Rhonda Washer received her bachelor’s degree in 1972 from Northern Illinois University and is certified to teach the blind and partially sighted, as well as physically handicapped and other health impaired people.She received her master’s degree in educational administration in 1975 from Illinois State University.Washer was on the faculty in the Department of Special Education at Illinois State University for nine years.In 1988, she pursued a new career in holistic health and bodywork, studied all over the United States, and is nationally certified in therapeutic massage and bodywork.Washer opened LifePath Center for Therapeutic Massage and Wellbeing in 1990 where she is the owner and director. In 1991, she opened LifePath School of Massage Therapy, educating others in holistic health.Now Washer blends her knowledge in allopathic (traditional) medicine and complementary medicine for her own health as she overcomes breast cancer, which was diagnosed in August 1998.She has been sharing her knowledge with others through support groups, hospitals, and newspaper articles. She was a presenter at the Illinois School of Psychology Association Annual Conference, the Illinois Vision Conference, the Women’s Lifestyle Show, the Illinois State Board of Education Fall conference, and the AMTA Fourth Annual Great Lakes Regional Education Conference, among others. She has also appeared on numerous radio programs and published articles about massage and LifePath.Washer served on the board of directors for the Tri Country Branch of the Central Illinois Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, the board of directors of the Foundation for Balanced Health, Inc., and is a member of the Methodist Women’s Health Advisory Council. 

Tell us about your background, schools attended, family, etc.

Born in Chicago, I am the oldest child of three siblings. When I was 6 years old we moved to Morton Grove, where I attended Niles West High School and graduated in 1968.

My working life started in high school when I worked in the family owned business with my father and uncles, sweeping floors in the factory, working my way up to file clerk, girl Friday, and finally to accounts payable/receivable. I learned how business works from the bottom up.

Of course I had to prove I could get a job away from the family, so I flipped burgers. That did not last long.

I attended Northern Illinois University in special education to teach the visually impaired and physically handicapped, where I was president of my floor, parliamentarian of the dorm, and held offices in my sorority. I was also on the university intercollegiate bowling team.

After graduation from college in 1972, I came to Peoria for my first professional job with District 150 as a diagnostic teacher in Project EarlyHelp.

I went back to school for a master’s at Illinois State University in educational administration, and then had my daughter in 1976.

I could not stay home for long, so I worked part time at Parc as a vision specialist. I developed a vision screening for the developmentally disabled and low functioning, published by Scholastic Testing Services and used internationally.

I was also a part time educational consultant for agencies, public schools and other states such as New Jersey. (They almost lost $14 million in federal funding unless they developed a better program for the adult developmentally disabled, so they called me.)

I went to work full-time as program director for United Cerebral Palsy of Central Illinois in 1985.

For fun, I sang in Sweet Adelines, Belles of Harmony chapter, and played my violin in the Bradley Chamber Orchestra. I decided I could help people with my hands and took an intensive training in massage therapy out East. There were no training programs in the Peoria area.

After the training, I traveled around the country for more training. In 1988 I left UCP to pursue massage. I took a part-time job with Illinois State University where I supervised student teachers in special education.

I started doing massage in my home, which was illegal in Peoria according to the zoning laws at that time. Later, a doctor asked me to work in his office.

My practice grew quickly and I realized the tremendous need that existed in Peoria and south of Chicago. I decided that if I was to service as many people as needed it, I needed a clinic that would accommodate more therapists. So I implemented my five-year plan in two years and started LifePath in December 1990.

Tell about LifePath and its growth over the years.

When LifePath opened, there were two therapists. My mother came from Morton Grove for one month to be my receptionist. I remember getting all excited, clapping and cheering when the phone rang.

My mother had to deal with me as I kept coming up with ideas and ways to organize and run the business, which is now the “system.” My mother answered the phone, and from her messages and errors, we discovered that she needed hearing aids.

It quickly became obvious we needed to bring in more trained therapists, so I went to a friend in Springfield who had started a school to see if I could help her branch out to Peoria. We met and she asked me if I wanted to buy her school and move it to Peoria.

After she picked me up off the floor, I accepted the challenge and bought her school, made changes, (which we continue to do each year) and started my first class in March 1992 with eight students.

Now eight classes later, LifePath School of Massage Therapy has more than 120 graduates.

The school is nationally accredited, Illinois State Board of Education approved, approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for Montgomery GI Bill Benefits, and approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.

