Back to school means back to stress, massage therapists hope to help - The University Daily...

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Heading back to school for students means a new schedule of classes, study time and in some cases, added stress. A massage might just be the correct remedy.

At the University, students can relieve some of this stress and anxiety by visiting Watkins Health Services for a massage, according to Watkins Health Services Assistant Director Heidi Garcia.

Watkins offers a variety of massages for individuals to choose from, such as deep tissue, Swedish, and more.

“So we know that managing stress is really key to managing your own health, and so that’s what we really try to promote,” Garcia said.

According to Garcia, massage therapy, which has been available at the University since 2014, has had a positive effect for many campus entities.

“We have received a lot of positive feedback from both students and faculty and staff,” Garcia said.

Two certified massage therapists work at Watkins specifically, Kayla Short and Jennifer Hibbard.

Garcia said that the massage therapists have regular clientele that come for massages at Watkins.

The cost of massages for University students varies depending on the length of the massage.

“Our most popular massages are 30 minutes and 60 minutes,” Garcia said.

For students a 15 minute massage is $12, 30 minutes is $24, and the highest priced massage of 60 minutes is $48.

Non-student rates are a little pricier. Watkins offers the same massage time lengths for $1 per minute for non-students.

In addition to individual massages, Watkins also offers onsite massage therapy for departments and events.

Garcia said it is $15 for 15 minutes, regardless if it’s faculty or staff.

Off campus, Alissa Dundes strives to help her clients battle stress every day by providing comfort through her occupation as a certified massage therapist.

Dundes, who works at at Body Specific in Lawrence, provides stress-relief for individuals that suffer from neck, back and hip issues, among other problems.

“We do a lot of very specific therapeutic work,” she said.

University students — athletes in particular — visit Dundes to combat excessive stress during the semester. Finals week and right before graduation, Dundes said, is when she sees an uptick in Jayhawks visiting her for a massage or other services.

“There is a wide area of benefits that come from massage,” she said.

Such benefits from massages, Dundes added, can help clients with circulation and increased mobility.

— Edited by Jake Stephens

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