Enhanced Wellness

There are only a few appointments left for next week for massage or reflexology!
Call/text 8159534153 or book online at
www.enhanced-wellness.com

I have a few openings left this week!
All services and pricing are listed online.
Book at: http://www.enhanced-wellness.com

Thank you Katie Cherry with Enhanced Wellness for coming this semester on Monday’s and Wednesday’s throughout our District to provided certified massages for staff who signed-up!

It is a gift to have community partners who care about our staffs self-care!

For more information:
www.enhanced-wellness.com
815-953-4153
[email protected]

Hey Everyone! I’m pleasantly surprised to see that I was nominated for the Reader’s Choice Awards. If you feel so inclined to vote, here is the link! I’m under the Health/Beauty tab in the massage category. 🫶🏼

Daily-journal.com/readerschoice

As my clients know, my #1 goal with every session is for you to leave knowing and loving your body a little bit more than when you walked in.

To offer you even more guidance and useful information I’m excited to announce the release of my upcoming show UpWell - The Podcast. Myself and Sarah Prasse Beherns can’t wait for you to join on this deep dive and Flow with Us in the UpWell.

Coming soon 👀

Looking to get a last minute gift for the holidays?

Give the gift of:
- Relaxation
- Chill the F out
- You need to calm down

Give them a massage! You and your loved ones will appreciate it.

https://squareup.com/gift/C99MD0WV22TCV/order

{ D A I L Y F I V E }

Part 5/5: Greetings! Today I’m wrapping up the last of my “Five S’s” or “Daily Five”.

Intentional time spent doing things that I have found to improve my body, mind, and spirit. That don’t cost a thing.

Finishing up with…

SKY

Chasing the sun is a long held hobby of mine. Sunrises, sunsets, moonscapes, and starry nights. I’ve been known to chase them all.

Recently though, my focus has been specifically on the sun, and the healing power it holds.

From morning rays of light into your eyes to promote healthy sleep cycles. To the importance of absorbing natural Vitamin D for immune support. Sunlight even affects your mood helping regulate anxiety and depression.

On the other side there is a growing need to protect the dark skies from increasing light pollution.

Dark skies help clean the air we breathe. They also help the body to create natural melatonin.

In a recent study it was concluded that nearly 30% of adults in the United States take melatonin. On average they use is 211 nights out the year.

It’s debated whether taking it nightly alters your natural production. However, from my perspective why take a sleep aid when committing to something as easy as getting sunlight in your eyes could also work?

What is your relationship with spending time interacting with the sky?
Do you feel better after being in the sun?
Are you able to see the stars at night free of light pollution?

I hope you enjoyed my Daily Five!
Give some of them a try and let me know if you notice any differences.

I’m looking to add a few more S’s to my day coming up:

Service
Sharing
Severing

Are there any activities you do (S or not) that you think would be helpful for me to add to my day? Let me know!

Cheers! Happy December!

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Part 4/5: Happy Sunday! Over last few days I shared the first three of my “Five S’s” or “Daily Five”.

Daily activities I’ve been committing time and dedicated energy to each single day this past year. Simple in nature, yet challenging at times.

Today is number four:

STRETCH

For me this concept can be executed in a variety of ways.

The most obvious is the physical act of stretching the body. Doing yoga, lifting weights, practicing jujitsu. These are all ways in which I stretch my body physically.

While this in itself would suffice, I like to practice this act in other ways by taking the literal meaning of the word a bit further.

Stretch means to expand, lengthen, widen.

So I expand my knowledge.
I lengthen my tolerance for things that make me uncomfortable, angry, or anxious.
I widen my perspective.

I use the idea as both a physical and mental practice. Physical movement combined with trying something new everyday or seeking to understand a different viewpoint or way of seeing the world.

Stretching both physically and mentally allows for deep personal growth. Again, you are tapping into who you truly are as a person and realizing you are capable of far more than you give yourself credit for.

What are some of your favorite stretching activities?
Physically and/or mentally?
Do you seek out trying something new on a regular basis?
Or do you stick to what you are comfortable doing?

Tomorrow I will wrap up with #5!

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Part 3/5: Hello! I’ve been sharing what I refer to as my “Five S’s” or “Daily Five”.

Simple, yet at times quite uncomfortable, concepts and activities that I’ve been committing my time and energy to every day this past year.

Today’s topic…

SOLITUDE

My solitude looks different everyday, purposefully sitting in a room by myself, going for a walk alone (my personal favorite!), taking a long bath, going on a picnic, among other things. Other times I like to push it up a level to something a bit more extreme….going to dinner alone, going to the movies alone, taking a trip half way around the country or world alone.

Spending time by yourself will teach you things that may have been buried or forgotten over time. What do YOU like? What do YOU want to do? How does something make YOU feel? Not deciding things based on children, partner, family or animal’s needs.

