I’m a Pisces, and Pisces “rules the feet” according to traditional astrology, so I’ve always appreciated a good foot rub. Mostly these have come after begging a significant other. But being single now, these days I have to go to a professional. I’ve had reflexology treatments before and while they can be uncomfortable, my feet always ended up being grateful for the experience.

So when a colleague raved about a practitioner here in the Bo-Zone, I was curious – not only would it be great to have someone nearby (the studio is out 7th across from Dominos), the price was right ($30) and there was the additional attraction of getting what my friend called an “Ionic Foot Bath” during my session. Ions? Foot baths? I’m there.

I will admit up front that I did some preliminary research and it came up pretty negative – words like “hoax” and “sham” proliferated the websites. But being the Alternative Wellness Epicurean that I am, I didn’t let a little negativity deter me from my investigation. I made an appointment with Vicki Lint, the RN-turned-massage therapist who administers the foot treatments, and arrived at the shop ready for an adventure.

A small, cheerful office was divided into three rooms; a waiting area, bathroom and treatment room with a massage table and a rack filled with potions and a healthy supply of various Young Living Oils (my fave – they are the most pure and potent and I’ve had amazing results using them for various ailments – but that’s another column) which I hoped would end up on my feet. Vicki invited me in to the treatment room to get started.

Vicki estimates she’s done over 900 of the treatments in three years – an impressive and reassuring number. I removed my shoes and placed my feet on what’s called an Electrorelex Energizer – a foot massage machine which delivers low frequency electrical stimulation to the soles of the feet. The feeling was not unpleasant and my feet tingled. “This procedure precedes the rest of the treatment as a way of relaxing the feet and breaking up energetic blockages.” Vicki noted.

From there we went to the Grand Daddy of the session – my feet spent 30 minutes soaking in the Ionic Detoxifying Foot Bath. I put my feet in a tub of warm water, and a small black circular machine went in as well. Vicki told me that the water would soon change color as the detox commenced. She handed me a color chart that outlined what toxins were indicated by what colors. I didn’t quite believe this would happen, but sure enough – after just about 5 minutes, the water started turning dark brown, indicating, said Vicki, that my liver was detoxing. The color’s intensity increased during the rest of the session. At the end there were some other flecks in the water that, Vicki said, were indicative of other detoxing detritus. It was, frankly, a little gross.

Now that I was sufficiently detoxed, it was on to the foot massage with the Young Living Oils. As a trained reflexologist, Vicki explained the different acupressure points on my feet and their relationship to the rest of the body. She chooses the oils for their properties that would help with the detox I’d just done. It felt – and smelled – marvelous. My little tootsies were in heaven!

As the hour drew to a close, I definitely felt better than I did when I’d first walked into Balance. I was relaxed, chilled out and of course, my feet felt wonderful. Vicki also offers full body massages at Balance, and if the foot treatment is any indication of her skill, I suspect another appointment is in order.

Vicki said that most of her business comes from word of mouth, and I can see why. I’m not sure I totally buy the promises made by the ionic detox footbath, but the brown water did catch my attention. I think I will go back again and see what happens next.

Balance Massage Therapy and Foot Care
220 N 7th/Bozeman • 406-570-6353 • $30 per session

Liz Harrison is an alternative health and wellness junkie who lives in Bozeman. This column explores the many alternative wellness offerings and practitioners in the Gallatin Valley.  Suggestions, raves and rants may be sent to wellnessepicurean@gmail.com