Boost happiness, heal ailments, and more with our newest round-up of holistic wellness experiences
From a new yoga studio popping up in your neighborhood to CBD-infused lattes at your local coffee shop, it’s easy to see that the Upstate is fast becoming a hotspot for holistic wellness. And how can it not, with pristine waterways curving through meditative mountains, a vibrant culture of cycling and hiking, and a growing international influence?
As we bound forward into a new year with a fresh perspective on health, we’re fortunate to have access to a diverse and skilled community of holistic wellness experts and alternative medicine businesses. If you’ve never stepped into a -250°F tank or have a fear of needles, booking a first appointment can be intimidating, which is precisely why the TOWN team has done the research for you—to make embracing a new experience with confidence easier and more attainable.
Traditional Acupuncture
Let’s face it: even in state-of-the-art hospitals and massive healthcare systems, answers can be hard to find. That frustration is why so many people have sought and found relief and rejuvenation at The Center of Bliss. “We are a natural medicine center, using traditional Chinese medicine and functional medicine to help the body heal as a whole,” says Katie Edwards, a registered yoga teacher, herbalist, and board-certified acupuncturist. “When the body is out of balance, disease patterns or illness can occur. Acupuncture and natural medicine can help put your body back into a state of homeostasis, or a state of balance. We’re healing the body from the inside out.”
During your first session, Edwards will assess your condition, listen to your needs, perform acupuncture, and recommend a traditional herbal formula if needed, often in pill form. “We have clients that come to us for help treating allergies or asthma or for chronic period pain and infertility—and for others, they’re simply looking for a holistic way to boost wellbeing, sustain energy, or fight aging,” adds Edwards, who provides each patient with a customized treatment plan.
“We always try to make the patient feel as comfortable as they can,” says Edwards, who knows that acupuncture can be scary at first. “Our environment is very relaxing and inviting. We always let them know what to expect.” Edwards has helped many clients find relief immediately, such as with a sprained ankle, while those suffering from chronic pain can take months to see their issues resolve. “Wellness is a process.”
The Center of Bliss, 2084 Woodruff Rd., Suite A., Greenville, 864.607.4187, thecenterofbliss.com
IV Hydration Therapy
For many of us, seeing someone hooked up to an IV drip outside of a hospital would seem out of place, but in recent years, IV hydration therapy has soared in popularity. From healthy skin and immune-boosting vitamins to a swift hangover cure, what was once exclusive to celebrities and health industry insiders is now accessible to all. In fact, you’ll find this alternative wellness treatment just down the street at Alchemy West.
“IV therapies have been used in hospitals for decades to treat multiple conditions ranging from dehydration to nutrient malabsorption disorders,” says Sandra Calmes, owner of Alchemy West. “It is now widely used outside of a hospital setting to improve health and well-being. At Alchemy West, we see people who suffer from chronic medical conditions or want to improve their overall health. IV vitamin and hydration therapy is a great way to boost energy, immunity, and improve overall wellness. It provides 100% bio-availability directly into the bloodstream while bypassing the GI Tract for instant benefits.”
If you’re looking for a boost this season, Alchemy West provides medically supervised intravenous vitamin and hydration therapy in a relaxing, upbeat environment. “This is the new alternative,” adds Calmes, who treats individuals and big private parties alike. “No wait, no surprise medical bills, just effective and efficient IV hydration and vitamin therapy.”
ALCHEMY WEST, 27 East Broad St., Greenville, 864.263.7868, alchemywest.com
Float Therapy
Your phone pings with countless notifications. Your watch alarm goes off. Your family is all trying to talk over one another, and when you finally try to sleep, your head is full of bees. Overwhelmed seems to be a constant state of being, and we’ve never been more bombarded with physical, mental, and emotional challenges in our daily lives. Enter a new way to hit the reset button: Drift Float & Spa.
“We help our clients relax and let go through our Floating, Lucia Light, and other restorative care services that create a unique silence,” says Kelly Caldwell, owner of Drift, Greenville’s first and only float and health spa. “Our goal is provide you with a calm and safe place to solve problems, relax, and recharge. This is a deeper level of self-care that brings lasting improvements to quality of life.”
Not sure about descending into total darkness? Don’t worry—the huge, gleaming egg-shaped space-pods might seem intimidating at first, but many choose to keep the calming blue light on or opt for the creativity-boosting Lucia Light service as they float effortlessly in salt water solution. “I was blown away by the peace I attained after just three sessions,” adds Caldwell, who sees float therapy as a powerful healing tool. “My PTSD symptoms had a dramatic decrease and my quality of life shot way up.” Sore from your new fitness regimen? Drift Float & Spa also offers infrared sauna, an ideal aid for workout recovery and relaxation after your mind has drifted away.
