Today we’d like to introduce you to Ardena King.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I first became Licensed in 2018 after graduating from Massage Therapy School that year in Seattle. I had worked in Home Healthcare for that point, and knew I wanted to continue helping others on a 1-on-1 basis. Massage therapy was attractive to me because I knew I could make a noticeable difference in people’s lives in a short amount of time. I worked at a small spa and was able to learn so much more from
that experience. In 2021 I completed my certification in Thai Massage and then moved to Texas. I opened Ardena Therapeutics on October 31st, and it has been thriving since!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Starting my business has been a smooth road overall, but there were struggles to get to that point. I went back to Caregiving full time after the Pandemic hit as the spa I was at closed for 5 months, and in that time my husband I decided we wanted to move out of state. I felt like leading up to the beginning of Ardena Therapeutics, my life was a constant series of transitions. In the span of my massage therapy career before the Pandemic, I began dating, got engaged, and got married to my husband. In the span after the Pandemic hit, we renovated our home and moved in with my parents, then moved to Texas. Ardena Therapeutics represents the many personal experiences that helped me gain confidence to have my own business.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Massage Therapist who specializes in Myofascial Release and Thai massage. I also create Aromatherapy products from Rose I source from my hometown in Washington state. I constantly clarify to my clients that just because I work with essential oils does not mean I am in an MLM.
I feel like the first thing what sets me apart from other massage therapy options in San Antonio is that I am not anybody’s employee. I do independent contract work here and there but it is always with the express intent to gain clients for myself.
Even if someone does not end up having me be their massage therapist, I highly encourage them to find somebody who does work for themselves or is truly happy if they are an employee somewhere. Many of the large spas that are often people’s go-to options for a massage grossly under pay their employees and individuals usually do not remain there for a long time.
Another thing that sets me apart from many therapists is I want to break the stigma that there needs to be pain in order for the work to be effective! I do not believe there needs to be a pain in order for there to be healing. Deeper, intense, painful work does not necessarily need to happen for the Therapy to work. Instead of traditional deep tissue, I do myofascial release, which can be intense at times but I always work with the clients’ comfort level and what they ask for.
Myofascial release involves no oil or lotion and I am actually lifting and moving the tissue in a very different way than what most people are used to and a massage. This is great for mini things ranging from specific scar tissue work (past surgeries, injuries, etc) to managing overall pain, even that from conditions like fibromyalgia. however, I also use cupping therapy and traditionally in a way that achieves this same goal.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
The fact that I not only really love what I do, but how I am doing it is key to my success. I can finally say I really love doing massage therapy without any “buts” This is because I work for myself. Things aren’t always perfect, I am doing a lot of work behind the scenes, like laundry, bookkeeping, responding to inquiries and marketing. But because I am finally providing massage in the way I want it is all worth it and is better for the client.
Pricing:
- 60 minutes $100
- 75 minutes $125
- 90 minutes $150
- 105 minutes $175
- 120 minutes $200
Contact Info:
- Email: ardena@ardena.clinic
- Website: www.ardena.clinic
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ardenatherapeutics
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ardena.clinic/
- Yelp: www.yelp.com/ardenatherapeutics
- Other: www.ardenatherapeutics.as.me
Image Credits
Ardena King
