Massage treatments focus on medicinal side

When people think of massages, they often think of them just as a way to relieve stress and relax, but the massage therapists at Body and Sole Healing Connection want to change that perception.

“People don’t realize all the options there are, they just think of typical massages,” said owner Duane Patterson. “We want to educate people and enlighten them about the different types of massages and what they can do.”

Body and Sole opened at 274 Union Blvd., Suite 105, in early February and has been offering patrons not only the typical Swedish and deep-tissue massages, but also reflexology, reiki, healing touch and hot-stone massages. Aromatherapy is also offered to enhance the experience.

Patterson runs the business with his wife, Kathy, and their daughter Courtney is one of the five massage therapists who work there. Duane Patterson had worked in information technology for 20 years, but when the company he worked for started laying people off, he figured it was just a matter of time until his number was up.

“I had a retail business before and thought I might like to run a business again,” he said. “Courtney had graduated from the Colorado School of Healing Arts in December of 2010 and was doing some independent work and continuing to study, and that gave me the idea. I discussed it with the family, and they were all for it.”

The Pattersons found the space for their business in December and started getting it ready in January. It is close to the St. Anthony medical campus, which is no accident. Duane wanted a location near the hospital, since he wanted Body and Sole to focus on the medicinal side of massage.

“There are a lot of different directions we could have taken the business, and the healing part was the most important to me,” he said. “It struck a chord with me because I’ve always wanted to work in the medical field, and so our main emphasis is on healing. Most people who come here have medical issues.”

Courtney Patterson said she has helped her clients with a variety of ailments, from digestive issues to fibromyalgia and arthritis, using reflexology and healing-touch massages.

“Even if people think they have something that can’t be helped by massage, it really can be,” she said.

While the number of doctors recommending massage treatment to their patients is on the rise, most insurance companies don’t cover it yet, Kathy Patterson said, but she said the therapists keep notes on the work their patients have done to help with future claims and as a way to monitor their progress.

“We’re here to offer an alternative to some of the traditional medicines,” she said.

For more information on Body and Sole, call 303-986-0733 or go online to www.bodyandsolehealingconnection.com.