11/25/2009 10:02:00 AM New massage therapist open for business in SV
Jennifer Mulhern
By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy
Jennifer Mulhern, a new massage therapist and proprietor of Touch of Nature Massage in Spring Valley, welcomes new clients to try a hot stone massage.
Mulhern is leasing the former Healthy Massage and Bodyworks studio in the former Barcel Chiropractic building on South Washington.
"I'd like to offer a hot stone massage special for Christmas. People who have hot stone massage never go back to the usual massage."
She added, "I'm a very energetic, compassionate person who enjoys what I do, and I don't mind doing the everyday Swedish fluff and buff relaxation massage, but I also love working on people who truly need a massage. I offer anything from Swedish to deep tissue to prenatal and Thai massage, as well as hot stone."
Mulhern began her career in cosmetology. "I am actually a licensed cosmetologist. I started doing hair right out of high school, and I've been doing hair for over 13 years. I really wanted to do massage with it, but being a single mom at that time, I couldn't quit work just to go to massage school. It was something I always kind of wanted to do, and I thought it was a great aspect to add to my offerings, rather than doing just one thing."
She worked in Wisconsin 10 years ago at a day spa, where she learned some of the basics of massage therapy before Wisconsin required licensure.
"I really enjoyed it. In 2005, I was doing daycare in Chatfield and started looking into it. I found that the Minnesota School of Business offered a night class, so I continued with daycare full-time and went to school full-time in the evenings. I started in April 2007 and graduated with honors in March 2008.
Mulhern said, "If it wasn't for the support of my husband and my family, to go to school to accomplish my massage degree wouldn't have been possible."
"I did my externship at Arndt Chiropractic in Chatfield, and was going to rent a studio for a while. When we bought our farm, I considered going into a nursing program, but I quit school because it just wasn't for me. I was working at Massage Envy in Rochester at the time."
She noted that "It was a good experience, but it was in Rochester," and she likes setting her own hours to accommodate her clients and her children.
"I enjoy massage because I get a workout. It gives me exercise. I have a busy lifestyle - kids, whitetail deer, dogs, cats to take care of, we live in the country - I don't have time to fit exercise into my day."
She's getting a workout by giving clients Thai massages - Thai massage is a form of stretching done by the therapist instead of by the client.
"Basically, with yoga, you're stretching. Instead of you doing the stretching, I'm doing all the work. It's something you figure you're not getting anything out of until the next day when you feel so much better."
At the end of the day, Mulhern hopes to go home fitter than when she came to work to stone and stretch her clients, but most of all, she'd like to make massage affordable for everyone, from the unborn and respective expectant mother to the senior citizen whose limbs don't work quite the way they used to.
"I'm not setting regular hours," she related, noting that she will be available any day of the week, any time for appointments. "Everything is open," she added.
"I'm trying to benefit everyone. I really want to see what people are looking for and I want to give this a little bit of time to see how it works out. I'd like to try to work with clients' schedules - I'm pretty good about last-minute arrangements, but it's hard to schedule appointments within the hour because I'm not always here. I have no problem with day appointments, though."
Mulhern has several "Ways to Save" massage packages and programs, including an introductory first hour-long massage price of $30, after which an hour of massage will cost $40 and a half hour, $25. She said the introductory price will never expire for those new customers who come in the future.
"I like being able to help my clients and work on my own," she concluded. "I want you to feel comfortable, at home and impressed and happy."
To schedule an appointment, call (507) 273-4168.
Reader Comments
Posted: Thursday, January 21, 2010
Article comment by:
Matt Rowe
I used to travel to Rochester to get a massage at City looks, and other surrounding businesses. Jennifer does an excellent job, and her studio is always spotless. I like that she is flexible with her time, so she can try to make it fit with her clients schedules easier. That is a hard thing to find with todays society, where everybody is so busy, and customer service is lacking in most businesses. Her prices are better then the competition, and I like saving the gas and time also. "Money can buy you a clock, but won't buy back time."
Posted: Sunday, November 29, 2009
Article comment by:
Jennifer Mulhern
I really feel that you are making it sound like I am still a single mother in this article and I just wnated to say that if it wasn't for the support of my husband and family be able to go to school to accomplish my massage degree wouldn't have been possible.
