Time & Cost: 50 minutes, $170
This is a difficult treatment to write about, so I’ll start by quoting the description in the spa brochure: “This combination of modern Western technique with ancient Chinese medicine uses muscle testing to detect physical, emotional, and chemical imbalances. Utilizing kinesiology techniques, the energy flow to the meridians is restored and the body is brought back into balance.”
Vickie Louks led my session, which she describes as Emotional Kinesiology. She first used muscle testing as biofeedback to figure out what emotions needed to be addressed. Muscle testing in this case meant having me hold out my left arm, keeping it tight, while she quickly went through a list of emotions, saying each out loud, while tapping my arm to gauge a response. When she hit on the one that needed correcting, she said my arm would respond differently than with those that didn’t need correcting.
As she explained it, “Your body tells me what’s going on, and I take the pieces of the puzzle and try to fix it.” Each meridian has emotions attached to it, and Vickie aimed to pinpoint the one that was a priority, and work on that. For me it was the large intestine, and dealing with letting go of things that no longer serve me. She also said that some of the issues that were coming up were not mine, but my grandmother’s and there was a cord cutting of sorts that needed to happen.
It was a long and intense session, a true journey, and confirmed issues that others had brought up in the past. Vickie would repeat the muscle testing throughout the session to gather information and confirmation about various things from emotions to body parts to exercises needed to balance, to time it would take to achieve balance in various areas.
Thankfully I was sent away with a road map of sorts, listing how much time it would take for her corrective work to take effect—some were immediate, others would take one to two years. We’ll see!
This experience definitely falls under the more “out there/spiritual/woo-woo” treatments offered at a spa, which is not for everyone, especially those who aren’t comfortable communicating intimate issues, difficulties or wishes and desires, to a complete stranger.
I should note that a couple days later at Sanctuary Spa in Scottsdale, during a Cranial Release Technique session, my therapist thought I was “doing really well emotionally” and “didn’t seem stressed out.” A miracle!
Best For: Those who are open to exploring the relationship between emotions stored in the body and physical ailments. Some people will have a very powerful emotional release during a session of this type, for others it will take time, and for yet others perhaps nothing major will happen. It’s a roll of the dice, but interesting for those into this type of thing.
Drawbacks: This experience definitely falls under the more “out there/spiritual/woo-woo” treatments offered at a spa, which is not for everyone, especially those who aren’t comfortable communicating intimate issues, difficulties or wishes and desires, to a complete stranger.
Rima Suqi
Contributing Travel Editor Rima Suqi is an avid world traveler who was raised in an international home. She has explored and covered emerging destinations in the Middle East and Africa, far-flung luxury resorts in French Polynesia, as well as those closer to home including the burgeoning arts scene in Marfa, Texas. The Chicago native has traveled to over 40 countries, writing about the trends and tastemakers for leading travel and lifestyle publications, and subjected herself to innumerable spa treatments—sometimes under very odd circumstances—all in the name of journalism. Her work is regularly published in national and international outlets including The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Departures, Architectural Digest and Elle Decor; she has also written, consulted and hosted panels for hospitality brands including Proper Hotels, the Baccarat Hotel, Edition Hotels, St. Regis Hotels, Miraval Resorts, Mii Amo Spa at Enchantment, Grupo Habita and Marriott Hotels. Her last book American Fashion: Designers at Home (Assouline) in partnership with CFDA, sold out three printings.