LSMT graduates are in demand all over the state and country due to the reputation we have for providing a quality education. Many graduates now work at LifePath Center for Therapeutic Massage.

We have nine therapists and a receptionist. We are now getting referrals from past clients, and from progressive physicians who see the benefits of soft tissue manipulation and medical massage.

What has changed about your business over the years?

People came into LifePath and kept asking if it was franchise. I recognized the need for credible massage clinics throughout the country. So I consulted with a franchise company to analyze the feasibility of expanding in this way. I worked on that as I added therapy rooms, and expanded the school by taking two suites in the Pioneer Executive Center building.

I only just completed the operations manual, which took five years to put together (I took a year off for my health.). What a project. Franchising is very complicated, and has been a whole new education.

What was the greatest challenge facing you as a business owner?

The challenge was getting the clinic started. The Peoria ordinance was old and written to prevent massage as a cover for prostitution. Massage is addressed in the “adult use” laws. I went to find a place to lease, but could not establish a place unless it was zoned for massage, which was only allowed in downtown Peoria.

So I had to have the zoning laws changed before I could rent the space in north Peoria. I had to have the space completely set up so the police, fire, and health department could inspect, but I could not get the space until the police said I was approved to start the business. They could not do that until they inspected the space. What a catch 22.

I got help from Dorothy Sinclair and Leonard Unes. I never thought it would be so difficult to start a business, but Peoria acted like it didn’t want new business, or so I thought. Once the vice and narcotics officers inspected, I set up shop. The health department did not want to take part in the inspections, and I had to tell them what the ordinance said. It was a mess.

Each year massage therapists had to have syphilis and gonorrhea tests, and go through a process at the police department. At first we were fingerprinted each year, but that was dropped.

With the help of the legal department, and support of some council people, we changed the ordinance again. Finally, in 1996, we changed it one more time so that massage therapists who have gotten a legitimate education from an Illinois State Board of Education approved school, or who hold current national certification, are exempt from the ordinance.

What is unique about LifePath as compared to other similar businesses?

Most clinics do no have as many therapists, and we do more medical massage. LifePath is not a spa. People come to de-stress, relax, to have specific needs met – such as addressing injuries and chronic pain.

We have a clinic open to the public through the school so students can gain more experience. Some of our therapists are also instructors, so we keep up with this fast growing field and continue to hone our skills.

Because of the school, we are involved with other aspects of the clinical experience within the community, having worked with all three Peoria hospitals over the years. We offer massage at the Race for the Cure, Steamboat Classic, and Illinois Special Olympics at ISU.

How have consumers responded to your business in central Illinois?

Interest has grown in receiving massage therapy. People recognize it as a necessary part of their health regimen and not just a luxury. It is chosen as a way to maintain stress reduction and pain relief/management.

When LifePath was started, most clients were female – 70 percent to 30 percent male. This has changed over the years and more men are seeing the benefits. It is now close to 55 to 45 percent. Still more women avail themselves of our services.

For the first seven years it seemed that few recognized the name LifePath. I would tell people where I work and they would say “Where?” “What?” “Never heard of it.”

Now, more people recognize the name, and know that they can come to LifePath for therapeutic massage by fully trained and nationally certified therapists who know what they are doing.

You were diagnosed with breast cancer a couple of years ago.Tell as much as you want to relate to our readers about your method of treatment, recovery, special holistic or herbal treatments used, etc.What surprised you the most in regards to your diagnosis and treatment?

When you hear the words “you have cancer” you life changes forever. You do what you have to do. I am fortunate to have the businesses running well with wonderful staff, so that I could take the time to focus on myself after the diagnosis of breast cancer in August 1998. It was then that I realized that they could go on without me, and that I had built a pretty good “system.”

Because of my background in holistic health, that is how I chose to approach the cancer treatments.

I felt that I should combine traditional (allopathic) medicine with alternative approaches so they would complement each other.

I put together a team of people to help me. I took control.

I had a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation, and even had an energy therapist in the operating room during surgery. I did many holistic and alternative things.

I knew that 10 of 14 positive lymph nodes were not good.

