Garrettsville – For Elena Barnosky, LMT, her vocation is a calling. A licensed massage therapist, she has been operating Healing HandsTherapeutic Massage from the Sky Plaza Professional Building since 2015. She has built up a loyal clientele over the years, but realizes other people in town don’t realize what she has to offer. In order to “let people know I’m here,” she is offering special summer discounts during the months of May and June.
Licensed by the State Medical Board of Ohio, Barnosky offers four different types of massage for various types of relief: relaxation, deep tissue, trigger point and sports massage. As each name signifies, Barnosky’s understanding of physiology, anatomy and the interconnectedness of the body’s internal systems guides her approach to relieving pain, tension and stress.
A lifetime resident of Portage County, Barnosky has lived in Garrettsville with her family for 12 years. About 10 years ago, her previous focus on landscaping and gardening became impossible when she became increasingly sensitive to poison ivy, so she knew she needed to take her life in a bold, new direction. She began searching for a vocation that was not simply a career, but a calling. Through a series of events and begging God for THE answer, it soon it became clear that Barnosky should work with her hands. In 2007, she found herself in a stringent two-year certification program at Harmony Path School of Massage Therapy in Rocky River.
A self-described “private person who didn’t love the idea of touching people,” Barnosky says she pursued massage therapy as an act of obedience. But through her newfound understanding of and appreciation for energy pathways within the human body — and how massage therapy can restore blocked pathways that cause pain — Barnosky says it changed her life. “The power of touch and intentions for my clients’ benefit is a powerful and humbling responsibility.”
After certification, Barnosky worked in a clinical setting under the Bureau of Workman’s Compensation, and for a luxury spa before working independently in her current position. Through the practice of therapeutic massage in all settings, she has been continually amazed at “how magnificent is the human body in how all its 13 systems are interconnected in unexpected ways, and how massage can bring those systems into homeostasis for life balance.”
For those new to massage and curious to try it, Barnosky says that she talks through the process and what to expect, every step of the way, within the confines of the patient’s comfort level. “I educate. You are in control of the limits.” Also, “Confidentiality is key,” says Barnosky. “I am bound by the same ethical laws as medical doctors, so clients do not have to worry about their privacy.”
Healing Hands by Elena is open Mondays through Fridays, 10am-8pm; and Saturdays, 9am-12 noon; all by appointment. Standard fees are $65 for a one-hour massage and $95 for a 90-minute massage. During her summer discount special in the months of May and June, clients will be charged only $50 for a one-hour appointment, and $75 for a 90-minute session.
Healing Hands by Elena is located in Suite 2 in the lower level of the Sky Plaza Professional Building at 8307 Windham Street. To make an appointment, call or text (330) 647-7663.
