Shortly after opening my first Wellness Center (in Tyler, Texas) I remember going to pick my daughter up from school, and running into a teacher from high school. I stood there chatting with him and the PTA president ( a close family friend). She inquired about the business which prompted my former teacher’s question– “So, what kind of business do you own?” ( with all the pride of a former educator and mentor), but my excited friend answered before I could give my normal pre-rehearsed spiel…” Oh! She does massage in her own place!”–Mr. Hamilton’s ( a 60+ year old Southern gentleman who was friends with practically every adult I knew–remember this IS Tyler, Texas) eyes became as wide as saucers–he gasped and looked at me in complete and utter shock– thus became the start of my constant explanation of why I wanted to make a career of “rubbing on people”.
I do not want to publicly bad mouth anyone– no matter how deserving-BUT-suffice it to say, I left a 10 year marriage in which I was completely miserable from giddyup to whoa. During those years, I lost my hair 3 times, my weight went up and down like a yo-yo, and my self esteem and confidence were shattered beyond recognition. So, in getting out of this marriage– I had some REAL healing to do, THAT is where my wellness journey began.

My family has always called me a hippie– some sort of misplaced bohemian princess– and coming out of this disastrous farce of a marriage, I believed sharing my path to healing would not only help me, but help others as well. I had always WANTED to adopt a clean diet, and healthy lifestyle. But TWO major things held me back– the FIRST– I was in the capital of HICKSVILLE, the heart of East Texas. Although this was a medical community, it’s also an environment where allotropic medicine RULES, and you can hear arteries harden from across a crowded room. There is no Whole Foods Market, and the closest you can get is a mom and pop outfit on the outskirts of town and three aisles at Drug Emporium– so you can imagine the look on people’s faces when they got a look at my menu of services–PURE CONFUSION.

Now the SECOND reason, I hadn’t completely committed to the lifestyle-now this is going to sound horrible, BUT– EVERYONE I saw who was committed to a healthy lifestyle, or ate a clean diet, well..they just looked-oh-well, they just looked like they’d been rode hard and hung up wet!!! Thin hair, sallow skin, lifeless eyes, I didn’t want to come through that storm still looking like one of those caged chickens who weren’t able to “free range”.

Now, i have always believed wellness and healing can take many forms. Wellness wasn’t just about your diet, or what multi-vitamin you take. I do believe in TOTAL wellness, MIND BODY, SPIRIT, and these forms can range from a physical cure to an emotional recovery to a step away from struggle toward peace, wholeness and freedom. For me, massage and body therapy, an understanding of how our systems work together, were the best way to bring those concepts of wellness to others. I prefer to work with clients by recommending a well thought out step by step protocol using various methods, herbs, homeopathy, and nutritional recommendations in order to help bring the body back into its natural state of health-strength & balance. My ultimate goal is to be a catalyst for growth & to give clients the ability to heal & control their own well being. At HC3– it is my commitment to give each client a truly exceptional and individualized experience.

Author: Diedre Clark is our Senior Body Therapist, she is a licensed massage therapist, specializing in Therapeutic Body Therapy, hot stone and tension headache stress release.