Tribeza Wellness Guide 2020
Nourish your mind, body and spirit
From acupuncture to halotherapy, Austin is overflowing with opportunities to bolster personal wellness. We’ve curated a list of the best practitioners and institutions to help support whatever your personal desires may be in nourishing the mind, body and soul.
Acupuncture
LIGHT FAMILY ACUPUNCTURE
Melissa Light’s last name says it all. For 16 years, Light has nurtured Austinites through traditional Chinese medicine with an abundance of warmth and spirit. Light Family Acupuncture focuses on treating the entire family, from children to adults, allergies and ailments, from preconception through pregnancy and parenthood. Clients typically enter her cozy studio to the sound of laughter. And each session begins with a thoughtful conversation to review symptoms and concerns so treatments are individualized as can be.
ALLEN CLINE OF TURTLE DRAGON
Allen Cline has been in practice for 33 years, and his work is notably informed by a stunning array of education in a variety of therapies, including polarity, craniosacral, Tibetan medicine, Chinese herbal medicine, Tui Na and qigong, as well as traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean acupuncture. He has an unparalleled knowledge of herbal therapy and integrates said expertise with various modalities and functional medicine in his acupuncture treatments. No wonder Cline was appointed to the Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners by the governor in 2008 and still serves as the presiding officer to this day.
SADIE MINKOFF AND MICH SCHREIBER
Sadie Minkoff and Mich Schreiber have dedicated their life’s work to fertility and oncology. Their families were personally touched by both issues, and they endeavor to support others faced with the same challenges through sister studios, Sage Acupuncture and The Cancer Wellness Center. With a mile-long list of credentials, Minkoff and Schreiber meet their passion with supreme expertise. If you cannot get in to see one of them, they employ a highly trained team of fellow practitioners.
KIRSCH METHOD ACUPUNCTURE AND BODYWORK
Matthew Kirsch brings an intuitive, textured level of expertise to his practice. After placing acupuncture points, he supplements sessions with craniosacral and neural therapy, using gentle holding techniques. If needed, he will work through the abdomen, with contacts specific to the organs to correct motility and mobility. Amid Kirsch’s light-filled room, what might sound complicated feels quite simple and restorative in practice.
Craniosacral Therapy
SALLY LEISSNER
Sally Leissner’s practice focuses on therapies for infants and pregnant women. Craniosacral therapy uses a soft touch, about the weight of a nickel, whereby practitioners release restrictions in the craniosacral system to improve the functioning of the central nervous system. It’s beneficial for babies born by vacuum extraction, C-section or forceps delivery, helping to bring balance, decrease swelling and calm fussiness.
Feldenkrais
ELAINE DOVE
As Elaine Dove simply puts it, “Feldenkrais is about moving better in order to live better.” The method uses gentle movement and directed attention to help people learn new and more-effective ways of living to increase ease and range of motion and to improve flexibility and coordination toward their innate capacity for graceful, efficient motion. Dove has been practicing for 15 years and is known for her work with LGBTQIA youth.
Chiropractic
BACK N BALANCE
Back N Balance applies the NUCCA procedure, or National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association, for relief from spinal and spine-related conditions. NUCCA entails gentle touch and controlled contact on the C1 vertebra, also known as the atlas, which affects the brainstem and central nervous system, thereby influencing one of the highest control centers over body balance. Practitioners then employ detailed X-rays to precisely align the atlas with the head as well as the vertebrae below over time.
MARY TRAVERSE / THE WELLNESS STUDIO
Dr. Mary Traverse uses a technique known as Network Spinal Analysis, or Network Chiropractic. It is a light-touch method that focuses on connecting with the nervous system in order to free tension around the spine that is causing misalignment. Network differs from traditional chiropractic treatments because it focuses on tensions caused by the malfunctioning nervous system. The tension is typically the root of the problem, so Network is effective at working on a cure, not just masking the pain. In addition to people, Dr. Mary treats pets.
