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

Hi Scott, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
The number one habit that has served me well is being a life long learner. To me, this means putting away my ego, staying curious, and taking time to regularly and actively participate in some level of learning.

The truth is, no one knows everything or else we wouldn’t have a need for scientists or even a variety of various therapies. So, I told myself, if I really wanted to grow and succeed, I would have to stay open to new ideas and be willing to let go of older conventional beliefs.

By opening my eyes to what else was out there, I suddenly discovered that the more I learned, the more I realized I didn’t know, which continues to be a source of inspiration every day! I started attending hands-on seminars, seeking out mentors, reading books, and participating in virtual global seminars hosted by scientists and leading manual therapists discussing topics like fascia. This eventually led to my assisting teachers on the road with their classes, helping students who are on the precipice of starting their own learning journey. Thanks to those experiences, I’m now in the process of becoming a teacher and mentor to other therapists in the Atlanta area.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I’m the founder, owner and principal therapist of Scott Doss Wellness, and as the first and only Master Myoskeletal Alignment therapist in Atlanta, I’m excited to share more with you about my practice and how I got to where I am today.

I started massage school 5 years into what ended up being a 14-year stint at a corporation that taught me a lot, but wasn’t my passion. Discovering massage was one of those “a-ha” moments, igniting something deep inside, but it wasn’t until after I left my corporate job that I was introduced to Myoskeletal Alignment Therapy. I slowly started incorporating the techniques into my work, transitioning over time from full-body relaxation table massage to a more specific alignment-based technique. Up to a certain point in my massage career, I had always been an employee, first in a physical therapy office, then at a big name corporation in Atlanta. Learning these techniques gave me the confidence in 2018 to officially launch my own business: Scott Doss Wellness.

The type of work I do is often compared to a combination of physical therapy, chiropractic and massage because I focus on the body as a whole, rather than isolated conditions. We start with a full intake, where the client is able to talk about their medical history, what they’re feeling, and why they’re seeking treatment. This is all done without interruption on my part because it’s crucial that the client feels they are heard — this is where healing has to begin. Then we move into assessments so we can gauge restrictions, compensation patterns, or limits in any ranges of motion. Treatment involves balancing the tonicity of weak muscles with stimulating movements and then stretching or relaxing overly tight muscles. I continue to assess and treat throughout the session to gauge effectiveness of the work and mark changes in the body. We end the session with guided movements that are part of a program called Physiokinetix, a brain-based movement therapy, which helps encourage healthy, balanced movement and locks in the work we accomplished in the session.

The bones are the scaffolding that hold our bodies up and make us mobile, and it’s the muscles that can hold the bones in or out of alignment, but it’s the brain and nerves that tell the muscles what to do. By incorporating active techniques that test and treat all three components, I’ve seen some pretty dramatic changes happen in my clients. Through word-of-mouth referrals, it’s these types of results that have built my business to what it is today and keeps new clients coming in every week.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love to eat, so I always tell my visiting friends that Atlanta is the gastronomic capital of the southeast, and I’m happy to show them why. I live in East Atlanta Village, which is ground zero for some really amazing restaurants — Argosy, Banshee, Gaja, Holy Taco, Soba, We Suki Suki – A Global Grub Collective and many more. If we decided to stay in the neighborhood, we’d definitely be noshing at one of these fine establishments.

One of our favorite downtown evening outings with our guests is to start with dinner at Trader Vic’s. Afterwards, we take the sky bridge to the Marriott Marquis, taking in all its architectural glory, going up the elevator up to the top floor to daring to look down. We finish off the evening by shuffling over to the Polaris for dessert and drinks, watching the city from our fabulous rotating perch.

As for fun things to do during the day, perhaps we’d hike the always quirky Doll Head Trail (look it up, it’s real!), or venture out to Stone Mountain for a more rigorous adventure if we have calories to burn from all the eating. Spending time on Lake Lanier is always pleasurable if it’s summer, or perhaps catching an Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus/Atlanta Women’s Chorus concert if the timing is right; the holiday concerts are particulrarly special. A walk around the historic Oakland cemetery is a unique way to spend an afternoon as is any festival along the beltline or at Piedmont Park. Because we like to support other local small businesses, we make it a point to go to the farmer’s market to gather ingredients for a magical dinner to make with our guests from our ‘foraged’ ingredients.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My two biggest mentors in the therapy world are Erik Dalton and Paul Kelly. They have been such positive role models in the caliber of service they provide to their clients and the knowledge shared in the classes they teach. From techniques to concepts and clinical reasoning, they have been shining stars who have given me knowledge and restored my passion in what I do. I’m inspired every day by what they say and do.

Another huge shoutout to the StartMe small business accelerator program through Emory’s Goizueta Business School. With them, and my cohort peers, I learned the basics in running a successful business, gained access to several business mentors, and was awarded a grant to help get my bigger dream of starting a massage therapy co-op up off the ground. Even after the program ended, this organization continues to support me by sending me information on additional opportunities to help me and my business grow.

My last shoutout is to all my colleagues who have shared this journey with me. I’ve met a lot of amazing therapists from around the country who have been sounding boards, traded sessions or gave me a chance to shine. Without all of you, none of this would be possible.

Website: www.scottdosswellness.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottdossmmt/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-oglesbay-969026b/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScottDossWellness

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