During a three-month period of employment in the last quarter of 2007, I had the opportunity to practice aquatic bodywork in a new leisure spa setting in the UK. That this public spa had the foresight to include a pool especially for the experience of Watsu, indicates an appreciation of the unique value of this offering in modern spa culture. However, the special needs of aquatic bodywork are still not well understood.
My experience at Thermae Bath Spa makes an interesting case study regarding presentation to a novice audience in a very public setting with a management that must juggle the needs and expectations of a broad clientele. I want to share here my observations since they illustrate both the progress made and the understanding still needed before aquatic bodywork is properly integrated into the new spa world.
Watsu is a quintessential spa treatment in that it makes full use of the therapeutic qualities of water and provides a profoundly relaxing and pleasurable experience. Part of the slowness in it's uptake by spas in general has been because it requires a dedicated warm pool (just below body temperature, at least 10 ft x10 ft) in a peaceful and private setting, and also because it demands a degree of sophistication in the 'art of spa'.
I have worked in the sanctuary-style setting of a five-star hotel spa (at the Royal Crescent where I was also spa manager), in a private spa-retreat environment in the US (where I was joint owner), and more recently had the opportunity to experience working in the large leisure-spa facility that is Thermae Bath Spa.
In all these situations, the focus was more on pleasure than therapy, though the spa-retreat aimed to expand this experience into the personal growth arena. My experience has been that aquatic bodywork can be adapted for many settings and in all of them it's benefits are invariably profound.
Return clients, and those specifically seeking aquatic bodywork, are not yet common in the hotel/ leisure setting. However, as spa culture develops and more people have the opportunity to experience aquatic bodywork, this will likely change. An important factor in ensuring this, is that good qualified practitioners be employed, since the first experience is likely to be a strong deciding factor in choosing to repeat or recommend aquatic bodywork.
Click here to read more about Watsu at Thermae Bath Spa.
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