We were lucky to catch up with Sarah Downing recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Sarah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us about a time where you or your team really helped a customer get an amazing result?
For as many success stories as I have seen, I am constantly amazed at the healing powers of massage. No matter how many classes you take and how many years of experience you can look back on, it’s crucial to remain humble and never assume that you can “wave your magic wand” and heal a client. In my experience, true healing is always thanks to the effective teamwork between myself and my clients.
Early in my career, a client came in with impacted range of motion in her arm as the result of a car accident. She thought that she was stuck with that for life until after a few regular sessions we successfully loosened her muscles and fascia (connective tissue), so she was able to regain the motion in her arm. The client was overjoyed and surprised, and sang my praises to everyone who visited her wonderful restaurant.
Fairly recently, I met another client who revealed in her intake that she wasn’t able to properly move her arm after a car accident she had 10 years ago. She told me she had multiple treatments on the arm after the accident, so I (incorrectly) assumed they had done everything they could, and (my mistake!) initially opted out of working on it further. One day, I felt called to work on the arm, and performed some muscle stripping and stretching/range of motion exercises. The difference was like night and day, and my client declared that her arm was straighter than it had been in over a decade. It stayed that way between massages too, which just shows you that you shouldn’t ignore a problem just because others have been unable to solve it.
The third story I will share is about a dear friend who was suffering from terrible sciatica to the point that she was afraid she would be unable to get on the plane to see her family in Poland in a few days’ time. After two sessions, her sciatica was gone and she was able to board the plane without pain and walk smoothly.
Another client declared that after her energy work session she had the best night’s sleep she had had in years. I’m happy and blessed to say that I could share countless stories like this. I’m delighted to be able to share this gift I have been given to help others by blending my knowledge of anatomy and bodywork techniques with my innate intuition to know what each individual client needs.
In my tour guide business, I am immensely proud of how two years ago I managed to start out working with other tour companies and, against all odds, progressed to running my own tour company. I have spent countless hours of research and talking to other tour guides in order to craft tour content that is not only historically accurate, but also fascinating and entertaining. I’m grateful to have discovered another gift alongside my gift of bodywork as this helps me achieve balance and brings out another side of my personality (that of actress and entertainer) that I don’t always get to exhibit in the massage room.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I was inspired to become a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) after experiencing years of chronic illness and pain. Through my own healing journey I realized the importance of a holistic approach to healthcare and was moved to help others in the role of a “wounded healer”. Having seen first-hand the impact of stress-related illness, I know how vital massage and the nurturing power of touch are for alleviating this. I believe that heartfelt intention is a huge part of healing and my treatments also incorporate my natural intuition, enabling me to customize them to my individual client’s wishes and needs. I specializes in deep tissue, therapeutic/medical massage, sports massage, cupping, Thai massage (“assisted yoga”, an energizing clothed massage), ashiatsu, lomilomi and am a Reiki Master Teacher. As a 200-hour Certified Yoga Teacher and Yoga Trapeze® teacher, I am excited to use my knowledge of the mind-body connection and healthy alignment to enhance my bodywork services. Outside of the treatment room, I am a professional writer, poet, translator and ghost tour guide and have been blessed to experience life in three different countries (England, Germany and the US), which has opened my eyes and broadened my horizons.
In my massage practice I have worked on clients with many different conditions and goals, from teenage athletes to paraplegics to geriatric clients to the overworked who simply need to make regular relaxation a part of their lives. I have helped clients alleviate conditions such as tight hamstrings and quads, sore low backs and hips, fibromyalgia, sciatica, piriformis syndrome, tense shoulders, headaches, reduced range of motion, stress and anxiety, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis and many more.
I became a tour guide after another tour guide noticed my potential and asked me to work for his company. Although I ultimately found it a better fit to work for myself, I’ll be forever grateful to him for helping me discover my gift. I am truly passionate about giving tours because I love educating and entertaining people. My eidetic memory is also a godsend when it comes to memorizing facts and figures. My tours stand out from the rest because, unlike the mass of group tours offered here in Savannah, I offer intimate private tours, enabling me to customize them to each group’s wants and needs. I also pay attention to the true history of the town, a highly desirable quality in Savannah’s tours, but not always one that is actually offered.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
“Low prices bring clients through the door.” At my first job at a wellness center, the owners were obsessed with offering discounts – for every holiday and for every occasion. Many massage businesses do this – a first-time client discount, package discounts, sale after sale. I strive to charge a fair price for my services. However, I have come to realize that I also have to charge what I am worth or resentment and burnout will be the consequences. At the start of my career, I also offered multiple discounts, but I came to realize that it was often the wrong people who were expecting or even demanding them (those who could more than comfortably afford my services). Every two years, we Licensed Massage Therapists have to complete 24 hours of continuing education, and I have often exceeded this, simply because I am so passionate about offering my clients a wide range of services to excel in my career and help them (and myself!) as much as possible. Diversity staves off boredom and burnout for me, and learning more helps me work smarter instead of harder. But of course it also comes at a price because classes are not cheap, and so this must be reflected in my service pricing.
Ultimately, before moving from Pennsylvania to Savannah in June of 2021, I got rid of my packages because they no longer fit my business model and some clients have a tendency to buy packages, but take years to use them. This is beneficial to the client, but not helpful to the practitioner who is actually offering packages to enable clients to come in for more regular care. Years ago, I also offered a first-time client discount, but once I realized that it was word-of-mouth recommendations getting clients through the door as opposed to discounts, I nixed that also. Thirdly, I raised my rates to charge one integrative rate for all modalities. I used to charge an upcharge for certain modalities, requiring more advanced training, but soon realized people weren’t booking these modalities because they didn’t want to be upcharged. So I figured, if I charged a fair price that enabled me to offer all modalities without an upcharge, this would encourage more people to try more different things. And it worked, making both myself and my clients very happy to be able to access the full range of tools in my tool belt.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Over the years, in multiple careers, I have been faced with bullying, slander and libel. I have come to realize that these competitive instead of collaborative people are acting from a place of lack and fear, and that it is crucially important for me to remember my purpose and my goals – to run a business that allows me to help others. Each time, I was subjected to such shoddy behavior, I am delighted and encouraged to say that I still had people there, cheering me on and supporting me, renewing my faith in humanity. There are nasty people in every profession, but don’t let them get you down, and remember what you are truly capable of. I started my first business back in 2001, and it’s been a rocky and scary ride at times, but it’s been so worth it. I think I almost take it for granted at this point that I work for myself, but it takes a lot of guts, perseverance and strength to do so.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.limegreenlotus.com and www.savannah-tours.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/limegreenlotus_sjd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/limegreenlotus
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahjdowning/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lime-green-lotus-savannah and https://www.yelp.com/biz/savannah-soul-encounters-savannah
- Other: Lime Green Lotus Google: https://goo.gl/maps/iHKpikGRYbxfgoat6 Savannah Soul Encounters Google: https://maps.app.goo.gl/f4JALmjhLm2ga8j37
- sarah@limegreenlotus.com 551-404-7994
Image Credits
Anne Vogt Photography and Orion D Pace