RELAXATION AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

WHAT'S HOT AT ELEMENT:

OUR THERAPEUTIC TECHNIQUES

SERVICES

PAIN RELIEF AND RELAXING RESPITE

A deep tissue massage utilizes firm pressure and slow strokes to access deep layers of muscles and connective tissues. This therapeutic technique is ideal for addressing chronic tension and muscle pain, helping to release knots and enhance flexibility, leaving you feeling revitalized.

DEEP TISSUE

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30 Min: $55 | 60 Min: $85 | 90 Min: $115 | 120 Min: $145

Reiki means "universal life energy" in Japanese. This is an energy healing modality that promotes relaxation, reduces stress and anxiety through gentle touch. The practitioner employs both hands-on and hands-off techniques, all the while focusing on addressing emotional and physical issues of the client, assisting them into meditative state.

REIKI

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30 Min: $50 | 60 Min: $80 | 90 Min: $110

The Graston Technique, a specialized form of massage, involves the use of specially designed instruments to scrape and manipulate soft tissues. This therapy is effective for breaking down scar tissue, reducing muscle knots, and alleviating discomfort. Feel the benefits of the Graston Technique for targeted relief and improved mobility.

SCRAPING

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60 Min: $95 | 90 Min: $125 | 120 Min: $155

GROUP MASSAGE

Looking to have two or three people book massages at the same time? It's never been easier!

BOOK A DUO

BOOK A TRIO

OUR FOUR THEMED THERAPY ROOMS

Nature is a source of relaxation for most and it was our goal to make it feel as close to being outside when you come into Element. Each of our massage rooms are decorated in the themes of a different biome - representing earth, fire, water and air. These spaces are art galleries in their own right, designed to give you a sense of calm with colorful lighting and sounds of the environment.

A massage room with green walls and a large cherry blossom tree with lights in it, glass plants and coconut lamps covered in fake ivy.

A massage room with teal blue walls and an undersea theme where Atlantis like pillars on the walls hold up coral and glass bubbles while fake kelp cover shelving.

Biomes

PHILOSOPHY

MEET THE THERAPISTS

HALF ANATOMY | HALF INTUITION

COLTON HUGHES

PRONOUNS | HE/HIM
GRADUATE @ IRENE'S MYOMASSOLOGY INSTITUTE
HIS MASSAGE IN 3 WORDS | Consistent, thorough, tranquilizing
COLTON'S BOOKS ARE CLOSED

When I was a kid, my mom asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I told her, "I want to be a wizard!" She would also have me rub her sore back after a long day at an early age. Massage became a normal part of my life. It led to me joining in on massage circles with friends at lunch in high school. As I matured into adulthood, my curious nature and thirst for knowledge wanted more.

In 2009, I discovered Irene's Myomassology Institute. Upon entering its doors, I knew that this is where I wanted to be. I excelled through the course and 12 months later, I was official after all of these years. Except, I was also advancing in the restaurant industry - where I would remain for 6 years as a general manager - until an opportunity for to work in a spa arose. Weighing my options, I felt that a job with less stress would be better. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life.

After spending nearly two years at the spa, I got to work on many different bodies and experience an array of medical conditions and injuries. I specialized in deep tissue work and quickly became one of the most requested therapists there until I decided to break out on my own. That's when Element Massage was born.

Since May 2015, I have been exclusively treating clients to not only deep relaxation, but therapeutic bodywork. Element Massage was inspired by the wonders of nature and the healing powers that it contains. I wanted to harness it and channel it in a creative way. One of the most frequent compliments that I am given by my clients is that my hands are magic. Turns out...I grew up to be a wizard after all.

As Element Massage grows, I want to enable other massage therapists so that they can share their magic and experience with those in need of bodywork. Downtown Lansing has a bright future ahead and I am thrilled to be apart of it's transformation!

