Get ready to have an unforgettable massage, in a style you have yet to experience. And it’s the most unlikely place you would think to find it – Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
The Studio
Nestled in the back lot of a small complex, Studio 2 Massage Therapy is some place you’ve most likely never heard of, but will want to learn lots about.
Owner, and professional massage therapist Ken Howard has been in the business since 1993. Even according to him, it’s something of an uncommon miracle that his hands are still able to function to the strong ability they can after all these years. Generally speaking, people who go into the industry of massage therapy burn out after a few years, because they incur any number of physical problems. But not Ken. He’s stayed strong for 30 years, and his business has too.
Moving to Cape Girardeau 9 years ago for a personal relationship, he hails from St. Louis. His partner, who owns a hair salon down stairs from Ken, named his shop Studio 1. Stealing the idea, Ken decided to mirror the name by calling his place “Studio 2”.
To see more photos of Studio 2, click here
When asked what his specialties are when it comes to massaging, Ken tells me that he likes to focus on each individual’s needs.
“I like to find the trouble areas and release them through a variety of techniques of varying pressure and duration. My goal is to find a person’s threshold of intensity balanced with still being able to relax into the pressure instead of tensing against it. This often results in the client experiencing a deep state of relaxation without being awake or asleep but somewhere in between. It can be very powerful and sometimes even emotional for the client.”
And let me assure, it is powerful, relaxing and all of the above. I found myself nodding off when he was massing my feet simultaneously speaking to me in hushed tones.
He goes on by saying,
“I really love the energy that can be shared between people in a healing safe space. When I am working in my massage room with my client there is a sense of comfort and creativity that I don’t know I would be able to experience in any other profession.”
He acknowledges that one of the benefits of his job is meeting new clients from far and wide.
“Travel is a huge importance in my life and I always welcome hearing about other people’s cities, towns, hamlets and their travels as well. People are so different from place to place and learning from that is a real gift.”
Prior to owning his own business, he’d never ventured in that direction before. He tells me it’s the best career decision he ever made. And because Ken is an artist as well, he’s soon expanding his little space to include an art space and relaxing environment to include his love of massage with his love of art.
And if you’re interested in seeing some of his work now rather than wait for that space to be built, you’re in luck. He already features some of his pieces on display throughout the massage studio.
“Often while practicing massage,” he says, “I get ideas drifting into my brain and many are of artistic creations. The large piece I have in my room at the moment is one of those. I just kept seeing it in my mind so I had to create it.”
And one more reason to love Ken? He has 2 cats and 2 dogs that he loves spending his free time with.
My Amazing Massage
The experience I had at Studio 2 was so great, and I loved not just the massage, but the massage therapist. Ken is someone who is kind, gracious and easy to talk to. He listens to you tell him where you’re having pain, and he also listens to your body – which is just as important. Working specifically on a big problem area that I have in my right shoulder blade, he beat it into submission until I couldn’t feel any pain any longer.
Using hot stones on my legs, doing cupping on the problem areas of my back, and executing one of the most incredible massages – combing deep tissue with relaxation, something I’ve personally never experienced before – he worked me all out and then some!
The soothing and relaxing space he works in is private, comfortable and peaceful.
With all of this, why wouldn’t you want to book your session with Ken Howard the next time you’re in Cape Girardeau? Just make sure that when you do, you let him know that Lisa sent you!
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