders who showed me what success in the spa business looked like . These ISPA connections would become mentors I would look up to and learn from throughout my career .
I also learned a lot from the speakers at that first Conference . Pamela Peeke was there , bringing scientific thinking and medical support to the work we do in spas . Loretta LaRoche talked about the impact of stress on health and how spas can play a role in alleviating it . Joan Borysenko spoke about integrative medicine , going beyond physical health into the mental and spiritual aspects of well-being .
The industry has evolved since then . Today these ideas are readily accepted , but in 1998 , most peoples ’ conceptions of wellness were purely physical , focusing on smoking , weight loss and heart disease . These early voices of respected experts advocating for more holistic approaches pushed me to advance my own studies in psychology and deepen my understanding of mental well-being , a domain that would shape both my leadership style and my conceptualization of the role spas play as a healing institution in modern society .
One keynote speaker that year was Peter Vidmar , an Olympic gymnast and coach who shared inspiring lessons on how to bring out levels of elite performance in yourself and the people you work with . I still remember an analogy he shared about training athletes on the balance beam . “ When you practice , set the beam safely on the ground , but visualize yourself being up high ,” he said .“ When you perform , the beam is up high , but visualize yourself on the ground .” This mindset — of thinking differently about practice versus performance — has guided me throughout my career .
The ISPA Conference at The Broadmoor took place 26 years ago , and today we live in a different world . Spa managers have many more tools and platforms available to help them learn and grow and develop . But even today , nothing can replace having peers and mentors in a community built on the free exchange of knowledge and ideas . What most excites me about ISPA ’ s return to The Broadmoor is seeing the fresh new faces attending their first Conference and finding this community for the first time , just as I did 26 years ago . These newcomers will be the future leaders of our industry , and it all starts with a simple realization : We are not alone . n
“ Arriving to The Broadmoor in 1998 and finding myself in a room full of professionals and peers , all facing the same challenges , was such a revelation .”
JEREMY McCARTHY is the group director of spa and wellness for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group , leading guest and colleague wellness programs and an internationally acclaimed luxury spa division . He has more than 30 years of experience operating luxury spas in resort and hotel properties worldwide . McCarthy , a former ISPA Board member , holds a Master of Applied Positive Psychology ( MAPP ) degree from University of Pennsylvania and is the author of The Psychology of Spas & Wellbeing .
DECEMBER 2024 / JANUARY 2025 n PULSE 27