Today we’d like to introduce you to Summer Lane
Summer, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In 2008 I had attended college for a few years, but I decided to take a break because I was unsure what direction I wanted to take my life. I was working in the restaurant industry – something I started in high school. By the end of 2009 I felt like I had more to offer people than simply food and drinks. I had met a few coworkers over the years who went to school for massage therapy, and I found that so intriguing. I loved the idea of being able to help others in a holistic way. I enrolled at Miller-Motte College in Cary, North Carolina, and in January of 2010 I began my massage journey. In May the following year, I graduated with honors and was able to obtain my North Carolina Massage Therapist License. I worked at Ashforth Chiropractic for about a year and a half before I decided to spread my wings and move to Colorado in 2012. While I love North Carolina, I wanted to be closer to my extended family in New Mexico and Texas. I worked in a chiropractic office briefly, but when I became pregnant I decided to take a break from massage. Although I worked in restaurants at night, I spent my days raising my son, Austin. He and I would wake up early and go on all sorts of adventures. Most days I would strap Austin to my back, and we would find different parks to walk to. We frequently visited the Denver Zoo and the Natural Science Museum. When Austin was 3, he and I moved to North Carolina. He started elementary school in 2019, and I decided to get back to doing what I love – being a massage therapist. I worked at White Dahlia for just under five years where I was the lead massage therapist for two and a half years. I made numerous lifelong connections with clients and coworkers, and I was able to grow in my professional and personal life through my experiences there. 2024 was the year I decided to venture out on my own as a massage practitioner, and I am overjoyed I did. Owning a business comes with its challenges, but it has given me the opportunity to be a mom who is more physically and mentally present.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My career overall has been fairly smooth, but there have certainly been some bumps and detours on the road. Becoming a massage therapist was difficult in some ways. Massage therapy school demanded a lot of reading and memorization, then we had to apply this knowledge into massage treatments. The licensure process can be overwhelming because there are a number of requirements outside of simply going to school. A background check is required, a certification exam, and in the NC Board of Massage Therapy requires each applicant to provide references from people in the medical field. Once licensed, I fell into a groove pretty quickly. Although becoming pregnant was something I had not planned for at that time, but I was able to figure out what worked best for my son and me.
The biggest obstacle I have faced thus far has been starting my own business. I had gained such a large following while working at a busy spa – I was booked twelve weeks out consistently for years! I also had health insurance and other perks for working as a W2 employee, but I felt like I was consumed with work. I had lost sight of why I had become an LMT, so when a friend mentioned having a room available to rent in her office, I decided to take the leap. Despite the challenges of being an entrepreneur, I find myself much happier and more at peace overall, and I truly believe this makes me a more effective massage therapist.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As a massage therapist I am knowledgeable about anatomy and physiology. It is important in my line of work to understand not only how muscles work, but the symbiotic relationship the body and the mind have. I specialize in therapeutic massage in which I combine both Swedish and deep tissue massage techniques to promote overall healing. Swedish massage is known for its relaxing benefits and deep tissue gets down to the nitty gritty knots people can’t seem to get rid of, so my clients get the best of both worlds! I specialize in TMJ-dysfunction, which is a condition that is known to cause tension headaches, jaw clicking and popping, ringing in the ears, and neck discomfort. I also love adding cupping to massage sessions. I place silicon cups at different points along the body and create a vacuum which lifts fascia (the webbing around the muscles) to increase blood circulation to the area. More circulation equals more oxygen, and every body could use more of that! I am proud to be a very well-rounded massage therapist who truly cares about the clients I work with. My goal is for them to achieve what I refer to as “maintenance mode,” where they come in for their monthly massage with no major complaints. One client of mine described my massage perfectly, “That was deep but not traumatizing,” and I believe this truly sets me apart.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I think tenacity has been (and will continue to be) crucial for success in my life. Nothing goes exactly the way we imagine, so I have found creating alternate plans just in case a curve ball or two comes my way. My hard-work and flexibility has proven to take me to places I never thought possible.
Pricing:
- 60 minute massage $90
- 90 minute massage $120
- Cupping add-on $15
- Hot stone add-on $15
- Foot scrub add-on $15
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bit.ly/4cWuBbt
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/summertranquilityllc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558713383210
