 Robin Burkowski (left) graduated from the Mountain State School of Massage in Charleston in 2001. She says the training there was "intense," involving all-day sessions, Monday through Friday, for eight solid months. "They go above and beyond what is expected of a massage school," Robin says. Although only 500 hours of training are required in order to be licensed in West Virginia, the school requires 800.
A second certification program called 'Structural Integration and Awareness' overlapped the massage training. Robin explains that the Structural Integration part of her training is "Deep connective tissue work that can ease and correct structural deformities caused by poor sleeping habits, poor posture, or simply by repetitive actionsâeven conditions we're born with, like scoliosis." She confesses, "Structural Integration is my favorite," possibly because of the dramatic results that can occur, as was the case with one of Robin's recent clients, Harriet Whipkey of Lower Cedar Creek.
Harriet went to Robin with severe back pain that had worsened to the point that she spent most of February incapacitated. She says, "I warned Robin when I was filling out the paperwork that I had osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and scoliosisâin addition to the back pain. Robin simply smiled and said, 'Come on back.'" Harriet is very happy with the results of Robin's therapeutic massage methods. "Even after my first half-hour session, I experienced relief from the back pain. Today, my back is pain free for the first time since the early eightiesâit's like a miracle. Ask anyone who suffers from chronic back pain and they will tell you how debilitating it is. And, after seven half-hour sessions, my scoliosis isn't as severe. In fact, I've regained one of the three inches I'd lost in height over the years."
Robin believes in being fully in tune with her clients. In order to do so, she must clear her mind of extraneous matters and focus totally on their needs. "In every session, I follow my intuition and kind of do what their body is telling me to do. So if I'm being pulled to just one side, I stay there for a little bit, or if I need to, I stop and work on one spot for awhileâI follow my instinctsâintuition is very important."
Robin practiced in Charleston for a year after graduating from Mountain State School of Massage, then she took a year off. During that time, she did some soul-searching that resulted in her decision to return to Gilmer County and open her practice. Space could have been a problem but Robin was fortunate enough to link up with Ramona Shattuck, who literally rearranged her Village Styles beauty salon to create a room for Robin's massage table.
Robin feels that she wants to give something back to the community for all it has given her. "I graduated from high school and college here, my family is here, but that's not the reason I came back to Gilmer County. Basically, I feel that there is a lack of awareness of natural medicine in the area. I feel that a lot of people settle for the pharmaceutical companies' control of their lives. That really makes me sad, that they take pain pills, or have surgery, when they don't even need surgeryâthey might just need a massage!" It has been proven that therapeutic massage can help with a wide range of medical conditions: arthritis (osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis); stress (the root cause of many ailments); chronic and temporary pain; circulatory problems; depression; and headaches, to name a few.
Robin's whole demeanor changes as she declares with fervor, "If people will only change their diets, exercise, drink more water, meditateâtry massage! And that's why I'm here, to try to change the way people think, to raise awareness of alternative ways of managing their health." Suddenly at a loss for words, Robin throws up her hands and exclaims, "I love people! And I want to make a difference."
Robin's practice, Healing Path Massage Therapy, is located at 4-1/2 Sumac Court, a little beyond the high school in Glenville. Her rate for a one-hour massage is $50.00. Several medical insurance companies will reimburse the client for the cost if they obtain a doctor's referral. Hours are by appointment only: 462-4535. Ramona will take messages if Robin isn't there.
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