Today we’d like to introduce you to Paulina Valenzuela. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Paulina Valenzuela began her massage therapy journey during the COVID-19 pandemic. Burdened mentally and physically from the isolation being experienced worldwide, she knew the time had come for a major career shift. The detachment being experienced was an exasperating example of how crucial connection to ourselves and our community is to our well-being. After spending the last few years leading in the outdoor industry, Paulina was qualified to harness her passion for personal engagement, empowerment, and accountability into creating a massage therapy practice. She was ready to lead in the fight for a healthier future for myself and my community. For this reason, 400 hrs of Western education and 400 hrs of Eastern education later, she became a Certified Massage Therapist and Health Educator. As a CMT, Paulina believes in the power of the human body being able to heal itself and return to homeostasis when supported appropriately. She believes much of the chaos that plagues our society stems from unhealed pain. We need to support the healthcare system we desire for the future, calling for less pain medications, and despair, more guided movement, and customized health plans with healthcare practitioners that honor our individual life experiences. Each of our needs is unique and takes a personal approach to finding our physical and inner peace. As a CMT, Paulina is honored to support that journey and return to self. Bodyworkbypau is Trauma Informed Sports Specific Massage Therapist working out of SpaceBar Wellness in Pasadena, CA. Her services are available to the local LA area, and she is a favorite for the local running and outdoor communities.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When I reflect on my life, my struggles have been blessings in disguise. Turmoil has created opportunities to give thought to my current direction, connections, and identity. Growing up as a child of a single immigrant mother, I witnessed my mother’s daily struggle to provide and survive for herself and for her two daughters. I always wanted to help but didn’t know how at that age. My mother’s mounting emotional and physical pain wouldn’t allow her body and mind to rest and recover, leading to further sickness. I witnessed it all through the eyes of a child. I learned from my own mother to turn away from pain out of fear, a natural human response. Yet the suppression of pain only leads to more disassociation between my own body and mind. I dealt with anxiety and depression from childhood to young adulthood and by the time I reached 18 years of age I was in and out of the hospital with chronic full-body pain. I found myself falling into the same stressed-out survival sickness my mother had. I struggled in silence for over a decade strongly desiring a solution or relief. It was not until I found massage therapy that I was able to begin to honor the mechanics of the body and mind. I had attached myself to what I believed would solve my issues, and it wasn’t until I realized that the answers lied within myself that I began to develop immunity to the poisons in our society, less reliant on coping and more focused on witnessing and processing my experiences.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
BodyworkbyPau provides trauma-informed sports-specific manual therapy in the LA area. She has two offices, SpaceBar Wellness in Pasadena and a private studio in Monrovia, as well as travels for house calls. Paulina specializes in trauma-informed care which “acknowledges the need to understand a patient’s life experiences in order to deliver effective care. It has the potential to improve patient engagement, adherence to treatment, and health outcomes.” One does not need to be an athlete to benefit from manual therapy. Although she is a popular provider among runners, Paulina uses her knowledge of the mechanics of the body to customize a treatment plan that provides relief and support to the muscle groups affecting any human body. The health education portion of her practice empowers the client’s mind to take an active part in the body’s recovery while asking fundamental goal-setting questions to clear up uncertainty. Sessions are intentional and meant to support a healthy balanced mindset of personal wellness.
Paulina is most proud of the connections made with local healthcare practitioners and running communities. BodyworkbyPau massage services are for those seeking pain relief and committed to following through on their personal health goals.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory is reading because it took me to spaces outside the walls of home. I had a very challenging childhood, but I found my quiet space in the stories of others. It gave me an understanding of the world around me and allowed me to reach new heights in terms of the connections I was able to make due to the understanding I had developed as an obsessive reader.
Pricing:
- 60 min sessions $115
- 90 min sessions $165
- Housecalls starting at $200
- Packages of 3 x 60 min sessions $310
- Packages of 3 x 90 min sessions $445
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @bodyworkbypau
