Man, life really has a way of getting to you, doesn’t it? No matter who you are, or what your story may be, stress and struggle are facts of human existence. And while it isn’t all bad, and the downs only help us have a deeper appreciation for the ups, all that strain takes its toll. Sometimes this means we spend each day with cramped muscles from our manual labor job. Other times, it means we learn to live with adult acne because we can’t quell the turmoil inside. So, what are we to do? Accept suffering as our doom and let the burden break us down into early graves? Of course not, then we wouldn’t be writing this. The fact is, there’s a better way.
We can probably all agree that “self-care” has become an aggressively overused term that seriously devalued it of any significant meaning. So let’s try a couple other terms instead, like “natural healing” and “holistic health”. Now, you’re probably thinking, “What does it all mean, Basil?” Well you calm your inner Austin Powers and pay attention, because we’re about to put all the pieces together for you.
On Haywood Road, there’s a cozy brick building with a purple door. Inside, there’s a woman with bright red hair, and an even brighter smile. She will use a soft voice and gentle hands to work her power over you, through you. You might convince yourself that this woman is a witch, and her power is magic, but that isn’t quite true. If you were to type her name into Google, you would find her as Heather Perry, Massage and Skin Care Therapy, and meeting her is step one.
Earlier this week, we had the chance to snag a couple hours of Heather’s time. Snag is the most appropriate term here because she has a considerable following. As always, we came seeking answers to the most basic questions, and uncovered invaluable wisdom.
You see, Heather is a woman whose been on a journey (as we all are or have been). Her’s is one that doesn’t have a clear destination, but is an ever-changing process of growth and education. She was born into a Navy family, in California; and later, during her teen years the family moved to Virginia. This being said, it was a wonderful life, but not necessarily a path of holistic health. “I didn’t know what a vegan was until I was in my 20’s.” She confessed, “I remember my first thought was ‘you can’t have birthday cake?” Obviously, she’s traveled a long way to get where she is now, an Esthetician and Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist, a Reiki Practicioner and an Herbalist with a focus in natural healing and holistic health.
In your head right now, you’re imagining a wild ginger woman, rubbing people down and giving out facials. However, this image falls short of her true purpose. Heather uses her gifts to help heal the body and skin through natural means. Through her services, clients experience so much more than muscle rubs and chemical peels. With Heather’s help, many find relief and healing in ways they never thought possible. To do this, she provides two main courses of attack.
- Massage
Doesn’t that word just fill you with the warm and fuzzies? Whether you have ever had the pleasure to receive a massage before or not, most of us can agree that we can think of worse ways to spend an hour. But when it comes to a massage with Heather, proceed at your own risk. She’s a self-professed “anatomy geek”. Combine that with the spirit of an empath, and you’ve got a woman that identify with what your body needs.
We asked her to explain some of the benefits of massage, to which she admitted, “You will absolutely see some relief from just one visit; but if you really want to see some healing happen, you should make regular visits.”
This then, begs the questions; what constitutes regular visits and what are the benefits if one were to make the commitment? “If a person has an issue they’re trying to work on, an appointment every two weeks is recommended, or at the very least, once a month.” Heather then went on to reveal the benefits of regular visits are extensive
- Lower blood pressure
- Improve sleep
- Balance Cortisol levels
- Release toxins being held in the body
- Improve blood flow
- Improves lymphatic system
- Less aches and pains
By making the commitment to seek a healthier life, Heather will make use of the oldest form of healing to help you, nurturing human touch. But it isn’t a decision you should make lightly, or something to just do as a reward. As Heather says, “Self-care should be consistent and reliable.” Over time, you will start to learn about your body, how it works, what it needs, and establish that ever sought-after “mind-body connection”.
2. Skin Care
Now this is a major one that a lot of people like to write off, but according to Heather it’s, “just as important as massage.” The main difference being that skin care is slightly more clinical. One of the main points that she stuck to during our time with her, is the fact that every person and every body is different and unique. What one person’s skin may be desperate for, another person’s produces in abundance. For this reason, skin care, much like massage, is a process, rather than a quick fix.
Not a bad looking process though eh? When you come to Heather, she will begin by asking you about your major concerns. Are you acne prone? Do wrinkles fill your nightmares? Or are you just trying to learn the best way to care for your unique skin type? These are pretty common issues affecting people’s skin, and by extension their confidence. Whatever you feel may be disrupting your game, Heather can work with you to find balance and relief. The first step is to determine the recipe to best care for your body and skin. “I don’t look at brands, I look at ingredients.” Heather said forcefully. The second step is to make it a habit. Heather helps her clients by developing a regimen, then it’s their responsibility to follow it. Again, healthy takes a commitment.
Like massage, if you’re attempting to treat an issue, it’s best to increase the frequency of your skin care visits. Heather recommends making time once every two to four weeks. Otherwise, regular maintenance visits for your skin are optimal during the change of seasons, especially in the fall and spring.
When it comes to addressing body and skin issues, Heather urges people to seek natural solutions first. She thinks natural healing should bridge the gap between western medicine, not replace it, “Our bodies have an amazing ability to heal themselves if given the proper tools.” This may offer a solution that could prevent the necessity of more invasive treatments. Often times, natural solutions require the development of new, healthier habits, and force us to make a conscious effort to listen to our bodies. This, friends, is the path to a holistic lifestyle. Building small practices, to improve your reality, change your mindset, and take control of your life. Sounds so dreamy, doesn’t it?
“You can have the life you want. There is nothing holding you back; not your weight; not your size; and not how you feel about yourself. That can change”. Heather kicked off our time together with this statement. Ladies and gentlemen this is a woman who is clearly reaping the benefits of putting in the time and effort to change her mindset and life. One morning she woke up and realized “I am not happy”. She then asked herself the life-changing questions, “What will it take to make me happy? What does that look like?” At this point in the conversation she brings up self awareness ( a key theme throughout our chat). You see, a few years ago Heather was going through the motions and acting happy, but she confesses it was exhausting. Soon, she started to recognize these feelings were not normal, or if they were, they shouldn’t be. “It’s your everyday and you adapt, you think, ‘ well this is my life and this is as good as it gets.” She described that morning when self-awareness really hit her, “Your mind just goes blank, and thinks well if I knew [what would make me happy] I would have done that already”. Leaning forward in our seats a bit, “So what did you do? What should someone do, to find out how to be happy?” With a proud smile Heather said, “You seek help”.
You see, Heather didn’t always have a plan to grow up and heal people aches and pains. In fact, she once thought she may be a musician. She’s even classically trained in the flute and piccolo. She graduated college with a B.S. in Sociology, which has now become incredibly useful. It wasn’t until later, when she was living at the Outer Banks, that a friend recommended Aesthetics School.
Though she loved learning how to care for skin, she didn’t necessarily love the overall vanity of the industry. She served her time though, performing facials, and doing makeup for brides. Eventually, she grew bored, and became interested in massage as another tool and a stepping stone on a path to natural healing. It was then that she researched the top massage schools in North Carolina, three of which happen to be in Asheville. From there it was fate. She learned her craft, perfected her practice, and now our city is much the better for it.