Friends' traumas inspire massage therapy business

Massage therapy is more than a career to Jesse Walters; its roots are personal.

"Several years ago, I instinctively began giving massages to my critically ill, infant niece and then to a close friend who was in a coma," Walters said. "I had no formal education or training. The massages were done naturally and with love. I just wanted to help. They both recovered, and these experiences were my springboard for becoming a massage therapist."

After earning her state license and certification from Milwaukee's Lakeside School of Massage Therapy in 2007, Walters opened Bodyworks Massage in Brookfield. The practice offers wellness packages, a course on how to perform infant massage and classes on breast cancer awareness and body core strengthening, as well as a wide range of massage therapy services, including Swedish, deep tissue and Shiatsu.

Oftentimes, she said, her therapy provides an alternative to surgery.

"Many occasions when we treat a client for the first time, they don't tell us everything about their health history," she said. "This was the case when I treated a woman who, I could tell by the way she was carrying herself, had lower back trouble. When we finished the session, she said 'I'm in love. I'm going to come back all the time.' Turns out, she was scheduled to undergo back surgery the following day. When she followed up with her doctor, she was told that surgery was no longer necessary. I had a similar experience with a client, who was scheduled to undergo rotator cuff surgery, but after one session at our practice didn't need it after all."

The treatments are part of what Walters said is her practice's commitment to providing clients with customized healing solutions.

"Everyone's body is different, requiring different levels of touch and pressure," she said. "At Bodyworks, clients aren't judged by their bodies. As a lower-back pain-sufferer in the past, I can empathize with clients' pain. I want them to feel safe and comfortable. The rest comes naturally."

For information on Bodyworks Massage, visit BodywrksMassageBrkfld.com.

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JUST THE FACTS

BUSINESS:Bodyworks Massage

ADDRESS:240 Regency Court, Brookfield

PHONE:(414) 614-8344

OWNER:Jesse Walters

INCORPORATED:2007

TYPE OF BUSINESS: massage therapy

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