We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Leslie April Petasek a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Leslie April, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How’s you first get into your field – what was your first job in this field?

When I first stepped into the wellness industry as a licensed massage therapist in 2011 I knew the sky would be the limit. I was getting in on the ground floor of wellness right as the movement was taking off. Within a couple of years it would only be a matter of time before massage therapy and mental health wellness were common conversation.

My first job was for a chiropractic office. While I loved the weekends off I could feel in my heart that providing comfort and luxury were an important part of my practice. I wanted to provide an experience for my clients. Not just a service. My favorite part of my massage training was the spa weekend of hot stones, facials and wraps. So it was no surprise that I wanted to bring those elements into my career.

I transferred into a job at The Day Spa in De Pere, WI where I fell in love with the atmosphere. The cozy spa robes, the tranquil relaxation lounge and all of the fancy teas and waters to make the day that much better.

As life shifted I moved to Arizona and found myself at the four seasons resort Scottsdale where I spent many years learning new techniques like scrubs and wet treatments.

It was in Scottsdale when I first began venturing out on my own and becoming an entrepreneur on the side.
As life changed again I found myself back in Green Bay where I went full in on my own business. I had an office and full list of clients. For around a year and a half I was fully self employed.
While I enjoyed the freedom on my schedule I found that the book keeping, scheduling and laundry were a bit more than I realized.

I am now happily mixed employed.

I am employed by the ritz Carlton in Lake Tahoe California and I still have my business and see clients on the side. I take clients virtually and in person and am happy with the combination.

I find it’s a good mix for myself and my lifestyle to have both. I love the level of luxury that the ritz Carlton provides and I still love to see clients on the side. It’s a win win for me. I am happy with where I have ended up. I had to do both all in before I could fully understand what I needed to make me happy. And working in different luxury spas has had amazing benefits and has taught me so much.

Leslie April, 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?

If you’ve never heard of me I am Leslie April Petasek. Most of my friends and family call me April.

I am the owner of Living Gaia Connection.
Gaia means “mother earth” and I am a loving Mother Earth connection here to help you connect to the peace within.

I use a variety of techniques including massage therapy, energy work, breath work, yoga, meditation and crystal singing bowls to help bring your body, mind and nervous system to a place of calm and complete relaxation.
Even people who can’t relax, can’t meditate or feel like they can’t calm down. That’s why I am here. And it’s also why I have been trained in so many techniques.

Every body is different. Every story is different. But the underlying outcome is the same-people want to be listened to not just heard. And they want to feel better.

What sets me apart is the fact that I will never ask a client to participate in a tool
Or modality that I haven’t experienced first hand. I believe in being a student first and I want to know how it feels to be in your shoes. Every tool and modality in my business I have experienced myself.

The other things that set me apart are my ability to listen and my empathic abilities.
To be able to hear the words and transmute them and give my clients what it is they truly need is my healing language.
I love being able to really hear what is going on with my clients and be able to go above and beyond for them. Leaving them feeling even better than they could have imagined walking out, no matter what the issue.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Absolutely, I had to make a career pivot back in 2017. It’s actually what lead me down the yoga and meditation road.

I had been working 40 hours a week as a full time massage therapist going 7-8 hours of massage per day. 5 days per week. Week after week. Month after month. As you can imagine it took a toll on my body.
I was doing a deep tissue massage at 8am at the end of a long week. The first massage of the day. I was still tired from the day before and not even fully awake myself yet. My arms and wrist muscles were cold but this person was expecting some deep work this early in the morning.
I came to the end of a long stroke, my arms and wrists fully expended and I heard a pop and felt a hot sensation. I knew I had pushed it too far and too hard too fast.
I managed to finish the massage but ended up having to go to the hospital to get checked out after.
A severely sprained wrist and I was on workers comp. 6 weeks they estimated. Over 6 months it took.

I couldn’t do what I loved for 6 months. I was bound to light duty which entailed locker room and spa attendant duties. While being grateful for a company that could compensate me and keep me working through my injury, I began soul searching.
I couldn’t do massage therapy for 40 hours a week for the rest of my life. It just didn’t seem possible. But I loved my career. What could I do?

That’s when I found the southwest institute of healing arts in Tempe, Arizona. I signed up for an 800 hour program that included yoga, advanced yoga, yin, restorative, prenatal yoga, sound healing, holistic nutrition and intuitive life and mindset coaching.

I thought I was just going to learn some yoga poses and some new things to add on to my tool belt for my massage career. And while I got that, I got so much more.
What I received from this school and its all encompassing program was a new version of myself. A new outlook on life. A new mindset. A new way of living. A new way of being.

I am so glad that I had to make that pivot all of those years ago or I would not be the therapist and instructor that I am today.

That pivot gave me these tools that have not only rounded out my business and given me more modalities to offer my clients but It was also a pivot that changed my life forever for the better. I wouldn’t be the individual I am today had I not been forced to take a pause and learn something new.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

I would absolutely choose the same profession. Getting to help people relax, reduce pain and feel better is an amazingly rewarding job.

All of my modalities have the ability to help people relax, find peace and feel better.

It doesn’t matter if I’m doing massage, meditation, yoga or sound healing-getting to see the look on peoples face after is the best part of my job.

Whether they are completely relaxed, at peace, lit up because they made a connection, perhaps they are feeling serene or even more energized.

The appreciation I get is overwhelming when someone has been dealing with low back or neck and shoulder pain and for the first time they feel relief. Or they’ve been having a hard time relaxing with the chaos of the world and they are Able to zone out completely even if just for an hour.

I get to see people in their most grateful state. Peaceful. Happy. Relaxed.

And that warms my heart and fills my cup.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.Livinggaiaconnection.com
• Instagram: Livinggaiaconnection
• Facebook: Livinggaiaconnection
• Linkedin: April Petasek
• Other: Coming soon! The Living Gaia Connection app! Yoga, meditation, sound healing and recipes at your finger tips!

Image Credits
Keely Lattanzio