Inhale Peace, Exhale Stress at Yuan Spa

Inhale Peace, Exhale Stress at Yuan Spa

Decompressing at a luxury spa is a perfect way to blow off steam, but many of us struggle to carve out time for a bit of self care. Flurries of notifications and an underlying pressure to constantly be online are tough to escape - no wonder our shoulders are forever pinched up to our ears!

As a licensed massage therapist and esthetician at Yuan Spa, Tysan Dutta understands our priorities have been renegotiated to adapt to the pandemic. But despite these extremes, Tysan urges people to leave no room for compromise on health and wellness when your bandwidth has already been stretched thin.

Yuan’s Founder and Owner, Zhiqin Zhang - affectionately known as “Z” by those in the business – also believes in the regenerative practice of massage and spa treatment as an integral part of self-care. Born and raised in mainland China, her upbringing immersed in traditional Chinese medicine later culminated in the techniques found at the spa. As the rough translation of the “Yuan” name suggests, the spa is aimed to help the Pacific Northwest “rediscover its source” and embrace a relaxing, healthy lifestyle.

And relax you will. The spa includes thirteen treatment rooms, all open and fully operational, and a hydrotherapy circuit complete with a Eucalyptus Steam Room and Cedar Chroma Therapy Dry Sauna. Guests can experience a classic Chinese scrub and body wrap alongside facials, massages that vary from Swedish to Thai, nail care and even hair removal. 

Inclusive spa packages offer a more synergistic approach by marrying several amenities for a comprehensive experience that recharges and primes your body to tackle anything on your agenda. 

When she can reserve time for her own sessions, Tysan enjoys a 60-minute deep tissue massage followed by ASMR Tranquility Therapy for half an hour, a patented treatment that pairs soothing essential oils and subtle, tactile sensations on the skin to stimulate your nervous system and repair sleep patterns, among other benefits.

Limitations on indoor occupancy are still enforced under the state’s recovery mandate (postpone your couples massage for a later date), though to ease hygiene wariness, Tysan and her staff have doubled down on thorough health and safety protocols that not only satisfy, but exceed the guidelines listed for indoor recreation, gyms and massage facilities.

Between a booked calendar and a second location preparing to open in Totem Lake, Tysan said the forward momentum has been a long-awaited relief after a closure that spanned nearly four months before returning to almost business as usual. Progress has been gradual, as the hydrotherapy suite just recently opened last month and requires approved facial coverings to partake.

While its doors were shuttered earlier in the pandemic, Tysan said her team members honed their collective insights and professional handiwork to produce a series of guided tutorials for at-home use. What the digital library lacks in cinematic quality, Tysan said, it excels in compassion and valuable information to support clients through a series of unprecedented circumstances. Personal recommendations and strategies featured in the videos include different stretching techniques to relax and recalibrate, along with advice for hijacking your health regimen with special tinctures the spa offers.

As a seasoned health professional, Tysan resolved not to allow the pandemic to stand between her philosophy on accessible, holistic care and her clients. She decided to personally assemble product orders and deliver each purchase to ensure those treasured balms and lotions landed in the hands of customers. Early May marked another sign of improvement as Yuan Spa launched curbside pickup to expand its retail operations and better accommodate clients.

Tysan said there have also been plenty of kindhearted customers who continued to sign off on monthly memberships even while its doors were closed. Thoughtful gestures and generosity from clients boosted morale and, more importantly, allowed Tysan and her staff to weather the storm with a little more faith when light on the horizon seemed out of sight.

“At Yuan Spa, your appointment turns into an escape, and your visit becomes a ritual,” reads the website header, a pattern Tysan said has proven positive time and time again with clients who sessions are as regular as tidying your kitchen or a quick jog around the block.

“Above all else, I’d like to dispel the myth that spa treatments are not just fancy occasions to pamper yourself and indulge,” Tysan said. “Especially now, it should be a necessity to dedicate time and attention to your whole self from head to toe.”
 

---

This blog is part of the Heart of Bellevue: our campaign to showcase local businesses while connecting you with stories of activity, creativity and recovery. Find out about our campaign and explore more of what’s happening around Downtown.