A Global Approach

Massage therapy at Mantra Integrative Spa

Story and photos by KATHRYN SMITH

Theresa Branham may have traveled the world, but two things have always grounded her: a passion for alternative medicine and a love for the Blue Ridge Mountains. As a child growing up in very flat Ohio and Florida, her dreams at night often had blue mountains. But it was not until her first summer trip to the plateau with her uncle that she discovered the connection. She has come to believe that the mountains were calling her, and through the years, this ancient range continued to call her back whenever she roamed.

Like so many who visit here and then return to live, it is not always a direct line. Theresa got sidetracked and spent a few years in Puerto Rico chasing a corporate dream, only to become disillusioned. The nature of her corporate work was mentally stimulating, but intuitively, she knew her passion was to work directly with people to improve their lives. She trusted her intuition, returned to the mainland, and found a new direction.  She knew she needed work involving her hands and touch. Her interest in health and wellness was a driving force.

It did not take long before Branham decided to pursue a career in massage therapy, arranged to begin training and embarked on a new adventure. With an entrepreneur's drive and a therapist's compassion, she determined that her journey would include lifelong learning to serve her clients better. It meant she would travel to find the best instruction. She also recognized the importance of building teams of like-minded individuals, all pursuing the same goals.

Straight out of massage therapy school, she landed a position at Shoji Spa & Retreat in Asheville, where she honed her massage skills. But, ever the businesswoman, she also studied the operations side of spas and began to develop business plans in her head. She credits Shoji manager Roberta Jordan for mentoring her early on.

Before long, High Hampton tapped her to run their spa, and she returned to where her uncle had brought the family to vacation years before. “It was a dream job for me. The clientele I met there, some a couple of decades ago, still return when they visit the area. The relationships that began there still mean a lot.”

After several years at High Hampton, the opportunity to own a salon was too good to pass up. “The timing was right. There was a management change at High Hampton, and an ideal location became available at about the same time. "I felt I had learned enough about running a spa to become an owner/operator.”

Branham signed a lease and created Mantra, an integrative spa featuring Ayurveda. This centuries-old whole-body approach to healing promotes good health and prevents disease through a balance of mind, body, and spirit. In addition to specific massage techniques, practitioners incorporate yoga, meditation, diet, and individual counseling to provide clients with overall better health and improved outcomes for a variety of health issues. From lowering cholesterol and managing pain to alleviating depression and irritable bowel syndrome, Ayurveda practitioners have been credited with helping people in many surprising ways.

Taking the reins of her business also allowed Branham to expand her education by immersing herself in indigenous healing practices in southern India and Thailand. Branham says, “I am obsessed with Ayurveda and became determined to learn about Ayurvedic foot massage; Chavuttie Thirmumal. I learned about a fourth-generation teacher of the art, but he only teaches males who have practiced both medicine and Kalari martial arts. With a bit of persuasion, he eventually agreed to teach me if I traveled to Kalari, India and received his training under the radar.”

Branham also traveled to Chiang Mai, Thailand, to learn massage techniques alongside students training to serve the royal family. “I traveled extensively to find sources of information about alternative medical practices that have continued to help people for millennia. When I discover new things, ideas, or ways to serve our clients better, I bring them back to my home base in the mountains to share with therapists who have made Mantra their home. Funny enough, the new stuff that clients love is centuries old.”

Today, the signature Mantra treatment fuses years of experience in massage, Ayurveda, cranial-sacral manipulation, and sound and aroma therapies. Branham developed it, and anyone at the spa can offer it. That way, should she be out of town when a loyal follower drops by while visiting or must schedule when Branham cannot be available, she is confident that anyone on her team can provide the same level of service that she knows is essential for her spa’s success. A loyal following keeps the spa thriving fifteen years after Mantra was launched.

MantraMassageStudio.com, 828-545-3202