By Christine Graf
Welcome Relief Massage Therapy recently relocated from Malta to 160 Milton Ave. in Ballston Spa.
The business specializes in various types of therapeutic massage including traditional, deep tissue, Swedish, hot stone, couples, and pregnancy. Welcome Relief also offers neuromuscular therapy, a type of soft tissues massage that treats underlying causes of chronic pain, and reflexology, the application of pressure to areas of the feet.
Owner Jennifer Narkiewicz is a graduate of the Center for Natural Wellness School of Massage Therapy in Albany. The Buffalo native and longtime Malta resident pursued a career in massage therapy in 2007. Prior to that, she worked for about 20 years as an administrative assistant.
“I got into massage therapy because I really wanted to help people,” she said. “Massage therapy can profoundly impact people and make them feel better. I really like being able to take people from a pain point and get them to where they are functioning and feeling better. Some people are able to wean themselves off of medication because they are no longer in pain. It’s very rewarding.”
After graduating from massage therapy school, Narkiewicz worked in local day spas before opening her own business.
“I wanted to be able to decide the kind of care I wanted to give my clients. The spa setting isn’t conducive to that,” she said. “We are not a spa. We are more about medical-based applications. Not to say that we don’t have people who come in just for relaxation, but we focus mainly on injury prevention and recovery. We really do focus on the pain management and the wellness aspect. What can we do to get you better?”
Welcome Relief is also a certified retailer of Young Living Essential Oils, therapeutic-grade oils are derived from aromatic plants.
“Young Living Essential Oils is an industry leader in essential oils. There are no chemicals used in the growing, processing, or distillation of the essential oils. You are getting 100 percent pure product. They aren’t the cheapest oils on the market, but I will tell you that they are the best and the most pure on the market,” said Narkiewicz.
Welcome Relief was forced to close at the height of the pandemic after massage therapy was deemed non-essential in New York state. They were booked solid for several weeks after reopening on May 22.
“I do have some older clients who have not been back, so my guess is that there is some hesitation. But my clients were asking almost daily about when I could come back to work,” said Narkiewicz.
Since reopening, strict COVID cleaning protocols have been implemented. Therapists and clients are required to wear masks and UV sterilizers run 24 hours a day, designed to remove viruses, bacteria, and germs from the air.
Welcome Relief has three licensed massage therapists. Narkiewicz does not work weekends, but the other therapists have limited weekend hours. The office is open seven days a week and open until 7 p.m. on weekdays. Appointments can be booked online.
For more information or to book an appointment, visit welcomereliefmassagetherapy.com/ or call 518-899-5550.