Stephanie Spear Most people go to a massage for physical relief and the spa day vibes. Massage Therapy Works, located at 2931-D Eskridge Road in Fairfax, Virginia, is a blend of true relaxation with the purposeful pain relief approach informed by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Founder Yue Werning shared her philosophy about wellness, why clients are so loyal, and what first-timers can expect. Read on for more about Massage Therapy Works.
About the Founder
Yue Werning, affectionately known as Yo-Yo to many customers, is the founder of Massage Therapy Works. Yo-Yo is Chinese and enlisted in the Navy when she moved to the US. Her path from the military to massage came from her own experience working through an injury. “When I was in the Navy, I fractured my knee while running and was bedridden for three months,” she said. “I tried acupuncture, chiropractors, and physical therapy, but nothing helped me walk again.”
“It was traditional Chinese medical massage that finally healed me — completely. In China, traditional medical massage, the kind provided in professional massage hospitals, is considered real clinical treatment,” Yue said. “After experiencing its healing power myself, I wanted to bring this authentic, therapeutic approach to more people here. That’s why we created Massage Therapy Works.”
Through massage, Yue was able to rehabilitate her knee. “It was real healing, not temporary relief,” she said. Yue decided to get certified in massage so she could offer the same healing services to others. After going through the training and becoming certified, she opened Massage Therapy Works at 2931-D Eskridge Road in Fairfax in 2013.
Photo courtesy of Nina Palazzolo.
During our visit, Yue greeted several clients by name, indicative of her warm nature and personal connection with each client. She is equally as precise about the business of massage as she is warm. “The therapists are always getting new training and certifications,” she said. “And the spa has passed every inspection, ever. Even the inspectors say how clean it is in here.”
Offerings
Massage Therapy Works blends traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and modern Western practices. Yue’s holistic approach to healing is at the core of every service offered. “We want to focus on addressing the root cause of a client’s pain,” she said. “The pain in the shoulder might actually be coming from somewhere else, like the foot. It’s all connected.”
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All of the therapists at MTW have at least 10 years of training in massage and other healing arts. Everything at the studio itself is designed to support clients’ well-being. For example, the hot tea bar selections change from morning to the afternoon based on what best serves the body at the time of day, according to TCM. “It’s all herbal tea. In the morning, we have ginger, green, and black tea, and then we change that out at 3PM,” Yue said.
Photo courtesy of Nina Palazzolo
The types of massage offered are: Swedish, Deep Tissue, Trigger Point, Sports, Chinese, Medical, Pregnancy, Reflexology, and Lymphatic Drainage. Couples massages are also available. There are add-ons, including hot stone treatments and cupping.
Clients point to the massage therapists’ skill in multiple modalities as part of the reason why the treatments are so effective. One client credited his therapist’s skill with trigger point therapy as the reason why he recommended MTW and was able to have a speedy recovery after a major car accident. “Jason’s trigger point therapy got into the deep layers of muscle, and I have the most flexibility I’ve had in years,” the client said. Specialty treatments can target specific concerns like sleeplessness and arthritis.
What to Expect
The serene, green environment has low lights and low music playing, with plants softening the space. Stepping inside from the busy parking lot just off Route 29 feels like an instant mute button for the rest of the world.
Every customer gets a fully customized experience that begins with an intake form and an interview to learn more about their problems and goals. During the treatment, the therapist will work with clients to adjust pressure and other aspects of the massage. “We want to identify the areas of pain and work on the whole-body connection,” Yue said. The therapist will create a treatment plan for each client, which will specify how many treatments, the duration of each treatment and what services will be provided.
Photo courtesy of Nina Palazzolo
Yo-Yo says that most clients continue to get treatments at MTW even after their original treatment plan is completed. “We try to build a long-term relationship with each client,” she said. Since the spa opened in 2013, much of the area around the building has changed and grown. Same with Yo-Yo’s clients. “One of my current clients started coming here when he was a child; he would accompany his dad,” she said. “Then he started riding his own bike here to visit, then driving himself, and now he’s living on his own and still comes to see me,” Yue said that clients travel to see the MTW from across the DMV region and even nationwide.
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Prospective clients can make appointments online or call 703-688-6677. The spa is open seven days a week, from 10AM-8PM. There is free parking in front of the spa.
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