About Us
About Us
Welcome to Optimal Wellness Center, where we believe in taking a holistic approach to pain management. We understand that traditional methods of pain relief often involve the use of addictive medication, which can come with unwanted side effects and may not always be effective. That’s why we offer comprehensive alternative pain management treatments that prioritize your overall health and well-being.
One of the key alternative therapies we offer is massage therapy. Our experienced massage therapists use a variety of techniques such as Neuromuscular Therapy, Deep Tissue, Sports Massage, Myofascial Release and Trigger point therapy to help relieve muscle tension, improve circulation, and reduce stress. Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain or just need to unwind, our massage therapy services can help you feel your best.
Another alternative pain management option we offer is Mobility Training. Our skilled movement therapists work with you to develop a personalized exercise program that can help you manage pain and improve your mobility. Mobility Training can also help you build strength and flexibility, which can be beneficial for preventing future injuries.
Functional Nutrition is another important aspect of our alternative pain management approach. At Optimal Wellness, we understand that the food you eat can have a significant impact on your overall health, including your pain levels. Our team of Functional Nutritionists can work with you to develop a nutrition plan that is tailored to your unique needs and can help you manage pain and inflammation.
At Optimal Wellness, we believe that alternative pain management treatments can be effective, safe, and empowering. We prioritize your comfort and well-being throughout every step of your treatment, and our team is here to support you on your journey towards optimal health. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you manage your pain in a holistic way.
OUR MISSION
MOVE WELL, BE WELL, DO MORE.
Our team of Massage Therapists and Acupuncturists in The Berkshires have the ability to get you back to your best self. Our therapists have over 30 years of combined experience treating various ailments. Our Massage Therapists use a technique called Neuromuscular Therapy. We are dedicated to helping you heal without the need for expensive medication and invasive surgeries. When you work with our team at Optimal Wellness, we can guarantee the quality of your treatments.
OUR TEAM
Neuromuscular & Massage Therapists
JAKE CORLEY
Owner, Movement Specialist, & Neuromuscular Therapist
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JAKE CORLEY
Optimal Wellness owner, Jake, became a massage therapist in 2011. As an avid Colorado ultramarathoner and climber, he started out working with professional athletes in his community to relieve chronic pain, muscular dysfunction, and lagging recovery times. Looking for a deeper understanding of the root causes of physical issues, Jake trained with top practitioners to develop tools and therapy techniques that would allow him to take a more holistic approach to mobility, wellness, and movement to the next level. After nearly a decade of practice, he now works with all types of clients looking to improve their quality of life through massage therapy. He regularly teaches mobility seminars for other bodywork practitioners to spread the message of optimal function and good health. While Jake is not helping clients reach their wellness goals, you can find him trail running in the mountains or training for his next big ultramarathon.
Licensure & Certifications:- Licensed Massage Therapist
- Level 4 Thai Massage Therapist
- Advanced Neuromuscular Therapist
- Positional Release Therapist
- Functional Range Conditioning Mobility Specialist
- Kinstretch® Certified
- Levels 1 & 2 Functional Movement Systems Certification
- FMT Basic & Performance Kinesiology Taping Certification
- Silverton 100 Mile Ultramarathon
- Behind The Rocks 50 Mile Ultramarathon
- Arches 50 Mile Ultramarathon
- Bryce Canyon 50 Mile Ultramarathon
- Rim to Rim to Rim of The Grand Canyon
- John Muir Trail
- Tahoe Rim Trail
- Cody Peak 50K
- Deadhorse 50k
- Behind The Rocks 50k
- Zion 50k
- Dirty 30 50k
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KRISTY BILODEAU, LMT
Massage Therapist
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KRISTY BILODEAU, LMT
Kristy is a Berkshire County native who grew up in Lanesborough until she graduated from Mt. Greylock High School in 1996. She has been working in the bodywork field for almost two decades.
