Sarah Corrales
Licensed Massage Therapist
As a native New Yorker raised in Spanish Harlem & The Bronx, Sarah had always found joy in helping others. It wouldn’t be until her middle school years that she would be exposed to massage therapy and its healing properties. Her grandma who underwent numerous surgeries for many different health issues had one particular surgery that left her unable to walk; she had to strengthen and reprogram her legs. For weeks, a physical therapist would come to the house and work with her for an hour twice a week until she regained enough strength and stability. It wasn’t an easy process but definitely rewarding for both her grandma and the physical therapist. The exercises and stretching would leave her grandma miserable. However, her whole mood would lighten when it was time for her massage. It was then I knew I wanted a part in that happiness and progression towards a better functioning body.
Fast forward to her high school years she dived into the world of training to become a professional dancer. It was here that she was able to witness how strong yet fragile our bodies really are. With teachers housing injuries and herself with a hamstring injury she saw how important having the proper knowledge, guidance to healing and prevention really was. In her senior year of high school, she completed an internship at Mt. Sinai Hospital. Specifically, she was stationed in the hip and knee rehab working alongside physical & massage therapist. Being present in the internship she witnessed both therapist aid in healing but massage therapist had the most hands-on time to bring relief to the client without using pharmaceuticals.
After high school she went to Manhattanville College and began working towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology. However, it would be at The Swedish Institute of Health Sciences where she would concentrate on Massage Therapy. It was one of the most rigorous yet rewarding experiences she had completed thus far in her lifetime. Learning both Western & Eastern techniques she was able to acknowledge how she would want to help those who are experiencing different levels of pain. She finished the program at The Swedish Institute of Health Sciences in August of 2010 and obtained her New York State License in February 2011.
Immediately she began working at Asphalt Green on the Upper East Side while simultaneously working at Tones Day Spa located in the Bronx and Manhattan Medical Health Care. Not only was her love and experience with massage growing but her family was growing as well. As a soon-to-be mom she knew she had to focus her calling so she could balance family and work life. Having the opportunity to experience different types of environments where she would work alongside personal trainers, estheticians, nail techs, doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturist and physical therapist allowed her to narrow down her focus. She felt her strongest calling in the spa world but bought her experience from the gyms and medical facilities into each session.
She sunk her roots at The Guerlain Spa at The Waldorf Astoria Hotel. It would be here that she would expand her knowledge on body treatments and skin care products. Even though some of the treatments were pre-choreographed she was always able to personalize each treatment using her knowledge of Shiatsu and Cupping; utilizing acupressure points to further help each client. After the Waldorf Astoria was bought and shut down for renovation, she was transferred to The Guerlain Spa at The Plaza Hotel. It would be her time here that she would begin to create her own private clientele outside of the hotel; the beginnings of Unwind Spas LLC. She would also branch out into other spas at The Carlyle Hotel, The Greenwich Hotel, Oasis Day Spa & Tranquility Spa. She would spend her time building up her private practice and at the hotels until the Coronavirus Pandemic shut everything down.
Once things began to open up in July of 2020, she registered Unwind Spas LLC and has steadily grown her private practice. One of her goals is to solely grow Unwind Spas not just for herself but to provide opportunities for other licensed therapist. Her greatest goal is to heal and educate as many people as possible.