Meet Katrina Shreve of Elevated Alchemy in Wheat Ridge

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katrina Shreve.

Katrina, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I knew from a young age what my dharma or soul calling was, so I started to pursue an unconventional education in Alternative Medicine straight out of high school. I started studying Western Herbalism and Holistic healing as a teenager and was very blessed to have a supportive mother who nurtured my curiosity in Spirituality. Back then I didn’t know much about Shamanism, but it was something that would keep popping back up throughout my journey.

I attended an accelerated 1,000 hour Massage Therapy and Hydrotherapy program in NY in 2002, and after some brief experience working in a couple of Spas, I quickly realized that was not my cup of tea. I opened my first practice just before my 21st birthday in 2004 as part of an Herbal Emporium that also offered yoga there. I was able to continue my herbal studies and gained an invaluable mentor in the owner of the shop, and that is also when I fell in love with yoga. Fast forward to 2009 when I had the amazing opportunity to move to Telluride, CO to work in some high end Spas there, and I was quickly reminded that I did not enjoy that kind of work and that I was so much more than just a Massage Therapist. I only lasted there a couple of years before I moved to Denver.

That is when my career really took off, but I also experienced some of the most traumatic life lessons I have ever encountered. I opened Bare Medicine in 2013 as a side gig while I continued to work for other Massage Therapists, and in 2015 I developed some insane health problems that no one could diagnose. Essentially I suffered from multiple Autoimmune disorders and severe systemic inflammation. Around this same time, I discovered Traditional Thai Medicine which is influenced by Ayurveda and Hatha Yoga (two of the oldest medical sciences in the world), Traditional Chinese Medicine, Buddhism, Shamanism, and Animism. When Western Medicine couldn’t help me, Thai Medicine did. It took me about a year, but I was able to heal myself and became enamored with this modality. I completed my Advanced Practitioner training in 2015 and by this time I had transitioned to full time with my private practice Bare Medicine.

In 2016 I finally completed my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training. This was something that I had wanted to do for myself for over a decade, but when I went into it I had no desire to teach. That transformative experience taught me that I love teaching, and not just Yoga but also educating people on how to do Thai Massage as well. That is also when my life started to take a turn for the worst. An old friend was struggling with addiction and I naively opened my home to him. He wasn’t the only one in my life dealing with this never-ending battle and even though I knew I couldn’t save or fix anyone, I only wanted to support him enough to help him get back on his feet. Eventually, it just kept getting worse to the point where it was impacting my business, and combined with some other inconvenient factors, my business went under in 2017.

Also during that time, my dear Rottie and canine soul mate started to decline rapidly in health. I had the privilege of parenting his mother, so I had him his entire life. Every major milestone and life decision revolved around him for 13 years, so when he passed later that year I just gave up. I have never experienced grief like that and went through a complete identity crisis. I had lost the safety of my home, the financial security of my business, and my best friend/child/comfort zone; and as a result, I also lost my will to live. That may sound overly dramatic, but I was also still living with a toxic addict who made me feel like I couldn’t even process those emotions because I was afraid he would blame me for his inevitable relapse. In the end, this was all an initiation and the catalyst to my success.

One day I realized I didn’t want to feel like this anymore and I was willing to sacrifice whatever it took to get out of that situation. It meant becoming temporarily homeless to get the addict out of my life, but in that process, I was reminded that I had an amazingly supportive community who helped get me through it. It has been a long, arduous uphill battle out of that trauma and deep depression, but looking back I can now find gratitude in the healing. I moved my practice to Lakeside and have an incredible network of other wellness professionals there and in the Denver area. I started working with a Spiritual Mentor and dove deeper into my Shamanic Practitioner journey with another Shamanic teacher. I started studying Herbal Alchemy and then in 2018 I was so blessed to have been awarded a generous scholarship through the Yoga Veda institute to become an Ayurvedic Practitioner.

Even as a Yoga Teacher and Holistic Practitioner working with a population who is familiar with Eastern medicine, I quickly learned that most people have no idea what Ayurveda is! That is why I started Elevated Alchemy to focus on Yoga Therapy and Ayurvedic Medicine. Part of this business plan is a podcast that I started to educate the masses on all things Yoga and Ayurveda, but will also involve an Ayurvedic product line and Continued Educational training.

Eventually the dream is to open a Yoga Retreat/ Educational Center where I can also offer detox treatments (known as Panchakarma in Ayurveda). I’d love to be able to work more with those suffering with addiction and offer them alternative resources, as well as operate a community clinic where you just pay what you can or pay it forward for those who can’t afford treatment.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Transitioning from a brick and mortar business to one that predominately online has presented some challenges. The podcast was one hell of a learning curve, but it’s also been a lot of fun! I am constantly learning how to improve, and I’m super grateful to have an awesome Brand Developer who has my back (shout out to ReMickz, hey yo!). The hardest part has been the marketing. It’s just not my jam to spend eight hours in front of a computer and on social media all day, so that part has been a drag. Now I know why Marketing Managers exist! I also plan to integrate a YouTube channel so figuring out the logistics of all the necessary tech and creating the ideal atmosphere is one thing, but finding the confidence to get in front of the camera is altogether something else. So far the struggles have been minimal, but curating a successful online business is a whole new animal for me.

Tell us more about the business.
I’d say I am more well known for Massage Therapy since I’ve been doing it for nearly 20 years, but I am finding that has been more of an inconvenience than a good thing. People find me through that resource and then all they want is a nice relaxing massage. That is not the kind of practitioner I am, I am also a Holistic Health Coach and Yoga Teacher but the majority of people that come to me just want me to fix it and don’t want to take responsibility for their own health (i.e. change their lifestyle). My real passion is Herbal Medicine, Yoga and Ayurveda. In my own experience, and in those that I have treated, these methods have been the most effective forms of treatment. That is what I am most proud of, and that is what I want to focus on.

Elevated Alchemy is a new company, so I have yet to accomplish much as I continue to finish my education as an Ayurvedic Practitioner. However, I do incorporate Ayurvedic Bodywork and private Yoga Therapy into my current practice Bare Medicine which is a great way to introduce people to these profoundly healing methods. I think what sets me apart from other Medical Practitioners is that I treat the individual, not the symptoms. You may come to me for pain in a specific area, but we will also explore what is going on internally as well as mentally and emotionally. As a Holistic Practitioner, I look at what is going on in the whole body intending to resolve the root of the problem. To do that, you really have to listen to the person and take as much time as needed to accomplish that.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I believe in creating your own luck by being in the right flow state. By doing the necessary work to heal your own stuff and getting out of your own way (ego), you can create that flow state. Or you can play the victim, stay stuck in your past, etc. and continue to create your own bad luck. It’s all energy, and it has everything to do with your own choices.

Pricing:

• Ayurvedic Consultations- Free 30 minute evaluation
• Yoga Therapy sessions- $75 per hour
• Become a Patron of the Podcast -The Elevated Alchemy Show- through Patreon
• Initial Consultation- 2 hours $200
• Follow Up Consultations- $100 per hour
• Integrative Bodywork treatments- $100 per hour

Contact Info:

• Address: 6650 W. 44th Ave., Suite 2A
  Wheat Ridge CO 80033
• Website: www.KatrinaShreve.com
• Phone: 303-945-6140
• Email: info@katrinashreve.com
• Instagram: @elevatedalchemyshow
• Facebook: @katrinashrevehealing
• Other: www.BareMedicine.org

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