With Mother’s Day and Father’s Day right around the corner we’re focusing on self-care and showcasing our top Bodyworkers, Holistic Spas, and Acupuncturists in CT. Self-care is NOT something to be viewed as a luxury, it’s a necessity and something we should all be practicing as often as possible.
These modalities are amazing for reducing stress levels as well as pain resolution, lowering blood pressure, detoxification, promoting healthy heart function, and increased immunity.
Melissa Raffone, Timeless Beauty Clinical Skincare
Through my work, I am dedicated to empowering women to achieve radiant, healthy skin through a holistic and results-driven approach. As a licensed
esthetician, certified acne specialist, and integrative nutritional health coach, I specialize in treating acne and aging skin concerns by addressing the root causes – such as digestive health and hormonal imbalances – to create lasting transformation.
My passion is both professional and deeply personal, shaped by my own health journey with digestive and hormonal imbalances and over two decades of working with women who have struggled to find real, lasting solutions.
What sets me apart is my compassionate, whole-person approach to treatment. I don’t just address surface-level symptoms – I take the time to understand each client’s unique story, supporting their skin from the inside out through personalized care that blends advanced skincare, nutritional guidance, and lifestyle support. This deep, individualized focus is at the heart of everything I do, and it’s what truly makes the difference in long-term results.
One of the most meaningful parts of my work is hearing from women who tell me I have changed their lives – that this is the best they’ve ever felt. Those moments remind me why I do what I do and inspire me to continue guiding others on their path to true health—mind, body, and soul.
I believe radiant skin begins from within – and I will be there to support that journey every step of the way.
Melissa Raffone, Timeless Beauty Clinical Skincare, LLC • Wallingford, CT • [email protected] • tbbmmakeup.com • 203.376.5822
Dr. Brian Ruggiero, Ruggiero Family Chiropractic & Rehabilitation Center
I’m Dr. Brian Ruggiero, owner of Ruggiero Family Chiropractic & Rehabilitation Center in Downtown Manchester, where I’ve been helping patients for the past twenty years. As a chiropractor, acupuncturist, hypnotherapist, energy worker, and Qest4 bioenergetic practitioner, I offer a comprehensive approach to healing, addressing the root causes of pain and imbalances in the body, mind, and spirit.
My passion for holistic healing stems from my belief that true wellness is achieved by restoring balance across all aspects of a person’s being. Over the years, I’ve learned that integrating diverse therapeutic techniques allows me to provide more effective and individualized care for my patients.
What sets me apart is my ability to blend chiropractic care, acupuncture, hypnotherapy, energy healing, and bioenergetics to treat the whole person. One pivotal moment in my practice was when a patient with persistent gluteal pain, despite proper structural alignment, revealed that emotional stress was the true source of her discomfort.
This experience deepened my understanding of the mind-body connection and sparked my curiosity about energy work. It reinforced my commitment to a holistic approach that empowers my patients to heal on a deeper level, addressing both physical and emotional imbalances. My goal is to help individuals achieve optimal health and enhance their quality of life—not just by alleviating symptoms but by restoring harmony across their physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
Ruggiero Family Chiropractic & Rehabilitation Center • 935 Main Street, Suite B104, Manchester, CT 06040 • [email protected] • ruggierofamilychiro.com • 860.643.2888
Chelsea Gockel and Ethan DeFord, Satori Lux Wellness Center
Satori Lux was born from the ‘āina (land) of Maui, Hawaii. The Spirit of Aloha touched Chelsea Gockel’s heart and changed the way she relates to life and love. Satori comes from the Zen concept of a sudden awakening into the moment, and Satori Lux became the banner for awakening to the Light Within.
In 2020, Chelsea carried her Aloha back to the mainland and settled in Connecticut to build her new practice. After wild success, and in collaboration with Ethan DeFord, a kindred spirit in Aloha and the arts of wellness, they opened the Satori Lux Wellness Center in Guilford with a simple but deep vision:
Chelsea and Ethan are creating a nexus for community to invest in our health and living well. Together. Come to us as your gateway to the support you need in your personal wellness journey. If we aren’t what you need right now, we want to help you find what is.
Chelsea’s unique style of therapy calls on authentic Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, CranioSacral Therapy, SomatoEmotional Release, and the healing gifts of stone, plant essence, and sound. Chelsea navigates the deep integration between our emotions and our physical body to help her clients find the emotional roots of their physical injuries while experiencing their feelings more fully. Chelsea’s true gift to her clients is to help them feel welcome, feel Seen, and be held with care.
Ethan’s signature style draws from myofascial and structural therapies, Tui Na & Taijiquan, Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, and a life-long study of a whole and ecological human being. He supports clients through holistic touch-based therapy, mindfulness-based health coaching, and heart-based relationship coaching for individuals and couples (and polycules). His gift is to help clients feel empowered with clarity and nonjudgmental support when engaging the full range of their life, health, and relationships.
