Rowland: Massage can ease whatever ails Fido

By Marijke Rowland
mrowland@modbee.com

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Say mama's got a bad back and Rover's got a bum hip. Wouldn't it be something if there was one place that could help them both?

Well, say hello to The Healing Spirit, a new massage therapy and holistic health center in Modesto. Owner Joanna McKinley offers therapeutic massage for people and their pooches, as well as holistic health treatments and consultations.

Opened three weeks ago, McKinley said she already has a roster of some 85 human and 15 canine clients.

Marijke Rowland

The Healing Spirit, 144 Woodrow Ave., Suite 7, offers several forms of therapeutic massage, from Swedish to deep tissue, pregnancy to trigger point and hot stone.

A licensed and certified massage therapist, McKinley had a similar holistic health and massage practice in Oakland for four years before moving to Modesto last year.

She said she saw a growing interest in holistic health in the Central Valley and decided to open another practice.

McKinley became interested in holistic health — health care without the use of prescription medications — when her son was diagnosed with ADHD.

"I help people take care of their bodies without medication," she said. "Our bodies were meant to heal themselves."

And, apparently, the same goes for doggies.

McKinley said her canine massage — done once a week on Wednesdays — helps man's best friend with everything from joint pain to skin disorders, circulatory issues, energy levels and stamina.

She works on all sizes and shapes of dogs, from puppies to 100-pound rottweilers and show dogs.

Her rates are $50 to $70 per hour, $30 per half hour for humans and $35 per half hour for dogs. McKinley offers a 50 percent human and 25 percent pet discount for first-time customers.

Her hours are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays and 12 to 8 p.m. Saturdays.

In May, her hours will go to a more consistent 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 12 to 7 p.m. Saturdays.

For more information, call 595-5351.

Elsewhere around the Business Beat:

Going from computer technician to bra technician seems like an unlikely leap.

But for Hughson resident Regina Larbie, the reasons were very personal. When her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer several years ago, she went with her to San Jose for her post-surgery bra fitting.

Afterward, the shop owner asked Larbie if she would be interested in helping out with the business.

That grew into her own Modesto business four years ago. Last summer her shop, AwesomFit Bras, expanded to a larger space in Salida and soon she will celebrate an official ribbon-cutting with the Modesto Chamber of Commerce.

Larbie, a native of the west African country of Ghana, offers custom-fitted bras for post-mastectomy patients as well as hard-to-find sizes and fits for all women.

AwesomFit Bras, 5331 Pirrone Road, Suite B, started small but now has a contract with Kaiser-Permanente, which refers its breast cancer patients to the store.

Besides helping mastectomy patients get fitted for prosthetics and bras, the store sells larger sizes for all women. The shop carries band sizes up to 54 and cup sizes up to N. Most retail stores sell only up to cup size triple-D.

Larbie, whose mother has been in remission for six years, recently took a bra-making course in Oregon. She soon will start offering repairs and specialized customization services.

Bras run from $40 to $90.

"When I moved here, I thought I could help a lot of ladies," Larbie said.

AwesomFit Bras is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, call 522-9911 or go to www.awesomfitbras.com.

Have an item for Business Beat? Contact Marijke Rowland at The Modesto Bee, P.O. Box 5256, Modesto 95352; 578-2284 or mrowland@modbee.com.