Practitioners

Kim Bettincourt

Owner

Kim Bettincourt has been a Holistic Health Practitioner since June of 2007 when she completed her 900-hour academic and hands on training in massage therapy under the esteemed Ben Benjamin of the Muscular Therapy Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Right after graduation Kim earned her board certification through the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.

In the upscale spa industry, she honed her skills at high end resorts including the Stein-Erickson Spa in Park City, Utah, The Wauwinet, The White Elephant and Great Harbor Yacht Club – all on the resort island of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

In March, 2013, Kim opened her own wellness practice on Nantucket; for five years, Kim’s Essence Massage Therapy thrived. In October of 2017, Kim relocated to Arizona and has made her home here in the Verde Valley. In May of 2018, she opened Vital Essence Bodywork offering her advanced training in Massage Therapy, CranioSacral Therapy, Reiki, Lymphatic Balancing and ACE Cupping Therapies to the Verde Valley Community.

With a passion for learning and eager to find additional holistic therapies to help her clients, Kim is dedicated to attending continuous education workshops and conferences. Her continued studies have allowed her work to evolve in such a way that she listens to your body’s tissues and rhythms to locate restrictions so that she can target whatever challenge you are facing—headaches, muscle strain, injury, relieving tension or stress. Kim’s approach guided by her knowledge and intuition addresses the physical body, energetic body and spirit providing full body release resulting in balance, inner-harmony, and vitality.

Heike Barrett

Massage Therapist

As a graduate of the Sedona School of Massage, I specialize in creating a relaxing and therapeutic experience for my clients. My passion to help people feel their best comes not only from a long path of exploring my love of science and anatomy, but also because I’m a second-generation massage therapist. My youth was spent assisting my mother, a highly regarded and amazingly talented massage therapist, in Green Bay, WI.

My love of animals, and especially horses, led me to becoming a certified equine massage therapist in 1994. After years of teaching horseback riding, with an emphasis on rider’s position, I became a licensed physical therapist assistant. Within my practice as a PTA, I used massage as one of my go-to tools for rehabilitation.

Today, I use a variety of massage techniques to create a personalized experience for my clients. My vision is to use my experience to customize a soothing and beneficial massage utilizing a focus on connective tissue to provide a slow, deep, and gentle pressure. As a life-long student, I continue to hone my skill set for the best massage I can give my clients.