People go to see Genevieve McCorquodale at Still Waters Spa when they are looking for a break and a little bit of peace, she says. Her slogan is 'being still is doing something' because she is aware of the healing power that comes from slowing down. McCorquodale is a trained massage therapist. She calls her studio on Lenora Road a spa because her treatments encompass more than massages. "I've been trying to create a space for healing. When people come here, they are getting something that is a little bit different. My philosophy is that there is a big energy component to everything we do in life. And I bring that here. As soon as people walk in, they can feel it I can see it on their faces."
The peacefulness of Still Waters Spa is obvious. First, there are the colours. "When I chose the colours, I wanted them to coincide with the chakra colours. It helps set the tone in the space," McCorquodale explains. Then there is the smell. The air is saturated with aromatherapy scents. "It's part of the whole sensory experience," McCorquodale says, adding that the sense of sound and touch are also obvious elements of the treatment.
Still Waters Spa is set up to create an atmosphere of relaxation. For the spa package, the treatment starts with a foot soak that serves to ground the energy, McCorquodale says. She serves a cup of tea to make it "feel like a visit." For the organic face treatment, McCorquodale has researched many different products until she found the right one that is "as pure as you can get it."
McCorquodale was trained in different modalities of massage: Swedish, Ayurvedic, Shiatsu, Lomi Lomi and deep tissue massage and combines them for individual treatment. "What I do is therapeutic," McCorquodale says. "It's energy work but it's also anatomical massage." She has found that when people are in a relaxed state, their bodies just do what is needed. "It's like teamwork," she explains. "I am doing anatomical work and I bring a certain energy. I hold the space but it's also up to the person who's on my table to release tension and energy that's not serving us." McCorquodale laughs and says, "It's a dance."
Often people think they have fallen asleep but McCorquodale calls it the "happy place" a place not unlike hypnosis. "That's where the magic happens," she says. "I can sometimes sit and hold somebody's feet or head and watch the body do what it needs to do. I guide them to that space." To McCorquodale, it's a gift to be able to facilitate this healing. "People get off the table and say, 'What has just happened?'"
McCorquodale tells her clients that she wants to help them when they are in pain but ideally, she would like to see them before. "Often people come in because they hurt," she says. "But it's better if we can take care of it early." And she isn't just talking about anatomical problems. "The same applies to stress. We live in a very busy world and we are inundated with demands and technology. It's hard for us to get to that quiet place," McCorquodale says. "I believe that we need to get in touch with ourselves and with who we are."
McCorquodale is a mother of three and knows that self-care is very important. It was Bowen Island that inspired McCorquodale to pursue a career in the healing arts. "I have a business background - I was a banker, that's where the entrepreneurial spirit comes from," she said. "After the birth of my son, I became a postpartum doula and then I gravitated to massage."
McCorquodale has been doing this work for five years. She said, "It's an honour to do something I love and to be able to give back to the community." Although she offers package deals for tourists and coordinates with Bowen's B&Bs, the bulk of Still Waters' business comes from locals. "They are my bread and butter and they spread the word," she says. "That's the beauty of being in business on Bowen Island." Giving back to her community is also on her list of priorities and she frequently donates to SKY, the preschool and CAWES.
McCorquodale also tries to make the treatment affordable and offers discounts for new parents. To her, it's not a luxury. "It's so important to take care of your body as that's the house of your spirit," she says. For more information, please visit http://www.stillwatersmassage.ca.
