From a Little Girl Helping Her Grandparents to Woodland Wellness

People often ask me how I got started in massage therapy.

The truth is, this journey started long before massage school.

I was raised by my grandparents, who were already elderly by the time they adopted me. As a little girl, I watched them navigate the aches, pains, and physical challenges that often come with aging. Even then, I wanted to help. I would rub their shoulders, massage their hands, and do whatever I could to make them more comfortable.

One day they told me, "This is what you should do."

For some reason, those words never left me.

While many childhood dreams change over time, mine didn't. I always knew I wanted to help people feel better.

In 2010, I enrolled at Arizona School of Massage Therapy. At the time, I was raising young children and trying to build a future that offered more than just a job. Massage therapy felt meaningful. It felt like a calling that had been quietly waiting for me since childhood.

Getting through school wasn't always easy. Like many families, we faced challenges along the way. But my children became part of the journey.

Some of my favorite memories from that time involve studying anatomy at home. My kids loved helping me learn. They would sit patiently while I painted muscles on their arms and legs, turning study sessions into family projects. What could have been long nights buried in textbooks became moments of laughter, curiosity, and teamwork.

When I became licensed, I was excited to begin helping people in the way I had dreamed about for so many years.

Over the years, I worked in a variety of settings—chiropractic offices, clients' homes, franchise environments, and spas. Each experience taught me something valuable. I learned different techniques, worked with people from all walks of life, and gained a deeper understanding of what clients truly need when they seek care.

But I also learned something important about myself.

I'm simply not a micromanagement kind of girl.

I loved helping people, but I knew I wanted the freedom to care for clients in a way that felt authentic to me. I wanted appointments that weren't rushed. I wanted treatments that could be fully customized. I wanted clients to feel like people, not appointments on a schedule.

When we moved to the White Mountains, I decided it was time to build something of my own.

Woodland Wellness began in a tiny treatment room rental that measured just 7 feet by 9 feet.

It wasn't glamorous.

It wasn't perfect.

But it was mine.

That little room represented a dream, a leap of faith, and years of hard work finally coming together.

From there, Woodland Wellness slowly began to grow. What started as a small treatment space eventually became the beautiful two-room wellness suite we call home today. Every client who trusted me, every referral, every encouraging word, and every lesson learned helped shape what Woodland Wellness has become.

Today, Woodland Wellness is more than a business.

It's a place where people can step away from the noise of everyday life. A place where healing, relaxation, and genuine care come together. A place where clients are welcomed exactly as they are and receive treatments designed specifically for their needs.

When I look back, I can see how every chapter of this journey mattered.

The little girl helping her grandparents.

The massage student painting anatomy lessons on her children.

The therapist learning from every opportunity she was given.

The business owner taking a chance on a tiny treatment room.

Each step led here.

And while I am incredibly grateful for how far Woodland Wellness has come, I don't believe this is the final destination.

Today, Woodland Wellness is far different from that little 7' x 9' treatment room where it all began. What started as a single treatment space has grown into something larger than I ever imagined, and the journey is far from over.

I believe healing happens best when skilled practitioners are given the space to do what they love and clients are welcomed into an environment where they feel genuinely cared for. As Woodland Wellness continues to grow, my vision remains rooted in the same values that brought me here in the first place: connection, community, and helping people feel their very best.

There are exciting things on the horizon, and while I'm not quite ready to share all the details, I can say this:

Woodland Wellness is still becoming what it's meant to be.

This isn't the finish line.

It's simply the next chapter.