Corey Costanzo and Robin Fann-Costanzo of Still Point Wellness (July 2017)
With Still Point Wellness, Corey Costanzo and Robin Fann-Costanzo
created an entirely unique spa experience.
Still Point Wellness, located just north of downtown Asheville, introduced a new wellness spa concept to the region in 2012, salt water sensory deprivation flotation chambers, and has been gaining converts since. Owners Corey Costanzo (LMBT, LCAS, somatic therapist) and Robin Fann-Costanzo (LMBT, RYT, yoga therapist and teacher, massage educator) had moved to the North Carolina mountains from Big Sur, California, where they had been living at the famed Esalen Institute for a combined 25 years. They wanted to bring Esalen massage techniques to the East Coast and sensed that Asheville would be particularly receptive.
The Costanzos initially established their practice out of their home. Then, as Corey recalls, “we were approached by an entrepreneur friend to run his new floatation spa that had not yet gotten off the ground. After my second float, I quickly recognized the incredible synergy of the work that Robin and I had been doing with the float tank and its possibility to help people work through mental and physical blocks, heal pain through deep relaxation, and enjoy life in a deeper and more meaningful way.”
The spa’s salt water floatation tank is a 6’ x 8’ chamber filled with 12 inches of water that has had 1,000 pounds of Epsom salts mixed in, thereby facilitating an individual gently floating on the water in total darkness. The combined weightlessness and sensory isolation results in pure, undisturbed tranquility for the duration of the 90-minute session, and reports of experiences range from profound endorphin highs and colorful mental visuals, to ultra-relaxed dreamlike states and deeply spiritual feelings of self-awareness.
Saltwater floatation is not the only offering at Still Point, however; services include Esalen massage, somatic psychology, cranial sacral therapy, massage workshops, and private yoga therapy, and there’s a full staff of spa coordinators and trained massage therapists. “Our unique blend of Esalen philosophy, massage, psychology, and mindfulness education is what sets us apart,” Corey explains. “Everything we offer at the spa has the simple focus of bringing relaxation and ease into someone’s life. The float tank is an effective tool for anyone to unplug from the stresses of the modern world and easily learn the skill of relaxing the mind and body. Esalen massage is a profound form of massage that brings awareness to the mind and body patterns that are causing distress to the body. Somatic psychology is a way to dive deeper into shifting away from patterns, behavioral, and mental habits that aren’t working anymore. Our carefully chosen modalities offer access to the body’s innate mechanisms of wellness.”
In recent years, floating-as-therapy has been garnering more and more mainstream attention as professional athletes, CEOs, and celebrities have testified to its effectiveness. Actress Kristen Wiig was in Asheville a few years ago and visited Still Point, and she subsequently went on to describe the experience on David Letterman’s show. (Corey: “Immediately after that, we saw a substantial increase in people interested in floating.”) In 2016 the term “sensory deprivation” was even a Jeopardy! answer, and the show flashed a photo of Still Point’s tank to illustrate the concept.
It’s all been immensely gratifying for the Costanzos from both a business and aesthetic-philosophical standpoint, and they not only have been able to extend their hours to be open seven days a week and most nights until midnight, they are currently in the process of searching for a second location in Asheville.
“Whether someone wants to be free from pain, or simply curious about what the floating craze is all about, people are floating,” says Corey. “The float tank has been [embraced] by people from all walks of life. It crosses the generational gap, and we are lucky to usher people into a space of deep relaxation.”
For more details on Still Point Wellness, go to www.StillPointWell.com.
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