Meet Lauren Buruga | Licensed Massage Therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Buruga and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
When I first opened my spa in 2017, I took as many clients as I could. Everything was new and exciting, so I pushed myself to bring in as many people as I could. As my business grew and I gained more recurring clients, I realized that pushing myself to constantly do more was becoming detrimental to my wellbeing. It got to the point where the physical strain of doing deep tissue massage 5-6 days a week coupled with the mental exhaustion that comes with was going to cause a career burnout. I had to reevaluate how I organized my schedule, so I set strict boundaries for myself for when I would work and when I would have time for myself and for spending time with my loved ones. I also stopped accepting new clients so I could be available for the ones that had grown my business. I hate saying no when I get new client requests because I always want to help people, but I have found that I do my best work when I am not overextended and my clients deserve my best work. I laugh at myself sometimes because I am always encouraging them to take care of themselves, but I was 4 years into business ownership before I truly learned self-care!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started school for massage therapy in 2012 with an idea in my head of what a massage therapist was. I pictured a Phoebe Buffay-type person: wearing long skirts and Birkenstocks, listening to Enya, and unbothered by life. I am a bit of a hippie myself, so after working in restaurants for 10 years as a person with high anxiety (or maybe that caused my anxiety?) the idea of a career in calm and serene environment that always smelled like lavender was very appealing to me. I loved all of my classes, but what surprised me was how much I enjoyed learning the more therapeutic work. Deep tissue techniques, trigger point, myofascial release… I had come into school expecting to want to learn how to give relaxing and spa services like mud wraps, but I found that the clients coming into the student clinic mostly wanted help with pain! I learned how gratifying it can be having someone that can’t turn their head get on my table and when I’m finished they have range of motion back! After graduating, passing my MBLEX (an intensive exam for massage therapists), and getting my license in 2013 I started my first job as an LMT. I worked at a Massage Envy for three years, building confidence in myself and my abilities. Eventually, I felt ready to leave the nest and start my own private practice. I wanted to have the freedom to do the relaxing and the therapeutic services, plus I was able to decorate everything to look beautiful- and a little magical. I opened Wonderland Massage in 2017 and have been incredibly fortunate to gain such a great clientele!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would definitely start at the Reeve’s House in Woodstock! I love the coffee there (and the wine, let’s be honest) and the art installations are always fantastic! Next, I would want to catch a show at Woodstock Arts, especially if a musical is playing. I love karaoke, so going to The Place in Woodstock on a Thursday night to catch DJ NEWT’s karaoke is a must! He has pretty much every song imaginable, plus if MY friends are there you’ll hear some really excellent singers! Another favorite thing of mine is watching talented drag performers, so I recommend the Blue Ghost Arcade- the drag shows they’ve hosted have been awesome!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am extremely fortunate to have an amazing support system that I absolutely would not have a business without. My husband Cosmin is the “wind beneath my wings” (if you’ll forgive the cheesy song lyric use). He helped put together my business plan, used his graphic design experience to create my brand logo, and to this day handles all the un-fun business stuff for me, such as filing taxes and website managing. Secondly, I wouldn’t be nearly as successful without my friend Erica Upchurch. She is an esthetician and owns E3 Skincare. The two of us share space in a suite, and partnering with her has helped us both gain more business by referring clients to each other. Plus it’s nice that my only coworker is someone I’m so close with! I also have a very tight-knit group of friends that I met doing theater at Woodstock Arts. Not only have they given me all the love and encouragement I could ever need, but they also support my business by referring clients, giving it online shoutouts, and even washing my sheets for me when my machine broke! (thank you Katie!)

Image Credits
WhisperOne Photography