by InSoo Lee
Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of InSoo Lee
Starting February 3, Hector Melendez will be starting a massage service on the second floor in the Bishop’s Common in the Sewanee Wellness Advisory Group office. Melendez has been a massage therapist for almost a year. However, he has been involved in body/mind healing for by being a personal trainer, yoga teacher, and being certified in Thai bodywork for over ten years. Melendez will be providing chair massages for all students and staff at a reduced price of $10 for 15 minute segments on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons from 1PM till 5PM.According to Melendez, he “see[s] a need for massages for people dealing with stress and how it affects their posture and bodies (tight shoulders, neck, back). Massage therapy allows the body to release musculoskeletal tension and tightness and facilitates deeper relaxation, promotes cellular healing and assists with structural alignment.” While Melendez is working on providing a calendar for anyone to sign up online, it is still a work in progress. In the meantime, there will be a sign-up sheet in the SWAG office bulletin board for anyone to sign up. After she received one of Melendez’s massages, Arlicia Sykes (C’17), said she “felt like all the stress that I had in my life was gone. Before my massage, I felt like I was 30. After the massage, I felt like a 3 year old. It felt magical.”
The massage room is set up to help anyone relax. Massages are an essential part of vitamin T (Therapeutic Touch), working on the fascia through massage can also improve range of motion and increase flexibility. Melendez can be reached at hectorshealinghands@gmail.com or 423-260-3662 for more information.