The Still Point: Haven of pampering and healing

I have a confession: I am a [nearly] 40-year-old facial virgin.

Or at least I was, until I visited The Still Point in Howard County.

The Still Point is based on the 108 in Clarksville and is a spa haven of pampering and luxury with a mission of enhancing wellness by providing the best integrative mind and body services. The ‘healing’ part comes in through the services of Reiki, holistic skin care, massage and complimentary medicines.

When I walk in I’m offered a herbal tea in a divine room of peace and tranquility. I want to look at all the skin care products (I’m a sucker for them!), but will do this after my facial, since I might feel the need to buy some of the products that are being used on my face.

I apologize profusely to the therapist for not ever having had a facial before (this is a very British thing to do). She is very sweet and tells me that once I’ve had one I’ll probably be hooked. I tell her that I love the idea of a massage, but when I’m there I tend to rebel against the massage taking place, don’t relax and am unsure whether I need to talk or not.

She assures me that facials are even more relaxing than massages, and that she talks at first, but weighs up if her client is drifting off, which often happens, and then lets them relax. I like this, so I decide to relax.

facialstillpointShe gently takes me through the process of the scrubbing, cleansing, skin assessment, mask, neck and shoulder massage and moisturizing. As a [nearly] 40 year old, and one who worships the sun, who smoked, and who used sunbeds once upon a time (I’m confessing all my past sins here!), I was expecting to hear her gasp in horror at the enormity of damage on my skin.

But, she tells me, there is a small amount of sun damage, that some wrinkles are coming around the eyes (I’ve spotted these recently), and that I have small pores, which is a bonus. Hoorah!

She uses an extractor to extract Lord only knows what from my skin, but nothing hurts, and I really begin to relax with the music, the gentle approach and the heavenly smell of the oils.

The bit I love best is having the mask on and being able to drift off for about five minutes. Drifting off is a luxury for me! I am one of those people who finds it hard to just relax.

The facial makes me feel cleansed and renewed, and my face is alive and fresh. Wow, she was right about that addiction feeling – if I had the money, I’d get one of these every month…okay, every week!

tomamoisturiserOnce I’m ‘done’ I get a lovely glass of fruit and cucumber water to replenish me, and I go about purchasing the lovely Toma skin products that they have for sale. Toma smells delicious and is a natural performance-based skincare line. It was developed to offer unmatched, wild-crafted, vegan products using the finest organic and completely natural ingredients that are results-driven and deliver outstanding skincare benefits. I buy the facial exfoliating scrub and antioxidant moisturizer, which is especially made up for me.

I had a divine time at The Still Point, and I will be back. Even more exciting, is that The Still Point is in partnership with the Columbia Association at Haven on the Lake to offer spa services and to sell Toma products. That’s a win-win situation and I encourage everyone to indulge if they can! (I’m addicted 😉 ).

About Still Point

The Still Point isn’t just a temporary feel-good pit stop for beauty and relaxation. We’re a place to pursue and maintain wellness of the mind, body and spirit. Our founder, Tori Paide, left her high-powered career with a consulting firm doing international development when she became aware of the benefits of holistic wellness for both individuals and communities. She pursued a degree in acupuncture.

stillpointThen she became keenly aware that in her own city of Washington, D.C. there was a dearth of opportunities for therapeutic touch, acupuncture, energy work, and spiritual healing. With the founding of The Still Point in 2007, she developed a new business model which allowed for greater support of practitioners and clients alike, while fostering a natural approach to keeping people healthy.

In 2011, Tori joined forces with Marla Peoples to create a second Still Point location in Clarksville, Maryland. Marla’s background was in psychology; she then moved into the corporate world as an executive recruiter and corporate trainer. During this time, she was introduced to acupuncture as a complement to Western medicine.

tomaexfoliationThe treatments had such a profound effect on her life that she knew she was meant to do this work. Marla is passionate about educating people on proactive wellness and healing.

Together, Tori and Marla brought their vision to fruition. The Still Point is a women-owned small business that serves the greater Washington, D.C. and Baltimore metro areas by providing top-notch holistic wellness modalities. Our expertly-trained practitioners perform their services in a beautiful and inviting environment. We seek to maintain an eco-friendly ethos in all aspects of the business, including being 100 percent wind-powered and offering a range of personal care products free of animal cruelty, petrochemicals, pthalates, and parabens. We’ve been voted “Best in DC” by the Washington City Paper year after year. Our client base continues to grow as we’ve opened our yoga studio in Highland, Maryland, and Haven on the Lake in Columbia, Maryland (opening November 2014).

About Haven on the Lake

Brought to you by Columbia Association in partnership with The Still Point Wellness Spas, Haven on the Lake is a retreat right in the heart of Columbia, designed to stimulate your well-being and vitality through restorative and health enhancing experiences. Haven´s approach is one of caring, positivity and empowerment. The environment at Haven will invite you to get in touch with your inner spirit, relax and heal the stress of everyday life.

Mission: Recover. Reconnect. Rejuvenate.

Haven on the Lake has been created to enhance your health as well as your comfort. You will enjoy:

  • Eastern and European-rooted MindBody studios offering Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, Barre and more
  • A wellness spa offering a wide range of healing and luxurious treatments such as acupuncture, naturopathic and homeopathic medicine and herbal medicine, nutrition coaching, massage therapy, holistic skin care, natural waxing, body wraps and treatments, and natural nail care
  • A healing aquatic environment comprised of a whirlpool, movement and relaxation pool, cold plunge pool, steam bath, tropical rain shower, sauna and Crystal Salt Room
  • Relaxing spaces for personal escape including a meditation room, relaxation lounges and an outdoor veranda overlooking Lake Kittamaqundi
  • Fresh foods and drinks prepared by Whole Foods
  • KidsSpace providing quality child care while you enjoy the retreat