Meet Vali Joy Klein of Be Here Now Massage Yoga Bodywork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Vali Joy Klein.

Hi Vali Joy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Hi, my name is Vali Joy Klein and I am the owner/operator of Be Here Now Massage Yoga Bodywork in Fort Collins, CO. I have been working as a Licensed Massage Therapist since October of 2013 and have recently bought Be Here Now after working there for over 8 years. My massage journey starts with my own personal health journey. I was born with an autoimmune condition called Ankylosing Spondylitis. With many people, symptoms will start to express later in life, but I started exhibiting symptoms when I was 6 years old. This disease affects my joints, tendons, some organs, skin, and eyes. I would have flare ups where I could not walk at all- the inflammation in my hips was so intense and painful that I could not put pressure down on my feet/legs to walk. Thankfully this was not all the time, but would happen many times during a year. During flares, I would sleep on the floor because the bed was too soft. I didn’t want to use a wheelchair because I was too embarrassed. I remember my dad would carry me in to school and I would use the teacher’s wheely chair and my friend would push me around. At home, I would scoot myself around on the floor with my arms. This was the 80s and the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me- they called it idiopathic juvenile arthritis. I saw a chiropractor every month which provided some relief.

I didn’t participate in most of PE activities, I couldn’t run at all – they would send me to the library to do book reports on the current topic, like writing about the history of basketball. To this day, I love books and reading.

By middle school, I was in pain so often, I started self medicating (unbeknownst to my parents) with 6 ibuprofen a day, every day.. until I gave myself ulcers. I had my first colonoscopy and endoscopy at 14. They found ulcers and inflammation throughout my digestive tract. Besides the self inflicted GI issues, this disease also causes the digestion system to not function properly. I have struggled with inflammatory bowels, chronic gastritis, and I have Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (my body doesn’t make the enzymes to break down protein, fats, and carbs so I have to take medication before I eat to help break down my food). I have a restricted diet, but into my 40s now it is well managed.

When I was 13 years old, my parents had me start yoga classes, I started out with private sessions, and this was truly life changing. My body was so stiff and in pain, at first, I didn’t like yoga, I would cry because it was so hard and uncomfortable, but overtime my body started to loosen. I continued regular yoga throughout my life and to this day, 31 years later, I am a registered 500hr yoga teacher. I work mainly with my massage clients, helping them manage their chronic conditions. My rheumatologist says I have the most range of motion out of all her Ank Spon patients and I attribute that to having started yoga at a young age. Forever grateful for my mom who would do classes with me and my yoga teachers that supported me, even through my tears, they didn’t give up on me.

When I got to HS, 9th grade, PE class I was allowed to walk around the track instead of run, my friends could join me- this was 1994, we had our walkmans listening to Nirvana walking around the track while the other kids ran, we thought we were pretty cool though! I started snowboarding as a teen, and I loved it! We could drive one hour north into Pennsylvania (I’m from Maryland), and go snowboarding for the day, it was so accessible from me and my friends back then. I would go snowboarding, but then not be able to walk the next day. I didn’t care so much though as a teen, I wanted to do the things I loved to do and I wasn’t letting my disease stop me. Which was fine when I was living at home home, but once I moved out and was working – I couldn’t miss work because I decided to go snowboarding and then not be able to walk, so sadly in my early 20s, I had to stop an activity which I loved so much. The emotional part of chronic conditions is so tough, we are mourning our lives while living them, mourning the things we can no longer do.

I was officially diagnosed in 2002, at the age of 21. We found the right doctor to do the right genetic testing and they figured it out. It was a relief to get an official diagnosis. I had been saying for years I thought there was one thing causing all my symptoms. Besides the GI and joint issues, I was having eye and skin conditions. Everything was being treated individually, but I knew there was something causing it all to happen. There still wasn’t much to do in the way of treatment at that time. I continued my yoga and Pilates classes as well. In 2006, I started with a new medication on the market, a shot that I give myself once a week, that I still do to this day. There is no cure, but it slows the progression (worse case scenario, the joints calcify and my vertebrae becomes a solid piece). Because of this medication, I don’t get the flare ups where I can’t walk anymore. I do still have inflammation and pain, some days better than others, but overall my quality of life has improved.

