Capital At Play
  • Home
  • Current Edition
    • Featured Capitalists
    • Local Industry
    • Leisure & Libation
    • Columns
    • Events
  • Archives
    • Featured Capitalists
    • Local Industry
    • Leisure & Libation
    • Columns
    • Resources: Lists, Charts & Maps
    • Capital Adventurist
    • Videos
  • Contact
    • Pick-up Locations
    • About Us
  • Subscribe Now
  • Recommended Businesses
  • Weekly Newsletter
    • Web Exclusive
  • Podcast
Annual Guide to Holiday Dinners at Local Asheville...
Guide to WNC’s Holiday Season
The Economic Impact of Tourism
Power Couples
Back to the Future
Best of WNC’s Outdoors
Small Businesses of Yore
Capital at Play
Balancing Purpose and Profits
All in Good Taste
On A Mission
Better Together
Small But Mighty
Different by Design
A Farewell Column
Artist Spotlight: Becca Allen
Guide to Art Institutions in WNC
The Artist’s Way
Facing the Music
Dancing to His Own Tune
Making Matters
Creating Art for Corporate Communities
The Heart—and Art—of Healing: Large Collection of Local...
Pausing for Public Art
Bucket List: 10 Ways to Celebrate Fall in...
Bucket List: Where to Drink Outside this Fall
A Fine Pair
The Well Played Pivot: Game on for Game...
A Mountain to Climb
The Beer Necessities

Capital At Play

Western North Carolina's Free Spirit Of Enterprise

  • Home
  • Current Edition
    • Featured Capitalists
    • Local Industry
    • Leisure & Libation
    • Columns
    • Events
  • Archives
    • Featured Capitalists
    • Local Industry
    • Leisure & Libation
    • Columns
    • Resources: Lists, Charts & Maps
    • Capital Adventurist
    • Videos
  • Contact
    • Pick-up Locations
    • About Us
  • Subscribe Now
  • Recommended Businesses
  • Weekly Newsletter
    • Web Exclusive
  • Podcast
2017Insight

Insight: Sensory Elevation

July 2017

Tessa Lauren & Ascend Adventure Wellness (July 2017)


Tessa Lauren of Ascend Adventure Wellness combines hiking in the outdoors with massage in nature.

It goes without saying that Western North Carolina residents and tourists prize the outdoors, not only for its adventure potential but also just for the sheer beauty and comfort. It is probably equally obvious that this region, Asheville in particular, boasts numerous spas and wellness centers, with people eager to promote both their mental and physical well-being. What’s not common, however, is the literal intersection of these two notions.

Enter Ascend Adventure Wellness, launched earlier this year by Tessa Lauren as a means of offering all-inclusive, rejuvenating experiences that combine hiking in the outdoors with massage in nature.

“I believe there is a renewing quality to connecting with nature,” explains Lauren. “When we detach from the hum of constant electronics and take the time to hear the sounds of birds or a bubbling brook, we are renewed in a way that only comes from the outdoors.”

Lauren initially began her career with AmeriCorps’s National Civilian Community Corps, serving on projects in the Southeast. She later worked in Atlanta as an Outward Bound instructor, ultimately moving to Western North Carolina to be a mountain instructor for the North Carolina Outward Bound School; she instructed for both Outward Bound and the American Adventure and Service Corps.

“I led students through backpacking, climbing, and white-water canoeing as a means to gain both technical and interpersonal skills,” says Lauren. “Through those programs, students were faced with challenging situations and offered the support to learn to overcome them.

“I enjoyed my time teaching those skills to students, and when I changed careers to the wellness industry, my focus changed to find new ways to offer a different experience in nature. I felt that both challenge and nurturing were important—as a society, we had gotten so great at challenging ourselves outdoors, but there was still room to grow for seeking nature as a restorative source.”

To that end, Ascend leads clients on trails featuring mountain views (memo to self: bring camera), waterfalls, and the intimacy of forest settings; provides a picnic lunch; and then finishes the day with spa treatments customized to the clients’ wishes. (A strong protective canopy is brought in case the weather turns unpredictable outdoors.) It should also be noted that the trips are intended as “day-cations” for adults; currently, only clients 18 and older are eligible.

As the photos accompanying this article clearly suggest, the Ascend experience is considerably different from that of the usual indoor spa setting. Lauren is quick to point out that, as Ascend occupies a very unique niche, educating the public about what her business offers can be a challenge, at least initially. “Because this business is truly one of a kind, it has been challenging to work within certain industry standards. We are not just the spa industry or the outdoor industry—we are both. So sometimes we have to think outside the box on certain business related needs.”

“Our immediate plans,” she continues, “are to build a solid product our clients will absolutely adore. We are a small company by choice, and would like to always provide the highest quality experience to our clients. Moving forward, we are researching overnight trips, as well as Adventure Wellness trips abroad.

“Everyone we have spoken to has been very supportive and excited about what we are doing. We often hear, ‘I can’t believe that didn’t exist already! I want to go!’”

Pull on your hiking shoes and get ready to head outdoors!

For more info on bookings, rates, and FAQs, visit Ascend at AscendAdventurewellness.com.

 


The original article is below. Click to open in fullscreen…

Insight: Sensory Elevation was last modified: August 1st, 2017 by Bonnie Roberson
0
Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest

You may also like

Insight: Stroke of Destiny

December 2018

Against the Grain

August 2017

Capital at Play

December 2020

Insight: One Smile At a Time

September 2017

Above & Beyond: Accommodating Breastfeeding Employee

January 2018

Current Edition

  • Humble Beginnings

  • A Sugarcoated Company

  • Real Estate Year in Review 2020

  • Home Sweet Appalachia

  • What it Takes to get to 100 Years

Subscribe



Like what you see? Subscribe to get
Capital at Play delivered to your home.

Pickup Locations


Find a location near you &
pickup a copy of Capital at Play today!

Contact Us

Subscription Information
order online here

Advertising Inquiries
828.274.7305
advertising@capitalatplay.com

Editorial Inquiries
editor@capitalatplay.com

@2020 - Capital at Play LLC. All Rights Reserved.


Back To Top