She completed her bodywork studies at The Muscular Therapy Institute in 1999 which teaches the Ben Benjamin system of Muscular Therapy. After this she proceeded to get her BS in Marine Biology from Roger Williams University in Bristol R.I. As much as she loved the area of Marine Biology it could not compare with the rewarding field of massage therapy. Kristy realized that through massage therapy she could help her clients feel better during a single massage session and through developing a recovery plan the clients quality of life could dramatically increase.
Over almost 20 years of massage therapy Kristy has combined a variety of bodywork into her own style of deep tissue massage. She has spent most of her career running her own business in Vermont and a year and half ago moved back home to the Berkshires. She currently lives in Lee with her wonderful husband, three beautiful kids, two amazing dogs and one fluffy bunny. Kristy enjoys her time being with her family and working with her husband to restore their Victorian home to its former glory.
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Elaine Ireland
Massage Therapist, Personal Trainer
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Elaine Ireland
Elaine Ireland has worked in the fitness and wellness industry for over 30 years; she brings one of the most diverse and integrative professional backgrounds in Berkshire County to Optimal Wellness. Certified both as a Functional Fitness Trainer and Licensed Massage Therapist, Elaine epitomizes the best of integrative wellness practices to bring truly unique, meaningful and lasting results to her clients.
In addition to her traditional roots in massage therapy, Elaine is a Certified CranialSacral Therapist through the Upledger Institute, a Metagenics Lifestyle Educator and a practitioner of Eric Dalton’s pioneering work at the Freedom From Pain Institute and a Trained Pilates instructor.
As a personal trainer certified with ACE, Elaine combines functional training with traditional weight training with an emphasis on mind-body connection. Her specialty is working with clients to correct imbalances in the body that lead to injury and including self care for full recovery after each session.
Combining her many disciplines of massage and personal training, Elaine takes a holistic approach to wellness, with the intent of providing a truly customized and unique plan for each client. In order to best accomplish this, Elaine keeps herself well enmeshed in the ever evolving fields of fitness and massage Therapy.
Elaine leads the healthy lifestyle that she advocates to her clients and is dedicated to sound nutrition and fitness. She has an amazing family and 12 grandchildren! She runs two Airbnb spaces and loves to cook with her personal chef, her loving supportive husband John. Elaine enjoys traveling adventures with her husband who builds zip-lines and adventure parks all over the world - Someone has to test them, right?
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Acupuncturists and Chinese Medicine Practitioners
Miwaka Ohara
Acupuncturist & Chinese Medicine Practitioner
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Miwaka Ohara
Miwaka is a graduate of Texas Health and Science University in Austin, Texas. She is licensed by the Board of Registration in Medicine in the state of Massachusetts. She is also Nationally certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) in the USA.
Miwaka has been practicing acupuncture for more than twenty years. She specializes in Japanese Toyohari Acupuncture. She has had the privilege of studying under Steve Birch (UK) and Junko Ida (Japan) at the Japanese Acupuncture Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. She is also one of a select few interpreters for the Toyohari Acupuncture Association, helping translate from Japanese-English and English-Japanese during master workshops with senior Japanese instructors in Europe and the USA.
Miwaka is also a Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas and a Licensed Esthetician in Massachusetts. She holds certificates in Holistic Health Education and Yoga Instruction from Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. She is a 2005 graduate of Byron Katie's school for "The Work".
She holds various nutritional certificates such as Raw Food Lifestyle from the Ann Wigmore Institute in Puerto Rico and the Level II Macrobiotic Certificate from the Kushi Institute of Europe in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Miwaka combines her unique skills, knowledge and insight together to provide a deep and rich healing experience for her clients. She works in collaboration with her clients to facilitate positive change and bring about overall health and well-being. Taking an integrative approach to health care, she treats each client as a unique individual.
Every client's concerns, needs and goals are continuously listened to and readdressed in order to provide the best possible care by treating the whole person: body, mind and spirit. She works to empower each client towards health in a safe and supportive healing environment.
