Wellness.
An age-old concept that has gained modern traction. The idea that nothing in the body functions independently – that everything is interconnected. If one thing is out of balance, the whole body is out of balance.
Imagine a place that looked at the whole body from the inside out to help you feel your best, look your best and function at your peak. Strata Integrated Wellness Spa at the Garden of the Gods Resort and Club is that place – and it’s open to the public.
“The vision has been about 10 years in the making,” said Strata’s Medical Director, Dr. Michael J. Barber, a cardiologist and internist with 40 years clinical experience.
When clients walk into this integrated med, spa and fitness facility, they have dozens of experts working together to help them solve issues and become stronger – physically and mentally. Services are available through various memberships, as well as on an à la carte basis.
Strata Med
This is no ordinary medical office. Although this wing of Strata houses doctors and nurses, it also boasts naturopaths, chiropractors, acupuncturists, wellness experts and more.
“We’re looking at the person as a whole person,” Barber said.
Medicine, he said, is sometimes like painting rotten wood – it’s simply covering up what’s underneath. At Strata, they remove any rotten wood before rebuilding and repainting.
Naturopathic Dr. Jennifer Habashy frequently is one of the first stops for patients. She and her team try to get to the root of each patient’s issues. They might suggest changes in nutrition and fitness, herbs and tinctures for various ailments, mindfulness, meditation, acupuncture or perhaps even DNA analysis.
It’s all part of the bigger picture.
“Times are changing,” Habashy said of the revival of naturopathic medicine, which far predated today’s Western medicine.
If the team ultimately decides pharmaceuticals would be helpful for a particular patient, doctors can prescribe those. But Strata generally takes a stair-step approach.
A “lifestyle intake,” for instance, helps determine a patient’s holistic history, said Kelly Stoinski, wellness coach/coordinator. That may be followed by labs and other assessments before the providers sit down and make a plan.
“I think wellness indicates more harmony at the core,” Stoinski said. “I think we’re all tired of the band aid.” Asked what advice she would give to the general population regarding wellness, Stoinski thought for a moment. “I think it’s just slowing down and taking the time to breathe.”
Strata Spa
Not all spas are created equal and the 10,000-square-foot Strata Spa prides itself on an “elevated experience,” said Spa Manager Lacey Lockhart.
The gorgeous, up-close views of the Rockies. The talented employees. The storied history of the property.
Guests are greeted by light-and-airy whites and marbles, as well as the concierge team. Among the more unusual offerings here are a spacious couples’ suite with private restroom and shower, a Haslauer Pure Sense Soft Pack Bed for dry floatation, and a pink Himalayan salt-inhalation room (halotherapy) believed to offer respiratory benefits – especially in dry climates like Colorado’s, Lockhart said.
“We’re unique in all that we offer for all of our guests,” Lockhart said. “We’re looking at mind, body and spirit. … You could really make an entire day out of one service.”
Guests have access to relaxation lounges, manicures, pedicures and hair stations, as well as individual and couples’ spa rooms for treatments such as the Desert ‘Fire’ Journey and the Ayurvedic Immersion Ritual.
Strata Fit
High ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows lend this fitness facility an air of strength and beauty – a place where anything is possible.
“Your journey can start here,” said Shahid Rahman, fitness manager.
Whether you’re looking for personal training, sports-specific exercise, recovery from an injury, weight loss or something else, Strata Fit can help. Among the most popular classes is Essentrics, a workout designed to consciously activate all 650 muscles in the body in an hour.
They also offer spin classes on the terrace, weights, Pilates, Matrix equipment, hikes and bike rides through Garden of the Gods, golf and tennis fitness clinics and more. Each fitness plan is highly personalized.
“It really is pretty special when can all get together and talk to that member,” Rahman said. “’Here’s where you were. Here’s where you are.’ … The collaboration is a big, big deal.”
Michael Garrow, vice president of sales for the Garden of the Gods Resort and Club, summed up the mission of Strata as this: “We’re going to meet you where you want to be on your wellness journey.”
For some, that’s as simple as a glass of wine on the terrace, taking time to relax. For others, it’s kale salads and strenuous workouts.
“Wherever you want to be on your journey, we’re here for you,” Garrow said.
Website: https://www.gardenofthegodsresort.com/wellness/
Facebook: @GardenoftheGodsResortandClub
Instagram: @ggresortandclub
