Licensed Massage Therapist and Certified Health Coach Candice Currie is the owner of Optimize You: Massage Therapy & Lifestyle Coaching, located in DeWitt, serving the Greater Lansing area to connect clients to their body, their health and their true self. 

She recalls, “From childhood, I was fascinated with the human body and how it worked. I would get stacks of books from the library on anatomy and biology. Fast forward, I found myself at Michigan State University studying kinesiology and exercise science. It still wasn’t clear what my path would be after graduation—that was until I started getting headaches.”

Currie explains, “I was sitting at a computer more than ever before, and my posture was paying the price, so I decided to get a massage to help alleviate the tension. It was a simple, 30-minute therapeutic massage, but it did the trick. I was hooked. Not as a receiver of massage, but on becoming a massage therapist. I knew that I could provide that sort of relief to people and more. It was an easy choice to go to massage school and I’ve never looked back. Since those early days, my skills, education and understanding of the body and people has continued to develop and improve the outcomes my clients have.”

She advises, “Our physical bodies are a reflection of how we spend our days. I help people listen to and interpret the messages their body is showing. When we start listening to our bodies, our whole life starts to shift. Not only do we feel better, but we are able to do more and live a fuller life. I have no interest in making you a regular weekly or monthly client. My goal is to guide and teach you so that you have a better understanding of what your body needs or what lifestyle and mindset shifts can improve your situation. I focus on long-term results instead of just short-term relief. While sessions feel good and can be very relaxing, that is not the only benefit.”

She has created a new modality of massage called Tension Mapping, which involves an in-depth look at how and why tension is held in the body. This cooperative session with a lot of client participation and introspection takes two hours to go from head to toe. First, she looks at muscular tension patterns, imbalances and misalignments. Secondly, she looks at the mental, emotional or spiritual reasons for tension or concerns in those areas.

Thirdly, they work together to bring in the personal history. Lastly, the client will walk out with two or three ways to create more balance and less tension in their body, plus a map of their body and everything discovered during the session.

Currie also provides monthly body connecting classes online or in-person. Typically free, they allow clients a way to connect with and listen to their bodies. Each month there is a theme, and classes include foam rolling, stretching and introspection, as well as guidance and individualized attention.