The Center for Massage & Holistic Therapy

The Center is great for massage therapy — I highly recommend Harmony. She knows exactly where the muscle tension is and I always leave feeling relaxed and in less pain. Very flexible and they have great massage specials!

I have seen several different people here, but now I stick with Shelly. She’s amazing! I return to her over and over.
I love the fact that they have a real-​time online appointment system. I much prefer that over having to call and try to figure out a date and time on the phone.
This place doesn’t have the feel of a «spa». The therapists view themselves as medical practitioners, so they’re always giving advice on stretches and things like that. Which is fine, although I basically just want someone to rub oil all over me and be relaxing!

I came here for the first time on a groupon. Sometimes I worry that I’ll get a different treatment if I’m not regular customer, but I received my first excellent deep tissue massage with Aggi. I’ve gone back half a dozen times since then. Aggi is the best masseuse I’ve had. She’s very strong and immediately identifies problem areas and works on them. She’s also a very nice person to talk to. I highly recommend her if you want deep tissue massage.

I can’t say how much I love this place. I tried it for the first time a couple of years ago when I purchased a Groupon– best decision ever. The best massage I’ve ever received. When I finally relocated back to CT, I’ve been going back at least every other week. Peter R. is amazing, though he works limited hours during the week. I just make it work because of how amazing he is. He really focuses on and helps my problem areas and always gives me tips on what I can do on my own to help myself! He is always professional and always makes sure the temperature in the table is okay, asks me what areas I want him to focus on, and reminds me to let him know if the pressure is too deep (it never is, it’s PERFECT). If I buy coupons/​vouchers which they offer every once in awhile, they already have it saved in their system under my name and I don’t have to rummage through my email to find it. A couple of times, I was not able to go with Peter R. so I saw Chris and Shelley before. Also excellent therapists. I had 1 unpleasant experience with a therapist whom I will not name– just didn’t feel that he did a good job at all but that was 1 time and I just never went back to him again– problem solved. 5 stars all around, I will come to you guys forever! Ask for Peter R, Chris or Shelley and you will not be disappointed!

Shelly is amazing! The girl knows her stuff! She can get deep into a muscle pain or just relax you to the point where you’re falling asleep. Highly recommend this facility and this massage therapist!
Wonderfully relaxing atmosphere, super clean and nicely decorated!

I came here for the first time thanks to Groupon, and it was one of the best massages I’ve ever had (only one that compares was at Foxwoods, and I assure you the price was at least triple what I paid here, only went there once with a friend for her b-​day, and it was amazing, but I’m not spending that type of money regularly). I’ve been back twice after the first visit, and have pre-​paid for 4 more massages with Aggi. She does more of a deep tissue massage, so at times it does hurt, but it hurts so good! I’m sure you could tell her if you’d like her to be a little more gentle, but I think she does a wonderful job and love the amount of pressure she uses. The place is clean, staff is friendly and polite when scheduling appointment or when you go into the office. Don’t let the outside fool you, it’s nice inside and Aggi plays nice relaxing music in her room. The room is dimly lit and the bed is warm when you get in. The massage bed is more comfortable than several others I’ve experienced and seen at places that have Groupon deals. Once you go there, they sometimes email specials to purchase more sessions at a reduced rate. Totally worth it, I highly recommend Aggi unless you are going for a softer, more sensual massage, then go to Foxwoods and pay hundreds at the spa there! As long as I can afford it and Aggi is here, I’ll be going back! Can’t say enough good things about her and my experience here.

Went first with a Groupon and booked a weekend appointment with Chris. I was a little nervous when I saw the location — a small storefront on Silas Deane — but the inside was nice and I was greeted quickly. Chris was great. I have a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders, and I felt much better after my massage. He did a great job of checking in to make sure the pressure was good, and he seemed to be paying attention to how I was responding.
I just went to my second appointment with Chris today, and he did a very good job again. I would highly recommend him to anyone that works on a computer all day.

