LANE CURLEE Business Reporter

Wife, mom and entrepreneur Kelsey Marquardt has recently opened her massage therapy practice, Sage and Sound Bodywork, inside StartWell Chiropractic at 607B South Polk Street in Tullahoma. However, the term massage therapy only begins to define the services Mrs. Marquardt offers.

A native of South Carolina, Mrs. Marquardt knew she wanted a career in the medical field when she took her first Anatomy and Physiology course in the 11th grade. After high school graduation, she moved to the Florida Panhandle where she earned a diploma and started her career in massage therapy. She married, had her first child and moved to Murfreesboro. She and her husband now have three children and for the past several years her focus has been on her family.

Mrs. Marquardt has since become licensed as a massage therapist again but has approached her career differently this time. “Rather than a means to just get a paycheck or give as many massages as I could weekly, I was ready to commit to more training and new certifications. I truly want to help people heal rather than provide a temporary fix until they’re in pain again.”

Over the past several years, Mrs. Marquardt started studying and applying natural alternatives for healing for herself and her family. She became fascinated with the nervous system and how drastically imbalances can affect bodies and minds. She found various modalities that could help improve nervous systems experienced by those that live with disabilities, autism and neurological disorders.

“My hope is for these holistic therapies to increase patients’ quality of life and expand their abilities so less interventions, surgeries or medications may be needed,” said Mrs. Marquardt.

When asked how she arrived at the name Sage and Sound Bodywork, Mrs. Marquardt offered, “The word ‘Sage’ means ‘wise’ and ‘Sound’ can mean both ‘secure’ and ‘healthy’. I strongly believe in the healing power of frequencies, music and sound. A wise, secure and healthy nervous system is the ultimate goal.”

Mrs. Marquardt offers customized massage therapy sessions individually tailored to each client each time they receive care. “The care is determined by the client’s acute or chronic concerns, their goals, their level of stress and their preferences. I focus on nurturing their nervous system by releasing physical, mental and emotional tension and restoring balance and harmony in the body and mind.”

In addition to the standard massage therapies, Sage and Sound Bodywork offers CranioSacral Therapy, Lymphatic Drainage and Pediatric Touch Therapy. In the latter therapy, Mrs. Marquardt was trained by Tina Allen, founder of Liddle Kidz Foundation. This therapy is a specialized form of bodywork for infants, teens and children promoting nervous system regulation and healthy development.

Sage and Sound Bodywork offers monthly memberships. Memberships provide a discounted price, priority booking and ‘add-ons’ like red light therapy are complimentary. Every six months of memberships, clients can add a complimentary 15 minutes to each session.

Mrs. Marquardt stressed her clients are toddlers through adults and her services are beneficial from the womb to the tomb.

Appointments can be made at www. m assagebook. com/ sage- and- soundbodywork or 615-580-2135.

Lane Curlee can be reached at lcurlee@lighttube.net or 581-0360.