After I graduated High School, I was not certain what path to follow in my life.  I had always been sincerely interested in people and what makes them tick, so it seemed destined that I would follow a path which would lead me to work with people, but what did that mean?

My answers came in 1984.  At that time I had taken a position in a local hospital as a unit secretary. It was not my dream job, but it was a first step into what would become my career. While working at the hospital  I learned not only about the working of a hospital, I watched and listened to everything that went on.  Because I have always been  interested in the body and  I was in the presence of some very intelligent and kind nurses, I learned things well beyond the scope of a unit secretary.  I was young, eager to learn and the staff took me under their wings, included me in  patient treatments  and allowed me to  ask a multitude  of questions . The Doctors , some of  whom had been there for years and some who were fresh out of school, were quite generous with their knowledge.

While the unit secretary job challenging, I knew I wanted more hands on experience, working directly with people. To that end  I anticipated taking part in the nursing program at the local college. I shared me feeling with the nurses I worked with  when one of my favorite nurses came  along and said to me these fateful words. ” Valentina, don’t go to nursing school.” “Oh” , I said ,” why not, Anna?”

In reply she said to me ,”Attend massage school. Earn your license and be part of the health care revolution that will be full force in 10 years. You are young and can help this revolution happen. You are married to a  man who brings home steady paycheck  and you can afford the education as well as the time it will take to build a clientele.  By the time it catches on mainstream you’ll be a master. I know you, you’re hungry to learn ,you’ll throw yourself into and commit to it and be part of something really  special. You will have a charter club membership clientle, work with a better class of people.” I don’t know how she could see the future so clearly.

At the time, I knew little about message therapy, so, I did some research , talked to my husband who helped me find and finance the classes necessary. I even went so far as to  move to West Palm  in order to attend classes and get Licensed.

This was the beginning of me becoming ME. I went out into the community, and worked with people from all walks of life. Along the way, as I worked on more and more people, I realized by the time I saw many of my clients, they were already in pain. I needed to find a way to help them keep their bodies strong, and their minds clear. I learned Pilates for core strength, and Tai Chi, for mind and body health. I studied different supplements, and tried herbs to help soothe pain.

As the clients I have worked with for so many years have begun to age, I have expanded the scope of my business to include helping them continue to have the best quality of life possible. I still work with them using massage, Pilates and Tai Chi, but I also recognize there are things that bodies can no longer do as well as they once did, no matter how well we take care of them, so I help them do those things. My career continues to evolve and grow, as do I.

I am a thread in the tapestry of my community that has supported me through  thick and thin,while dancing in the
serendipitous path of love on this crazy road of the Happy Healer.

I am Valentina Boonstra at your service!!