It is with great thought and care that I write this letter to you today...

April 29, 2020

Covid-19 has rocked our world. I know many of you have experienced trauma, loss and great distress. My heart aches for those who so desperately need the benefits that massage therapy can offer. Unfortunately, during this time the business that I have poured my heart and soul into these past 22 years has been mandated to be shut down until deemed safe.

Many of us are anxiously awaiting the time when Governor Walz lifts the emergency orders and allows for Massage Therapy practices to reopen. What I need you to know is once the Governor lifts those restrictions for Minnesota, it DOES NOT mean my practice can automatically reopen. The professional organizations (ABMP, AMTA) that serve and support Massage Therapists through liability protection have been clear that they will most likely NOT lift their restrictions right away and continue to re-evaluate how/if/when we are able to practice in a safe manner. Once they deem it safe to practice there will be a phase-in process requiring many new regulations that will greatly alter your massage experience. Moving forward massage therapy will no longer be what you were used to experiencing in the past. Unfortunately, the new procedures will make it very time intensive and cost prohibitive to independent therapists. It is also quite likely that the recommended PPE required for practice and sanitation materials will be hard to come by as they are needed on the front lines of fighting this pandemic. Massage Therapists are being advised to expect a 12-18 month interruption to their normal practices.

All of this has led me to make the difficult decision to take an extended leave from my massage therapy practice to further discern what the future of massage will look like for me as a therapist. This has been a heart wrenching decision and one that I have leaned on God to guide me through. I ask for your prayers, support and kindness during this time. I will be cancelling all massage therapy appointments currently on the schedule, coaching appointments will stay as scheduled. Please check my website www.darcywalkowiak.com for future updates.

Thank you so much for your continued support over these past 22 years. It has truly been a blessing to work together. I ask God to bring you peace and healing moving forward.

Yours in health,

Darcy

I am here for you…

March 27, 2020

I wanted to let you know that during this time of mandated shelter in place/social distancing I am still here to offer my support.

Even though my “in-person” massage therapy practice is currently unavailable, I am still seeing clients virtually. Now you might be asking yourself, “Virtual massage, what the heck is that?”

Well, luckily this is exactly what I have been training for over the past year through my BodyMind Coaching certification.

A virtual session is an opportunity to experience connection and support, to discover where you may be holding any stress or anxiety in your body, to identify how you want to feel moving forward and create an action plan to facilitate that. During this session we will:

seek to discover where stress or anxiety may be showing up in your body so you can get to the root cause of your stress and pain
identifying how you want to feel moving forward so that you can shift your perception
explore a variety of different relaxation techniques, self-massage tips and other tools so that you can compile valuable resources to incorporate into an at home self-care routine
create an action plan so that you can move forward feeling calm and relaxed

Sessions will vary in length ranging anywhere from 30-45+ minutes and can be done through either a phone call, a FaceTime call or a Zoom video conference. As a way to support my clients during this time of transition between now and May 1st, I am offering sessions for an introductory rate of $49 per session (regular pricing for virtual sessions is $80).

If you are curious, have questions or would like to schedule a session - please reach out to me via phone call or text at 218.820.1722. The possibilities of how to serve and support each other during this time are quite exciting and I hope you will consider supporting my local business while receiving a fabulous stress relieving session.

Stay well! -Darcy

Update regarding your upcoming sessions

March 17, 2020

After careful thought and consideration I have made the decision to temporarily suspend my “in office” physical practice (*update as of 3/25 Minnesota Governor Walz has now mandated all massage therapists to suspend their massage therapy practices until 5/1/20). There is no amount of precaution I can take to keep clients safe from COVID-19 while continuing to work. Being in a small room working so physically close violates every recommendation for social distancing and safety. Thankfully, I am one of three massage therapists in Minnesota that have trained in another method that can be done virtually. An opportunity for you to receive during this time would be through a virtual BodyMind session. During this type of session we will discuss stress, explore how it's showing up in your body and the relationship it can have to pain in the body. We can explore a variety of different relaxation techniques, self-massage and other tools you can incorporate into your daily routine to create a customized action plan to help you feel grounded and calm... something so many of us desperately need right now. I am optimistic that together we can navigate our way through this uncertain time.

Wishing you all blessings and good health, Darcy

Does COVID-19 have you anxious?

March 16, 2020

How many of you are feeling a bit of fear/anxiety over COVID-19? Can I ask you to do me a favor? Can you please channel that fear and anxiety into healthy action steps? I know we don’t have the ability to control this virus but we can control how we respond. Please choose to respond to this virus in a way that can benefit you not only now but through any time illness is spreading. Most importantly please find ways to reduce your fear and anxiety. Being in a constant state of stress which activates your fight or flight response will actually reduce your immunity and make you more susceptible to illness. Please take time to continue to care for yourself, get plenty of sleep, sit in the sun, breathe in some fresh air, and fill your body with nourishing food and healthy liquids. Use the typical immune boosting supplements that are your “go-tos” during times of reduced immunity, wash your hands and continue good hygiene practices. Move your body, try some meditation to relax the mind and calm the fears. Turn off the news and find enjoyable activities to do. Reach out to your loved ones and friends, lift them up and share in some laughter. No need to panic we have everything we need to set us up for a healthy immune system and to endure and recover from illness.

Love, light and good health to you, Darcy