CARYN DISBROW

PRONOUNS | SHE/HER
GRADUATE @ BLUE HERON ACADEMY
HER MASSAGE IN 3 WORDS | Nurturing, intuitive, targeted

In 2009, I graduated from Blue Heron Academy, a school in Grand Rapids geared toward the medical side of massage. After practicing in my personal life for a few years, I decided to make it my full-time career in 2015.

I care about helping people feel good both physically and mentally, and I truly believe that massage can be a transformative experience for both the body and the mind. As someone who's been on the receiving end of a massage, I know how powerful it can be to simply pause and reset from the demands of daily life.

For me, massage is a way of nourishing people. Through the power of touch, I'm able to connect with clients on a deep level and provide them with a sense of comfort and care that they may not find elsewhere.

Aside from massage, I'm also interested in herbalism and making tinctures. I find that these practices complement my work as a massage therapist, as they allow me to approach healthcare in a more holistic and natural way.

Ultimately, I believe that massage is a meditative practice that slows life down and allows us to reconnect with our bodies and our breath. Whether you're seeking relief from physical pain, stress, or just want to treat yourself to a little self-care, I'm here to provide a safe and nurturing space for you to do just that.

WYATT RUSS

PRONOUNS | HE/HIM
GRADUATE @ LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE
HIS MASSAGE IN 3 WORDS | Reenergizing, relief, anatomical

My vocational direction after high school took me down many paths. I knew I wanted to do something health and wellness related but I couldn’t figure out what it was going to be. Was I going to go down the path to become a physicians assistant? Or go the more emergency oriented route of an EMT. I spent a semester or two exploring these avenues and others before finding something that spoke to me.

I was always the tall skinny guy and in an effort to build the body I wanted I spent more and more time in the gym. 2 hours a day 6 days a week. After a few years of this I thought to myself “why am I not getting paid to spend time in a gym?”. The next day as I was listening to a music streaming service I heard an ad that talked about becoming a personal trainer and my path finally became clear to me.

Since 2013 I have helped countless clients in their own individual exercise paths. The human anatomy has always fascinated me and personal training was a great way to share my interest. But I wanted to learn more. My passion was growing stagnant and I made the decision to enroll in the massage therapy program at LCC in 2018.

After graduating in 2019 and getting my license it only took 5 hours until I gave my first massage. I was a wide eyed newbie trying to find my way. I always enjoy sharing information about the human body and massage has helped me do just that. Over the past 4 years I have made it my goal to learn as much as I can to provide the best experience to my clients. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing massage to get your mind off the day or a comprehensive functional massage I can assure you that you will leave feeling lighter and ready to take on the day!."

MACK CORNELISON

PRONOUNS | SHE/HER
GRADUATE @ LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE
HER MASSAGE IN 3 WORDS | Intuitive, precise, grounding

I think there are two things that have the biggest impact on how we thrive and grow as humans- connection to ourselves and connection to others. Massage therapy opened the door to both of these in my life.

Before becoming a massage therapist, I spent 4 years after college as a 5th-12th grade teacher. I tried my best to put my heart and soul into building trust and connections with my students each day, but from the start I was coming home feeling unfulfilled and out of place. Anxiety and depression set in and took a toll on my mind and body. I began having pain in both of my knees that was so intense that I could hardly walk around the block without needing a break. I didn't understand at the time how my anxiety and depression could have led to this pain, but I knew that I needed to address the issue.

My connection to myself really started to form when I started physical therapy to help strengthen my muscles and massage therapy to help release the tension of the pain I had been carrying. I realized how much power I had over my own health and how much I could actually help my own body heal with the facilitation of physical therapists and massage therapists. This led me to learn more about how nourishing foods, movement habits, and mindfulness practices could support me and help me connect back to myself. Learning about my own health and body felt like a magic trick, a hidden secret that wasn't shared with me growing up.

I was eager to share this "secret" with my friends and family and anyone who would listen, but I knew I needed to learn more. I found Lansing Community College's Massage Therapy program that allowed me to take classes at night while still teaching full time- It was meant to be.

