Hidden Gems: Meet Cara Thurman of Vinings Massage & Wellness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cara Thurman.

Hi Cara, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I founded Vinings Massage & Wellness (VMW) in 2012 with a vision to create a space where skilled, compassionate touch could make a lasting difference in people’s lives. My inspiration came not only from years as a massage therapist but also from my own lifelong experience as a congenital heart patient — having undergone multiple open-heart surgeries beginning in infancy. That journey instilled in me a deep understanding of healing, resilience, and the human body’s capacity to adapt and thrive.

What began as a small private practice has grown into a respected, multi-faceted wellness organization. Today, we serves both private clients, corparate teams and major hospital systems, providing patient facing oncology massage therapy, employee facing massage therapy, and integrative wellness programs across Georgia. I have developed and lead teams serving Piedmont Healthcare System, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Wellstar with programs spanning more than 25 hospitals and satellite locations.. We maintain multiple partnerships with non-profits to provide low and no cost massage therapy at our wellness center and at retreats, to patients, survivors and caregivers.

Guided by a constant curiosity and a commitment to both personal and professional growth as well as a commitment to serve humanity, I continues to expand VMW’s reach while fostering a respectful, sustainable environment for our team. My work reflects my belief that therapeutic touch can bridge the gap between comfort and care, helping people feel more whole — in body, mind, and spirit.

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?
Like many small, locally owned businesses, we’ve faced our share of challenges along the way. In 2019, our building flooded, forcing us to close for three months and rely solely on our hospital-based teams to keep things moving. Then came the pandemic, which tested every part of our industry — from operations and workforce stability to client trust.

As a small business in a field with slim margins and growing corporate competition, it hasn’t always been easy to attract both clients and talented therapists. But what has kept us thriving is our commitment to quality, professionalism, and care. Our high-performing team, five-star client experiences, and focus on relationships have allowed us not only to rebuild but to continue growing year after year.

As you know, we’re big fans of Vinings Massage & Wellness . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Vinings Massage & Wellness: Where Clinical Excellence Meets Compassionate Care

What should we know?
Vinings Massage & Wellness is a locally owned practice rooted in compassion, professionalism, and community care. Founded in 2012, we offer massage therapy, acupuncture, and yoga therapy in our Atlanta studio, while also managing large-scale hospital-based massage therapy programs across Georgia. Our mission is simple yet powerful—to support health care professionals, cancer patients, and the wider community with evidence-informed touch that promotes healing and well-being.

What do you do and what are you known for?
We specialize in oncology and hospital-based massage therapy, providing therapeutic services to patients, employees, and caregivers at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Piedmont Healthcare—serving more than 25 hospitals and satellite locations statewide.
Vinings Massage & Wellness is recognized for integrating massage therapy into clinical settings with professionalism, safety, and empathy. Our therapists are highly trained to adapt their techniques for clients undergoing medical treatment, making massage accessible and safe for individuals at every stage of health.

What sets you apart from others?
What truly sets us apart is our ability to bridge the gap between wellness and medicine. We’re not a franchise or a spa chain—we’re a heart-led team that combines the nurturing approach of holistic wellness with the rigor and reliability of healthcare standards. Every therapist on our team is trained in oncology massage, trauma-informed care, and professionalism at the highest level.
As a small, locally owned business, we take pride in creating authentic relationships—with our clients, our hospital partners, and our own team members. That personal connection and commitment to excellence are the foundation of everything we do.

What are you most proud of brand-wise?
We’re incredibly proud of the reputation we’ve built over more than a decade—one grounded in trust, quality, and five-star service. Despite challenges such as a major flood in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic, and industry-wide workforce shifts, we’ve continued to grow and thrive. Our resilience and integrity, combined with a team of high-performing, compassionate professionals, have made Vinings Massage & Wellness a trusted leader in therapeutic care.

What do you want readers to know about your brand, offerings, and services?
Vinings Massage & Wellness is more than a place to receive a massage—it’s a place to heal, learn, and connect. Whether someone seeks pain relief, stress management, or oncology support, our goal is to meet them exactly where they are and help them feel better in body and mind.
We’re proud to serve both individuals and healthcare systems throughout Georgia and are excited to expand our programs and partnerships nationally. Our brand stands for quality, compassion, and a belief that skilled, intentional touch can transform lives.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
The success of Vinings Massage & Wellness has been shaped by incredible mentors, partners, and supporters along the way. Carolyn Helmer played a pivotal role early on, hiring me and allowing me to build and lead my first patient-facing oncology massage therapy program and helping it grow into a robust, thriving initiative. Jennifer Cooper, my partner at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, has collaborated with our team since 2016 to provide employee-facing massage therapy, ensuring that hard-working healthcare staff receive the support they deserve.

I am deeply grateful to Jill Berkana, founder of The Berkana Institute and The Costa Rica School of Massage. She is my personal mentor, who instilled in me the importance and value of our work and continues to drive improvements in professional standards across our industry. At home, my husband has been a steadfast supporter, helping me balance motherhood, marriage, and my passion for serving clients and growing this business.

Of course, none of this would be possible without our extraordinary team of practitioners, whose skill, compassion, and dedication bring our mission to life every day. We could not grow and thrive without my partners on our amazing leadership. Heather Lenhart our Studio Lead, Anne Cortino our HR Lead and Cheyne Hardeman and Seth Manning our Therapist Leads. Together we have taken our hospital and event programs, as well as our studio to new heights, ensuring that quality, professionalism, and care remain at the heart of everything we do. We added esthetics to our studio service line this year which we could not have done without our Studio Lead Heather Lenhart who has a background in the beauty industry.

Their guidance, advocacy, and belief in this mission have been instrumental in making Vinings Massage & Wellness the trusted and respected brand it is today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.viningsmassage.com
• Instagram: @vinings_massage
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ CARA-THURMAN77