Why I created Sanctuary: a women-only massage space in Breamore
Some people might think it’s a little bit strange to have something like Sanctuary as part of Run Fit Fordingbridge, especially if they’ve only known me for fitness, running and sports massage. I can absolutely see how that might come across as slightly unusual. But when you know a little bit more about me and really think about it, it actually makes perfect sense.
I started my career as a nurse over 30 years ago, and one of the key things they teach you as part of your nurse training is to look at people as a whole. You don’t just look at what they are presenting with, the issue or the condition. You look at the person, how that impacts on everything in their life, and also how everything in their life impacts upon them. So not just the fact that they may have a health condition which limits how they move, or means they can’t do certain movements or need to take certain medications, but how that affects their psychology, their identity and their ability to carry out their activities of daily living.
That training over 30 years ago has really stayed with me, throughout my career and in my current profession as founder of Run Fit Fordingbridge. It’s never left me. I fundamentally believe, and have experienced myself, the impact that not looking after our mental health can have. We all have mental health in the same way we all have physical health, and we have varying levels of both throughout our lives. But neglecting our mental health can be to our detriment.
Why Sanctuary?
I’ve been a qualified sports massage therapist and offered sports massage for around 10 years, really focusing on treatment, maintenance and recovery for the body. That has led me, for the predominance of my Run Fit career, to work with women, and women who are like me. As I’ve progressed through life and aged, I’ve also realised how important it is to take the time to relax.
I’ve been a fan of all varieties of massage, such as hot stone massage and relaxing massage, certainly for all of those 10 years, and I’ve had my share of spa breaks and days at spas. I’ve also experienced going to independent therapists for massage and had some fantastic massages and experiences. But I’ve always been aware there’s been another client coming in after me, or I’ve been in that place of being really relaxed and then had to come to, get off the couch, get in the car and go home straight away.
Whilst it’s always been lovely, it has felt like something has been missing - and that has been the ability to just relax after your massage and not rush out of the door.
Taking time out of your day or week, and having planned opportunities to relax
What I’ve experienced and observed over the years is that women are not particularly good at taking time out for themselves to relax. For some, it can feel frivolous. For some, it can feel like their time would be better spent lifting weights and getting sweaty. For others, it can feel like they should be doing something for somebody else. For some its actually all of those things.
But what I also know, from working with women over the years and from my own experience, is that if we don’t take something for ourselves and prioritise ourselves, it makes us less able to support others and have the resilience we need to keep going.
Not everything has to be high adrenaline. Strength work is fundamentally really important, as is cardio, as is supporting our families and friends and keeping everything running. But we can’t constantly have our engines on high revs and not take the time for ourselves, just to think of something else, have some peace and quiet, or actually have nothing asked of ourselves.
In light of Menopause Awareness Month and the upcoming World Menopause Day, I think we also need to remember that stress can be a hidden issue. As we go through perimenopause and menopause, we are potentially not as good at dealing with day-to-day stresses, and anxiety can become more of an issue. Being able to relax and take some time out can be really helpful in reducing those anxiety levels, and taking strategies to keep our day-to-day and long-term stress at a manageable level is something we can really do for ourselves.
Aches and pains can be quite common during perimenopause and menopause due to falling oestrogen levels, and pain and discomfort can cause an underlying level of stress. Sleep can be very challenging too, both staying asleep and having good quality sleep, and when we’re tired we’re less resilient to coping with day-to-day things.
Massage can be really beneficial for reducing those stress levels and making some of those aches and pains easier, which ultimately has a bearing on how we feel about life. You can read more about the evidence behind massage and stress in some of my other blogs.
The other driver behind the creation of Sanctuary was really thinking about what I would want for myself. I’ve always built Run Fit Fordingbridge around somewhere I would like to train and spend time, which is why the quality of the sessions and a really supportive, inclusive community have always been so important. So I’ve built Sanctuary along that same ethos, based on what I would be looking for myself.
