Life is demanding. Between work, children, partners, aging parents, and the endless responsibilities of daily life, we know that many women find the easiest thing to put on the backburner is themselves.

We also know that’s not just a temporary solution, it’s a self-defeating one. Backburnered pots boil over, and you can’t take care of anything—or anybody—else when you’re busy scraping the scorches off the stovetop.

One of our goals at VIDA is to make it easier to build self-care into every day through calming spaces, community connection and support, and onsite opportunities to sweat, move, and relax.

To do that, we’re partnering with some stellar providers, including Jenelle Woodlief, a Thai massage therapist, self-care coach, and Yomassage™ therapist with a background in health sciences. Her philosophy is rooted in a desire to connect and empower women. She’s passionate about helping clients choose and love themselves enough to make themselves a priority. VIDA members will be able to book Jenelle’s services through the VIDA app, plus they’ll get a 10% discount.

We caught up with Jenelle to learn more about her practice, how she fell in love with bodywork, and what she likes to do when she’s not helping other people chill.

Tell us a little bit about your bodywork practice, if you would?

I practice a style of bodywork I call Thai Structural Bodywork, which is a fusion of (a) traditional Thai massage techniques and concepts around energy work and (b) a Western structural bodywork with its focus on posture, structure, and creating balance in the body. The melding of the two happened quite organically, as my subtle intuition for bodywork met my health science background and desire to understand the body in a very logical, tangible way. To me, the most effective bodywork contains some combination of the two.

Where yoga and massage meet in my practice is through a modality called Yomassage™, which are restorative yoga classes combined with massage. Bolsters, blankets, and blocks are used to assist clients into very gentle restorative postures while a massage therapist works on different areas of the body. It’s a very blissful and healing experience!

How’d you get into it?

I was simply craving more meaningful connections in my work, wanted to work with my hands and move my body, and I longed to not be chained to a desk staring at a computer. The moment I experienced Thai massage for myself was the moment I knew that was what my body and soul were made to do.

You’re also a self-care coach, right? What’s that all about?

I teach that self-care is simply caring for, choosing, and loving yourself. My practice has two components to it. The first is simply through my bodywork practice. My bodywork coaching program is aimed at empowering women to transform their bodies in order to alleviate pain, recover from injuries and/or pregnancy/childbirth, prevent future and/or chronic injuries, improve range of motion and performance, and address any other muscular concerns. Ten weeks long, the program incorporates weekly structural and postural assessments, massage, and teaching an effective home routine that includes self-massage, strength training, and appropriate and safe stretching.

My self-care practice also involves empowering women to honor and love themselves, especially through challenging life moments. I share very openly, through my writing and recently through speaking engagements, about my own experiences around self-care through a very difficult divorce and learning to discover and honor myself through radical growth and transformation. I endeavor to share my story in a way that speaks to and empowers others to choose and love themselves, and give tangible tips for effective self-care.

What do you like most about your work?

I get to literally live my passions, pouring my heart into my business and serving clients from a genuine and loving place. My business is myself, and myself is my business, in ways that challenge me to be my best version.

I also get to connect with amazing women. Those who inspire, challenge, and accept me. And I get to always learn more – about myself, others, the world of bodywork – and challenge myself in new and different ways, constantly. Finally, my business allows me to live my values. One of them is being flexible enough so that I am the best mom I can be, available and present.

What’s something you’re curious about right now?

So much! I have been doing a lot of thinking, talking about, and reading on white privilege and recognizing my place and role in systemic racism. I actively look for ways to pay reparation, recognize my bias, and teach my children to do the same.

Your job is helping other people unwind and release stress. How do you relax after a busy week of helping other people relax?

Hmm… I sleep! Really though, I rest. I’m actually very introverted and crave a lot of downtime. I love connecting with others but a big part of my practice is my own self-care and self-love. And for me, one of the biggest ways I love myself is giving my body enough sleep and recovery time. And making sure I get lots of lazy play time with my boys.