Oaks Botanical Spa is clearly different in their approach and design than the typical spa in Cleveland. There is no hair cutting and no nail polish used with pedicures because of the toxins. Spa owner Jeannie Massingill has studied Eastern philosophies, alternative healthcare and massage for 30 years. Her knowledge is conveyed modestly, her skills are extremely impressive.

Oaks Botanical's therapies embrace the preventative approaches of Ayurvedic, Oriental, Native American and Western Medicine. Spa services include the typical Swedish massage, Shiatsu Oriental Acupressure, Native American Hot Stone Massage and “Rejuvenating Dosha Therapy”- a massage and herbal seaweed wrap designed to balance and cool the “Pitta fire” associated with hormonal changes. The spa offers several other interesting treatments such as Japanese Hot Cupping, Organic Facials, Moxabustion and Oriental Body Analysis
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As Jeannie guided us through each treatment room, we felt an immediate sense of calm and tranquility. The five treatment rooms are designed with a unique blend of Ayurveda, Feng-Shui, Color Therapy, Aromatherapy and Oaks' elegant taste. Each Oaks room is utilized for specific treatments, keeping the treatment and the client's therapeutic needs and sensory preferences in mind. The therapist may determine if their client responds best to visual or sound stimulation and can place them in the appropriate room. The therapist may look at the client's body type and determine which room will offer the greatest healing. Most of the therapists at Oaks are trained in the previously mentioned techniques and possess a good sense for placing people in their ideal healing environment.

The treatment rooms are painted different colors according to principles of “Color Therapy” and Ayurveda. Jeannie explains, “There are three different body types, according to Ayurvedic medicine (an ancient Eastern Indian holistic medicine modality): Pitta, Kapha and Vata. Using the principals of Color-Therapy, we take colors that work best with these three body types and arrange them to assist with each type's physiology. We want to bring the physiology into balance since this balancing will benefit the client physically, emotionally and spiritually. Balancing all three levels aids the body in self-healing.”

So, how does Oaks determine a client's body type? Jeannie aptly explained that you can tell, “by the flexion and the speed of voice and their body's physical features--Vatas have lengthy, dark features and are dark eyed, Kapha's are meatier, while Pittas are smaller framed. Since Kapha types tend to have sluggish digestion, we would want to put them in the yellow room because it stimulates the digestive system.”

Jeannie described the concept of settling bodies as we toured the rooms. When we sleep, our bodies settle themselves. It is in this settled state that our bodies can heal and rejuvenate themselves. When we are young, our bodies grow during the settled state. As we grow older, our bodies will try to heal during this state. In either case, the body must be settled to function optimally, be it for healing or growth. Optimal settling conditions have been created at Oaks to suit all emotional and physical body types. It is this body- settling principle that the Oaks staff understands and have created the conditions to enhance its taking place

Getting to the Oaks Treatments…
If you want to be really nurtured, we suggest you opt for the “Milk N' Honey Bliss”. This is a 1.25 hour body treatment using a body polish to remove dry skin cells. A yogurt enzyme treatment is applied to clean the body and to create softness, followed by a warm honey wrap to increase hydration. The client then experiences a seaweed scrub, utilized for its cleansing and healing properties. According to Jeannie, the use of seaweed and other herbs can help take the odor away from people undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. It also removes the nicotine out of the skin of cigarette smokers. The therapists at Oaks regularly use plenty of seaweed, calendula, and herbs to clean the system.

Jeannie emphasized the importance of scrubbing off dead skin cells, “Your skin is the largest organ of the body. Your biggest breath is through your skin, not through your lungs. When you tan, dead skin cells accumulate. Since toxins come out of the body through perspiration, exfoliation helps the skin to breathe and eliminate toxins. First, you use a pumice to scrub the body, then you need to clean the body with herbs.” This is a truly blissful treatment. Clients emerge feeling like a child again, bathed in Mother's love. The “Milk N' Honey Bliss” treatment is finished using fresh rose petals, which are placed all over the body.

If you would like a relieving and energizing treatment, you might try the Shiatsu Massage. This deeply therapeutic acupressure massage targets the nerve passages throughout the body. It helps relieve energy blockages, relieves fatigue and helps with overall balance. Jeannie, a true master Shiatsu Practitioner, performed the massage using her hands, feet, and entire body. As experienced by Carol of Balanced Living, a client emerges feeling like a different person. Stress levels are completely reduced if not entirely removed. In Carol's case, all of her ingoing lower back pain disappeared.

The Oaks Botanical Hot Stone Massage and Pedicure treatments were offered next for our review. Within the facial/pedicure room, also known as the “wet room”, Janette the practitioner struck us as a warm, openhearted individual and we immediately became immersed in a lengthy and diverse conversation. The treatment itself was extremely relaxing. Only when your entire foot is gently massaged and cleansed do you realize how tense and dirty your feet can become. The cleaning and moisturizing process was gentle, yet firm, and seemed far more therapeutic than cosmetic. All products used were hand prepared by Janette or the Oaks staff, including essential oil mixtures, a rose petal bath soak and various moisturizing lotions. Balanced Living highly recommends this treatment to anyone desirous of rejuvenation beginning from the ground up.

The final treatment offered for us to sample was the Hot Stone Massage. Our recipient was guided into a specially designed treatment room to await the practitioner, Cheryl. In the few moments before your practitioner's arrival you can really take in the elegance and relaxing qualities of your particular room. The colors utilized, the lighting, the design choices and the aroma all led to an overwhelming sense of tranquility. Cheryl combined Reiki, Native American ritual and Chakra balancing into the hour-long Hot Stone treatment. While working, Cheryl offered insight as to the reviewer's current and general physical and psychological states. Therapeutic and relaxing massage was performed while the hot stones heated in the cooker. Once the stones were prepared, Cheryl placed a heated stone in each hand and massaged, using the hot stone as the point of contact.

The whole body is massaged with the heated stones, with special attention paid to the head and neck areas. As the massage proceeded Cheryl would offer further poignant insight as to the recipient's overall condition. As Balanced Living experienced, clients will emerge from the treatment refreshed, relaxed and alert. The Hot Stone Massage is rejuvenating on physical and emotional levels. Balanced Living recommends selecting an Oaks Botanical combination package so that you, too, can economically enjoy two wonderful treatments in tandem.

The Oaks Botanical Spa offers a wide variety of treatments combining Western and Eastern techniques and philosophies, taking a truly therapeutic approach to massage and healing. Oaks also offers scar tissue removal, often a post-surgical treatment for breast cancer. For those with head traumas or recent dental surgery, they offer a technique called Chirondontic Massage, which helps release cranial muscles to lessen suture stress and tension on the TMJ joints, a technique effective for migraines as well. Thai-style Shiatsu massage combined with a therapeutic stomach massage, referred to as “Hara Massage”, stimulates digestion and is therefore useful, according to owner Jeannie, for people who have Crohn's Disease or Rineads Syndrome. Oaks Botanical Spa even has a practitioner certified in pregnancy and newborn work. We encourage you to visit Oaks Botanical Spa located in Rocky River at 21220 Center Ridge Rd # 120 in the Oaks complex.

For more information go to www.oaksbotanicalspa.com.