Massage Therapy came into my life in 2008 after being in a car accident where I was hit from behind. I had sprains on various parts of my body, and my right shoulder was frozen, I could not lift my arm up at all. A family friend was a massage therapist, specializing in myofascial release. My insurance allowed me to receive this therapy regularly for months after the accident, and it help my shoulder get better! At this time, I hadn’t yet thought about it as a career for myself, but I was sold on it’s abilities to help people.

Up until this point, I had worked in kitchens/restaurants since 15 years old. I was working as a head chef/kitchen manager and knew this life style was not sustainable for me. Anyone who has worked in the restaurant industry knows just how hard that is on your body. I hadn’t gone to college, just some community classes, but in 2009 I decided to quit my career and go back to school. I knew I wanted to do something that would help people feel better. I took an intro to massage therapy course and I was hooked! This is how I wanted to help people! I knew from personal experience how much the power of massage helped me, and I wanted to give back to others in this way. I finished my 2 year degree in science and decided I was moving to Colorado to go to the Boulder College of Massage Therapy, which I did in 2012. I graduated with almost 1000hrs of massage education including a prenatal certification. I continued my education at Front Range Community College graduating with a degree in integrative health, a certificate in Reflexology, and I did my yoga teacher training there as well. In 2016 and 2017, I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Thailand to get my Thai massage certification and most recently I studied at the Klose institute to receive my certificate in manual lymph drainage. I work with clients of all age ranges and a variety of chronic conditions, helping people recover from surgery and rehab from injury. Giving therapeutic massage and teaching yoga is a great joy in my life, to help people in pain, knowing that I can provide them with a little relief is a blessing. Not every day is easy, massage work is still tough on my body, but in many ways it keeps me active, it motivates me to stay healthy, it keeps me going (when there were times in the past I didn’t think I’d make it this long). I carry with me all my teachers and loved ones that have supported me along the way. I am grateful, I am happy, and I love what I do! Thank you for reading my story.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As I mentioned in my story, I had (and have) physical, mental, and emotional challenges growing up with an autoimmune immune disease. There were times I couldn’t walk, hurt too much to sleep, couldn’t run or participate in sports, wouldn’t be able to do activities with my friends. I had to figure out the food I could and couldn’t eat because of my GI issues. There has always been an emotional component around food. I can’t just go out to eat easily or go to other people’s houses to eat. I had to give up activities/hobbies I loved because I got to the point my body couldn’t do them anymore. My mental health has struggled, ups and downs, along with my physical health. Something as a society I don’t think we consider enough is how much physical health affects one mentally and emotionally. It is hard being chronically ill. It is time consuming. It is expensive. It is lonely. I do appreciate being able to connect with my clients in this way, to maybe understand a little bit of what they are going through in their own bodies.

We’ve been impressed with Be Here Now Massage Yoga Bodywork , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Be Here Now Massage Yoga Bodywork is a massage office in Fort Collins, CO. I am certified in Thai massage, Prenatal massage, Reflexology, and Manual Lymph Drainage. We also have a small yoga space where I work with clients in small group classes or one on one. I work with all types of people and conditions, specializing in chronic pain management and injury/surgery rehabilitation. I love working with kids as well, I’ve worked with kids as young as 6 years old. I am a 500hr registered yoga teacher and I love to work with “beginners” or anyone wanting to strengthen their yoga foundation. In class we focus on joint mobility, balance, and strengthening.

What makes you happy?
Helping people feel better in their bodies makes me happy – the joy on their faces when they feel better, how could anyone not love that! My dog makes me happy. My life partner, family and friends make me happy. My plants, especially my orchids, make me happy. Growing vegetables makes me happy (and eating them!). I am happy when it rains! A good yoga class makes me happy. I love a good book, TV show, movie, a good conversation – I just love a good story!

Pricing:

• 60 minute massage $95
• 90 minute massage $125
• 120 minute massage $150
• Yoga Class $22
• Private Yoga Class $50

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.massageyogabodywork.com
• Instagram: @beherenowmyb
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EmrNQVZX8/