Only you, for you.

Being able to spend time with yourself and loving your own company isn’t just great for you, but it makes you a better friend, parent, partner, coworker, and overall member of society.

Lovingly requesting this time from your family and coworkers is important.

You are not selfish.
You are not neglectful.
You are not rude.

We all need time to ourselves, allowing our minds and hearts to reconnect with who we truly are as a person.
Take the time, mark it yours.
Start with 10-15mins and go from there.

Combining solitude with silence and stillness is another great challenge. For me this is my daily meditation practice. I had meditated on and off for several years, but about 4.5 years ago it became a daily ritual.

If sitting and solely focusing on your breath doesn’t work for you, try out some other styles of practice: body scans, heartmapping, loving kindness, or mantra work.

How do you handle solitude?
Does it make your feel weird or uncomfortable? If so, why?
Have you ever taken yourself out on a date?
Are you able to ask for time alone?

I’ll be back tomorrow with Part 4!

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Part 2/5: Welcome back. Yesterday I started to share what I call my “Five S’s” or “Daily Five”.

Simple concepts and activities that I’ve been committing my time and energy to every day this past year.

Next up…

STILLNESS

This can go hand in hand with silence. Without a doubt this concept challenges me. As someone with an intense work ethic, my mind and body constantly want to GO!

It was hard for me to take 10 mins before laying down to go to bed to sit with my eyes closed and focus on my breath, feel my heart beat, or do a body scan to take inventory of how I’m truly feeling.

In time this connectedness has taught me to give my body what it needs, because I’m intentionally tapping into listening to what it is telling me. Do I need water? Do I need to relax my neck and shoulders? Am I feeling anxious, depressed, excited, sad? Am I content? What can I do about it to improve and honor my current state.

In a world where most feel like they need to be doing something, engaged in something, getting the continual dopamine hit, stillness allows your body to regulate to its true natural state.

It lowers blood pressure, deepens breathing, slows the heart rate, regulates body temperature, and drops cortisol levels.

Taking time to once again put your phone down, sit in front of the a window or on a park bench and become a witness to the world around you is a humbling experience. It has the ability to make you realize how small you are.

However, this awareness can be empowering. Slowing down forces you to see what is truly important in life by being in the present moment.

Are you able to sit in conscious stillness?
Does boredom strike within minutes of doing nothing? If so, why?
Is your doing nothing truly doing nothing? Or does it include doom scrolling, watching tv, or playing a game?

Give stillness a try, combine it with silence and let me know how you do with it!

I’ll be back tomorrow with Part 3!

{ D A I L Y F I V E }
Part 1/5: Happy December! It’s the first day of a new month. For those that have known me a while, you know how much I enjoy celebrating the fresh start of each month. A constant and consistent opportunity to reset, recharge, and refocus.

Moving into the last 31 days of the year, I wanted to share something I’ve committed to this past year. Over the next five days I will break down what I call my “Five S’s”.

Intentionally taking time (sometimes just 10mins) every single day to do these five things has drastically improved my life. Best part is, it doesn’t require money, equipment, or anything other than your time and commitment.

Five simple concepts that I’ve come to realize are incredibly hard for most people. I’ve intentionally made an effort this year to reconnect with just being, and these five things have guided me on that quest.

First up: Silence

Putting down my phone, turning off the TV, no music, no podcast, nothing. Pure silence.

It’s become the norm for people to have headphones in their ears.

All. The. Time.

The average person lives in 70 decibels. That’s a two fold increase in loudness compared to our ancestors, who used loud noises to gauge danger and lived in relative silence otherwise. Loudness for them created a stress response for survival. Today our bodies are in constant states of stress due to the level of noise we are surrounded with daily.

Increased noise causing increased stress may even be linked to increased heart disease! Since chronic stress is a large contributing factor of heart disease.

For me, most days I drive to and for my office in complete silence, aside from the sound of my truck on the road. That’s 35-40mins each way. The creative thoughts and ideas I’ve come up with have helped me grow my business profoundly. The silence allows me to enter my work day at ease and balanced. A morning ritual I’ve grown to need, much like drinking coffee or tea.

How does silence make you feel?
Is it something you are comfortable experiencing?
Could you drive to and from work in silent?

Try it out, you may be surprised by how it makes you feel.

Check back tomorrow for Part 2!

Community Partnerships! Wellness Wednesdays at Kankakee Schools!

Thank you Katie Cherry from Enhanced Wellness for coming to Kankakee High School & providing massages for staff members who signed up during their breaks!

We are excited to work with Katie in the coming weeks & months who will be coming to each school building to provide some relaxation for staff within the District.

I’m excited to share that I’ve teamed up with Kankakee School District 111 to bring mental and physical health awareness into their schools.