Reiki
MOON MEDICINE HEALING ARTS
Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by “laying on hands” and is based on the idea that an unseen “life force energy” flows through us and gives us life. Diana Lane of Moon Medicine Healing Arts is a pre-med heart surgeon-turned-acupuncturist, herbalist and reiki master. She has more than 17 years of experience and specializes in women’s wellness.
Energy Catalyst
STACY DAVENPORT
Stacy Davenport uses a system that is an advanced feng shui technology that incorporates science, spirituality and an environment’s energy grid to enhance harmony and balance in the space around us. She treats commercial or residential spaces. Davenport also specializes in energy clearing, supporting businesses such a Milk + Honey spas by regularly refreshing the energy in treatment rooms as well as new or old residential spaces in need of a spiritual cleanse.
Shamanism
MARIA ELENA MARTINEZ
Maria Elena Martinez is a mystical figure in the world of Austin wellness. She operates devoid of the digital trappings of modern business and relies on word-of-mouth for her practice. Local healers revere Martinez and seek her for wisdom as though she were an oracle. She was involved in education reform and electoral politics during the Texas Chicano movement of the 1960s and ’70s. She was the first woman to lead a political party in Texas as the last state chair of La Raza Unida Party. Thereafter, Martinez worked in private and public education for 34 years. Since 1993, she has engaged in the study of shamanism through the Foundation of Shamanic Studies and trained with prominent Mexican curanderas, or healers.
CHRISTINA ALLEN / AUSTIN SHAMANIC CENTER
By apprenticing with renowned masters of yoga, reiki and shamanism, Christina Allen has spent almost 30 years integrating the power and wisdom of ancient indigenous energy medicine with studies of physics, biology and neuroscience. Through the Austin Shamanic Center, Allen offers shamanic workshops, retreats, one-on-one healings, private consultations and certification programs. Additionally, Allen is available to perform fire ceremonies, birth ceremonies, weddings, rites of passage and death rites.
Meditation
AUSTIN ZEN CENTER
Austin Zen Center’s mission is to offer a peaceful haven for engaging in the task of self-discovery through Zen practice. The intention is being present right here, right now and learning to meet everything that arises with an open mind and a forgiving heart. Experienced guidance from a teacher is encouraged. As such, the center offers ample support and programming toward meditation practice. The garden work and prison outreach programs are but a few of the special opportunities to expand skills.
MEDITATION BAR
Mediation Bar is widely respected in the wellness community for hosting some of the best teachers in the field and supporting their work with a strong infrastructure. It offers a fantastic array of classes, from aroma to breath, sound, divine feminine, drum and even meditation for entrepreneurs and parents.
CHRISTINA ALLEN / AUSTIN SHAMANIC CENTER
By apprenticing with renowned masters of yoga, reiki and shamanism, Christina Allen has spent almost 30 years integrating the power and wisdom of ancient indigenous energy medicine with studies of physics, biology and neuroscience. Through the Austin Shamanic Center, Allen offers shamanic workshops, retreats, one-on-one healings, private consultations and certification programs. Additionally, Allen is available to perform fire ceremonies, birth ceremonies, weddings, rites of passage and death rites.
Yoga
SUKHA YOGA
Sukha holds true to the meaning of the Sanskrit word that can be translated as “happiness,” and a deep, lasting one at that. Owners Erinn Lewis and Mark Herron are the “real deal” according to regulars and have created a studio filled with divine energy. The teachers are one-of-a-kind artists, and the classes strike a balance between physical movement and soul connection.
DHARMA YOGA
Dharma elegantly blends Buddhist meditation techniques with yoga practice. Founded by native Austinite, author and teacher Keith Kachtick in 2005, classes range from vigorous vinyasa flow to gentle hatha. In addition to regular programming, the studio offers one-on-one yoga therapy, integrating dialogue, restorative yoga, assisted stretches and guided meditation to help students explore and transform feelings that might be causing physical and emotional pain.
PRACTICE YOGA AUSTIN
Practice has two locations on the East Side as well as one in Bouldin Creek, where it’s housed in an old chapel regulars lovingly refer to as “the yoga church.” All classes are by donation using a discreet box for cash and personal payment by credit card. We recommend teacher Shanti Kelley for her alignment-based vinyasa approach and expertise in anatomy.
