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Meet Stevie Ann Rinehart of Theta Massage Therapy in Old Town Scottsdale

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Stevie Ann Rinehart.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Stevie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Thanks so much for asking me to share my story, Voyage Phoenix! What a great idea. I hope this can help me reach people with what I can do to help them. Let’s see, a “brief” walk-through of my story? I’ll try …

I was born and raised in Pittsburgh… and yes, I’m a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan! I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science to someday run for office. I’m relieved I had the good sense NOT to do such a thing!

Through a weird chain of events, I wound up becoming the editorial cartoonist for my university all through grad school (I’d been very artistic growing up) — so I was able to channel my interest in politics with my skill in art.

But one other thing I loved throughout high school and college was writing. I was the sicko who, when the professor announced we’d be writing a 20-page term paper, would be fist-pumping “Yes!” while everyone else sulked and moaned. LOL. That love of words eventually led me to a 25-year career as a marketing writer. And then, I shifted gears abruptly and became a licensed massage therapist (LMT). Say what…?

Not exactly a linear career path, right? Well, in 2009, a slew of life-changing, health-impacting stressors and traumas invaded my world. And they didn’t leave until 2015. Just when I’d think things couldn’t get worse, the “universe” seemed to respond with: “Oh yeah? Here, hold my beer, watch this.” It was so bad that one night I wound up in the ER with what my doctor suspected was a heart attack (false alarm, yay!). It was a sign I needed to do something about how I was handling my stress.

Massage therapy played a big role in helping me through that time. I crawled onto the padded table more than 200 times from 2009-2015 just to get much-needed relief from my immense physical and emotional pain. When my job (or more accurately, my employer) became a major pain itself, I decided I wanted more than just a change of employers, I wanted a change of PURPOSE. Recalling how much I loved my massages and how they helped me cope and get through another day, I knew I wanted to do the same for others.

The power of positive human touch was so nurturing, transforming and healing. For me, much of it has to do with the therapist — not just with their technical skill level, but more so with the trust, compassion and comfort, I felt with them … like I was truly being taken care of. And I wanted to be that kind of massage therapist for anyone along the stress and trauma spectrum. So I guess you could say “my misery became my mission.”

Interestingly, I got my first job as an LMT at the spa where I’d been a client for more than eight years. Talk about things coming full circle! I learned a LOT while there and grew as an LMT. I’ll always be grateful for that opportunity.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Let’s say it’s been less a smooth, level road where you never break a sweat and more like a can’t-see-around-the-bend-or-over-the-hill challenging hike that makes you feel a little winded! LOL. I didn’t expect anything different when I started. Many new businesses go through growing pains of some kind. However, as I approach a big milestone for my practice — the first anniversary is in November 2019 — I look in the rearview mirror and see some undeniable lessons more clearly.

First, I had to accept the fact that marketing for my practice is a lot different than for the Fortune 500 companies I worked for: I don’t have a near-limitless marketing budget, and I have to do it all on my own without the benefit of a team working alongside me.

Second, patience is NOT one of my virtues. So this grassroots process of growing a solo business has put that to the test. I’m trying to make use of those “in-between” moments to learn all I can and just BE.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I discovered early on that I’m naturally good at helping people drift into la la land, where they enter the theta brainwave state — the half-awake/half-asleep space where healing and deep relaxation occur. (Fun fact: that’s why I named my practice Theta.) I’ve had quite a few people slip into the delta sleep state, too.

I specialize in helping those who are enduring stress (anywhere on the stress spectrum, from mild to chronic) or have suffered an emotional trauma that is affecting them physically.

I believe three things set me apart from other massage therapists:
(1) I can identify with those living with stress and trauma because I’ve lived it myself. I know what it feels like physically, emotionally, mentally. While the effects can manifest differently for each person, I’m familiar with how they can appear in the body, and what clients may likely need in their session and from me as a therapist.

(2) I’m the only local LMT I know specializing in massage therapy for stress and trauma. Clients and colleagues have told me the same. This surprises me given that most people suffer from considerable stress of some kind throughout their lives, and many are dealing with a past or current trauma, not knowing massage can help their body process emotional wounds.

(3) I willingly and intentionally go above and beyond what most LMTs do for their clients. I don’t like to just “work on them” and send them on their way. I prefer to spend time with them beforehand getting to know them; any pains or issues that brought them in; their goals for the session; what they like and dislike about massage; what kinds of treatments (even if not massage) have worked for them before. Afterward, we chat about how they’re feeling; if they feel the reason that brought them in was addressed (I’ll check in during the session as well); plus tips for stretches and self-care to extend the benefits of the massage.

I’m proud of those moments when clients give me a big hug before they leave… often at their first session! And I’m humbled by the clients who trust me enough to share their emotionally painful reason for seeing me. I feel like I’m doing something right.

What were you like growing up?
I was a curious, active kid always riding my bicycle, going to the nearby playground with friends, making art.

I was a very good student, getting mostly A’s (at least until high school, then B’s started showing up). I especially loved my English and Art classes where I could create stories with words or works of art with pens, pencils, chalks, watercolors, paints. I was extremely outgoing; teachers described me as “bubbly.”

At home, I pretty much kept to myself, immersing myself in music. Being in junior high and high school in the early-mid 80s, I devoured everything U2, The Cure, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode. I still do, come to think of it.

In many ways, I’m still like I was as a kid.

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Stevie Ann Rinehart

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