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Tansy Crane
Acupuncturist & Chinese Medicine Practitioner
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Tansy Crane, L.Ac., MSOM
Tansy Crane studied at the East West College of Natural Medicine earning a Masters of Acupuncture and Oriental East Asian Medicine (MSOM) and Bachelors of Professional Health Sciences. She is licensed by the Board of Registration in Medicine in Massachusetts and has formerly practiced in Utah and Florida. She is also Nationally certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).
Previously specializing in pain and injury management she worked locally in Massachusetts but after moving West expanded her work to specialize in supportive oncology-care. She is happy to have returned to the New England area and be able to offer acupuncture as part of the Optimal Wellness team. Tansy has certified with the international non-profit Acupuncturist Without Borders and also trained with the late Michael Smith who founded the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (N.A.D.A.) auricular acupuncture protocol in the Bronx, New York. In 2012, Tansy had the opportunity to further her studies of Traditional Chinese Medicine and traveled to China to study at the Zhejiang Chinese Medical University in Hang Zhou, China. While in China, she was fortunate to be able to train with many Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine specialists at multiple hospitals.
Holistic health care is a passion for Tansy and she employs the philosophy that each day is a new beginning for the body. Integrating Eastern and Western functional wellness therapies in order to find the best possible acupuncture applications for the most sustainable health and wellness outcomes is a continuing field of study for her. She feels fortunate to be able to offer a modernized style of therapeutic acupuncture that is grounded in an ancient and honored East Asian holistic tradition. When not offering acupuncture treatments she enjoys being outdoors hiking in the local mountains of New England.
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Functional Nutritionists
Renee Slonaker
Functional Nutritionists
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Renee Slonaker
Renée became interested in functional medicine and nutrition to learn more about and manage an autoimmune condition. The profound effects she experienced prompted a midlife career change with a return to school.
Her masters of science degree in human nutrition provided extensive learning in human physiology and development, biochemical individuality, macro and micronutrients, functional assessment, and nutritional therapeutics. She developed strong clinical skills and a broad knowledge base during a year-long residency (over 1,000 hours) in a renowned functional medicine clinic.
As a Functional Nutritionist, Renée embodies an integrative, science, evidence-based approach to wellness taking into account your medical history and diagnoses, biochemical and physiological makeup, health concerns, goals, lifestyle and dietary preferences. In an individualized, collaborative approach, she uses her background in education and teaching to help her clients understand the why and what, to empower and implement the how.
Renée is a northwestern Connecticut and Berkshire native. She stays active by hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and downhill skiing. She and her husband enjoy traveling in their camper and exploring natural places and small towns. She enjoys the challenge of camp cooking simple, one skillet meals with vegetables and herbs from her garden and meats from local farms.
Training, Licenses, and Certifications:
- Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS): this certification requires a Masters degree in nutrition plus 1,000 clinical hours and passage of a board exam. Allows me to practice nutrition counseling and medical nutrition therapy in many states.
- Licensed Dietary Nutritionist (Massachusetts) Dr. Kara Fitzgerald and Team Functional Medicine Clinical Immersion Program
- Master of Science in Human Nutrition from The University of Bridgeport, one of the most established functional clinical nutrition programs in the U.S. As a CNS and LDN continuing education credits are required to maintain certification. She attends webinars, conferences, and is working on additional certifications from the American Nutrition Association, Institute for Functional Medicine, and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
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Our process
INTAKE
We begin with a 30 min intake session where you provide us with the knowledge to draft an effective treatment plan.
ASSESS
The intake phase is followed by an assessment phase that revolves around us getting a better understanding of what’s causing pain or restricted movement.
TREAT
And finally, we treat the root cause with corrective exercises that promise to improve tightness, imbalances, and range of motion.
CONTACT US
Optimal Wellness- Berkshires
Address: 5 Albany Rd, West Stockbridge, MA 01266
Phone : 413-822-7394
QUESTIONS? SEE FAQS