After serving his country in the U.S. Army for eight years, Casey Campbell sought relief from his stress, sleeping problems and depression. When he tried floating, he finally found his solution.
In January 2017, he opened Midwest Float in Topeka in order to share this amazing treatment with others. “He started with just two flotation tanks, and expanded to four operating tanks, an infrared sauna and massage therapy,” says Chelsea Fisher, Casey’s life and business partner.
When Chelsea first came to Midwest Float in 2018, it was to get help for her high levels of anxiety. “I was having panic attacks every day. I couldn't breathe, couldn't function. After the first float, I walked out and felt like I could breathe again. I did three in a row and had a total breakthrough on the third day.”
When she met Casey, she offered her managerial and marketing background to help out. “That's how our relationship started. I would come in and help the customers and ended up falling in love with it. It became my passion.”
Midwest Float offers various sized pods and tanks. The deluxe cabins are large enough that two people can float together. “That's a really big hit for date night, Valentine's Day, and anniversaries,” says Chelsea. “Lights and music are also available in the tanks.”
Some people may be worried about being in a confined space, but in the four years she’s been involved, only one person couldn’t stay in. “You can also leave the doors open so you're getting fresh air.”
So, how does floating in a salt-water tank help people?
Without the need to fight gravity or tune out outside noise, floaters can experience total relaxation.“There's new research coming out all the time,” she says. “Floating releases tons of dopamine and lowers your cortisol levels, which are your stress levels. It also lowers blood pressure.” See more of the research findings on their website.
In addition to the mental aspect, she says many of their customers suffer from chronic pain from fibromyalgia, back injuries and other issues. “It helps alleviate the pressure off your joints and muscles and reduces inflammation and swelling.”
Midwest Float will soon be incorporating Elevation, an organic coffee shop, under its roof. The beans will be roasted fresh every 20 minutes and it’ll have some seating, but it’s mostly going to be grab and go. “We'll also be offering specialty drinks and selling bagged coffee. We're planning on bringing in pasties, including allergy friendly and gluten free, from a local bakery as well.”
Today, the couple has two children together, ages 3 and 1. “The 1 year old has to have surgery on her skull and we’re holding fundraisers to help with that,” says Chelsea. “We've always been so giving with the floats - we give back to veterans every month by letting them float free one day a month, and our float customers have been so supportive in sharing our information, shopping our sales and donating - they're like family.”
She adds, “We're just grateful to have the opportunity to serve our community and educate people on the advantages of floating. People who thought they would never do it or wouldn’t like it find that once they try it, they love it.”
To learn more, go to midwestfloat.com.