I had the pleasure of working on the faculty and staff at Kankakee High School today as a part of their Wellness Wednesdays Program.

Not only will I be at the high school, but I’ll be working my way through ALL District 111 schools through the end of the school year!

Thank you KSD111 for the warm welcome, I look forward to working with you all in the coming months.

www.enhanced-wellness.com

Enhanced Wellness is THREE!

In 2019 when I went to my lawyer’s office to file all the paperwork to make Enhanced Wellness official, my intent for you was clear.

Still holds true today:

I want you to leave me every time understanding and loving your body a little more than they did when you arrived.

I want to teach you how your body works, and how to make it work as efficiently and effectively as possible.

I want to give you the tools and resources to make healthy changes not only physically, but mentally and spiritually as well.

I want you to see your potential, and own your power. You have the ability to live and live well.

I feel I can say: I’m doing just that.

The road to get to this point has been nothing like I imagined it would be. (Can we say…2020??) Some original goals/dreams have now shifted into more fulfilling and meaningful projects and endeavors. With continued focus on expanding my own knowledge and staying highly curious, I strive to grow just like you are.

Thank you so much to all my clients for your loyalty, referrals, and questions. Most importantly thank you for believing in me, for trusting me, and allowing me to guide you through my magical underworld of tips, tricks, and sometimes unconventional ways of tackling life’s challenges. You all…are EVERYTHING to me! Without you there is no Enhanced Wellness.

Eleven years as a therapist, three years running this business, and so many more to go!

I’ve got some surprises in store for 2023.
Get ready…I am just getting started!! ✌🏼💛

Client highlight: Diane

Diane originally came in for a massage. When asked what concerns she had going on, she stated she was having neck and jaw pain.

I suggested a facial reflexology session and she was happy to give it a try. Not only did her neck and jaw subside, she was thrilled with the results in the appearance of her neck and face. Inflammation and puffy reduced, increased/evening of pigmentation, and forehead and brow smoothen.

Diane now comes in once a month for a facial reflexology session and stated she is feeling and seeing the effects over the course of the month. Making each session even more withstanding.

Check out my website (link in bio) to book a session!

Located in Manteno, Illinois

I had a special guest this morning, Sweet T-bird wanted to come to the office with his momma for her massage. Even though he didn’t receive a massage, he was still able to benefit from the relaxing atmosphere while his momma was getting worked on. I absolutely love when the four legged babies come to see me at work!

Today I had the pleasure of working on Sarah. She was excited to try a 60min session of Facial Reflexology. Her results were amazeballs!

✅Pigmentation brighten
✅Forehead lines softened
✅Brighter eyes
✅Reduced puffiness in her cheeks
✅More defined jawline

AND….she tapped into her theta brainwave state. Allowing her to quiet her conscious mind and trigger right side brain activity. Reaching deep relaxation.

Physical and Mental benefits can be achieved with this technique. Thank you Sarah for joining me today!

I’m excited to share that you can now book, reschedule, change, or add to your sessions with me online. Follow this link or click on the “Learn More” button up top. Makes it easy to setup your apppointments anytime and anywhere. ✌🏼💛

Appointments | Enhanced Wellness

Self-Care Sunday! My lovely client Laura came in for a combination treatment today. A 60min Relaxation Massage along with 30mins of Facial Reflexology. A total body treat!

Are you taking time in your week to reset and relax?

Here is my client Sarah pre/post facial reflexology session. With a hectic schedule and stress of running her own business she was carrying a lot of stress.

In a 60min session I was able to Release a lot of the puffiness throughout her jawline and around her eyes. And look at her pigmentation!

All I use for these treatments are my hands, a small reflexology point wand, and a teeny tiny bit of massage oil at the end.

I get the question all the time: “How long does it last?”

Results will vary based on the client and their lifestyle. I’ve had clients say one treatment lasted a month, others said it lasted a couple weeks. Multiple treatments in a short amount of time will help make prolong the effectiveness of the treatment.

Morning sunlight is one of the best things you can take to help you sleep! Yep, you read that correctly. Absorbing sunlight in the morning allows your circadian rhythm to reset, or synchronize, each day.

A desynchronized circadian rhythm leads to premature cellular aging, which then increases the risk of cancer and heart disease, among other critical illnesses.

Be smart about your sun exposure. Gradually developing a tolerance by gaging the UV levels throughout the day. Any weather app on your phone can give you the current UV levels for your area. Being mindful of these levels will prevent getting a sunburn. The sun is a huge ball of fire! However, we thrive in the light it gives off.

Here is a helpful chart about UV Levels:

• 1-2: Low level, morning/night. Not going to burn. No protection needed.

• 3-5: Moderate. Late morning/early evening. Minimal protection needed.

• 6-7: Early afternoon/late afternoon. Protection needed, especially for those without tolerance.

• 8-10: Midday. Protection needed.

