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Meet the Owners of: MOUNTAIN FLOAT SPA

FLOATATION THERAPY

by Anne Pyburn Craig Photos by Matt Petricone

September 03, 2016

Joey La Penna grew up on a canal between the ocean and the bay in Long Beach, LI, and he and his three siblings and parents would spend entire days swimming in their backyard.

Other days, the family would trek just fifteen minutes down to the beach, where Joey would float in the saltwater—the smell of which he still loves.

“When I get into Long Beach,” he says, “the first thing I do is roll down the windows and let that smell hit me.”

Some 20 years after graduating from SUNY New Paltz, Joey moved back there with his wife, Grace, and they brought the saltwater with them.

In 2014, Grace and Joey opened the Hudson Valley’s first ever flotation therapy business. Mountain Float Spa offers customers saltwater in the service of healing and peace.

physically, mentally—and otherwise—flotation takes the pressure off.

 

Also known as sensory deprivation or restricted environmental stimulation therapy (REST), flotation therapy is terrific for both mind and body. Saltwater’s high density creates a near zero-gravity environment, allowing the body to float without effort. Effects include relaxation, pain relief, and a more receptive state of mind, according to a 1990 National Institute of Health study. Many people believe that an hour of flotation brings the same amount of healing to the body as four hours of good sleep.

Flotation therapy is something Joey and Grace discovered together. On recommendation from Grace’s parents, the couple drove 90 minutes south to New Jersey for their first flotation therapy experience, and it left a profound impact on them. They then tried flotation therapy in Long Island, Rochester, and Texas. As they increasingly experienced the benefits of flotation, the urge to bring it to the area dovetailed perfectly with the urge to start a business together.

"Some people just want the physical experience of laying down and doing nothing for 60 minutes; how you make the best of that time is up to you,” joey says. “it’s different for everyone."

 

Having experienced flotation at various locations, Grace and Joey had some ideas about how to present it in a way that would be inviting. They wrapped the basic ingredients—1,000 pounds of Epsom salt and 130 gallons of water—in a relaxing atmosphere with meticulous hygiene. Beyond that, they say it’s all in what you bring to the float and what you would like to take away.

Joey says that, while some people try flotation therapy as part of a gift, most people try it for its health benefits, like relief from pain caused by fibromyalgia or assistance weaning off prescription drugs. Grace and Joey most recently used flotation therapy throughout their pregnancy. Floating was useful in taking weight off Grace’s joints, increasing her relaxation, reducing her swelling, and increasing bonding time with baby Nai’a, a name which means dolphin in Hawaiian. Grace blogged about the experience in her “Mind, Body, Baby” posts on Instagram and Facebook.

“There’s a deep water connection for both of us,” Grace says, “as well as restorative qualities that we appreciate.”

Joey and Grace strive to offer an experience that’s as warm and comforting as the water itself. Mountain Float Spa features spacious flotation cabins to relieve anxiety, even for a claustrophobic customer. A translucent glass shower door leads customers into a private cabin with a seven-foot-high ceiling, containing an oversized tub.

“We chose those because they’re a little more inviting, more user-friendly,” says Grace. Mountain Float Spa also offers music and a Himalayan salt lamp for people who may not want complete darkness and silence—and the experience doesn’t end when you dry off. Customers can decompress in a post-float room with tea, chocolate, and a journal in which they are invited to record their reflections.

“Some people come out vulnerable,” says Joey. “It’s better to have a room to relax afterwards.”

“The best we can do is offer a safe, clean, relaxing environment,” adds Grace.

Joey and Grace are proud of the variety of clientele their business reaches.

 

“The oldest person to float here was 89 and the youngest was 9,” says Joey. “We get serious meditators, creatives, and athletes looking to up their game.”

Mountain Float Spa offers a variety of discounts and packages, including 15 percent off for military veterans, firefighters, and police. They also offer a Study Buddy package on Wednesdays and Thursdays. If two students go together, they each get a $20 discount.

Or, if you want to extend the relaxing benefits of a float, a Float Sandwich package combines flotation and massage. Grace and Joey have also recently added a three-hour float called “The Professional,” by customer request.

“We are always evolving and changing in response to what we learn,” Grace says. “We’re almost outgrowing our space, but we’re keeping the focus on quality of experience, not quantity.”

For Joey, seeing a new client arrive a little nervous and emerge well on his or her way to becoming a fellow passionate floater never ceases to thrill.

“We have people who come out in tears of joy; it’s the first time they’ve laid down and been pain-free in years,” joey says. “that never gets old.”

 

MOUNTAIN FLOAT SPA
215 Main Street, New Paltz
845-256-9800
mountainfloatspa.com

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