We recently had the chance to connect with Crista de la Garza and have shared our conversation below.
Crista, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
Wake up, drink water, make and enjoy a cappuccino from my trusty Breville machine, feed the dog, cat, fish, give the bird seeds, take the dog out for a romantic morning stroll while listening to a podcast or audiobook, 20 crunches, make and enjoy another cappuccino, shower/bath, prepare quick morning breakfast.
No one gets a massage from me unless I’ve had 2 cappuccinos and som hydrotherapy. I used to require at least a 5 min submerged bath, but I’ve graduated to being ok with a superior shower experience. My best mediation time has always been while in the water. Hot tubs are the best.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My businesses are woman owned, minority owned, inclusive, and holistic.
I am an established massage therapy and yoga practitioner and educator, Artsy Healer LLC, www.artsyhealer.com. My professional formal training background as an artist includes technical theatre scenic painting and props artist, as well as theatre performance with dance, vocal, and acting- aka triple threat; my healing arts training is in massage therapy, yoga, and I am self-taught in playing crystal singing bowls for sound healing. Being based in Boulder, CO, I have the opportunity to serve clients with an array of alternative offerings. I find it is good for my physical body and mental health to take a break from my manual massage work day job by balancing it out with an array of creative outlets.
Presently, I am working hard to launch the Boulder School of Massage Therapy, www.bsmtcolorado.com. Although I am the owner, this organization is a community effort to improve the lives and careers of massage therapists and the communities they serve by providing education, continuing education, and research.
I am happy to announce that in addition to offering massage therapy to the prenatal community, I am also teaching regular weekly prenatal yoga classes at Soul Tree Yoga in Lafayette. Artistically, this winter, I will be offering hand painted lotus flower ornaments and locally ethically harvested sage smudge sticks at Soul Tree Yoga’s annual holiday bizarre in Lafayette, CO.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
I love deep.
I have been in the role of a dedicated mom for some time. My son is now 18, living on campus, and beginning a life of his own. When he was born I felt a great responsibility to care for him and keep him alive until he was an adult. He’s an adult now. He is much more than a creative project, he’s my little guy, my little dude, and now he’s not so little. It is timely to acknowledge that this motherly “momming” part of me has served its purpose and must now be released so that we can both evolve into our next chapters of life. This does not mean that I won’t be his mom anymore, but it is true that he doesn’t need me to continue being his mom in the same way. I always like to acknowledge “what is true.” This is a healthy evolution metamorphosis for both of us, truly something to celebrate.
When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
Singing, music, and friendship are what always helped me when I felt sadness or fear as a young person. The Annie musical soundtrack was my go to falling asleep, “Dumb dog” was a favorite I sang to my stuffed animal puppy. Disney’s Little Mermaid & Beauty and the Beast got me through some serious teen years struggles and grief. I still find the need to be musical, and to participate in friendship and community. This season I will be volunteering again with the Rocky Mountain Revels performing at the Dairy Center in Boulder in the Winter Solstice celebration performance. I am excited to work my vocal muscles and gain some positive serotonin choral friendship bursts.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, Absolutely. I gave up on pretenses a long time ago. It is so much easier to be authentic and truthful than to try to live a lie in any capacity. There are no big secrets, I generally wear my heart on my sleeve. I think this matters a lot in my career. In my opinion, success in the massage therapy profession is based on trust and relationships. I am always so honored when my clients trust me enough not only to work on them, but also to refer me to their loved ones, family members, and folks in their personal and professional communities. Yes, the public version of me is the only version of me. My yes is a yes, my no is a no.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope that when I energetically dissolve into the ethers or evolve into my next form of being that people who knew me will remember that I loved deeply, was kind to animals, and cared greatly for my family and community. I hope that people remember me as a bright shining being that contributed to the world being a better place to live in. I hope that my influence was positive and helpful for others on their journeys.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artsyhealer.com/ & https://www.bsmtcolorado.com/
- Instagram: artsyhealer & bsmtcolorado
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crista-de-la-garza-7b0424227
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artsyhealerllc & https://www.facebook.com/BSMTColorado/
Image Credits
not applicable