Whilst I really enjoy a spa day like anybody else, what I don’t always want is to share the space. What I’m looking for is some nice peace and quiet, to disconnect for a while, relax and be looked after. I don’t necessarily want to share the space with other people or have their noise around me. For me, it’s also that sense of not being rushed, of feeling like you can sit in peace and quiet and really just relax, but still have an amazing hot stone massage, head massage, back, neck and shoulder massage, or facial if that’s what you want.
That’s really where Sanctuary has come from, plus, there’s the flexibility of online booking and not having to block out a whole day of your time.
So what I really wanted to do was create a relaxing and calm experience, the kind of environment you would expect in a really lovely, quality spa treatment room. Light and airy, with a relaxation area, and really high quality massage. So it’s everything all in one place, but in a really accessible way that doesn’t mean you have to take four or five hours out of your day.
Before I talk about what you can expect from Sanctuary, I do feel I need to reassure readers that what they are coming for is not a sports massage. I’ve already spoken about the fact that I am a sports massage therapist, but I am also qualified to do relaxation massage, hot stone massage, full body massage and side-lying massage. I also hold a specialist qualification in pregnancy massage. So don’t worry, I am a well-qualified therapist and have been practising for quite a lot of years. You will get that really effective massage in a beautiful space and a calm environment.
What can you expect when you come to Sanctuary?
The first thing to say is that flexibility is really important. You can book online yourself, see all the availability and get an immediate booking confirmation. I’ve intentionally made sure there’s availability on both days at the weekend, because life can be very busy and it’s nice to have the option of a Sunday appointment as well as a Saturday.
When you arrive at Sanctuary in Breamore, there’s plenty of parking outside, and it’s a beautifully relaxing environment on the walk up to the door. Sanctuary is a women-only space, designed for peace, quiet and relaxation. When you come in and sit in the relaxation area, we’ll go through some paperwork to make sure you’re feeling well, and then we’ll talk through what your booked treatment involves.
Hot stone massage is fantastic, but sometimes, especially for perimenopausal or menopausal women, hot stones are not a great idea on that particular day, as you may be feeling pretty warm. So on the day, you can absolutely change your mind about the hot stones and still have a really effective massage without them.
Sanctuary Restore focuses on back, neck, shoulders and a head massage, which is incredibly relaxing. There are lots of bolsters and pillows to keep you in a really comfortable position.
After your massage, you’ll move into the relaxation area, wearing a fluffy robe, where you’ll have a lovely foot soak. There are heated booties, and you can sit and relax in the chair with magazines and a drink of your choice for a good 10 to 15 minutes of relaxation time at the end. The hot booties are optional, and there are some cold options if you’re having a warm day.
The Sanctuary experience is the longer one, at around two and a half hours, and it’s more in line with all the amazing things from a spa day, without the pool. Two and a half hours can sound like a lot of time, but there’s an awful lot within it.
It’s a full body massage using hot stones (again, optional on the day), and it includes a foot massage as well. There’s a relaxation facial, so exactly what you would expect: cleansing, facial scrub, facial massage, toning, moisturising and a head massage as well. It’s incredibly relaxing.
Plus, you get that lovely relaxation time afterwards in your fluffy robe, in a comfortable chair where you can sit and sip your drink and look through some magazines if you wish.
Not forgetting, of course, the Sanctuary Mum-to-be and Sanctuary New Mum massages, which are side-lying full body massages, again with relaxation time built in. They also include a lovely foot massage, but as you would expect, there are no hot stones.
All of the products I chose for Sanctuary are high quality, vegan and not tested on animals, as that’s something again that I would be looking for myself, and I know lots of women feel the same way.
So my invitation to you is simple: take some time for yourself by visiting Sanctuary. You can book online using one of the links below, or give someone you know the chance to do the same with a gift voucher.
Sanctuary by Run Fit Fordingbridge,
Unit 2, Home Farm, Upper Street, Breamore SP6 2DD
About the author
I’m Sue, founder of Run Fit Fordingbridge and Sanctuary by Run Fit Fordingbridge. You can find out more about me by visiting the About Me page on the website.
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