A journey to wellness and community in Sandpoint
By Like Media Team
Cedar Day Spa in Sandpoint is more than just a place for relaxation—it's a collaborative space where independent contractors with diverse specialties unite to deliver top-tier wellness services. Among these professionals is Shawna Butz, a dedicated Sandpoint massage therapist who has made Cedar Day Spa her professional home. Shawna’s journey to becoming a massage therapist is a testament to her commitment to holistic healthcare and her passion for helping others achieve wellness.
Shawna’s career began in a completely different field. She worked as a systems administrator in the production homebuilding industry, a demanding job that took a toll on her health. “I had chronic neck issues, migraines, and low back pain,” Shawna recalls. These challenges led her to explore yoga, eventually becoming a certified yoga teacher. However, the 2008 housing market crash prompted her to shift her focus entirely to health and wellness, leading her to pursue massage therapy to deepen her understanding of human physiology.
In 2014, Shawna completed over 800 hours of training in an accredited massage therapy program, and by 2015, she had earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Massage Therapy. With her qualifications, Shawna’s career took off. She gained experience at high-end destination resort spas in Oregon and Idaho, where she honed her skills and worked with professional athletes. Her massage style is a unique blend of techniques, including medical-grade red light therapy, designed to help clients restore, relax, and rebalance.
In 2023, Shawna became a full-time member of Cedar Day Spa after running her private massage therapy practice for ten years. Her approach to massage is holistic, aiming to treat the whole body rather than just focusing on the myofascial system. “We’re also balancing your nervous, lymphatic, circulatory, respiratory, and digestive systems,” she explains. For Shawna, massage is about restoring the body’s natural balance and helping clients achieve optimal health.
At Cedar Day Spa, Shawna offers a massage experience that combines therapeutic benefits with luxury spa elements, ensuring an atmosphere of tranquility. Her studio has a state-of-the-art ADA-accessible therapeutic table that decompresses and relaxes the spine, placing clients in a neutral position. She also uses a BioMat, a far-infrared heating mat filled with amethyst and tourmaline crystals, which helps reduce pain and inflammation, increase circulation, and neutralize free radicals. Shawna is committed to using only the purest products, like her handcrafted organic massage butter because she believes in treating the skin with the same care as the rest of the body. “I use products as pure as possible,” she emphasizes.
The most rewarding part of Shawna’s work is the therapeutic relationships she builds with her clients. “One in five Americans experiences chronic pain. My goal is to empower people to feel better in their bodies,” she says. Shawna’s dedication to her clients goes beyond the massage session itself—she follows up to ensure the effectiveness of the treatment and adjusts her approach based on their feedback.
Cedar Day Spa, where Shawna practices, is a cooperative that stands out in the local wellness community. The team of independent contractors includes Missy Giffin, Brooke Spencer, Jenna Spencer, Lorainne Gee, and Allison Worley. Each member brings unique skills and specialties, creating a well-rounded offering for their clients. The team is not just a group of professionals; they are friends who support each other in their shared mission to provide personalized care. “Here, you’re treated like a person—not just an appointment,” Shawna says, reflecting the spa’s commitment to its clients.
Shawna moved to Sandpoint in 2018 from Bend, Oregon, to be closer to her parents. She has since become deeply connected to the community. “I love how this community shows up for each other. That is something really special and rare,” she notes. Outside of her work, Shawna and her family embrace the adventurous lifestyle that Sandpoint offers, from snowboarding and snowmobiling to hiking and paddleboarding.
For Shawna, Cedar Day Spa is not just a place to practice massage therapy; it’s a community where she can share her passion for holistic healthcare and help her clients achieve a better quality of life. Through her work, Shawna contributes not only to the wellness of her clients but also to the close-knit fabric of the Sandpoint community.
Cedar Day Spa | Shawna Butz Massage
208.263.7454 (spa)
541.350.2053 (Shawna’s direct line)
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