About EHM

  • Essential Healing and Massage is a family-run private practice designed as a genuine alternative to the typical “Spa” experience; we’ve been in business for over 15 years, and we want to help you reach your wellness goals. We are experienced with Aromatherapy, Detoxification, and pain relief. The Health and Wellness of our clients is our main objective. The two really cannot be separated, they are intertwined. Each person has different needs and different obstacles to their health and well being. In understanding the link between health and wellness, health is a state of being and wellness is the state of living a healthy lifestyle that promotes health, referring to physical, mental, and social well-being.
  • We have a dedicated team of  Therapists with an accumulated 70 years of experience in the Massage Therapy and Wellness Field. We work with rehabilitation, sports and work injuries, repetitive stress, restless legs,  plantar fasciitis, Sciatic or Piriformis syndrome and emotional release.
  • The products that touch your skin are handcrafted into proprietary oil blends of antioxidant and skin-regenerative oils that are renowned for their healing properties.
  • To prevent any allergic reactions, and discomfort to our cleints our laundry service contracts with us to use only an organic, biodegradable detergents with no artificial scents.
photo of helen floyd

Helen Floyd graduated from the School for Therapeutic Wellness and Massage. I have been a licensed Massage Therapist for over fifteen years, I’m an escapee from the corporate world with nearly two decades of electrical engineering experience . I find  the two career disciplines very complimentary and creative- with the human electrical system being much more fascinating. My approach is to intuit and observe what may be the true cause of a clients discomfort and offer insights and alternatives during treatment. I will use a variety of techniques where needed to address the client’s presenting issues or suggest a treatment alternative.
My specialties include Therapeutic, Deep Tissue, Ashiatsu Deep tissue, Hot Jade Stone and Stone Massage, Lymphatic Drainage, Myofascial Release, Cupping Therapy, Bamboo Fusion ,Jin Shin Do Accupressure, and Reiki.
I love to garden, have studied botanical art, dance and martial arts in addition to sewing for a number of years. I am also the owner and founder of Essential Healing and Massage.

photo of Liz gresher

Liz Gresher completed Hatha yoga teacher training program at The Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago.The guidance she received was valuable because it inspired her to try to help others have an authentic experience. Elizabeth has  a degree in Spanish language education and previously worked in the public schools and for a financial corporation. A few years ago she left the corporate career in order to dedicate more of time and energy to her passion. Yoga continues to be the foundation of her healing arts practice. She is  a certified practitioner of Yoga and Chinese Acupressure.

photo of cindy hyzy

Cindy  Hyzy is an experienced Therapist with more than 2 decades in the Massage Therapy Profession. She is trained in Therapeutic massage, Lymphatic Drainage, Hot Stone, Pregnancy Massage, is a Reiki Master Teacher, and also performs Myofascial release and Tuning Fork Therapy. Cindy also provides Himalayan Salt Stone therapy.

photo of stephany floyd
Guest Therapists
Stephany Floyd has been a Massage Therapist for ten years, and has a background in deep tissue/clinical massage. She’s been a part of EHM since it started, but  now works primarily in Chicago at Massage Evolved (118 N Clinton). She is a guest therapist at EHM a few times a year. We look forward to having her actively on staff when she is available. Deep tissue, Ashiatsu, Therapeutic massage are some of her specialties.  In the summer you’ll find her riding or racing her motorcycles, and in the winter, she’ll be trying to share her delicious baking experiments. Stephany also enjoys sloths, chocolate, photography, yoga, and doesn’t get to go rock climbing nearly as much as she likes.

Kim McDuffee Dotson: “May there be Peace on Earth and may it begin with me”

In my practice, I listen carefully to each and every client I work with and tailor my services to meet each individual need. My specialties include the reduction of stress and sleep issues, the increase of relaxation, and the development of

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personal rituals to improve quality of life for young children through adolescence, pets, and adults of all ages. I believe in the power of positivity, the medicine of laughter, and the necessity of unconditional love to overcome the unique challenges we each may face. My call to Reiki came when my daughter was born with a birth injury in 2001. She had trouble eating and sleeping because she was in such discomfort. I learned Reiki as an alternative and in addition to the traditional medical treatments she received. She recovered from her injury in record time which I believe was the result of the combined efforts of those traditional and alternative healing treatments. My path to Reiki Master Teacher took another 5 years to develop and during that time I learned to incorporate my experience with the healing properties of crystals, oils, and teas as well as meditation, and ritual.

Jody Knipper

Analytical yet intuitive, professional yet personable are some of the attributes I bring as an Integrative Massage Practitioner.  As a Licensed  Massage Practitioner I bring a  plethora of skill sets to empower my patients/clients and to identify what is promoting and maintaining my patient’s/client’s presentations and asymmetries.  My cumulative experiences in rehabilitation provide a well-honed lens to assess and to treat patients/clients.  As an Integrative Practitioner I utilize all of my years of education and experience to holistically evaluate each individual’s presentations and needs.  I have been practicing Integrative Massage Therapy since January 2000 . I have extensive experience in rehabilitation of many presentations utilizing modalities:  Myofascial Release, Shiatsu, Manual Lymphatic Drainage, Trigger Point, Isometrics, Joint Stretch/Mobilization, Sports/Deep Tissue, Healing Touch, Therapeutic Touch, Somato-Emotional, and Muscle Mapping.  My approach is informed by the basic tenets that the reason we are here is for each other and knowledge and wisdom when learned are to be shared.