A Whole, New You
C8 MCNAUGHTON MEDIA
JANUARY 2022
A massage practice for every body
By Aaron Geerts McNaughton Media
While it seems like there's a massage parlor around every corner these days, Caitlin Eichorn’s A Room of Our Own Massage is a diamond in the monotonous rough. After serving the community for almost five years, this savvy business owner reflects on the broken road of a career path that led her to her calling. Born and raised right here in Davis, Eichorn attended and graduated from UCD in 2015 with a degree in English. With her crosshairs aimed at a teaching career, her next step was to get her Master’s in education. Life — as it so often does — had other plans in mind. “I had a major health crisis and ended up losing eyesight in one eye and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. That ended up being a misdiagnosis, but I was in full patient mode for two years. My life was thrown off track and I struggled with mental and emotional health,” Eichorn explained the struggle that forged her new ambition. “I was spending time with my sister one day and she asked if I could give her a massage. I did and she suggested I go to massage school. I thought I had nothing to lose so I signed up. It was a real struggle at first because I’d been in this mindset where I was sick and had no confidence in my physical abilities.” In her time at school, Eichorn learned more than the art of massaging. Through her own struggles of mind and body, she harnessed her empathy for those uncomfortable in their own
“I think of massage as an insurance policy. If you maintain your body and keep your tissue soft enough, you’ll be less prone to injury. It’s also a great stress reliever too. People enjoy the social aspect and I found they’re starved for touch and also for someone who they can open up to.”
“In my identity as a queer woman and my history of mental health, struggles and trauma, I wanted to tap into that market and help people who weren’t comfortable going to a traditional massage place.” Caitlin Eichorn A Room of Our Own Massage, owner
Caitlin Eichorn massages a client’s hand at her practice, A Room of Our Own Massage. Jeff Rawlinson/ Enterprise photos
Caitlin Eichorn bodies. Moreover, she realized how uncomfortable those people would be getting a massage. It’s this acknowledgement that helped bring Eichorn’s business philosophy to life. “In my identity as a queer woman and my history of mental health, struggles and trauma, I wanted to tap into that market and help people who weren’t comfortable going to a traditional massage place,” Eichorn said. “After opening my doors in 2018 I reached out to LGBTQIA+ organizations and my practice has really
expanded since. It was important to me that people knew my identity, and as a therapist, I never wanted to be in a position where someone comes in and says homophobic things. I want people comfortable coming to me and for me to feel comfortable around other people. That’s why I created a room especially for women and the LGBTQIA+ community.” Beyond providing a mental and emotional safehaven, Eichorn maintains a hands-on approach to physical health and wellness — literally. Since the pandemic has brought upon a more sedentary lifestyle, aches and pains from poor posture and lack of mobility are more commonplace. These facts compound to beget the necessity for regular massage therapy. “It’s critical for a number of reasons. On a physical level, it’s incredible in keeping you limber and allowing people to live their daily lives. It also creates great body awareness, even if you
A Whole, New You
MCNAUGHTON MEDIA come in every week. What we do on the table allows you to go ‘oh wait, my hip’s hurting, what can I do to self-correct?’” said Eichorn. “I think of massage as an insurance policy. If you maintain your body and keep your tissue soft enough, you’ll be less prone to injury. It’s also a great stress reliever too. People enjoy the social aspect and I found they’re starved for touch and also for someone who they can open up to.” While COVID poured difficulty on every business, it presented Eichorn an opportunity to out-create the challenge and make her business truly unique amongst other massage practices. Not only with her clientele, but the above-andbeyond, human-centric service. “I shifted last July to an outdoor only practice. I worked outdoors for 11 months then just transitioned back indoors recently. I take COVID very seriously, and some people don’t feel comfortable coming into a closed space. So, we’re still offering in-office stuff, but if people aren’t comfortable, we’ll come to you,” Eichorn talked about her business’ house calls and fullyvaccinated staff. “People were struggling when we opened back up. I was in backyards and people needed someone to talk to. We also go see a lot of elderly clients and immunocompromised clients because safety is the number one thing
NOURISH, from Page 6 time for play, music, and artistic expression also helps to mitigate the effects of stress. Making space for self-care can help combat the negative effects we incur throughout the day too. Even something as simple as a book and warm cup of tea can induce feelings of relaxation and wellness. Although rest and sleep are closely related and of equal importance, they are not the same. Ensuring proper sleep hygiene and identifying the type of rest you need is crucial in establishing a strong foundation of good health and ought to be practiced continuously to the best of each of our abilities. Studies show that just 10 minutes a day of rest (laying down, no electronics) improve our overall health significantly. As sleep is tied to our immunity and health status, it should be a yearlong priority for
JANUARY 2022 C9
“I take COVID very seriously, and some people don’t feel comfortable coming into a closed space. So, we’re still offering in-office stuff, but if people aren’t comfortable, we’ll come to you.” Caitlin Eichorn
right now.” To Eichorn, there’s a million places one can get a massage that’s cheaper or easier, but A Room of Our Own Massage is an organization clients
us as well. Some may argue that January is a great time to start anew. That this is the perfect opportunity to set and crush new goals. You may have heard experts say that you need a reset, especially after the holidays. I would argue that restricting eating, imposing unwanted exercise goals, and increasing your stress load may not only cause discomfort, but it may in fact harm you. Pushing yourself to achieve something that may not be in your best interest is not only unkind and out of balance, but it is often ineffective. Cheers to continuing healthy habits that you enjoy and make you feel good and nourished in the new year! Amanda Harlan is an expert in human nutrition and functional medicine at Functional Nutrition Advocacy. Email her at functional nutritionadvocacy@gmail.com or by phone at 530-759-3738.
Jeff Rawlinson/ McNaughton Media
can trust. Void of judgment or shame, it stands as a testament to the community it’s a part of. To book an appointment or house call, one can visit www.aroomofourownmassage.com, their physical address at 423 F St. in suites 108, 111 and 205 in Davis or call them at 530-217-9322. — Reach Aaron Geerts at aaron.geerts@ mcnaughton.media.
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C16 MCNAUGHTON MEDIA
A Whole, New You
JANUARY 2022
Feeling tense, anxious, or achy?
A ROOM OF OUR OWN MASSAGE Now offering mobile appointments so you can get massage when and where you need—even in your own backyard!
A fully vaccinated staff and mandatory masks mean you can relax while staying safe.
Book online at www.aroomofourownmassage.com or call owner Caitlin Eichorn at (530) 217-9322