A new massage studio specializing in holistic healing has opened up on Joyce Avenue. Powell River newcomer Jennifer Hall brought her home-based massage studio, White Wave Holistic Healing, with her when she moved from Kamloops this summer. Her slogan is: “Where a gentle touch is magical.”
Jennifer says she had been looking to move back to the coast for some time, having grown up in Bella Coola. She found the right fit with Powell River.
“It’s a gem,” says Jennifer. “I was looking for a community with a country lifestyle near the ocean and mountains, large enough to sustain itself. Powell River is amazing. I like that people here are friendly, and that there’s a diversity of creativity, talent and culture. Powell River has a heart close to nature and there’s a lot of support for local businesses.”
Jennifer specializes in flower essence counselling and Raynor massage therapy, and also provides clients with more traditional deep tissue and relaxation massages.
According to Jennifer, flower essence counselling helps clients to balance their emotional states and ease physical discomfort using the energies from flowering plants.
“It's not counselling as people would expect where they come, talk and I give them pointers and suggestions,” she explains. “Rather, it is more like a consultation. People let me know their concerns, whether physical or emotional, whatever their struggles may be. I then offer a botanical assistance.”
Flower essence is not the same as aromatherapy, she adds. It is a hypo-allergenic approach.
“It deals with taking the energy signature from a plant at its highest form of output, which is at its flowering stage,” she says. It's not just flowers, though, and also includes using cedar and oak trees, among others. Each one, according to its character, addresses a different emotional imbalance.”
In addition to using flowers, Jennifer also uses Raynor naturopathic massage to help her clients unblock trapped energy.
Raynor massage is a system of bodywork that combines knowledge from Ayurvedic massage, Chinese medicine, reflexology, shiatsu and yoga breath work. It helps by releasing blocked energy that has accumulated in the body from stress, she says.
“Raynor is a different approach to the healing, one not common for massage therapy to be familiar with,” says Jennifer. “It addresses bands of tension formed in the body from emotional or physical stress. This trauma can get trapped in the body’s muscle fibre, membrane and connective tissues forming a knotted rope that needs to be released.”
Raynor concentrates on parts of the body often not treated in the same fashion by traditional massage therapists, such as the abdomen, hips, feet, hands and head, she adds.
Jennifer says she plans on continuing her education and is eager to learn more about holistic healing practices. She realizes that sometimes her clients are just looking for a straightforward massage. She provides those, too.
“When someone first comes I assess whether or not they're interested in information beyond a massage,” she explains. “Some people just want a rub down, while others are seriously tired of not feeling good and they want to know more. I like to provide a holistic approach where they tell me what's going on in their life: their aches, pains, and woes, then we can work together to find a solution to right those problems.”
For more information about White Wave Holistic Healing’s services and to book an appointment with Jennifer, call 250.556.4297.
White Wave Holistic Healing is located at 3440 Joyce Avenue and is open from 10 am to 6 pm Sunday through Thursday. Jennifer will take appointments outside of regular hours on a case by case basis.
