Meet Ravit Michener | Advanced Neuromuscular therapist, certified wellness coach, Ayurvedic practitioner, yoga and Pilates instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ravit Michener and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ravit, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
When we first moved to town in 1992 there was only one very small massage clinic. We were amazed at the lack of therapy/ spa available at the time. Estes Park is only 7500 year round residents, with a large young retiree population. These clients are avid hikers and outdoorsman, this population really benefitted from massage therapy and different forms of bodywork. It was important for us to fill a void in healthcare, as we know the Dr office is not the end of the road for so many looking for help with ache bodies and stressed out minds. Fast forward 30 years our business continues to provide much needed muscle work for those who must have it due to injuries or simply aging as well as helping locals with their wellness routines. The added piece is the popularity of bodywork and spa treatments for the general population and how common it is to get services while on vacation.

When we are able to relax fully in a safe environment we come back to our best selves. We do believe the world would be a kinder place if everyone took some time to relax and let go

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Art really was my first love. Health and healing to me is spawned from creativity. We create alot of our products, research treatments and mostly creating the harmonious environment is much more then the quintessential fountain and soothing music you would expect at a spa. My husband is a full time artist and his work – from full size sculptures along the river to wall art to the entry gate to our secret garden is one of a kind and is photographed alot – we also sell art/ sculptures to whomever is interested

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well you can’t come to Estes and not enjoy Rocky Mountain National Park. Our spa sits less then 2 miles from the entrance. Depending on the time of year we would get our gear ready put on some boots fill up the water bottles and head WEST. The park is huge and extremally well layed out for extensive hikes as well as short super scenic strolls. Getting out in the middle of the wilderness is easy. Wild life around the Estes Valley is so plentiful we like to call it Disney land for animals.
MacGregor Ranch were one of the families that homesteaded this valley and they have a working farm as well as a museum to show guests what life was like up here at the turn of the century. Their location is idyllic and absolutely stunning.
The YMCA has a totally fun craft shop to create all kinds of lovely things for those that like to be creative and their horseback riding is on their private grounds bordering the national park, so beautiful.

For Authentic Native American jewelry lovers we would head out to Charles Eagle Plume off HWY 7. Situated in a rustic log cabin for over 100 years this treasure of a collection has museum quality beaded work moccasins leather and so much amazing jewelry it is a marvel. Purchasing a piece from then supports native artists as well

Seasoned Restaurant is a small chef owned gem that has limited seating and right downtown in a lovely location overlooking bond park. I love the food and the quaintness of the place.

Kind Coffee is our local coffee shop located in downtown and right on the river for your morning brew. Another fun thing to do in good weather is head out to lake Estes and rent a kayak or a pontoon boat and enjoy the lake for the day.

And not trip is complete with out a trip to our wellness spa where we would get the Crystal Mountain treatment that includes sound healing, chakra balancing as well as an infrared wrap and a full body massage!!!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are many who helped make our clinic a thriving success for the last 30 years. First off our clients! We have seen so many clients over the years and have formed such strong bonds with them. We know each others family’s and celebrate our lives events with each other. That one to one contact on such a personal level is the foundation of our success. Being present with people and holding a space is so critical to what we do. We thanks them for their support for all of these years.
My husband has been behind my 100% in this journey. His encouragement his mad skills to create and fix anything has created a harmonious environment for all of us to reside and work in.
In my early years I took on a fairly advanced training in Neuromuscular Therapy and feel like it taught me so much about the body and how it works, it has been crucial piece in how to work with injured clients above and beyond the regular ” massage session”
I also want to shout out to a Dr Howton who was the owner of Timberline Medical – a family practice clinic with 4 Dr treating the community here, He felt that bodywork was so important he hired me 1 day a week to work with his clients. This was a clientele that would not normally come to a massage clinic for relief.

I had the opportunity to work and educate clients that would never see me normally in the ” non medical ” setting as well as work with other practitioners understanding medical diagnostic reports and really understand what the medical community has to deal with on their end of providing a service ie: working with insurance companies or clients that are unable to help themselves despite their condition – example continue smoking with they can barely breathe. That experience lasted 8 years at Timberline Medical and I was fully enriched by it

Website: www.elementsoftouchestespark.com

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