Inspiring Conversations with Charity Williams of St John’s Therapeutic Massage

I was a stay-at-home mom with a passion for holistic healing and decided to go to school for massage and hopefully get a part-time job. But my marriage was not healthy; my mental and emotional health were suffering, and I needed to get out. Massage soon became my full-time job while finding a new life for myself and my small children. I worked at a small chain spa and realized in helping others by facilitating their healing, I found healing within myself. I wanted to do more for people but knew I would need to move out on my own to make that happen. I didn’t think I was ready for that. So I worked in a chain spa for 5 years before one of my clients saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. She said, “You don’t belong here. Have you ever thought about going out on your own?” And that was how St John’s Therapeutic Massage was born.

It has not been a smooth road. While I have had some help here and there that others may not have, most of us still go into this blind and struggle to figure it out as we go. Building relationships with people and earning their trust takes a lot of work. You make many mistakes and sometimes feel like you’ll never get it right. You question whether you are good enough. Will people think you’re a terrible therapist? Even though thousands have walked away saying things like “you have what the schools can’t teach” and “no one has ever been able to help me with this except you.” There’s still that negative self-talk that gets you down. I hired a coach who works solely with massage therapists. Her name is Rebecca de Azevedo. She’s taught me how to not only connect with people but also fight those inner demons we all deal with but don’t know how to overcome. Those inner demons affect every aspect of our lives, including owning a business. While I have always had a passion for helping people, she has helped me do the inner work so I can show up for my patients 100%. The struggle is real, as they say. But they are also how we grow and learn. When so many people need your help, you dig your heels in and push through those struggles because you have a gift that needs to be shared with the world.

St John’s Therapeutic Massage is where women can have a safe place to let go. Emotional and mental health manifest themselves in different ways, including physical pain. We put everyone first and, most times, skip over ourselves together. Our bodies scream at us in pain, and we ignore it because “I don’t have time for that.” So many of us women were not taught that caring for ourselves is just as important as caring for others. My background is abuse, both as a child and as an adult, and a total lack of self-care. While not all women come from abuse, we still weren’t taught that it’s okay to take care of ourselves in all the aspects that truly matter. I built a practice that I hope to be a beacon of light for women. One thing that sets me apart is speaking with my clients before I book with them so that they can get an idea of what I do and see if it’s a good fit for us. Not everyone needs what I offer, and that is more than okay. If they have a need that I cannot fulfill, then I am more than happy to help them find the right therapist.

Also, all of my services are tailored to each woman. Everything I use to help them is toxin free and beneficial to their bodies, from the mediums I use to massage with, to the therapeutic grade essential oils to the foot scrubs I use on their feet. I also offer cupping, which is extremely beneficial! None of it is an “upgrade.” It’s all-inclusive. And there is no tipping.

 I take the time to get to know them. I reach out to them with a follow-up call or text to see how they respond to the treatments. I want these women to know that they are valued and to see that the more they take care of themselves, the better they will feel about themselves and the more they will have to offer the ones they love.

 My logo is chai and a sunrise; Chai is Hebrew for life. The sunrise is a symbol of a new day, a new beginning. I hope people will come to recognize it as a sign of hope and restoration. I think if I had to choose just one thing I am proud of…It

 would be my clients. They show up for themselves. They put in the work to make and keep their appointments and do the homework. They inspire me to keep going.

I want to inspire others with similar backgrounds to do the work to heal themselves and dare to dream. We are either at the cause or effect of life. We can let things happen to us and stay in the unhealthy patterns that life seems to throw at us, or we can take the reins and change our own destiny.