Staff photo/Dave BatesHOULTON — Hoping to expand her client base, Serenna Fitzpatrick of Houlton has turned to her sister-in-law Jenn Vandevender to join a growing massage therapy business in the Shiretown.
Vandevender will operate her business, Miles Away Massage, in conjunction with Fitzpatrick’s massage practice from the second floor of Dr. Bell’s Chiropractic office on 22 B Road in Houlton.
“I have been trying to get them to move here for years,” Fitzpatrick said. “I have been looking forward to them moving to the area so we could spend more time as a family, and also so she could help take on some clients. I am very blessed that I have such a large amount of clients that I have built up over the last 13 years.”
Fitzpatrick said she hopes the addition of Vandevender will allow the two grow the client base even more.
“I have people who book their appointments a year in advance,” Fitzpatrick said. “If I cannot get someone in, I can refer them to Jenn. I am really excited to have her here and it is someone I can trust my clients with. I know they will be in really good hands.”
A native of Oregon, Vandevender has been doing massage therapy for the past 11 years, after graduating in 2005 from the Utah College of Massage Therapy. Her husband, Mark, is the brother of Fitzpatrick and for several years, Fitzpatrick has tried to convince her sister-in-law to move to Maine.
Because Vandevender’s husband was in the Air Force, she chose a profession that would allow her to work wherever the family was stationed.
“I wanted to do something that I could pick up and do anywhere, and massage seemed to fit,” she said. “When he retired from the Air Force, we spent seven years in Arizona.”
The couple finally decided to move to Maine when one of their children was diagnosed with spina bifida and doctors in Arizona were unable to meet their needs. Vandevender said she wanted to be closer to the Boston area so they could utilize their hospitals, but also wanted to be closer to family. Her husband arranged a transfer and joined the local and the family moved in temporarily with the Fitzpatricks until they could find a home of their own.
The neck and shoulders are the biggest areas that people complain of when seeking a massage, Vandevender said. Much of that is attributed to stress and sitting at a desk in front of computer screen.
As a national board certified massage therapist, Vandevender does full body massage, treatments for migraines, hot stone massage and reflexology. She is open by appointment, which can be made by calling her directly at 520-784-3420 or by visiting https://milesawaymassage.getartichoke.com/.
