“Caregivers are usually the ones that are left
with anxiety and stress, and they need a place
to let it go.”
— betsy abrams, owner, five Wellbeing studio + spa
wellbeing of an entire community.
this month, Pulse spoke with five Wellbeing Studio +
Spa (located in Littleton, colorado) and mirbeau inn & Spa
(in Skaneateles, new York) about why and how they make
mental health a central component of their spas’ values.
healing through the senses
the five-year-old five Wellbeing Studio + Spa thinks of itself
as a “local destination spa” for the Denver area, says owner
Betsy abrams. although it doesn’t have a hotel, five
Wellbeing strives to provide a holistic spa and wellness
experience not unlike a traditional destination spa. mental
health is a large component of that; to that end, abrams
has integrated aromatherapy and sound-based therapies
throughout her spa. the goal, as abrams says, is “to calm
the nervous system” so that increasingly pervasive stress
can be given a chance to dissipate. “We’re all acting like
tigers are chasing us all the time. Sound resonance calms
down the central nervous system so that you’re not always
in a fight-or-flight response,” comments abrams.
every massage treatment begins with a miniature
sound therapy session using a tibetan singing bowl and
includes self-guided aromatherapy—guests choose from
one of five scents that resonates with them on that
particular day—that calms the mind. five Wellbeing’s goal
is “to get the client to the deepest relaxation level within
the first three minutes,” says abrams, so that each guest
experiences the maximum mental health benefit.
five Wellbeing also nurtures mental health in its inhale
and exhale rooms, which emphasize the power of breath
and sound to reshape one’s mental state. the exhale room
features three sound vibrational chairs, while the inhale
room combines himalayan salt with a cozy, relaxing space.
Plush leather loungers, blankets and eye masks encourage
people to linger near the salt, and guided meditations
focusing on a variety of specific topics are available.
five Wellbeing studio + spa, pictured here, views mental wellness as a
vital component of the healing power of spa.
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PULSE 2019
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