SANCTUARY YOGA
Sanctuary is another nonprofit, donation-based yoga practice, and there’s something quite special about entering the studio canopied by ancient live oak trees, tucked back in a quiet nook off South Lamar. Classes span from power vinyasa to candlelit restorative. Our favorite is the weekend Greenbelt yoga set against the backdrop of Barton Creek. The 90-minute hike includes yoga stops offering standing postures, partner stretches and meditation along the riverbed. Part of all proceeds support the Amala Foundation, which brings social-emotional learning programs to local schools.
THE LITTLE YOGA HOUSE
Family and interpersonal connection is the focus of The Little Yoga House’s mission, which offers parents and children tools for social-emotional learning through sensory exploration, music and storytelling. Classes range from Baby & Me to toddler and family yoga classes as well as an expansive aerial program. Owners Abby Nagler-Martin and An Dang have created a safe, nurturing environment that makes visitors feel at home.
Pilates
THE PEACH HOUSE
The Peach House distinguishes itself with a boutique vibe that elevates the quotidian Pilates reformer class to a more soulful experience. Students can expect hands-on instruction during breath-based, creatively sequenced classes set to soothing yet encouraging music.
EAST SIDE BALANCE
East Side Balance offers highly individualized instruction for students. The studio was founded with a mission to apply the health benefits of Pilates to improve overall well-being and to counter the physical strains of everyday life. Instructors take care in providing personalized programs to help students overcome unique imbalances.
Sound Therapy
SANDEE CONROY
Sandee Conroy brings a unique blend of wit and wisdom to her sound meditation sessions. She plays nine quartz crystals and five metal singing bowls. People find that the sonic vibrations from the instruments effect positive change in mind and body, bringing harmony on a cellular level. If you can’t make it to one of Conroy’s events, pick up one of her CDs.
MELISSA GROGAN
Melissa Grogan uses Tibetan and crystal bowls, drums, tingshas, chimes, a gong and other instruments designed to help clients reset and recharge. The energy work (reiki and pranic healing) helps your body clear away old, toxic energy and refill with the new. She grounds her work in somatic movement — how the body’s systems work together in balance. This helps put clients into a meditative state that is both therapeutic and enjoyable.
Aura-Soma
HEART ART COLOR THERAPY
Aura-Soma is a nonintrusive, self-selective system that employs color to reach a higher level of consciousness. A consultation includes choosing four brightly hued oils from more than 100 magnificent color combinations. A trained practitioner then gives you an understanding of your selection. For instance, you may uncover areas of your life where you need more space or balance. As Aura-Soma founder Vicky Wall stated, “You are the colors you choose, and these reflect your being’s needs.” Christina Dietz applies a master’s in counseling to her practice with positive psychology to help affirm one’s truth and inner voice.
Holistic Vet
PAZ
The doctors at Paz are trained in both Western and Eastern medicine and use a holistic approach to treating animals, prioritizing natural healing as much as possible but relying on conventional methods as needed. It also has a traditional Chinese veterinary medicine practice that uses herbal remedies, acupuncture and food therapy to treat pets.
Naturopathy
JULIA STRICKLER, ND
Julia Strickler works out of Austin’s so-called favorite pharmacy, Peoples Rx, which houses a plethora of holistic medicine, making the experience a one-stop shop. She assists patients through nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy and mind-body awareness and has a knack for working with complex issues that involve the digestive and reproductive systems.
M. RAYNER DICKEY
Walking into Dr. Dickey’s office is like entering a warm home. He doesn’t dictate as much as partner with patients in choosing the optimal approach to good health. Dickey is board-certified in family practice and specializes in preventive medicine, emphasizing lifestyle, activity and dietary modifications.
Maternity Consulting
AMANDA WYSZKOWSKI
Amanda Wyszkowski’s passion is childbirth education, but if you’re lucky, she is also available for postpartum day support. She has a wealth of knowledge on caring for baby and can offer an unpretentious elegance that makes working together divine for both mother and child. Classical music during tummy time? Yes, please.