Drift Float & Spa, 644 N Main St., Suite 105, Greenville, 864.414.2388, driftgreenville.com
Reiki Energy Healing
The word might be new to you, but Reiki (pronounced “ray-key”) is an ancient Japanese healing art technique, used for centuries to aid in stress reduction. “It brings one back to their most natural state of being, out of fight/flight/freeze mode and back into a rest/digest mode where we can experience a deep sense of peace, love, and joy,” explains Anna Tingen Lewis, Reiki master and owner of Crystal + Clover.
If massage is too intense for you, Reiki could be the key to help relax and clear energetic blockages from physical injury and illness, as well as from negative thoughts and emotions. “It uses a light hands-on technique over one’s clothing to help realign one’s energy,” adds Tingen. “I like to refer to it as an energetic massage . . . so relaxing! The holistic benefits are endless: Reiki can improve our sleep, our mood, and outlook on life. It can reduce pain, anxiety, and feelings of isolation. Ultimately, Reiki helps bring us back to our most true, authentic, and natural state of being.”
Tingen discovered Reiki at a time when she was struggling and has found that sharing the practice with others helps her “step back into a space of power, peace, and joy.” Nervous about your first session? Tingen is all about comfort first: “I like to create a sense of security and mindful calm—and really take time to get to know people, to understand their hopes and intentions as well as discover potential blocks keeping them from creating the life of their dreams. We cover such tools as energy hygiene, help people connect to their own intuition and body, and spend plenty of time on the Reiki table. Here, many people simply drift off into a space of deep relaxation, somewhere between sleep and awake, and it is here where many feel as though they are able to listen to their inner truth with more ease, which helps guide them to solutions to their personal issues.”
Crystal + Clover, 850 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville, 803.413.6381, crystalandclover.love
Preventative Massage
“We don’t look at massage therapy as a luxury. We look at it as it is an alternative form of medicine,” insists Amanda Neal of Fortified Wellness Studio. “The human touch is so powerful. It has a uniquely calming effect.” While one-off sessions are welcomed, Neal and her team most enjoy routine preventative care, where they help clients ease chronic pain or stay well enough to play golf in their 80s. “The body is so interconnected—we’re providing people with a better quality of life because they’re not carrying around this tightness and tension,” adds Neal.
The Fortified studio is home to three different massage therapists with distinct focuses but one thing in common: a commitment to more purposeful practice and lasting results. “We all left corporate massage to open Fortified Wellness Studio with the intention of more specialized, intimate healing,” says Neal. “Our biggest goal is to make people feel as safe and comfortable receiving touch as possible, while also helping to release physical, mental, or emotional aspects of pain that they might be experiencing.”
In addition to their unique perspective, the Fortified team offers alternative services, like stretching, that help enhance healing benefits. “Hot stone massage is great because it helps to further relax you through the element of heat and feels fantastic in the wintertime. I love our CBD massage because CBD is a natural anti-inflammatory that works on a topical level to help you melt even deeper into the massage. And then we have the HyperVolt percussion tool, which is pretty cool—it beats up 3,200 percussions per minute to help relieve muscle pain, stiffness, and soreness, increase range of motion, circulation, and blood flow.”
Fortified Wellness Studio, 46 Lois Ave., Suite D., 864.252.4141, fortifiedwellnessstudio.com
Cryotherapy
Don’t have time to meditate? Three minutes is all you need to step into a beneficial new holistic wellness practice. “Whole Body Cryotherapy was invented in Japan in 1978 to treat rheumatoid arthritis,” reveals Shelly Gallimore, manager at Frigid Cryotherapy and Recovery Spa. “Over the years, it became clear that cryotherapy offered countless other great benefits—our clients are everyone from athletes to people with arthritis or inflammation. It’s good for your mental health, too: it can help with stress, depression, and anxiety.”
Plus, cryotherapy is proven to boost immune health—a perfect preventative measure as we cough our way into cold and flu season. “[During Cryo], your body goes into fight or flight mode as all of your blood leaves your extremities and moves into your core. While that blood is in your core, it is being enriched with different vitamins and nutrients,” adds Gallimore. “Once you step out of the tank, you have this fresh blood circulating in your system for about 48 hours.” She notes that although you are nude while inside, you’re handed a robe for privacy and have a team member present the entire time. “It’s a very dry cold, using liquid nitrogen,” says Gallimore, “that only penetrates half a millimeter of your skin—so it’s very safe.”
The Frigid team recommends popping by for a Whole Body session 2-3 times a week for best results—but you can make an entire spa day out of it, too. “We have several spa services here as well, from compression and red light therapy to cryo-facials, and an aesthetician that specializes in traditional spa facials, waxing, and more.”
Frigid Cryotherapy, 8540 Pelham Rd.; 3105 Augusta St., 864.246.2796, frigidcryo.com
