Everyone deserves some ‘me’ time, a chance to escape the fast pace of everyday life, if even for a couple of hours. How does a “sanctuary for the senses sound”? That’s what Andrew Goodman calls his new retreat, Aquarius Wellness Center for Healing Arts, in Richmond Heights. He saw the need for a center that went beyond the day spa into holistic healing and balancing.
Dot Fleshman, Aquarius Wellness spa consultant, has been in the industry for 23 years and has worked with many major spas around St. Louis. “What makes this one so different is its size; it’s a boutique atmosphere that provides a calming home away from home,” she says. “A lot of day spas are places to go with girlfriends to have fun and replenish, but this is specifically about focusing on the individual, getting centered, and feeling complete and re-energized.”
The spa opened in January, and Fleshman says Goodman has made it his goal from the beginning to bring the best talent together to deliver quality services for clients. “His mission is unique in that he focuses on both the clients and wellness providers, making sure everyone has a good sense of energy and nourishment.” The services offered are unique as well. Along with massage and facials, there are numerous types of yoga, acupuncture, Reiki and other mind-body specialties.
“Yoga at Aquarius Wellness is not the typical class you’d find other places,” Fleshman explains. “We focus on breathing techniques and the meditative aspect through private yoga sessions. We had a woman come in who had been taking yoga for a long time, but solely for conditioning purposes. She came here and said it was obvious she had no clue what she was doing before. It should be about settling your mind—hard for both instructor and practitioner to focus on when you’re crowded into a class of 30.”
Another specialty service is the acufacial, which is acupuncture on the face. “Forget Botox,” Fleshman says. “An acufacial increases collagen production. When done with acupuncture, you can clear your body’s meridians and unclog your face at the same time. You leave feeling so wonderful.” Various Reiki treatments use touch to facilitate energy flow throughout the body and can be targeted for specific issues like stress, headaches and chronic pain. For clients unsure of which treatment would be best for them, Fleshman says the spa concierge on staff will create a personalized program.
Aquarius Wellness also is working with local health care providers to create wellness programs for employees. “People in the health care industry are drained by the end of the day, not to mention by the end of the month! They really look forward to coming in to the center,” she says. “We’re also getting requests from companies to go on location.” Fleshman notes that there is a much greater focus now on taking care of ourselves, which is evident by the growing number of spas across the country. “In another 10 years, spas will be everywhere,” she says. “People realize they need a break, they need to be centered.”
[Aquarius Wellness Center For Healing Arts, located at 7750 Clayton Road, Ste. 103, provides a “sanctuary for the senses,” offering unique services like personal yoga sessions, acupuncture and Reiki treatments to create a renewed sense of energy. For more information, call 314.645.7643 or visit aquariuswellness.com.]