One Spirit Massage Studio celebrates 15 years
One Spirit Massage Studio hosted an open house June 7, after 15 years in downtown Rehoboth. Owner Mark Thompson said he hopes the bodywork and therapeutic massage his studio offers will continue to change lives as much as the practice has changed his own.
Inviting his team of therapists, clients and the community to celebrate the anniversary with demonstrations, giveaways, refreshment, raffles and many thanks, Thompson said different massage modalities have enhanced his life and he wants to give the same gift to residents and visitors of Rehoboth Beach.
From circulation-boosting Swedish deep-tissue massage and aromatherapy, to prenatal, oncology and Thompson's expert-level specialty in John F. Barnes myofascial release, an oil-free, soft-tissue therapy for the treatment of skeletal muscle immobility and pain, the owner said he has grown his studio and practice to offer something for anyone.
Thompson has a roster of nine therapists and six individual treatment rooms in his massage studio, but he says One Spirit grew from humble beginnings on Baltimore Avenue where he operated as a sole practitioner until expanding into First Street Station.
In 2004, Thompson found a cozy corner of Rehoboth Avenue retail, formerly known as Gingerbread Square, and set up shop a few steps off the beaten path of Rehoboth's main street, behind what is now Claws seafood restaurant.
Before he entered the world of massage therapy, Thompson had a career in food and beverage sales, and moved on to work as a personal trainer, but said he still couldn't find satisfaction until he received a gift certificate for a massage that changed his life.
"I knew there was something different for me," he said. "I got a massage as a gift and I thought, 'That's it!'"
Now, 15 years after he began his practice, Thompson said he has traveled nationwide for continuing education and carefully selected his team of therapists to offer complimentary services and modalities, relaxing and releasing thousands of tight, twisted and immobile muscles.
"We are not a spa; we specialize in therapeutic massage and bodywork and we are able to offer clients a variety of modalities," he said.
While One Spirit is not a medical facility, Thompson said the assortment of services available at his studio are often complimentary to physical therapy or treatments for medical conditions, including sciatica, fibromyalgia, joint pain, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder.
After his own recent battle with prostate cancer, the owner credits massage therapy with helping him overcome the affects of cancer treatment and maintain his business. One Spirit now offers oncology bodywork designed specifically to enhance healing, maintaining the medical mantra of "do no harm," while clients are dealing with compromised immune systems, radiation or chemotherapy stress.
One Spirit Massage Studio is located at 169 Rehoboth Ave., next to the Rehoboth Beach Post Office. For more information or to schedule an appointment, go to www.onespiritmassage.com or call 302-226-3552.
