5 Places to Refocus on Wellness in Denver

The holiday season, albeit magical, is also draining. Hours of gift shopping in crowded stores, visiting family and the general hustle and bustle of the holidays can be overwhelming. If December’s stress is still lingering, visit one of these local wellness studios for a rejuvenating New Year’s refresh for the body and mind.

1White Lotus Therapeutics

Massage at White Lotus Therapeutics.
Photo courtesy of White Lotus Therapeutics.

Unlike HBO’s dark and deadly TV series, this version of White Lotus will untie the aching knot of tension in your lower back and leave you perfectly relaxed. Treat yourself to some me time with personalized care that is the definition of holistic well-being with this studio’s customized therapeutic massages. Masseuses follow the biopsychosocial approach and examine more than just the physical, investigating physiological, psychological and sociological factors that might be contributing to clients’ ailments. Each client is provided with a unique post-session treatment plan that will refocus and redefine their self-care, ensuring this studio’s impact lasts long beyond the appointment. White Lotus focuses on easing current pain and increasing future wellness with sessions that combine Swedish massage, trigger point therapy and myofascial release to create the perfect blend of targeted pain and stress relief while restoring the body’s natural movement. Massage options include prenatal, aromatherapy with Paavani Body Oils and heat therapy. White Lotus also offers intimate yoga classes promoting balance and stress relief at the Tejon Street location.

2Vive Float Studio

Woman using Vive Float Studio's float therapy sensory deprivation tank.
Photo courtesy of Vive Float Studio.

You are wrapped in a thick blanket of darkness while warm water laps against your skin. Your body is malleable and weightless and the silence you’ve been craving allows your whirling mind to quiet. Anxiety has been building after months of busyness and you exhale in relief as the nibbling anxiety finally begins to melt away. You are at Vive, a total wellness center that specializes in therapies designed to quiet the mind and heal the body. The first national Rest & Recovery Wellness center focused on simultaneously restoring mental and physical health, the studio uses float therapy sensory deprivation tanks to connect mind and body, stripping away the distractions that cause mental anxiety and tension. Float therapy completely eases pressure on the body and improves sleep, boosts the immune system, decreases stress hormones and even speeds up the healing and regeneration process. While float therapy is its most popular attraction, Vive offers cyro therapy (exposure to very low temperatures), infrared therapy (light treatments that target areas of pain¬), vibroacoustic therapy (music and vibration to calm the central nervous system) and halo therapy (the inhalation of salt particles that improves breathing). The studio is a calm, restorative environment that’s especially effective at promoting the well-being of those suffering from chronic pain.

3Amarsi

Claudia Nanino of Amarsi.
Photo courtesy of Amarsi.

When was the last time you relished in the feel of fresh air unfurling within your lungs? What about the sensation of fully exhaling? Amarsi knows that breathwork is a foundational step towards total wellness, especially in the Mile High City, where the views leave you breathless—but so does the elevation. Guided breathwork is a form of active breathing that shifts the mind’s focus inward, designed to reduce stress and anxiety, release emotion and past traumas and lead to an expanded state of consciousness. Colorado native and master breathwork facilitator Claudia Nanino opened the studio after exploring nontraditional healing methods after a devastating divorce. Conscious Breathwork taught her to forgive and love herself while elevating her healing journey. In-person breathwork sessions are offered with a variety of possible add-ons that include tarot card reading and crystal sound bowls for a holistic and spiritual wellness experience.

4True Nature Healing Arts

Spa service at True Nature Healing Arts.
Photo courtesy of True Nature Healing Arts.

What could be better than golden sunshine, the scent of incense and workshops in the name of personal growth? True Nature Healing Arts is a gathering place beautifully designed to foster growth, community and connection in a space that immerses clients in the beauty of the outdoors through boundless windows, plants and natural light. The studio hosts a variety of workshops year-round, from time management seminars and cosmic energy sound baths to guided shamanic journeys and cathartic musical artists. These workshops help clientele reach their full potential, balance their life and refocus on mindful pursuits that fulfill the soul. An encompassing wellness center, True Nature Healing Arts also offers spa services like Reiki, Shiatsu Massage and Fire Cupping as well as flow, invigorate and stretch yoga classes that connect physical and mental well-being. The center features an organic café and meditative peace garden and provides a holistic and customizable wellness experience.

5Dynamic Balance

Cranialsacral treatment at Dynamic Balance.
Photo courtesy of Dynamic Balance.

Hours of hunching over desks in less-than-ergonomic office chairs have left many of us with persistent aches well before our time. Focused on restoring natural, easeful, comfortable movement, Dynamic Balance helps clients reconnect to their bodies through mindful action and awareness of each appendage. The studio uses Alexander Technique, a respected training common among musicians and athletes, to promote mindfulness, body balance and corrective posturing. Founder Maedée Duprès started studying Alexander Technique after a back injury left her in pain and unable to continue her musical career. Alexander Technique can restore the body after injury or simply reset habitual movements to prevent future pain, making it a useful practice for everyone. Dynamic Balance also offers Cranialsacral treatment, a hands-on therapy meant to restore the balance of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround the brain and spinal cord to relieve headaches and joint pain, as well as T’ai Chi. Dynamic Balance will host a free introductory demonstration for T’ai Chi Ch’üan on Jan. 18.