Ehh, no thanks.
I specifically picked this place because of the great reviews (albeit only 4, but still). My friend and I wanted to treat ourselves to great massages since we’re moms who rarely get a day to ourselves. I, personally, get a massage maybe twice a year — not so often, granted, but often enough to know what a good massage is. It was a bonus that we recently landed the $ 35 for an hour deal. We drove up from New Haven specifically to come here… and to get pedi’s (we highly recommend New Paris Nails & Spa, about a 7 min drive away).
We just went today and, unfortunately, we both agreed our massages were worth $ 35 and nothing more. They were generally decent, and we’d pay that price again, but would not ever pay near the full $ 70.
There were just some things that rubbed me the wrong way. First, my massage room was cold. Just fundamentally cold. I thought it was basic procedure to have a warm room to help the muscles relax. Unfortunately I wanted to be under the covers the whole time. I asked if there was a heater that could be turned on and my massage therapist, Lori, supposedly turned something on, but I think it was warming the bed, not the room. It never did warm up, which just irked me the entire massage.
This is a minor one, but I’ll say it anyway — the bed was hard. I’ve been on other massage beds that were WAY more comfortable (read: cushiony), warm, and inviting. They would do well to put flannel sheets on the beds — it just adds another level of comfort. But that’s just me.
Also, while I was lying on my back I couldn’t help but be a bit thrown off by the overhead lights that were on. Granted, they were dimmed, but it was still a bit much. In the past at other places, there have been accent lamps lighting the room from a corner or to the side. I now know why this is preferable. With the overhead lights on, my eyes couldn’t really relax. Maybe that’s being too picky, but it bugged me, what can I say?
In the past with other massage therapists, once the massage has started, I’m typically asked if the pressure is okay or if there’s anything to change. Lori was very pleasant and asked me beforehand what kind of massage I was looking for (i.e. relaxation, deep tissue?). I responded that I wanted something relaxing and that I really liked the focus on my head, ears, hands, and feet. Once she began, however, she never asked me if her pressure was to my liking or anything. I kept waiting for her to address me, just to check in, but she never did. Unfortunately her pressure wasn’t really to my liking, and because I’m kind of a shy person, it took me the better part of the hour to work up the courage to mutter, «Could you be more firm, please?» And while she did do my head, ears, hands, and feet, I was hoping she’d tend to them a bit more than the basic «now is the back, now I do the head, now the legs, the feet…» and so on. It all felt pretty standard and rote. In other words, I don’t think there was much added consideration for the areas I had mentioned. I could be wrong, and I apologize if I am, but it felt like a pretty basic massage, hitting all the main areas.
My friend had Aggi, which now that I think about, I wish we could’ve switched therapists. Apparently she was much more firm and did more deep tissue massage (or at least more than a light swedish). My friend said that while she was good, there were definite moments of real pain. After such moments, though, she felt relaxed, so she didn’t say really anything. At one point though, Aggi said something like, «Jesus, your shoulder is tight,» (or something to that effect), which rubbed my friend the wrong way because she is a Christian. The remark, while well-​intended I’m sure, was just a bit abrasive.
Also, she said there was someone walking around above her room, so it was a bit hard to relax with the noise.
Anyway, again, I get about 2 massages a year… so while some of these may be little quibbles, when I do go, I think it’s okay to expect certain things — a warm room, a comfy bed, low-​lighting, and a massage therapist that is truly attentive to what you want and like.
Maybe the other therapists (and their rooms) give this place the 5 stars, but we can’t speak to those. We wouldn’t recommend this place based on our experience. They felt like $ 35 massages, not a penny more. Sorry to say!

Had an excellent massage here yesterday, thanks to groupon. But will be going back. Chris was excellent. Service was top notch from the moment I walked in.

I had a fantastic experience at this spa, I almost felt like I had a medical therapy massage. Chris was excellent and had great suggestions on stretching exercises. Great experience.

Wow. I just left my massage an hour ago, and I am still incredibly relaxed. I had my massage with Jen, and it was SO good. She kneaded out the kinks I had in my back, neck, and shoulders without forcing them out — it was kind of a gentle coaxing. I will definitely be back (they have a «membership» where you get a massage for $ 45 every month) — amazing massages, well priced.