Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony LaValle.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Funny enough, I did not start out wanting to be a massage therapist at all. I was originally pursuing a game development career. After some miscommunication I ended up in a different, somewhat similar program that was not what I signed up for, so I pulled out and went back to what I knew best at the time, manual labor.
Before massage school I worked as a lab technician for a building inspection company on Long Island. We tested everything from soil and concrete to firewalls, so my world was hard hats, job sites, and long days. I have always had a strong work ethic and a very hands on mindset.
I stumbled across an ad for a massage therapy school and decided to check it out. Within the first semester I completely fell in love with the work. There was no big lightning bolt moment of “this is my calling,” but looking back it makes sense. I grew up watching my mom and I have always had this caring, nurturing mentality. Over the past year especially, I have realized there was always a reason I ended up on this path, even if I did not see it clearly at first.
I went through a little over a 2.5 year massage program while working full time, and I graduated in 2014. I chose to take it slow on purpose so I could really soak everything in and build a strong foundation instead of just rushing to get the license. I was also the first person in my family to graduate from college, so that milestone meant a lot.
Most of my earlier massage jobs were in franchises. If you can name the big chains, I probably worked for at least one of them, and I also spent some time in a chiropractor’s office in New York. Those years taught me a lot. The biggest lesson was that no one is going to protect your best interest for you. When people see that you work hard, they will often ask for more, and more, and more. I had to learn where my limits were and how to take care of myself so I could genuinely take care of my clients.
Eventually I moved to North Carolina and started out in North Raleigh. I ended up landing a job at a franchise in Holly Springs, and that was a turning point. The community there was the best I had ever experienced in my entire career up to that point. The support, the conversations, the people who came in, it all felt very different. I told myself that the moment I had a real chance, I was moving out to Holly Springs, and I did exactly that.
Dosha Bodywork & Wellness officially started on May 8th, 2025. The name itself came from an ex-partner of mine who helped me realize what was right in front of me the whole time. Even though that relationship did not work out, the name and the concept were exactly right. Around three years ago I found a guru and stumbled into meditative based yoga, and I eventually became vegetarian. My outlook on life shifted in a big way. I started bringing those principles into my daily life and into my work.
We live in a world where science and speed tend to dominate, and I think a lot of people underestimate how much of a difference a more organic lifestyle can make. Everything in my studio suite is organic based, from the products I use down to the sheets my clients are lying on. I think that is a big part of why my sessions feel so powerful for the people who are willing to receive them fully. The environment, the intention, and the quality of what touches their skin all matter.
One of the hardest ongoing lessons for me has been fighting the discount mentality that is everywhere. People are used to deals, coupons, and “what can I get for less.” Our turning point as a business was creating an intro rate. Prices in our area are all over the place, and what is often missing is a real level of care. Nobody wants to pay full price for a session that does not meet their expectations, and I respect that. The intro rate was designed to let people experience what I do, to prove that I am worth every cent, and to help them feel confident investing in their health.
The clients who found me along the way and stuck with me are the ones who truly got me to where I am today. I have an incredible client support system on Facebook, especially from the ladies of Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina, and I do not take that lightly.
What makes my massage experience different is simple. I cannot stand cookie cutter sessions. I do not believe your body, your stress, and your life are the same as the next person’s, so every session with me is customized and usually looks different from the last. I work a lot with people who have active desk jobs, business owners who are under constant pressure, and partners like gyms, yoga studios, and other wellness businesses that want better care for their people.
Right now, one of my big projects is incorporating a head spa experience into my offerings. Looking ahead, my goal is to grow into a storefront, and maybe one day have a small franchise presence around Wake County, always with quality above everything else. At the heart of it, my story is about taking a hands on work ethic, a caring mindset, and an organic lifestyle, and turning it into a space where high performing people can finally slow down, feel genuinely cared for, and get their bodies back on their side again.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of my ongoing struggles has been the discount mentality. Massage has been treated like a “deal” industry for a long time, especially when people are used to coupons and membership chains. A lot of people want high quality work for the lowest possible price. On my side, I am investing in organic products, organic sheets, continuous training, and a level of presence that is not cookie cutter. Educating people on why that has real value has taken time. Creating an intro rate helped a lot, because it allowed people to experience what I do without feeling like they were taking a big financial risk, but it was born out of that struggle of “I know what my work is worth, now how do I help you feel that too.”
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Dosha Bodywork & Wellness is my massage and bodywork studio based in Holly Springs, and at its core it is a place for high performing people to finally slow down, reset, and feel genuinely cared for. I work a lot with people who live at a desk but push their bodies hard outside of work, business owners who carry a lot on their shoulders, and wellness focused businesses that want better care for their teams.
What I do is therapeutic massage and bodywork that is fully customized. I pull from deep tissue, more focused therapeutic work, lymphatic style techniques, stretching, and tools like cupping or heated scraping when they are appropriate. I am not interested in giving the same routine to every person. I cannot stand cookie cutter sessions, so no two appointments ever feel exactly the same. I listen to what you tell me, but I also listen with my hands and adjust as we go.
One of the biggest things that sets my space apart is how much intention goes into the environment and the lifestyle behind it. A few years ago I got into meditative based yoga, found a guru, and became vegetarian. That shifted how I see health and how I run my business. Everything in my suite is organic based, from the products I use down to the sheets you are lying on. I believe that what you put on your body, what you breathe in, and the pace you move at during a session all matter. Clients often say the work feels “different,” and I think a big part of that is the combination of technique, presence, and a truly clean, grounded environment.
I am also proud of how I approach value. One of the hardest ongoing battles in this industry is the discount mentality. My answer to that was creating an intro rate, not to cheapen the work, but to remove the fear of paying full price for a session that might not meet your expectations. The intro rate is my way of saying, “Come in, feel what I actually do, and then decide.” Once people experience the level of care and detail, they usually understand why I charge what I charge. I also like to quietly add in small upgrades when it makes sense, like a bit of cupping, heated scraping, aromatherapy, or some extra warmth on a cold day, not as a sales pitch but because it is what your body needs.
Brand wise, I am most proud of the community that has formed around Dosha. I have a very strong client support system, especially from the women of Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina, and many of my best clients have come through their word of mouth. When people describe my brand, they talk about feeling truly seen, not rushed, and treated like a person rather than a time slot. That means more to me than any logo or slogan.
For readers, what I want you to know is this: Dosha Bodywork & Wellness is for people who value quality and real results. If you are an individual with an active desk job, a business owner who wants to take care of your employees, or a gym, yoga studio, or wellness space looking for a trusted bodywork partner, this is the kind of work I do. I am currently in the process of incorporating a head spa experience into my offerings, and my longer term vision is to grow into a storefront and eventually a small, high quality presence around Wake County. No matter how big it gets, the standard stays the same. Quality above everything else, and every session treated like it actually matters, because it does.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Reserved, quiet, observing. Grow up in a semi abusive household (one parent). It’s only strengthened my intuition and made me the therapist I am today!
Pricing:
- $62.50 Intro Rate 60 minute massage
- $275 105 minute Lymphatic Drainage
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.doshabodyworkwellness.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doshabodyworkwellnessllc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Dosha-Bodywork-Wellness-LLC/61569470613759/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doshabodyworkwellnessllc/
- Twitter: https://x.com/doshabodywork
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@doshabodyworkwellnessllc
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dosha-bodywork-and-wellness-holly-springs-2
