With the pandemic winding down, many people are realizing they might need a reprieve when it comes to their mental and physical health.
Finger Lakes Office of Alternative Therapies, better known as F.L.O.A.T., offers various services depending on the client. Their focuses include massage therapy, private counseling and mindfulness coaching. The practice, owned by licensed massage therapist Shawn Marie Jones, is a collective of women who have come together to offer their own practices under one roof.
Jones began at the old location, 751 Pre Emption Road, in Geneva, and recently was able to move to her new location, 786 Pre Emption Road, where the space is twice the size and everyone can offer services in their own respective space. Upon entry, the customer is met with vibrant colors on the walls, ceilings, and floors as well as the smell of essential oils and calming music.
While Jones was at her old location she was joined by fellow licensed massage therapist, Jennifer Hopkins, in 2017. In 2019 they were joined by a third massage therapist, Erin Corey.
While all three women focus on massage therapy, each has a very different approach to it.
Jones has a more medicinal approach to her practice.
“I do a lot of rehabilitative work focusing on myofascial relief,” Jones said. “Rolfing style techniques are also highly utilized, cupping massage is something I’ve been doing for a really long time. My work has generally focused on our structural based need.”
Hopkins typically focuses on more holistic approaches for her practice.
“I do a lot of work with chronic pain, chronic illness where heavy treatments aren’t able to be utilized so I do a lot of light, gentle work,” Hopkins said. “What I tell my clients is, if you’re not relaxing then I didn’t do my job.”
Hopkins explained that the typical population she works with usually can’t handle deep tissue massages or that having heavier work done can make pain worse and send them into a spiral of despair. This is where her focus of reflexology comes in.
“The reflexology plays into that because it’s a whole body massage without needing to touch the whole body for people with touch aversions or too much pain,” she said.
Hopkins described reflexology as a massage therapy that focuses on the hands and feet of an individual. It was developed in England because of how the body develops in utero. Everything in the body is connected through the nervous system and connective tissue in the feet and hands. By touching specific areas, it can interact with certain organ systems. By doing this reflexively it’s less invasive, and in other countries to practice reflexology a medical degree is required.
Hopkins also does work with energy, the chakra system, and Reiki.
Jones and Hopkins explain that while some individuals may have skepticism for things like energy and Reiki, that their methods often end up in the same place with the same results.
Corey described her background before becoming involved in massage therapy recently.
“I was a photographer for eleven years, went to art school, I just needed something different in my life,” she explained. “I studied Reiki, I don’t currently practice it, but it kind of brought me to doing hands on work, it’s more meaningful.”
Corey graduated from Onondaga Community College in December of 2019 and was contacted by Shawn. She started her practice with F.L.O.A.T. soon after.
Besides just massage therapy services, there are also talk therapy services with Katheryn L’Heureux, a licensed clinical social worker.
“I offer individual, couples, and family therapy,” L’Heureux explained. “I’ve done a lot of work with the LGBTQ community and helping people transition. I’m very comfortable with that population and would say that’s an area where I’ve spent a lot of time.
While F.L.O.A.T. currently offers a variety of services, Jones hopes to continue to expand and grow her space with other potential therapies, like art therapy.
More information for the business can be found on their business page, as well as a description and way to contact each therapist.
Samantha edits our personal finance and consumer news section. Have a question or lead? Send it to [email protected].