LACRESHIA LANINGHAM
All doulas are amazing, but what sets Lacreshia Laningham apart is her ability to not only hold space in the birthing process for jittery mamas and papas but also explicate what is happening clinically. Does the doctor want to induce? She can thoughtfully explain what your options are, using both natural and traditional medicine. Likewise, Laningham masterfully, impartially supports women, from conception, in making an intelligent birth plan based on her extensive experience with many hospitals and doctors in town. She also offers a wide variety of postpartum services, including nutritional, herbal guidance; daily meal prep; energy work for mother and baby; and breastfeeding support.
STORK
In a community ripe with doula support, Stork sets itself apart with immensely compassionate, professional care. Owners Leah Frederick and Katie Coyne are seemingly always on call for help, returning text messages promptly morning and night. Their team consists of some of the most educated, dedicated doulas in town, who beautifully nurture mom as much as baby. Services include labor, postpartum, lactation support, birth classes and massage, as well as custom nanny searches. We cannot recommend birth and postpartum doula Lyndsay Cochran enough.
BRENDA THE DOULA
Brenda Marlin has an infectious calm that lends itself beautifully to overnight care. She holds families with kind and unconditional support through all the ups and downs of the fourth trimester, offering unbiased education to help parents figure out what is best for their family. Better yet: permission to follow their intuition. Marlin’s top priority is making sure families get sleep. If your little one is hard to soothe, she will teach tried-and-true techniques to coax baby back to bed. Marlin also offers birth support.
SHELLEY SCOTKA
Shelley Scotka has been supporting families during the perinatal period since 1995. She has additional training specific to postpartum issues, including breastfeeding, mood disorders, coping with challenging babies, processing negative birth experiences and helping couples adjust to their new roles as parents. Scotka is one of the more knowledgeable doulas and educators in town.
Maya Abdominal Therapy
CHARLOTTE WESTBROOK
Maya Abdominal Therapy is a noninvasive, external massage technique that guides abdominal organs into their proper position. Maya massage improves organ function by releasing physical and emotional congestion from the abdomen. The benefits serve both men and women and are known to be highly effective for fertility, digestive issues, hormonal imbalance and a variety of common female symptoms. No one has a better mastery of the practice than Charlotte Westbrook. She identifies most with an approach described as shamanism-meets-craniosacral work and has an uncanny ability to communicate with and support major organs of the body. Westbrook now lives in North Carolina but comes to Austin quarterly. It’s definitely worth the wait to experience her care.
Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
KIMBERLEE SULLIVAN / SULLIVAN PHYSICAL THERAPY
Kimberlee Sullivan specializes in diagnosing and treating impairments of the lower back, pelvis and pelvic floor, including cesarean, episiotomy and scar pain, pre- or post-natal pain and weakness, bowel issues, prolapse, post-surgical issues from hysterectomy and prostatectomy, painful sex and menstruation. She makes what could be terribly awkward more comfortable with an incredible bedside manner and immense expertise. Sullivan serves as one of the four women in the country on the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties Specialty Council for Women’s Health Physical Therapy.
Halotherapy
AUSTIN SALT CAVE
The walls and floor of Austin Salt Cave’s treatment room are lined with 11 tons of Himalayan pink sea salt, a magic ingredient for wellness. During 45-minute sessions, a halogenerator fills the room with dry aerosol, permeating the body with microscopically ground salt to ameliorate respiratory issues like coughing, asthma and bronchitis, as well as skin conditions like acne and psoriasis, thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
Light Therapy
PERSPIRE
By avoiding harmful UV rays and focusing on infrared light and therapeutic visible light in a rainbow of colors, the sauna experience at Perspire is meant to rejuvenate the mind and body. Invisible infrared light penetrates skin, muscles and joints to increase circulation and eliminate toxins. The colored light of chromotherapy can energize (red), promote happiness (orange), spark creativity (yellow), stimulate healing (green), help you rest (blue) and calm the mind (purple).
