PALMER – While many may think massages and Reiki are great practices to help humans relax – pets can benefit from the relaxing practices as well.

Pawmasté Pet Spa has recently added new team members and new wellness services to their pet salon. They’re offering pet massage and Reiki after hiring Massage Therapist Meryl Callahan and Reiki Specialist Sharon DiSilvestro.

The spa hosted an event on June 6 to introduce these two services to anyone who was interested. Callahan and DiSilvestro answered questions and offered free 10-minute sessions to give people an experience of what these services are like.

“Pet massage and Reiki are services that most people probably don’t even know are an option for their animals,” said owner Liz Hutchinson. “I knew years ago that I wanted to have a pet spa, and to me, the word ‘spa’ meant more than just haircuts and grooming. It always meant that all-encompassing holistic wellness approach.”

She continued, “I wanted to add the pet massage and whatever else I possibly could into this center for holistic health and well-being for our animals. I was introduced to Reiki within the last few years and thought it would be a fantastic addition to the spa as well.”

Pawmasté has been in business since November of 2017. They started off as Rufflections Dog Spa, but expanded this past March, and rebranded as Pawmasté Pet Spa.

Hutchinson was introduced to grooming when she was a teenager. She went to a vocational agricultural high school and one of the majors the school offered was small animal science. Part of that course was a small introduction to grooming, where Hutchinson first learned about it. After high school she took a job at PetSmart working as a bather, was then promoted to groomer and has been grooming ever since.

“I knew I wanted to have my own space because I felt there was a need for something a little bit different,” Hutchinson replied. “I wanted to create an experience where people and their pets felt truly pampered and more importantly, safe.”

Reiki is a Japanese technique of energy healing for stress reduction and relaxation. The therapist channels energy into a patient by means of touch, activating the natural healing processes of the patient’s body and works to restore physical and emotional well-being.

Hutchinson said when the Reiki practitioner taps into an animal’s energy, they help release and clear out any energy that’s been stagnant. According to Hutchinson, animals will carry around energy they have picked up from their owner or from different experiences they’ve had that has created energetic tension within their body. The Reiki practitioner helps to soothe and release all of the energetic tension and get animals back into balance.

“If a dog walks up to a person that is in a bad mood or carries a very negative energy, the dog picks up on that,” Hutchinson pointed out. “As groomers specifically, we experience this. If we’re grooming an animal that’s a little bit more anxious, it’s important to us to focus on radiating a very calm energy. To remain relaxed and come to them with a soothing energy.”

The pet massage is tailored to each animal, as is the Reiki. Callahan will start slowly to let the animal get use to her and gently put her hands on the animal to see if she can feel around their major muscle group such as the head, neck, shoulders, spine, hips, down their legs and feet anywhere that there might be physical tension in their muscles. The massage benefits pets who are athletic, aging, recovering from an injury or simply suffering from general stress and anxiety. The massage increases circulation, soothes tense muscles and promotes overall relaxation.

Hutchinson hopes to incorporate acupuncture or chiropractic work. Her goal is to provide clients as many more holistic wellness services as she can get. “I want Pawmasté to be more than grooming,” Hutchinson concluded. “We want to focus not only on just the way animals look, but the way they feel. My staff and my clients are my family. It’s been really fulfilling for me to be able to build an environment where people feel like they matter.”

Pawmasté Pet Spa is located on 1240 Park St. For an appointment or more information, call 289-9099. The spa will be hosting another event on July 7 from 6 p.m.- 8 p.m. Visit their website at www.pawmastepetspa.com for more information.