Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Townsend.
Hi Karen, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I went to school at CenterPoint School for Shiatsu and Massage Therapy from 2001-2003. I had been living pretty non-conventionally prior to that and had done a lot of travel around North America, including a spontaneous, solo bicycle trip across Canada and the U.S. When I returned from that life-changing trip I was feeling ready to dig deep into learning. I was very interested in dance, movement, meditation, yoga, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and other holistic types of healing. Studying Shiatsu and massage seemed like a very good way to explore those interests.
I had absolutely no idea when I started my education that I was stepping onto a path I would still be walking today or how profoundly and intensely healing the process would be for me. It quickly became apparent to me that our bodies and minds are inseparable and receiving that much intentional, educated touch makes it hard to ignore things that had been in the shadow or suppressed. For me to be in practice and be effective would mean continually seeking out care from people who could hold space for me and for me to develop a practice of self-care and self-love.
Since my initial training, I have worked for myself and for others in many settings including gyms, spas, hotels, chiropractic clinics, corporate offices, travelling to people’s homes, wellness centers, walk-in massage centers, mobile chair massage in just about every setting, and a few shared practice spaces. In 2018 I moved my practice into the Longfellow Office building where I see the majority of my clients.
I’ve deepened my education every year through lots of continuing education and many years of teaching and assisting classes. For the past few years, I have been very focused on Holistic Abdominal Relief Therapy (H.A.R.T. Method) and have been combining this work with other modalities to offer unique sessions that can help relieve and treat issues around digestion, fertility, menstruation, pregnancy, lower back, hip, and pelvic pain among other things. I am trained in and work with flower essence therapy and spiritual healing techniques to support my clients to shift in a deep and lasting way.
After more than two decades I am still in love with this work and treat it like a creative practice and and art form. Having had the opportunity to connect with so many people in such an intimate way is an honor and has offered me a unique perspective on humanity and why I believe greater harmony among us is absolutely possible.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Oh goodness no! What a tough and bumpy ride it has been! And how fortunate I have been to have had the support I’ve received from wonderful clients, family, and friends.
I think most people who get into bodywork do so because they want to help people. The business side of things can be unnatural to many of us and that can become a big problem. In my mind time and money are always flowing and in constant abundance and that rarely sync’s up with the expectations of the world outside of my mind. Sometimes I offer more than I am able to and end up overworking. Also, being in a profession that requires you to be in person, face-to-face, and physically well enough to do a very physically demanding job is a struggle in and of itself. The pandemic highlighted how vulnerable my type of business can be and how necessary it is for me to grow and change in a way that acknowledges this. Other big challenges have been around being a parent while operating my own business. I have two beautiful children who help me become a better person and better practitioner in many ways, but it’s very hard to balance the unexpected things that come up when you have kids with being open for business.
I have been incredibly blessed and fortunate with the opportunities I have had. I am so grateful for all of the people who have supported me along the way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I view my bodywork practice as an art form and a form of activism. I believe that how we treat our bodies is connected to how we treat the earth and each other. I believe it is all of our birthrights to be able to love, nurture and enjoy our bodies and that healthy touch is an essential part of feeling good. I have personally witnessed and experienced how much can be improved or resolved by skillful, caring touch.
The prenatal work I offer is some of the work I am most proud of because it can truly be outcome changing for people and uplift their experience of pregnancy and birth. Promoting alignment during pregnancy can allow the baby to find an ideal position for birth and can allow the client to feel much more comfortable throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. I have advanced training in this area that can help a breech baby make its way head down and help relax and open the pelvis and hips for birth. I am also trained in techniques to support people who’ve experienced pregnancy loss and fertility challenges.
I center financial accessibility and community care in my practice by encouraging clients who can to pay more to do so. This allows me to work with folks for whom my services may be inaccessible otherwise, without diminishing the quality of the service or my ability to sustain my practice and family. The ability to work with many different people from many walks of life has enhanced my practice in every way and created these invisible lines of connection throughout the community, which I think is pretty cool.
What makes you happy?
I love deeply connecting with humans and nature. I love learning about history, including people’s personal histories, as it helps me contextualize the present. I love moving my body in ways that feel wonderful. I love experiencing the beauty and creating beautiful experiences that allow us to return to ourselves and make things better for everyone. I love raising and parenting my two beautiful kids. These things all feel like they add to the richness of life and restore my spirit.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.callkaren.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karentownsendholisticbodywork/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/karentownsendmassageandbodywork
