By Karah-Leigh Hancock
NASHVILLE — Rachael Holliman began Nashville Massage & Yoga Studio in one room in January of 2008. Now, it has expanded to a four-room studio.
Holliman has had clients come to Nashville from Atlanta and even St. Augustine, Fla., for massages, yoga and spa treatments.
“Business has been great,” Holliman said. “I am very grateful for my clients (because) without (them) my dreams would have never come true.”
Holliman is married with two children, but she usually runs the business on her own.
Her husband, who is stationed at Moody Air Force Base, has been on several tours to Iraq and Afghanistan.
“It’s hard to do it all on your own but well worth the sacrifice,” she said. “I am very proud that he is defending our freedoms. I have a very big support system. My friends are always willing to help, and the people in Nashville are the best on Earth. I am very blessed.”
Q: How long have you been involved in the massage, yoga, spa business?
A: I have been a massage therapist for four years and a yoga instructor for two years. I have always had a passion for the spa business. At the age of 19, I started sweeping floors, doing laundry and worked as a tanning operator for a local hair salon. Six years ago, I started a home-based business selling skin care and cosmetics. I would travel the state of North Carolina hosting girls night out, birthday, bachelorette parties. I hired a massage therapist to help with these parties, and she mentioned that she thought I would make an excellent therapist. I was interested as well and signed up to a Medical Massage School in Raleigh, N.C.
Q: What kind of massages do you offer clients?
A: I offer Swedish massages, deep tissue, hot stone, pregnancy massage, reflexology, body wraps, mud treatments. The most interesting thing that I offer is Thai yoga massage. This is ‘lazy man’s yoga.’ It involves a lot of stretching and compressions along the meridian energy channels. I (also) offer Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy. I have taken all of three levels of this modality. Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy is ‘the deepest most luxurious massage on the planet.’ I use bars overhead for balance and literally walk on the client’s back.
Q: How did you get involved with Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy?
A: I heard about it when I was in school and immediately wanted to learn this modality. It just looked so fun!
Q: What has been your most popular program so far? Spa treatments? Yoga? Or massages?
A: Massages were originally the most popular, but yoga is quickly catching up. The class started with just one person, and now we have up to 12 people in a class. I am now also traveling and teaching yoga to our high school students through our Collaborative as well as for the Berrien Academy. I am also teaching several private yoga sessions.
Q: Do you feel that yoga is better than typical fitness training?
A: I do not feel yoga is better. Some people like a vigorous aerobic workout, some people like to run, some people like to go to the gym. I feel yoga is a great addition to any fitness training. Yoga makes us more flexible, gives us more strength, and gives us a sense of peace.
Q: You seem very spiritual. Do you bring that spiritualness to your clients to help them relax during their visits?
A: I am a spiritual person ... I just ask God to work his wonders through me and let it go from there.
Nashville Massage & Yoga Studio
Location: 104 E. Marion Ave., Nashville
Telephone: (229) 686-1999
Hours: Call to schedule a massage. Yoga is offered at 10 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. on Tuesday; 6 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday.
Web: http://nashville-mb.com
