Exploring Life & Business with Vered Seaton of Opuntia Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Vered Seaton.

Hi Vered, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory. 
Becoming a massage therapist is a “later” in life career change for me. I grew up a shy introverted kid in a tourist town where my parents had a small pizza parlor and a fudge shop. Working retail was like theatre for me; I could be a different character of myself, more confident. I also discovered creating art was a wonderful place for me to go and be who I wanted. My undergraduate and graduate work was in Art History and Art Education (albeit I dropped out of graduate school) because art is another way to reach people. I didn’t think I could make a living with art, so I resorted back to retail and management and loved it for years until one day, it just wasn’t as fun anymore. So, I quit my job, traveled a bit, moved back to Raleigh (my third time living here), and took a year or so to reinvent myself. Massage kept popping up in odd ways. I have relied on massage & acupuncture to help me feel better, so as massage kept presenting itself, I decided to pursue it. I’ve always tried to help people be happy and heal either through food or art and now through touch. Early on, I saw how attentive customer service made people light up. I could bring a smile to their face just by saying hi & listening. That’s what I still do, I use my intuition to listen to clients’ bodies telling me what they need. I love massage! I’ve studied massage therapy, the science behind it, the philosophy of it, and how it relates/interacts with other Complementary Alternative Medicines (CAM) for a long time. As the result of all the effort I have put into my professional development, Opuntia Massage is a manifestation of who I am. I believe I have a special capacity to relate to every client individually and offer tailored care. I am passionate about massage and I think people can really sense that, I am grateful that my clients trust me. I give my best in every massage.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh, not exactly smooth, but it is leveling out every day. I did contract work as a massage therapist right out of massage school, but I knew I really wanted to have my own business, so I jumped in with both feet (and both hands). They say it takes about 4-5 years to really get a full schedule and build your clientele, and gain their trust; well, at my second anniversary of private practice, COVID hit and closed me down for a while. It has taken time to build the momentum back up. Another challenge is as an introvert, networking & advertising are a challenge for me, so I struggle with that, too. Years of customer service and the desire to try to help people heal have made the road a lot smoother. Truth be told, “Imposter Syndrome” will probably always be a challenge for me, too!

As you know, we’re big fans of Opuntia Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
I named my business Opuntia, pronounced “O-pun-she-ə,” as it is the genus name of the prickly pear cactus. In many cultures the prickly pear is a source of nutrients, medicine, and protection. It thrives in harsh environments and symbolizes adaptability, growth, determination, and health. And that is what I try to do with massage: help people thrive, heal, and adapt in their everyday environment. I want to help people find their mind/body connection, and I like to do that with lighter work. When someone says, “Dig in, I take a lot to pain,” my first thought is that we need to get them back to being sensitive and feeling again, you know? I love finding less aggressive ways to loosen tissues, and using cups and lymphatic massage both work great. Of course, trigger point and deep tissue modalities definitely have their place and can feel phenomenal, too. Lymphatic massage is a very light touch that stimulates the lymphatic system, which in turn helps the circulatory and nervous systems. We are conditioned to think if we have pain, it is either musculature or skeletal, but congestion causes inflammation, which causes pain, so helping alleviate the congestion through lymph work is amazing! Last year, I became a Certified Lymphatic Therapist & the more I do with it, the more fascinated I am with the outcome. My “Adaptive” massage includes any of the tools/modalities that I have learned and is customized for each client depending on what they need and want. I have some clients who are more anxious than others and have a strong need to feel more protected than others, so I came up with the  Stress Buster/Immune Booster massage that works only the feet, hands, & scalp. It is a shorter session, and clients remain fully clothed. My rates are set prices, I do not charge extra for add ons. I think that is something that sets me apart. I changed my pricing in 2022 to reflect what I feel is my worth and I stopped taking tips. Unexpectedly, that small change (no tipping) has made me more confident in my abilities.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Oh gosh, tough question. I think being happy & safe, feeling fulfilled, and helping others in some capacity all matter to me. Trust and common courtesy. And laughing. My friends mean the world to me, and I live for my dog Georgie and cat Bean.

Pricing:

• 60-minute Adaptive Massage $100
• 90-minute Adaptive Massage $145
• 75-minute Lymphatic Support Massage $135
• 60 minute MLD (manual lymph drainage) $100
• Immune Booster/Stress Buster 40-45 minutes $75

Contact Info:

• Website: opuntiamassage.com