Today we’d like to introduce you to Renetta Cheston.
Hi Renetta, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m a US Army veteran with many injuries & I chose something that could help me deal with the PTSD of the things I had seen in my service career. I went to school in 2005 to Corinthian College for Massage Therapy. I started to do it as a side hustle on the weekends & any time I had off. The company name was Healing Touch Spa Massage & I maintained that name after schooling. I started just working on friends & family free to get my skills, Joe, I wanted them. Then I began to charge once my skills became strong & going out assisting others massage therapists on their events. Now I have a thriving business.
I have my own business at healingtouchspamassage.booksy.com & in the office of Tranquility Wellness Center in Union City at 678-833-1911. I enjoy being a mobile massage therapist & helping ppl in their homes & giving them an understanding of how to maintain their health by keeping themselves as healthy as possible. While going the up & downs of the business, I also started a nonprofit to help all types of different women to start life over. I place them in efficiency hotels to help them restart their lives again and restructure after loss or devastation. Some don’t need housing but just life coaching to get them back on their feet with the help of other personnel for financial wellness, mental health, & so many other areas. I also wrote a book called “In the Garden with the Father:: Understanding true intimacy”. The book is for anyone whose wanted to commit suicide or is lost & dong knows what to do next. I went through so much during that time & I placed all of it in the book. I’m hoping that my story can change at least one person as they go through the lambryth of life that’s fine with me.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Life has been full of shifts & turns. In my military career, I was raped while on duty & I had to fight for many years to receive restitution. I went & still do go through lots of counseling & therapy to stay positive & open-minded not to judge ppl harshly. I also have many injuries acquired while I was on duty. I dance & try to walk as much as possible to deal with the discomforts & to keep up a way of endurance as well. My daughter was also raped at 14 & it took six 1/2 years to get a conviction but we won & he’s still behind bars. We’re still awaiting the restitution funds that were awarding to us from the case. I am now divorced & that was an embarrassing & emotional event because everyone knew me from around the world. He made sure that the whole world saw what he was doing to me. I went underground to deal with the pain as we were taught in the military. I found out my daughter was pregnant later in her pregnancy as I beat breast cancer in 2018. I fought to make sure I was still here for my family. I just recently bought a home for my family to start over our lives again after so much loss. I love the area that we live in ‘ I live the privacy that we have as well to restart our lives over again.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I’m a mobile massage therapist. I enjoy going to people’s homes of have them come to the office. I show people how to take care of their bodies & educate them on their bodies in simple terms. I’ve assisted personnel with burns, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal injuries (I’ve seen clients in 6 months get out of chairs & walk-SCI C1-C8 not permanent break) there’s still study occurring on this, sore muscles, relaxation massages, ayurvedic (spiritual in nature), & showing clients how to relax with proper breathing & aftercare as well.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
With the nonprofit “Refuge Women’s Transition Center”, don’t let ppl stay with you. Some ppl need more than just a place to stay but spiritual & mental care as well. You have to take your time for ppl to change. Just like me, it took me a minute to change everyone has to as well.
With the massage therapy business “Healing Touch Spa Massage”, no matter how well you do your business everyone isn’t gonna be happy. Friends & family want discounts but don’t want to really promote your business of help you market it because they see you as you. Not all of your ppl will use your business & will be very vocal about using someone else’s because of the celebrity effect of it & not because they have a better way of doing business. You have to learn to not take it personal & just take it at face value.
In my personal life, things happen that you have no control over whatsoever but your part is the healing. Ppl will change on you & still expect you to remain the same. Some are only close in your prime but if you can’t do anything for then they bounce.
Pricing:
- $100 massage therapy
- $20 travel fee
Contact Info:
- Website: healingtouchspamassage.booksy.com
- Instagram: htsm_relax
- Facebook: Healing Touch Spa Massage/Renetta M Cheston
- Youtube: Renetta Cheston
- Other: www.therwtc.org
