TANYA CHRISTIE; Owner - Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa Thornhill, Ontario "From Banker

Being the first Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa has been an amazing experience and a complete change in my life. I was the Director of an Anti-Money Laundering department in a major Canadian bank when the economic crunch came in 2008. After 25 years in cutting edge projects and development I took a package and a good look at my prospects. It seemed a hard blow, but it was a gift that allowed me to change my life for the better.

One visit changed my life. I was pursuing options at an executive placement firm and a franchise broker provided me with a massage to de-stress at Hand & Stone’s corporate flagship location, which had just opened. Ironically, my

response was: ‘Thank you for the lovely gesture, as long as we are clear that I am NOT getting into the massage business’.

After my treatment, I was so relaxed that I couldn’t spell my name. I looked around, liked the atmosphere and ambience and saw that it had real opportunity. Normally for a massage, you’re either in a very sterile clinic environment or you’re going to an upscale spa where it’s very expensive.

To be able to provide a professional and affordable massage in a really warm and inviting atmosphere was something that I thought had tremendous potential. As the popular slogan goes, my heart said ‘Just Do It’. It’s a unique niche in the market, there is no one else offering what we do in the elegant way we do it.

It’s a completely different world running my own business. I love being able to create a good solid team, and having my time organized as I see fit. It gave me the freedom to restructure my working hours to take care of my mother

last year when she was dying. I wouldn’t have been able to do this in the corporate world and still be there for her. Last April I had the pleasure of giving myself some time off to proudly witness my husband James Christie receive the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Award for his contribution to Canadian Sport.

I came from a high-stress environment of battling international money laundering and now I’m in charge of my schedule and enjoying the rewards of making people feel better. I have a great connection with my clients and it

means a lot to me when they say we improve the way they perform in athletic competition, or recover from surgery, or just feel better day-to-day. I love the fact that my services really make a difference to people. When a client comes in pain and leaves with a smile, when relationships develop to the point that people bring me pictures of their new children or grandchildren, I feel wonderful to be part of a community.

Massage really does reduce your stress and soothe your aches. When was the last time you enjoyed an affordable massage with a Registered Massage Therapist that eased your backaches and headaches, increased your flexibility and range of motion and improved your circulation?

Over 60% of Canadians feel the overload of all their roles and regularly end the day with neck pain. About 35% have sleeping problems because they are stressed out. We are making ourselves sick. Take some ‘me time’ to reduce the stress and relieve the aches with massage. It gives back some balance to our hectic lives. Feeling more relaxed and healthy spills over into every part of your life, the way you relate to your family and colleagues.We have a free monthly membership program that makes it so affordable to have a massage regularly; it’s only $69.95 for a massage with a Registered Massage Therapist... so stop wasting your benefits and be healthier! We offer so many ways to feel better...Relaxation, Deep Tissue, Hot Stone, Couples and Prenatal massages are all provided in a warm and inviting atmosphere right in your backyard in the heart of Thornhill at Bathurst and Centre Streets. And take advantage of our fabulous facials that are not a luxury, they focus on your skin health. Our highly trained Skin Therapists can help reduce the signs of aging, improve your complexion, re-hydrate & rejuvenate your skin, and reduce your skin sensitivity.

The key is simple: people like what we do and we do it well.

Located in: SmartCentres Thornhill

Address: SmartCentres Thornhill, 11 Disera Dr #250, Thornhill, ON L4J 0A7

Phone: (905) 771-1772