Living in St. Pete, one is never at a loss for things to do, especially outdoors. With activities like biking, swimming and golfing readily available, it’s easy to maintain a healthy routine. In order to keep soreness and injuries at bay, many active people turn to massage therapy.
Massage therapist Kimberly Hughes, LMT, NMT was first drawn to massage therapy as a client due to her own active lifestyle. Once she discovered how beneficial the practice was to help balance out her dynamic hobbies, she decided to study massage herself.
Kimberly was born and raised in Clearwater and has been a St. Pete resident since 2001, where she enjoys outdoor activities such as kayaking, rollerblading and fishing. “I was always fascinated by anatomy and physiology, and the human body,” Kimberly said. “Massage was a way to incorporate all of that.” As a massage therapist, she also gets to work with many like- minded people who are active, and health and wellness-oriented.
“I enjoy being able to make people feel better, and to add to their quality of life,” she said. “People are always happy to see me, and they’re happier as they leave. It’s a win-win.” Kimberly makes it a point to strategically schedule her clients throughout the day and to not overbook, as it can potentially take away from the massage experience for guests.
“Kimberly’s skills as a therapist are as good as I’ve found,” said Paula G., one of Kimberly’s clients. “I’ve had no major health issues even though I’m approaching 60 years of age, and I believe massage therapy has allowed me to keep the edge for my personal life and my professional life.”
Benefits of massage include improved circulation and increased flexibility and range of motion. Which in turn reduces the likelihood of muscle tears and injuries. In addition, Kimberly explains, endorphins released during massage are beneficial in managing pain, stress, insomnia and depression, naturally.
A graduate of the Humanities Center in May 2005, and full-time practitioner as of January 2006, Kimberly has since become specialized in deep tissue, sports, neuromuscular therapies, relaxation (such as hot stone massage and paraffin wax), medical massage and, most recently in 2013, a certified pregnancy massage practitioner trained under Dr Deanine Picciano AP, LMT.
Even with all of her current certifications, Kimberly is always seeking to expand her skill set. Every two years, the Department of Health mandates all licensed practitioners to complete 24 hours of continuing education before applying for license renewals. Kimberly is hoping to add manual lymphatic drainage and massage geared toward cancer patients to her skill set in the future.
Earlier this year, as she headed into her 11th year of practicing, Kimberly moved the location of her practice. A few months after the move, she held a ribbon-cutting ceremony as a member of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce. Mayor Rick Kriseman and chamber President and CEO Christopher Steinocher were among the guests.
While there were nerves at her ribbon-cutting ceremony, she was more excited about the possibilities for the new location of her business, Kimberly recalls: “My goals for my business are to become completely self-sufficient while being my own boss. It is a dream I will see to fruition.” Kimberly adds that she has been very fortunate to have so much love and support from her fiance, Kerry Robertson.
Kimberly’s office is open six days a week, and is located at 3135 16th Street North. See her ad below for $20 Off your first massage. For more information, or to book a session with Kimberly, visit her website at kimberlymassage.com or find her on Facebook under ‘Kimberly Hughes LMT, NMT – Massage Therapy’.