Within days of starting classes I knew that I had found my place. Connecting to other people through massage and helping them learn about how they could heal and feel better was an incredibly healing experience for me too. My passion for massage therapy grew as my clients returned again and again with positive results from the massages and self care tips that I was providing. Needless to say, I was finally coming home fulfilled and feeling more connected to myself and others than ever before.

My main goal as a massage therapist is to help you feel better and address your goals through knowledgeable, relaxing, and therapeutic techniques, all while rediscovering the connection and power you have within yourself. I’m beyond excited to be part of the Element Massage and I can’t wait to connect with you!

TJ SMITH

PRONOUNS | HE/HIM
GRADUATE @ BLUE HERON ACADEMY
HIS MASSAGE IN 3 WORDS | Detailed, deep, restorative

After years of working in the mental health field, I felt exhausted. I came in starry eyed and
excited to change people’s lives but found myself in a one-sided professional relationship more often
than not. I felt that I gave more than I received for years and suffered from burnout.

I sought the refuge of nature and hiking to reclaim my sense of self and recover. During this
time, I also discovered medical massage. Through this sect of massage, I felt both the physical and
mental stress and strains disappear. I’d never felt this through massage before and found myself
working harder to reclaim what I’d lost while working with my massage therapist.

Health has always been a core value of mine, and the longer I received medical massage the
more I grew interested in offering these benefits to others, especially after realizing the mutual
relationship between client and therapist. While I worked to improve my health and life, my therapist
was there aiding me along the way. This sparked me to learn medical massage through Blue Heron
Academy in Grand Rapids.

Through school I learned fast and became a natural. Not only was I keeping myself healthy and
strong, but I was helping others do the same. Fast forward four years and I’ve accrued a vast wealth of
experience and knowledge when it comes to treating injuries and stress. I’m so excited to continue
expanding my knowledge and talents to treat clients through Element Massage.

SHANE STAHL

PRONOUNS | HE/HIM
GRADUATE @ DOUGLAS J AVEDA INSTITUTE
HIS MASSAGE IN 3 WORDS | Peaceful, healing, serendipitous

If I somehow turned back time and spoke to a younger version of myself, I think he would yell, “What happened? We had a plan!” I would say, “This is the plan.” Sometimes life works in mysterious ways. It will hit us bluntly, or push us softly as we sway back and forth. We humans experience the joys, sorrows, irritations, and insecurities of the world through our minds and bodies. It matures us in ways we sometimes don’t even realize.

Experiencing the world in my younger mind, I wanted nothing more than to help others. Animals or people. I grew up thinking I was going to be a veterinarian. That became the plan. I would watch Dr. Pohl, DR. Oakley, and Animal Planet on tv non-stop. I would write down the procedures used that the doctors would perform, or interesting facts about wildlife. The anatomy of life spoke to me, even in school.

Fast Forward to high school, I did a job shadow at a local veterinary clinic. I was so excited to see everything first hand, but after experiencing a real office like that with so much bustling around me; I knew the stress would be too much for me. I was lost as the life I planned out in perfect detail was wiped clean and I became desperate to find something new.

One day, a woman from Douglas J Institute visited my school and mentioned Massage Therapy. A peaceful job that allowed me to continue to help others and my research in anatomy was the spark it took. A month after I graduated, I enrolled in Douglas J’s massage therapy program and was introduced to a vast world of knowledge beyond just basic anatomy. I learned physiology of the body, the structures of energy, and the emotions and complexities of the human mind. Something else I was not expecting was to meet some incredible people and learn and grow with them.

Everything I have experienced in the past, has led me to this point. I hope to continue to expand my knowledge further in the realm of massage, so I can continue to help, connect, and grow with others. Be it animals or people. “So younger me, the plan was not to be just a veterinarian. The plan was to help others and we are achieving that by living the life that was made for me. So do just that, live our life. No matter where it takes us.”

Reviews

THE WORD AROUND TOWN

REVIEWS FROM OUR CLIENTS

SARAH J.

"It was clear to me he loves what he does and enjoys taking care of others. He is easy going, a good listener, asks the important questions, and is very professional."