Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cara Thurman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Cara thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

In 2012, I started Vinings Massage & Wellness as a solo practitioner. My vision was to provide Atlanta with the best possible massage therapy services and to offer massage therapy specifically to those who were recovering from a physical illness, surgery, or chronic disease.

I began by exclusively working with clients that were experiencing cancer or recovering from it. In Vinings, at the time, there weren’t that many small businesses offering massage therapy and medical massages. Most of the massage services were provided by large chains or franchises that focused on quantity over quality.

They often overworked their therapists, underpaid them, and scheduled them back to back massages without breaks. They also did not give much attention or customization to their clients’ needs and goals.

I knew I wanted to do things differently. I wanted to offer my clients the best care possible by giving them personalized attention, tailored treatments, and ample time. I also wanted to offer my therapists a better work environment by giving them competitive pay, fair hours, flexible schedules, and professional development opportunities.

As my practice grew, I expanded my team and my services. I hired more massage therapists who shared my vision and passion for helping people heal and thrive. From the very beginning, I made it a priority to schedule breaks for my team, offer competitive pay, and space out appointments so they could enjoy a sustainable work environment. This has continued to be the standard at Vinings Massage & Wellness and I believe it contributes to the quality of care we’re able to provide our clients.

We also started offering more massage modalities such as Signature massage, deep tissue, sports massage, and pre- and post-natal massage. Additionally, we developed a strong relationship with the local medical community. We have partnered with several healthcare systems and hospitals to provide massages for their doctors, nurses, staff, and administrators.

Cara, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started Vinings Massage & Wellness as a solo practitioner back in 2012 with two missions in mind: 1). To provide the community (metro Atlanta) with the best possible massage therapy services and offer massage therapy specifically for those who are battling with or recovering from a physical illness, surgery, or chronic disease.
2).To create a sustainable place for massage therapists to work long term.

I made this decision during a pivotal time in my life as I was recovering from surgery. I was born with a congenital heart defect that required me to undergo several open heart surgeries throughout my life. The last one was in 2009 and I had to deal with a lot of anxiety, stress, and pain before and after surgery. During this time, I elected to work with a massage therapist to prepare physically and mentally for the surgery.

The massage therapist I worked with was amazing. She helped me prepare for surgery, navigate my recovery, and ultimately had a pivotal impact on my recovery process. She was not only a skilled therapist but also a compassionate person and a supportive guide during this time. Working with her made a huge difference in my recovery process.

I felt more calm, confident, and comfortable before surgery. I also healed faster, regained more mobility, and experienced less discomfort after surgery. Compared to my previous surgeries, this one was much more manageable and positive.

I was so impressed by the benefits of massage therapy that I decided to become a massage therapist myself. I wanted to help others who were going through similar challenges as I did. During my recovery, I began setting up my practice.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Today, Vinings Massage & Wellness is one of the leading massage therapy practices in Atlanta. We have a loyal clientele who trust us with their health and wellness needs. We have a talented team who love what they do and who continue to learn and grow.

We now have two separate hospital massage programs: our patient-facing program and our employee-facing program:
Our patient-facing program allows us to provide massage therapy to some of Atlanta’s largest hospital systems, like Piedmont Fayette and Piedmont Atlanta. We provide massage both in the infusion center and in-patient rooms. This service is free of charge to any patients going through active cancer treatment, regardless of where they are in their journey.
Our employee-facing program allows us to offer on-site corporate massage services for doctors, nurses, staff, and administrators at local healthcare facilities like Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. We’re proud to have been working with them since 2017 to provide pain and stress relief for their hard-working employees.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

We are proud of what we have achieved so far, but we are not done yet. We are planning to partner with the Piedmont Healthcare system to provide employee massage at their hospitals and MOB’s starting in 2024. We are always looking for ways to improve our services, expand our offerings, and reach more people who can benefit from massage therapy. We hope to continue growing our hospital based programs so we can continue serving even more people in the metro Atlanta community.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.viningsmassage.com
• Instagram: @vinings_massage
• Other: info@viningsmassage.com