Mad Wellness aims to support women in health
Two women are bringing their personal power and talents to a new partnership with a focus on health and wellness.
Jessica Bricker and Elizabeth Zurawski have teamed up at Mad Wellness in Creemore.
The name is not only a nod to the Mad River, but also in support of a movement to de-stigmatize women’s mental health.
Bricker is a registered massage therapist and death doula who says she is a bit witchy. Zurawski, more of a hippie, specializes in women’s health focusing on how to regulate and balance hormones holistically.
Bricker said she has wanted to work in health care since the age of 12. She thinks back to the time in her life when her father was dying of cancer and remembers sadly that she felt he was treated as a cancer patient and not a person. She set out to humanize health care and help people on their journey to wellness. She said she is open to sharing her personal struggles as a way of relating with her clients and is open about being on the autism spectrum, identifying as bisexual, and her struggles with chronic pain.
“My clients are like family to me and I will go above and beyond,” said Bricker. “I want my clients to feel that there is empathy there.”
In addition to massage therapy and death doula services – someone who provides support at the end of life – Zurawski complements Bricker’s services adding nutrition, movement and empowerment coaching.
Zurawski said she has had her own struggles with health and could not find relief through Western medicine so she turned to Chinese medicine and naturopathy.
“I felt better in three months than I had in years,” she said.
Zurawski’s focus is on educating women about their menstrual cycle and how it affects all areas of their lives by providing tools and knowledge about diet, exercise and reading the body’s cues.
Using yoga, breath work, and communication she hopes to help women find understanding and balance.
In a space that is welcoming to all genders, the duo is hoping to grow a community where women can talk openly about body issues such as vaginal discharge and dryness, just some of the changes that women experience as they approach and go through menopause. They are all about breaking taboo and believe vagina is not a bad or scary word.
One way they hope to grow the community is with a monthly women’s circle, a group of women who support and learn from each other. Programming will include yoga, meditation, breathing, journalling, massage, spells, vision boards and guest speakers.
Bricker and Zurawski are using their retail space at 151 Mill St. to support women who make small batch products along their themes of women empowerment with T-shirts, vulva candles and incense holders, and fun feminist swag.
Mad Wellness is also developing a resource library of books on health and wellness available on a pay-what- you-can fee structure.
For hours, rates, and appointments, along with event dates and details, find Mad Wellness Creemore on Instagram, call 705-790-7128 or email madwellnesscreemore@gmail. com.
