For St. Michael’s Rose Thunder, June has been a move long in the making, on so many levels.
After working through two decades in office settings – big or small, as an executive assistant or office manager – Thunder followed her dream to become a massage therapist in 2012.
But that was just the half of it. Her ideal situation, she said, would be to have a practice in St. Michael, where she could help friends, neighbors and so many members of the community she loves.
“I’ve lived here 14 years. I couldn’t imagine being able to serve on that level. To be able to help the people that I live with and see every day, that would be pretty special,” she said.
Fast forward to June 2014, and that dream has become a reality. Rose Thunder Massage now has opened at 249 Central Avenue in St. Michael, directly above Zins Chriopractic Clinic.
“It’s something I’ve wanted to do for the last nine years,” she said. “But, we were lucky enough to adopt our son, Will, and I kind of stayed in my career as an assistant because I was comfortable. It was safe.”
As the economy changed, and she watched jobs come and go, it began to feel less safe. And in 2012, Rose decided it was time to pursue that dream that she’d had for so many years. She applied at the Minnesota School of Business in Elk River.
“It was close, and it was a good, thorough program. I really liked it because we worked with professionals in the field, and they give you an idea of what to expect both on the professional side and the business side. That helped so much,” Rose said.
By late 2013 she was almost wrapping up the program, and began what MSB calls an “extern-ship” at the Studio for Well Being and Wisdom in Osseo, run by Jody Baglien.
“We really clicked. I mean, it made it a much harder decision to leave and come home to be in St. Michael, because we had such a great relationship and it’s really a wonderful place to be,” Thunder said.
But checking through her client list, the connection to her people in St. Michael was obvious.
“Why are we all driving, I thought,” she said with a laugh. “I love being a part of this community through my kids and the things I volunteer for. To work here is just so rewarding. Kenny [her husband] and I were talking that, for him, it’s the longest he’s ever lived in one place. We know this is home.”
Rose Thunder, a 14-year resident of St. Michael, is moving her business to downtown St. Michael after starting it up in Osseo last year.
Rose offers a variety of massage services, saying no treatment should be the same, really, for any client.
“It should be like going to a hair stylist or a dentist, really,” she said. “Not everyone is going to have the same ailments or require the same therapy. And what works for one patient isn’t necessarily going to work for the other. So even though there’s a high demand for therapists, there’s a need for each person to find the one that’s right for them.”
Rose uses an integrated wellness therapy, with a mixture of Swedish and deep tissue and the assistance of an amethyst BioMat, which aids in relaxation.
She’s open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with hours from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. She’ll also see clients Saturdays by appointment.
More information can also be found via Rose’s website, RoseThunder.MassageTherapy.com