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Transform your life at the Wellness Sanctuary

By Wendy Schultz
From page B2 | October 07, 2013 | 2 Comments

WELLNESS SANCTUARY and Spa owners Jennifer Riley and Joaquin Fioresi welcome clients to enter and transform their lives. Democrat photo by Pat Dollins

At the Wellness Sanctuary inside the Cary House Hotel in downtown Placerville, the experience depends on the door you enter.

“At the back door inside the hotel, people come in for massage and spa services,” said Wellness owner Joaquin Fioresi, “but the front door in the Fountain Courtyard is a destination.”

While Cary House guests may choose spa packages that include massage, foot soaks, couples massage and special romance packages, Fioresi and his fiancée, Jennifer Riley, who run the Wellness Sanctuary, have handed those services over to a group of local practitioners so that the two of them can focus on providing transformative services.

“The practitioners at the spa are local top-notch massage therapists who have their own practices as well,” said Riley. “We cater to visitors staying at the Carey House who are enjoying the bounties of El Dorado County — the restaurants, the wineries and the activities.”

“Jennifer and I are serving the community through cutting-edge, evolutionary solutions to raise the quality of life for people, help them reclaim their lives and clear out past trauma so they can move on,” said Fioresi. “We’re like cheerleaders cheering you on.”

“We focus on results — most people don’t care about the process — they want results,” said Riley.

The two have a synergistic approach that utilizes each of their individual backgrounds and skills to guide clients to living their best lives.

“We coach people to get into alignment with their purpose and as they invest in their own health, wealth in their relationships, their work and in their emotional life naturally increases,” said Riley.

The candle-lit session room at the sanctuary is decorated in an uncluttered style with rich but muted color. The office area showcases the old brick of the building but keeps the zen-like decor. Artwork by local artists, especially chosen for consciousness raising, adds color to the brick walls of the old building and a water fountain adds a tranquil sound.

Fioresi, 37, known for his talent as a musician, has long been a “body worker,” integrating massage therapy, zen shiatsu, sound therapy and somatic and energy medicine to work with the whole person instead of only the body. Much of the process he uses is from his knowledge and training with mentor Bruce Berger, author of “Esoteric Anatomy.”

While Fioresi rarely does massage now, choosing to focus instead on transformative work, he does use gentle pressure holds to release the sympathetic system, allowing clients to clear long-held tension and blocks.

“It’s like having a conversation with your body,” said Fioresi,”helping you get out of your head and making a connection with your body.”

A gentle guide

Fioresi, a joyful and gentle spirit, helps clients identify what they want to see as a result, teaching them to check in with their body as they visualize what they want and how it feels not to have it and guiding them through the process of releasing blockages and tension and breathing with sound to create energy.

Emotional clearing may take as little as one session with Fioresi, or as many as three sessions, depending on what the client wants to achieve.

“It’s results based. You’ll be able to experience clarity, well-being and empowerment with each session, ” said Fioresi, “and the quality of your life really gets turned up.”

Riley, 33, is a massage therapist, registered yoga teacher and certified life coach who uses her intuitive skills to coach clients to create the life they want to live.

“First, it’s important to get clear about what you want and what it means to you not to have it,” said Riley. “That’s our discovery session and there is generally no charge. Then the client and I look at what program will best serve them. I give people the tools to support a shift in their perception that will embody the vision of what they want in their lives.”

Focus is on the client

Much of Riley’s calm and focused style of coaching takes place one-to-one at the sanctuary, but she also supplies phone support and will meet with clients for walks, depending on what the client needs.

Clients also receive homework.

“People have to invest time and energy to get the desired results,” said Riley, “It needs to be a bit of a stretch in all ways — emotionally, spiritually, financially and time-wise.”

Both Fioresi and Riley teach workshops for other body and energy workers.

“We want to empower others to empower others,” said Fioresi, “and teach them to develop and cultivate their own healing abilities.”

Fioresi offers certification programs in polarity therapy and educational workshops. He has certified several local practitioners.

Riley teaches Kundalini yoga classes at the Cary House on Monday at 9 a.m. and offers women’s empowerment workshops.

The processes used by both Fioresi and Riley are different from one another and involve more talking than touch, but the results are powerful and the focus is on keeping clients feeling safe and supported as they move through the release of blockages, trauma, tension and fears.

“We designed the sanctuary to be a safe space — safe to come for a massage, safe for coaching or for emotional clearing,” said Fioresi. “Then, we create a safe place within a safe place to be comfortable in your own skin and be completely authentic. There’s nothing more victorious for us than a person who comes in feeling fragmented and leaves feeling whole.”

The Wellness Sanctuary is located at 312 Main St. at the back of the Cary House.

For more information visit placervillespa.com or to make an appointment call 530-231-7789. Choose your own door.