Entering the Gated Sanctuary Centre for Healing, a new spa in rural Snohomish, is a bit like traveling across the Pacific Ocean to Southeast Asia.
Heavy teak doors from Thailand open into a Japanese Zen garden where a huge bronze gong dangle
s above a carefully raked bed of pebbles.
Twelve wooden statues of Buddhist monks from northern Thailand watch over visitors in the bright lobby.
A pair of massage treatment rooms are decorated with intricately carved teak ceiling medallions from the Thai city of Chang Mai.
Indian plantation columns, more than a century old, lead the way to a set of three outdoor baths, one heated to 104 degrees, the second 100 degrees, the third a refreshing 62 degrees.
The idea is to go back and forth between hot and cold at least three times, said Frederick Steffen, who built the spa. Steffen, 47, has been a massage therapist for nearly three decades.
“That’s the medicine of the Gated Sanctuary,” he said.
The setting, nestled among cedar trees, is idyllic. The Gated Sanctuary is the only Snohomish County spa to offer massage and hydrotherapy for men and women with clothing-optional tubs.
The hydrotherapy area is reserved for women on Wednesdays and Thursdays, men on Fridays and Saturdays. Sundays are co-ed.
Stripped of clothing, “you become who you are,” Steffen said. “It’s kind of humbling.”
People can wear bathing suits, but other people likely will choose to go without. If nudity doesn’t sound relaxing, the Gated Sanctuary may not be for you.
There’s a steam room scented with eucalyptus oil and fitted with special chromatherapy lights, which some people believe help balance the body’s energy.
The showers are tiled with pebbles, and the toilets offer heated seats with Japanese-style, push-button, built-in bidets.
For Steffen, the Gated Sanctuary is the realization of a decades-old dream.
He was introduced to the healing and nurturing power of touch at age 9, when he learned reflexology, a type of foot massage, to help his mother manage the pain of multiple sclerosis.
A few years later, as a teen, he received his first massage and knew immediately that he wanted to dedicate his life to the practice.
In 1984, Steffen, then 20, became the youngest person to be licensed for massage in Washington.
“I’ve always wanted to be the best massage therapist,” he said. He practiced at a spa in Seattle until opening the Gated Sanctuary in November.
The $450,000 spa is dedicated to Steffen’s mother, Caroline, who died several years ago. “She knew what I was doing and was very supportive,” he said. “It’s kind of why I built this.”
People can pay $35 to use the tubs for the day. Massage sessions start at $90 an hour and peak at $140 for a 90-minute massage with Steffen.
Both male and female therapists are available. The hydrotherapy pools are not included with the massage.
Steffen acknowledges his prices are higher than other Snohomish County spas, but he believes people will be willing to pay for the opportunity to step into the peaceful oasis he’s built.
“Where do you go to refuel your batteries?” he said.
Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3447; jholtz@heraldnet.com.
Want to visit?
The Gated Sanctuary Centre for Healing, 16404 14th St. NE, Snohomish.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.
Cost: Massages range from $90 to $140 based on the duration and experience level of the therapist. Access to the hydrotherapy area is $35 for a day pass.
The pools are reserved for women only on Wednesdays and Thursdays, men only on Fridays and Saturdays, and are co-ed on Sundays.
Appointments: Call 425-334-6277 or visit www.thegatedsanctuary.com.
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