Inspiring Conversations with Tiffany Lamb of OrPa Wellness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany Lamb.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started? 
When I was in High School, I was very into photography. In my senior year, I did the normal application process to my desired colleges and was set to attend a small photo school in Santa Barbara. I felt overwhelmed that everyone had put so much pressure on me to decide my life before I was finished with High School, so I decided a year off would be a good choice for me. I didn’t want to end up changing my mind or, worse, losing my passion for photography due to the pressure.  

About halfway through my year off, a friend of mine who was teaching at a massage school invited me to come to her class one night and be an extra body. I had never had a massage. I was only 18. I went and had my first massage that night. While it was only a student massage, I thought, “I can see why people like this!” I’ve always had a passion for learning, and since the massage course at that time only took a couple months to complete, I figured, why not do this for now, and I’ll still be able to go to college in the fall.  

I ended up falling in love with massage and anatomy and, well, I never did go to that photography school! Over the course of the last 19 years, I have worked at many different massage establishments large and small. I worked with chiropractors, I worked at high-end spas, I worked at a nail salon, and I even packed up my car and went to my home path. I tried having my own place a couple times, and the deal never lasted very long. It wasn’t until just over two years ago when a friend of mine who does hair mentioned she was looking for someone to take over her Salon Republic studio in Burbank. While I wasn’t exactly thinking about having my own studio at that time, I saw it as a welcomed opportunity and began to share the space with her for a few months until we transferred it entirely over to me.  

Having my own studio space at Salon Republic has given me a stable place to continue to grow and expand my business. I work mostly in therapeutic deep tissue, but I enjoy being able to offer spa-like amenities like hot stones, hot towels, and a peaceful environment.  

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road? 
It sure hasn’t been a smooth road. In the beginning, I tried working at a handful of different places. One just didn’t have the business, one was forced out of their lease and had to shut down, many didn’t want to pay more than minimum wage. So, to fill in, I began working at a small metaphysical bookshop. I loved my time there and was very happy, though it did take me from massage a bit. Then, I got pregnant with my son and took some time away from all work to focus on taking care of him. A couple years later, I had my daughter. I always did massage on the side, and when she turned 1, I enrolled in another massage school to advance my skills and get more heavily into massage again. During the next few years, I worked at a major massage chain and a chiropractic office, as well as a couple small spots. I always prioritized my two young kids, so I only worked off and on. About 6 years ago, I got divorced and ended up having to work a lot to make ends meet. Living on my own with my kids was expensive, but I also wanted to stay true to my life goals. I managed multiple jobs, from tutoring kids to teaching at a massage school, going to community college to get my AA in Health and Fitness and then becoming a personal trainer, and still, massage on the side. Add in a couple surrogacies for another layer of physical challenge on top of all my jobs, and I would find I slept very well because I was always exhausted. It was all in effort to manage life on my own, give my kids the best I could, and pursue my passions in hopes of eventually reducing down to just one job. Massage.  

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about OrPa Wellness? 
During the time I was focused on raising my kids, I had a blog. That blog was called Organic Parenthood. It was about natural, green living and healthy lifestyles. With a long name like that, sometimes I had to shorten my title. OrPaBlog was what I used. When it came time to name my wellness business, I wasn’t feeling very creative, and everything I came up with was taken. So, I went with OrPa because no one was using that name!  

My style of massage is certainly intense. I focus on deep, therapeutic work and add in spa like elements to encourage relaxation too. I combined deep moves, stretches, and focused work to help improve overall mobility, reduce life stress, and correct posture and injuries. I think what sets me apart from others, and I say this based on what I have experienced on my own and what my clients tell me, is that I truly provide the deep pressure many are looking for without it being an uncomfortable pain to endure. I never want people to walk away feeling like it was a good massage but just not deep enough to work out the tension. I have felt that at many times when I tried to get a massage, and I know how disappointing it is to walk away and feel like you wasted your money on nothing more than a gentle rub down.  

What matters most to you? 
What matters to me most is making human connections. I value the friendships and bonds I create with my clients. I love learning about their lives and the things that brought them in for massage. Sometimes it’s nice to know how similar we all are; other times, I learn about really cool jobs and lifestyles, and I always appreciate being able to take my time learning about the actual person on my table and not just being an employee at a spa who has to work like a robot to get through the day. I want my clients to feel safe in my studio to communicate their needs and be themselves. 

Pricing:

• 60 min Deep Tissue $100
• 90 min Deep Tissue $140
• full menu at my link with A variety of add-ons

Contact Info:

• Website: www.OrPaWellness.com
• Instagram: @OrPaWellness