• 11+: Also Midday during the summer months, in some regions. Stay indoors.

You can gradually build your tolerance to the higher levels of UV exposure by spending time in the lower levels first…without protection.

Other fun facts about sunlight:
- Best source of vitamin D, supplements do not compare to the real thing.
- Your diet contributes to how your skin reacts to the sun.
- Sunlight, or lack of, affects your mood.
- If you do choose to wear sunscreen, opt for a natural mineral based one that sits on top of your skin and isn’t absorbed through your pores. ie…zinc, raspberry seed oil, olive oil, and coconut oil. Most sunscreens on the shelves are filled with harmful chemicals that don’t actually protect your skin! (But that’ll be a post for a different day!)

Let your bare skin enjoy the sunshine!

Cheers! ✌🏼💛☀️

The before and after of my client Laura. A busy mom with young children.

A 60min session helped to remove the puffiness she was holding under her eyes and through her cheeks. She was able to quickly drift into her theta brain wave state during the treatment as well. (This state is my goal for every client!)

Theta brain waves are linked to creativity. When conscious thinking is ‘turned off’ this allows the right side of the brain to activate. The right side of the brain is correlated to emotion and creativity often displayed in artistic and musical ways.

I had an extra special client today, Mr. Grahmers. I’ve been working on this sweet ol’ fella’s hips for a few years now. Just like his human, keeping the muscles around the joint pliable and flexible allow for better, pain free, movement as you age. I hadn’t seen my furry friend in awhile, so zoombies around the office were a must!

In June I had the opportunity to travel to Deadwood, South Dakota to train with in Facial Reflexology. I’m so excited to share this amazing new modality with my clients.

The results speak for themselves. Not only does this technique change the appearance of the face it directly correlates with different issues you may be experiencing in your body.

My most recent client told me, “Wow, it truly felt like I was having the most amazing out of body experience. I felt like I was floating.”

By tapping deep into the parasympathetic nervous system (think rest and digest) this technique can allow your brain to activate theta brain waves. These brain waves are the powerhouse for healing and returning the body back to homeostasis (balance).

AND…you can do this technique on your own at home! While you likely won’t get the deep parasympathetic activation (you’ll need to come see me for that), you can still reap the other rewards in between sessions. More to come soon on how you can do that!

If you’d like to setup an appointment, shoot me a message on here or you can text/call 815-953-4153.

Cheers! ✌🏼💚

Coming soon!

The Enhanced Reflexology Facial and Massage

I’m excited to share that I’ll soon be offering this unique technique to my clients this summer. In the coming months I’ll be heading to the Badlands of South Dakota for an intensive training in this beautiful modality of bodywork.

My lovely client, Kelly, was a test subject for me today and we were both blown away by her before and after pictures.

Using only my hands, a reflexology tool, gu sha stones, and a very small amount of massage oil for glade. Deeply relaxing and balancing, not only externally but internally as well.

More details to come soon! What do you think?

*unedited, raw photos

Hello Wellness Comrades!

My fall 2021 Yoga Schedule is in full swing.

Join me for an hour of practice. My class sizes are limited with just a 6 person max. Keeping my classes small allows me to dedicate more time and attend to each student's needs and skill level.

Blocks are provided. Please bring your mat, water, and blanket (optional). This is not a hot yoga class, but the room is warm.

Classes are held at:

Zen Sanctuary at Manteno Chiropractic & Wellness Center
43 W. 2nd Street
Manteno, IL 60950

Text or call Katie at 815-953-4153 to reserve your spot. Pricing is listed below.

Please Note: The upcoming holidays will effect some class days and times. Reach out for more information.

Cheers! ✌🏼💚

www.enhanced-wellness.com

Hello Wellness Comrades!

As I celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of Enhanced Wellness today, I figured it was about time to give this page the love and attention it deserves. So let me introduce myself…

I’m Katie, often known as Barefoot Katie. I spend 99% of my time completely barefoot, even in the winter. (Yes, I’m serious!) What started as an experiment with going shoeless has turned into a lifestyle. The health benefits I’ve experienced are monumental. Not only my physical health, but my mental and spiritual health as well. I’ll get more into that in the coming weeks.

Enhanced Wellness was founded November 1, 2019 as a way for me to combine many of things I love, use, and teach to my clients. Primarily, I am a Licensed Massage Therapist, who also is a NASM certified Personal Trainer, a 200-hr Registered Yoga Teacher, and Herbalist. I wear a lot of hats, and do not claim to be a master of any. Research and learning, implementing and growing, I actively seek new tools, practices, and techniques to use on myself and with clients.

It was a winding path of curiosity that has gotten me to where I am today. I look forward to sharing my knowledge and know-how with all of you in hopes that I can guide you to Enhanced Wellness.

Cheers!✌🏼💚💙