August 23, 2017

Around the Square: Karen Brown Massage

Indulging in a massage does more than relax the body — it can help manage chronic pain and even heal injuries. Karen Brown knows a thing or two about the positive effects of massage therapy. Her practice, Karen Brown Massage, is helping people on Lanai find relief from stress, aches and pains.

Brown specializes in several different types of massage techniques, including lomilomi, deep tissue, Swedish and Zen Shiatsu. She also practices neuromuscular massage therapy (NMT) and trigger point therapy, pregnancy massage for moms-to-be, sports massage, reiki, and Quantum-Touch.

An unconventional career path

Brown moved from Kona to Lanai six years ago to be closer to her family. She spent most days caring for her niece and worked at Lanai City Bar & Grille in the evenings. But she found herself at a crossroads when her niece went to kindergarten.

“I needed a big change, but I wasn’t exactly sure what that looked like,” Brown explained.

After some soul searching, Brown decided to pursue a career as an esthetician. However, during the training program, she found she had a greater talent and passion for massage. She finished the esthetician program and then immediately entered massage therapy school.

Brown completed her massage therapy education and became a state certified massage therapist in 2014. She found herself splitting time between Lanai and Maui. On Maui, Brown worked for a chiropractor and spa, but she hoped to open a studio on Lanai.

Massage therapy on Lanai

With the opening of her private practice in 2016, Brown transitioned to living on Lanai full time again. The cozy space and soothing atmosphere of her massage studio help her clients relax and find their moment of Zen.

“I put together a comfortable space for people on Lanai. I’m connecting with my clients and developing an ongoing therapeutic relationship with them,” explained Brown. “People also see me out and about on Lanai, so the connection goes into the community too.”

As a local business owner, Brown believes in giving back to the community where she lives and works. She partners with Ke Ola Hou O Lanai to provide massage therapy to their patients and offers various discounts, including a kamaaina rate of 25 percent off for full-time Lanai residents.

Those in need of Brown’s healing hands can make an appointment by calling (808) 896-4404. She accepts certain types of insurance through the ASH network (with massage coverage), cash and credit cards.