01/30/2025
Hello! And welcome to the first Coffee with Courtney! This year I have a goal to start sharing my knowledge of the massage and spa world I’ve discovered in the last 10 years. So to start January off I’d like to share my beginning and why I do what I do.
I started off as a small town farm kid who wanted to help people. My mom has used Young Living essential oils since 2000 and believed there was a balance of holistic healing alongside modern medicine. Eleven years ago I chose to go to massage school at Capri College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I was very interested in sports massage and helping athletes achieve their goals, but I was also intrigued by the luxury spa world and what it had to offer. From there, I went to Excelsior Springs, MO. I started my career at Massage Envy in northern Kansas City, but quickly found that I wanted more flexibility and the opportunity to grow as a therapist. So I started working part-time at The Elms Hotel and Spa and part-time at a chiropractor company inside of a Gold’s Gym. It was the best of both worlds in my mind! Soon I found that the spa world wasn’t just about the fancy smelling products and relaxing, it was about mind,body, and spirit. The director of the spa dove head first with wanting to encompass all of these ideas for the clients. I went full-time at the spa and loved every minute of it. I created and trained for new modalities: Thai massage and aroma therapy became new treatments and services provided for a customized client experience. I also found the world of medical massage through a coworker and dove head first into that with a certification.
Just like every story, there’s always a twist! Life and love had a different path for me and it was all during the craziness of Covid. I got married and moved to Minnesota to be with my bonus boys. I had to get an “essential job” while pregnant with my first baby. Once I learned the rules of massage and applied for the state requirements, I started working for a luxury branch of business called Woodhouse Spa. Shortly after having my beautiful baby girl we found out that our boys were headed to North Carolina! So off we went. It took four months to get my license in NC because of the snail mail and processing, but eventually I got hired at Coastal Massage and Wellness. It was the most eye opening experience. My boss didn’t believe in cookie cutter experiences, but rather I was my very own unique individual and I should embrace that. That’s where I learned about Cupping, Graston Technique, and Manual Lymphatic Drainage massage! After finding out our baby boy was on the way we also found out yet again another move was about to happen. Back to Missouri we went!
I found Bliss Salon near my home in Missouri, thinking this would merely be a hair and nail salon. To my surprise, I walked out with a business proposal and the birth of Cross Roads Massage and Wellness, which offers customized massages, hot stone massages, body scrubs, detox wraps and more. I have taken the classes to become a Holistic Manual Lymphatic Drainage Practitioner. I want to be able to provide a space for healing, recovery and relaxation. Whether you are looking for a spa day, a recovery plan before/after a surgery, needing help with flexibility/range of motion in joints, or wanting to enhance your workout regimen, I can provide you with 10 years of hands-on experience and knowledge!
