By Jennifer Russo

With the holidays behind us and a new year beginning, we are all taking a collective breath and considering what we want 2024 to look like. While almost half of the New Year’s Resolutions made by adults involve some kind of fitness goal, mental wellness is at the forefront of what people are really striving for. A focus on selfcare is increasingly important.

Here in New England, we tend to become a little more uptight in the winter months. With early darkness, bitter weather, and trying to get from place to place in the snow and ice, it’s no wonder why we can be a bit moody and stressed. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a very real thing for many who live here, as the decrease in sunshine disrupts our internal clocks and increases melatonin, which can make us feel lethargic.

Thankfully, one of the best remedies is a rather simple one – add more light and warmth. 

Lindsey Braverman is a local therapist who personally understands Seasonal Affective Disorder, and that our wellbeing is intricately connected to our ability to care for those we love. In order to do that, we need to recharge our physical and mental energy by creating a true balance and a reserve of strength through wellness practices. 

Lindsey, a Michigan native, was young when she became interested in bodywork. Her mother, a polio survivor, experienced debilitating post-polio syndrome that affected her muscles and nerves and was referred by a specialist to receive therapeutic massage. Witnessing how profound this healing was planted the seed in her.

Once she graduated high school, Lindsey moved out to Colorado to live and work with her aunt and uncle for the summer. There, she met a massage therapy student at the local institute and had her eyes opened to the profession of healing arts. She came home with a clear idea that she wanted to become a part of that world and quickly realized that she needed to follow her heart.

“I’ll never forget sitting there with my parents over coffee and letting them know that I felt I needed to leave college at Michigan State University, where my dad had worked for many years. I let them know I really wanted to move to Colorado and go to massage school. They were incredibly supportive, but my dad simply told me to ‘do my homework.’ In researching, the Colorado Institute of Massage Therapy had one of the best programs for certifying graduates in not only massage therapy, but also neuromuscular therapy – a therapeutic modality similar to the one that had helped my mom so many years prior,” Lindsey shares.

Her path brought her back to Michigan and she opened a small wellness studio, where she ended up practicing for over a decade. She has also worked alongside fellow gifted therapists in Santa Fe, NM at Ten Thousand Waves, a renowned spa and destination. After adding Pilates to her own health regiment to improve posture and strength, Lindsey decided to get her certification to teach so she could share this life changing tool with her clients as well. 

During training, she injured her rotator cuff and when a fellow instructor lent her infrared light heating pads to help her recover, she was amazed at how well it worked. Infrared light helps cells to regenerate, reduces inflammation, and improves circulation for faster healing and pain relief. Amazed by the results, she went on to purchase an Infrared sauna, which she now offers to her clients as an additional healing element. It can be used either before or after massage or movement sessions.

After meeting her husband, they moved to California for a time, but when he secured a job at Babson College, they found themselves here and Lindsey now runs her practice out of her Millis home. With a beautiful, private space that radiates peace and tranquility, new clients are welcome to book a session for the Infrared sauna, enjoy some hot tea, listen to calming music or guided meditations, participate in mini stretch sessions, or simply find stillness for a very nominal fee. 

“I’d love for locals to know that a healing space and self-care support are available right in their own backyard,” shares Lindsey.

“Anxiety, chronic pain, Seasonal Affective Disorder…these are all very real things that affect many people right now. But there is light and there is healing – start from the basics and breathe, get back to what we intuitively know – we know we need balance and centering. This is a space where you can find that. Where you can take an hour or half hour and do something for yourself. Then you can go back out into the world and the bustle of daily life and give more fully from a more grounded state of mind.”

Right now, Infrared Sauna sessions are available to book. Amenities include fresh towels, space to stretch, a comfortable seating area, water and tea, and a private bathroom to rinse off after a sweat. Bookings are by appointment only and can be made by calling (517) 614-2893. In the near future, once Lindsey’s one year old daughter is in daycare, she’ll be accepting more massage therapy and Pilates clients and is even looking at adding group meditations and classes.

Additionally, Lindsey mixes, bottles, and sells all natural pain relief products, some of which have been in her family for over 40 years! These legacy formulas provide relief for sore muscles and joints, headaches, arthritis, nasal congestion, and more. 

With a new year ahead, this is a wonderful way to cultivate a reservoir of positivity, mental and physical health. Nurturing our own needs puts us in the position to then share our best selves with those we care about most and contribute to the greater world. Here’s to a year of radiant self-care!

Learn more about Original Therapies by visiting the website at https://lindseybraverman.amtamembers.com. You can also purchase her amazing all natural oil blends at https://www.feelthereliefstore.com 

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