Today we’d like to introduce you to Chasidy Criswell.
Hi Chasidy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
How I started my journey as a massage therapist, began when I was in high school. I always had an interest in human anatomy since my childhood. I ran track and field since the 4th grade, and I was also a student athletic trainer in high school, so I knew my career would be involved with sports in some way. I remember seeing a sports massage therapist at one of my high school track meets my senior year. I went up to the gentleman and asked what is that he does. He said massage therapy and he had been doing it for 15 years, I’ve never seen a male massage therapist, just women from the movies. That’s when my interest sparked and the research started.
Fast forward to 2013, at the age of 21, I just had my daughter and was trying to figure out what I wanted to do in life. I kept seeing ads for Antonelli College and I seen the words massage therapy pop up on the screen. I wasted no time touring the school and getting more information. Who’d think within the next 2 years, I’d be graduating school with an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science – majoring in Massage Therapy.
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?
The road in the career field has not been the smoothest, but I never expect things to come easy. If success was easy, everyone would jump on it. The struggles I have faced along this way are both personal and professional. Within the 7 years in my practice, I have had a divorce with 2 small children and had to start over in a new location – here in Dallas, Texas.
I look back and am grateful for the obstacles I have faced because I am where I am supposed to be in the moment. Moving here involuntarily was one the best decisions, not only me and my family but my business as well. There is always room for improvement in business as I grow, and I am not hesitant to start over as many times as I need to.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My mobile massage practice Gentle Haven Massage as established in 2015 in Jackson, MS. I relocated to Dallas, TX in 2018. I started my practice with spa services and have transitioned over to sports and athletes. I specialize in Swedish, Deep Tissue, Prenatal, Hot stone, Sports, and SportStretch. What set me apart from other people is that I have always been a part of the sport community and understand athletes on a personal level. I am most proud of the growth of my brand. I have been blessed to work with the greatest athletes from the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, Kansas City, LA Rams. Miami Heat to name a few.
I currently offer mobile massage services to the Frisco, Prosper, McKinney, Allen, Far North Dallas area. Choices of services are Swedish, Deep Tissue, Prenatal, Hot stone, Sports, and SportStretch. Sports massage services aren’t limited to just professional athletes. I work with athletes as young as elementary, high school, and college. Also, adults who are highly active with exercise and hobby that require a lot of moving can receive sport massage services.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My credit goes to my mother and grandmother for being a helping hand with my children while I in school and now to travel for work. I appreciate those friends, colleagues, social media followers that send me referrals or speaking of my name in certain rooms that help my business.
And of course, cannot forget my all of my clients! Do they not only patronizing my business, but they are taking major step in health care, which is self-care and wellness. Self-care is essential to our everyday lives. One of my clients since moving to Dallas in 2018, is Jaylon Smith, former linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys. He helped me get other players from the team to get their pregame and post-game treatments. Not only is he a great athlete, but a great businessman that teaches me a lot of things in regards to business. I thank him and those guys for giving me the opportunity and look forward to many more years.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://pocketsuite.io/book/gentlehavenmassage
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/Gentlehavenmassage
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/GentleHavenMassage
Image Credits
Hope Photography
Mo Storyteller