Chelsea and Ethan have been delighted to create community among their clients, but they are also proud to host other healthcare providers with their own complementary skill sets and perspectives! Their team currently includes:
Nina Luciani is a talented massage therapist with a calming presence and a beautiful touch; Nina’s most sincere desire is to create a space for her clients to let go of all the defenses they need in the outside world and truly sink into the ease of profound safety.
Haley Cochrane, a skincare professional and esthetician with infectious warmth and good humor, is passionate about helping people feel joyful in their relationship with their skin. She loves making the care process personal and enjoyable.
Alysa Rose, a nutrition therapy practitioner with a deep knowledge and deeper enthusiasm. Her work as an educator with children inspired a burning passion for helping people demystify their relationship with food and access simple changes with profound benefits.
In addition to their skilled practitioners, they are pleased to offer a spacious infrared sauna (seats up to four without any feeling of crowding – bring friends!), which provides invaluable complementing benefits to their other services or supports your health all on its own.
They are recruiting for a new acupuncturist! They are also open to receiving applications from other interested specialists who want to join their ‘ohana.’
Chelsea Gockel and Ethan DeFord, Satori Lux Wellness Center • Guilford, CT • [email protected] • satorilux.com • 475.308.0808 (call/text)
Sarah Fontaine, APRN, FNP-C, Refresh Aesthetics and Concierge Medicine
I’m Sarah Fontaine, APRN, FNP-C, and founder of a new aesthetics office called Refresh Aesthetics and Concierge Medicine in Wallingford, CT. Refresh Aesthetics and Concierge Medicine is a developing practice specializing in cutting-edge laser hair removal, micronutrient injectables, and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.
With a deep commitment to personalized care, I believe true healing starts by listening closely and understanding each person as a whole. As a dedicated functional nurse practitioner, I focus on identifying and addressing the root cause of health concerns – not just masking symptoms. Every treatment plan is thoughtfully designed to support each patient’s unique biology, lifestyle, and goals.
In addition to functional medicine, I specialize in aesthetics and vitality with affordable, cutting-edge laser hair removal and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. I help patients restore balance, energy, and vitality through customized hormone support. Refresh will also offer micronutrient injectables for a quick boost.
Refresh Aesthetics and Concierge Medicine was born from my passion for a holistic and patient-centered approach to wellness. I aim to create a space where comprehensive care and compassion converge. With experience in integrative health, aesthetics, functional medicine, BHRT, pediatrics, geriatrics, and more, I am dedicated to providing individualized attention to every patient.
Sarah Fontaine, APRN, Refresh Aesthetics and Concierge Medicine • 1271 S Broad St, Wallingford, CT • [email protected] • Refresh-Medicine.com • 860.510.2841
Dr. Patrick DeFrancesco, Chiropractic Health Center of Glastonbury
For over thirty-three years, I have focused my life and practice on the importance of a healthy lifestyle, providing high-quality chiropractic care to Glastonbury and surrounding communities.
At The Chiropractic Health Center of Glastonbury, I am joined by Dr. Joseph DeFrancesco and Dr. Keith Wade, who treat the whole body – not just the symptoms!
Our team of doctors assist patients in choosing the best care option that helps them reach a new level of spinal health and wellness. Each patient is guided on a journey of knowledge and pathway to experiencing chiropractic care in a safe, natural and effective manner.
Our office has private treatment rooms and the latest chiropractic equipment available today. We take a wholistic approach, performing complete orthopedic and neurological evaluations on every new patient, including digital x-rays, spinal functional analysis and postural assessment.
We have been in town longer than any other office and provide a personal touch to the patient experience. Our primary mission is to educate the community on the value and benefits of chiropractic care.
As a dedicated doctor of chiropractic, I have completed hundreds of hours of continuing education seminars and received numerous awards. I enjoy volunteering my time to help benefit local charities and I’m an active member of several chiropractic associations.
One of the best moments of being a business owner is when we donate a day of service for WTIC’s We Are The Children, showing up with toys and serving breakfast to children on Christmas Day.
Dr. Patrick DeFrancesco, Dr. Keith Wade, Dr. Joseph DeFrancesco, Chiropractic Health Center of Glastonbury • Glastonbury, CT • [email protected] • www.glastonburychiro.com • 860.657.8800
Kate Sobotka, Forsythia Skin Care Studio
Forsythia Skin Care Studio is located in the beautiful town of Woodbury, Connecticut. We offer skincare services ranging from anti-aging to acne treatments, including the HydraFacial. At Forsythia, we pride ourselves in giving clients a perfect mixture of relaxation and healthy skin by assessing their skincare needs and providing a facial that gives you the harmonious balance between healthy skin and a pampered experience.