The following are some of the things I did for the body, mind and spirit:

• In the physical area, my job was to detoxify and cleanse my body. This is important to increase and support the immune system.
• I had to take a look at nutritional aspects and also received bodywork to cleanse the lymphatic system of toxins. This includes drinking a lot of water, having regular colon hydrotherapy (colonics), eliminating caffeine, eliminating sugar (a challenge for me), receiving foot reflexology and massage and taking many nutritional supplements.
• Addressing the emotional aspects including journaling, counseling, and support from friends and family, listening to audio tapes and doing visualizations
• One the spiritual level, I incorporated a lot of prayer and meditation. Friends had healing circles for me and I was listed on many prayer chains.

I was not encouraged by the medical community to do these things, but I had a medical team that did not discourage me. I am fortunate to have an open-minded medical team, and we learned a great deal from each other. They understand that when the patient has more control, the outcome is better and patients have a better quality of life.

I was surprised that the medical field generally does not look at cancer from a toxicity point of view, yet they infuse our bodies with toxins to rid cancer.

I felt like a “horse of a different color” (which is not foreign to me) as I incorporated aspects of body, mind and spirit. I need to treat all area of my life to rid toxicity in it. That also includes what I do, whom I’m with, and what I choose to spend my energy on.

During this time, I was surprised that I have as many good friends as I do. I felt and continue to feel extremely supported.

I found that dealing with the insurance company and the whole medical billing system was more stressful at times than dealing with the cancer. I don’t know how really sick and elderly people do it. You have insurance for the time you get sick, but try to access it stress-free. I’m still dealing with bills.

What has helped you the most physically, psychologically, and emotionally in dealing with your cancer?

Friend, family, a support system and a great medical team helped me through, and continue to do so. Attitude. I did not want to hear survival numbers. I studied and learned. I got several opinions. The decisions were mine.

Options are out there, but when it comes down to making the decisions, the choices are mine. Already being in a holistic mindset, I took a proactive stance from the beginning in all areas of my life.

Were you able to continue managing the business during your treatment?

Taking care of myself was a full-time job. I spent so much time reading about cancer, phoning the insurance company, going to appointments, and listening to tapes, I was not at the business very much.

I was available by phone, but I was fortunate they were set to run by themselves with the help of a wonderful staff. I was able to teach and do some administrative work, but did not do any massage therapy. I received massage therapy.

Tell about the benefits of massage therapy, and provide a general profile of your average client.

The main benefit of therapeutic massage is increasing circulation to the tissues, bringing in nutrients to the cells, and removing toxins and metabolic waste products.

Maintaining flexibility through joint mobilizations, and releasing endorphins all help to bring about a deep sense of relaxation.

Massage allows people to get in touch with their bodies. People can access cellular memory allowing them to let go of long-standing physical and emotional trauma.

They need to “get away” for an hour, achieve healthy relaxation, and/or address specific injuries or pain issues. Most people come in because they are referred by a friend or physician, or received a gift certificate.

After coming in once, they usually return.

People who come to relax are people who are established in their jobs or careers, and are ready to do something for themselves. It is easy to see that we touch lives.

What are your future plans for the business? For the school?

I am presently working on a partnership with Illinois Central College. It looks very promising. I like the idea of working together to do something well, rather than have no cooperation and more competition.

Together we are stronger. This is where one plus one equals three. This is a win-win situation for everyone. I want to offer my graduates the opportunity to get college credit for attending LSMT. Then they could go for an associate’s degree in applied science. We have some of the best instructors in the country teaching at LSMT.

At this time we have a certified nutritionist/chiropractor, and would like to have a naturopath, physical therapist, etc. working at LifePath, along with other specialties to have a holistic clinic. I tried to get a holistic physician to come to Peoria several years ago from Lexington, Ky., but they are in such demand, they go to the larger cities.

What are your hobbies or special interests?

I love to sing, and so I sing in the Morton Civic Chorus where all our proceeds go to the Central Illinois Memorial Kidney Fund (CIMKF).

I am a gadget queen, a techno-nut, and I love my Palm V. I love to travel and want to go to China to learn QiGong so I can come back to Peoria to teach it. I want to take advanced training in craniosacral therapy, and do research on multiple sclerosis.

I want to volunteer at the VA to work with amputees who have phantom limb pain. (Paul Harvey mentioned me on his radio spot and someone representing 13,000 vets in California wanted me to move out there to work with all of them.)

What would you like our readers to know about you?

Having an illness makes you realize that life is good. Set your priorities. Don’t put off to tomorrow what you can do today.

Live, love, laugh, and play. Make your dreams realities.

Don’t waste time, because life is too short. We’ve all heard these before, but they are so true. TPW