Flotation Therapy
TRUE REST
Also known as sensory deprivation, floatation therapy eliminates the pull of gravity on the body to relieve pain and stress while promoting relaxation and better sleep. Infused with 1,000 lbs. of Epsom salts — which are wonderful for skin, hair, nails, muscles and joints — the water inside the True Rest tank is überbuoyant and allows you to experience weightlessness that elongates the spine and eliminates all pressure points and tension.
Day Spas
VIVA DAY SPA
Owned by sisters Laurie and Maya Aroch and friend Shannon Mouser, Viva Day Spa continues to raise the bar on sumptuous day- and med-spa services. Now with three locations around town, their wellness-focused treatments — from skin care to massages — employ both modern and classic techniques. The Domain NORTHSIDE and Lamar locations offer non-invasive med-spa procedures, like laser hair removal and body contouring, that are both effective and natural-looking.
LAKE AUSTIN SPA RESORT
Inspired by ancient and modern therapeutic techniques, The LakeHouse Spa offers more than 100 treatments and services. For a full or half day of pampering, book a package and try two to three 50- to 80-minute treatments, like an Aromatherapy Massage, Deep Cleansing Facial, LakeHouse Lavender Scrub, Citrus Squeeze and so much more. Want to arrive in style for your getaway? Book a water taxi for a scenic and stress-free ride to your spa day.
MIRAVAL
Overlooking Lake Travis, the 20,000-square-foot Life in Balance Spa, takes a personal approach to wellness through holistic spa services. With 30 treatment rooms, a pool, relaxation rooms, a salon, sauna, steam room and boutique, this center even has a farm, where it grows its own herbs. Abhyanga, an ancient healing massage, is a guest favorite, and the treatment restores balance by using herb-infused oils to ease muscle tension.
MILK + HONEY
With a philosophy that focuses on healing, wellness and relaxation, this Austin-born day spa and salon offers specialized treatments, including facials, lashes, peels, waxing, haircuts, non-toxic nail services, massages and body treatments. Now with four locations, Austinites can decompress while nurturing their skin. Guests have the option of using organic aromatherapy oil or organic body butter with their massages.
ALIVE + WELL
Known as Austin’s first integrative health and wellness facility, Alive + Well has a team of specialists who nourish the mind and body through an array of treatment options, including IV vitamin therapy. The intravenous treatment uses formulas of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and amino acid fusions customized to fit a client’s needs, whether they’re looking for weight management, to boost immunity or enhance libido.
OMNI BARTON CREEK
The new 13,000-square-foot Mokara Spa features 17 treatment rooms, three couples’ treatment rooms and a range of spa and salon services. The 75-minute River Rock is its signature massage. By utilizing hot and cold stones and an aromatherapy blend, guests will feel a sense of ease while soaking up the beauty of the Texas Hill Country.
W HOTEL
The AWAY Spa in the W Hotel offers body treatments, massages, facials, nail services and more right downtown. Four unique body treatments, ranging from 60 to 105 minutes, provide relaxation and nourishment. Hydrate is guaranteed to “leave your skin silky smooth” with a full-body dry brushing to exfoliate, a shea butter mask to replenish and a neck, shoulder and scalp massage to soothe.
FOUR SEASONS HOTEL AUSTIN
The Spa at the Four Seasons offers treatments infused with local products and ingredients that can only be found only in Texas. The Four Seasons Sensory Experience, one of the signature offerings, is a combination of aromatherapy, acupressure, acu-flex and energy-balancing chakra techniques. The 80 minutes of relaxation includes a full-body massage using local river stones and a detoxifying dry body brushing.
HIATUS SPA + RETREAT
Founded on holistic principles, the Hiatus Spa + Retreat uses all-natural products in every treatment. Whether you’re getting a massage or special body treatment, each 60-minute service includes a foot soak, the signature hand-and-foot massage plus a sensory journey and customized aromatherapy. Hiatus offers a wide range of alternative therapies as well, like acupuncture and fire cupping.