I am passionate about not only skincare but also giving clients the confidence to see themselves as beautiful as I see them. I believe there can be a perfect balance between providing clients with a holistic approach to their skincare and treatments as well as a scientific approach to better understand the skin and its specific needs.
The number one thing that sets me and my business apart from others is my love for education. I love teaching clients about their skin and how and why different products, techniques, and treatments may affect it. I also pride myself on having a home/family atmosphere at my spa. I want every client to know how much they are valued and cared for from the moment they make their first appointment to well after they leave.
Every time I get the opportunity to see a client look in the mirror to see their glowing and healthy skin, my heart skips a beat. I hold every client’s reaction in a special place in my heart. Seeing the glow of their skin reach their eyes and make their eyes sparkle…each and every time…is my favorite memory.
Kate Sobotka, Forsythia Skin Care Studio • Woodbury, CT • forsythiaskincarestudio.com • 860.365.1500
Dr. Courtney Holmes, APRN, Milford Med Spa
I am a board-certified Adult Nurse Practitioner and owner of Holistic Healing Partners LLC, operating as Milford Med Spa. With over twenty years ofexperience as a geriatric and wound care specialist, I expanded my focus to medical aesthetics and menopause care. Since 2019, I’ve been blending Eastern and Western medicine to offer a holistic approach to health and wellness.
At Milford Med Spa, I specialize in bioidentical hormone replac ement therapy, medical weight loss, biostimulating treatments, IV infusions, and more. We also offer spa facials, massage, Reiki, and acupuncture, providing a full range of services to enhance your overall well-being. My focus is on helping individuals navigate perimenopause, menopause, and testosterone depletion with personalized hormone evaluations and treatments.
My personal journey with hormone imbalance deeply shaped my career. In my mid-thirties, I began struggling with sleep issues, anxiety, and a significant drop in libido. Unfortunately, I was prescribed antidepressants, which only made things worse. It wasn’t until I found hormone care that my life changed, and this experience inspired me to help other women going through similar challenges.
Symptoms like tachycardia (rapid heartbeat), anxiety, joint pain (like frozen shoulder), urinary tract infections, and worsened attention deficit disorder are often overlooked as signs of perimenopause. I help my clients understand these connections and find solutions.
The most rewarding part of my work is seeing clients regain control of their lives, improving physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I’m passionate about empowering women to feel their best through holistic hormone care.
Dr. Courtney Holmes, APRN (she/her), Milford Med Spa • Milford, CT • milfordmedspa.com • 203.701.6161
Ethan DeFord, Integrative Alchemy
I bring a unique perspective from an unusual set of skills in the growing holistic wellness world. I have woven my professional background in biochemical and biomechanical systems engineering with my 30+ year personal development journey through Eastern philosophy and medicine and supplemented that with a never-ending self-driven study of what it is to be a healthy human being – body, mind, heart, and spirit. My continuing work within myself and with my clients is building a rich, intuitive, and dynamic program that I am so pleased to share.
Integrative Alchemy is a call to recognize that every part of our life is a component of our health and that we already have everything we need to live a joyful, fulfilling life. I find this so important to share as we become increasingly disenfranchised by a “healthcare” system more focused on sickness and disorder than health and more specialized in heroic, life-saving measures than everyday care.
My mission is to cultivate a culture in which taking care of ourselves is accessible and appealing. I want to share the understanding that positive health is possible, and more than the absence of illness or injury.
What I call Holistic Manual Therapy is a touch-based therapy practice (massage and beyond) aimed at helping people find peace, ease, and strength of mind, heart, and body. I work with clients to develop a foundation that promotes Listening to your body more deeply and accepting the full spectrum of what you find. Your acceptance helps my touch release tension and generate peace, which in turn allows us to liberate you from immobility and pain. We can literally rearrange our lives by rearranging our bodies if we are ready to become an active participant in our own health.
My coaching work is based in mindfulness, and it is always customized to the unique and vital needs of each individual. Regardless of the path we take, with you at the helm, my goal is to make sure that you are serving your whole well-being rather than tending to one aspect of health and neglecting another. I aim to help you cultivate deeper and broader awareness, inside and out, so that you can guide your own life and health with confidence.
I specialize in this coaching approach in helping individuals and couples (including CNM-style relationships) cultivate superior communication and connection skills to stabilize and enrich their relationships. Our relationships can either be a source of tremendous strength or a burden of significant weight. Together, we have the opportunity to learn how to create, tend to, and grow healthy relationships.
Book a free discovery session today to learn how I can help you on your personal health journey! Sessions can be in person in Guilford or via telehealth.
Ethan DeFord, Integrative Alchemy • Guilford, CT, or via Telehealth • alchemy.link • 203.533.9466 (call/text)