Today we’d like to introduce you to Katrina Michaels.
Hi Katrina, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Health and wellness is something that has always been important to me. I started my journey into holistic health through bodywork and therapeutic massage back in 2001 and have been studying ever since. Blessed with amazing and well-rounded massage instructors, I have practiced everything from Reflexology, Raindrop therapy, Lomi Lomi, Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports, Lymphatic Drainage and Pregnancy massage techniques.
I worked exclusively in bodywork for about 8 years and then tried a couple of different hats on while I continued to further my education and obtained my undergraduate degree in Business Management and Nonprofit Leadership.
Throughout the years, I have worked in various environments from technology to nonprofits, but have stayed continuously learning and working in massage and the healing arts like meditation, aromatherapy, nutrition, and energy healing.
The main reason I opted to go into the corporate world was because I thought it would provide me with job stability and paid time off. After a few years doing consulting, I had neither of those things and I was not living my passion. My consulting role ended and as I was looking for new opportunities in tech, I found I wasn’t excited about any of the roles I was applying for.
So, I asked myself the age-old question: What would you do with your time if money didn’t matter? I would spend my time in my favorite activity; healing without medicine. Massage was a great start. But I wanted more. I wanted to make sure that my children were educated in what constitutes health and how to recognize fad diet trends, marketing ploys, and false perceptions of what health is. I wanted to be able to provide them with the tools to better understand food and its impact on our overall physical and mental health and how to leverage food as medicine instead of relying on doctors and prescriptions. I see nutrition as a way to take control of your life and overall health and wellbeing.
So, I made a big shift. I enrolled in a graduate program at Northwestern University for Nutrition and opened up my massage studio in Minneapolis. After that, I completed a Health Coaching certificate through the Mayo Clinic.
I have always loved holistic health and wellness and it energizes me to make a positive difference in the lives of people trying to manage their health, whether through massage, nutrition coaching, or plant-based cooking instruction.
I have been grateful for the experience working on a wide range of clientele including marathon runners, cyclists, Olympic athletes, stay-at-home mothers, students, cancer patients, and more. I love working in the city and growing through the changes and being a part of this wonderful community.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Oh my gosh. It has been a bumpy road! I opened in April of 2018, Three weeks after I opened my business, the city ripped up Hennepin Ave and it became a dirt road for a couple of years as they updated the street and constructed a new apartment building.
After access to Hennepin reopened, 2020 brought the pandemic and I was forced to close for 3 months. After reopening, business was slow and the fall brought several more closures, with potential COVID exposure and a desire to be extra careful!
2021 brought the death of Winston Smith, just a block away. Many clients from outside Minneapolis stopped coming for massage.
Fortunately, business is picking back up and been busier than ever. People are understanding the value and need for bodywork and as COVD seems to have sizzled out and vaccine rates have increased, more and more people are leaving the house. I feel extremely grateful for being able to outlast all of the obstacles.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Katszen Wellness?
We are a holistic healing space that focuses on empowering members to create positive, healthful lifestyle changes that support pain-free living through nutrition, education, movement, and massage. Sustainability and inclusivity are important to us and we strive to create a welcoming environment for all and use sustainable, plant-based, vegan and animal cruelty free products and techniques.
Most people come to see me because I am very mindful to the needs of my clients. Whether they are visiting because they would like a deep-tissue massage in a COVID- averse space that uses high-quality organic, and vegan products or if they are visiting because they want to discuss nutrition or finding the best way to begin to facilitate change to better their health, they can expect the same attentiveness to their needs every single time.
What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
One of my greatest strengths is my ability to be adaptable and I think this has come in handy for me over the past four years. Things change and you may have to modify your original plan or be patient as your circumstances change and evolve. A business is like a living being and it doesn’t always want the same thing in order to thrive, so it’s important to make sure you stay flexible!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.katswellness.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katszen_wellness/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Katszenwellness
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/katszenwellness
Image Credits
Katrina Michaels
Alexis Bevre (Lexbe Images)
