What do former president George Bush and I have in common? We have both been massaged by Shauna Flagg, a massage therapist at Health Services. And can I just say, that without Shauna my life would be a lot more stressful. She has been there to help my back and I through the thick and thin, the good times and the bad, in sickness and in health...well, I've only been once, but I plan on going back (and I'm on a college budget!)...However, she left an impression worth telling all you UNHers about.

Flagg, a 26 years old massage therapist, from Rye, NH, lives with her husband Greg of three years and their black lab, Shadow. After attending the Bancroft School of Massage for 13 months (Mondays and Thursdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), right out of high school, she immediately began working in a day spa and worked her way up to having her own personal, regular clients, along with holding two masseuse positions.

MSM: How exactly did you get into massage?

Shauna: Actually, while I was in high school I would massage the kids on the softball team, in my classes, and I had a couple good friends who played basketball and their feet were always killing them so I'd help them out...and I didn't know anything that I was doing but everyone said I should do it. And I wasn't sure what I wanted to go to [college] for so I waited, because if I had gone to school right away I probably would have wasted money. By going to massage school I knew I would use it and it could help me get a career in anything and it helped put me through school.

MSM: So where have you been? What have you done career-wise since massage school?

Shauna: I started out at a place called Your Body Works, (a day spa in Maine) and I actually work there now, so I've worked there for about seven years on and off. And I started there because it's like mass production in the resort area. I thought I was going to die when I was doing it because I was going to school full time and working there so I was doing massage like six or seven days a week. And you don't want to do that. Because the burn-out in massage is three years and then people are done with massage and then don't do it ever again. Also, for a lot of people it's a second career. So like when I went to school, I was actually the youngest person there; they didn't want to let me in (the program) because of that. Then I worked at a place called Weeden Health Clinic in Concord, NH and I did massage there for three years. And there it was just me and another woman so I built my own clientele up over those three years. But then my fourth year I decided to go out on my own and so I've run my own business for two or three years now. And I go to peoples houses only and I bring my own table, and I have my own oils, and my own music, and I bring my own linens, and I go to their house and do massage...So now, I work here at UNH, I work at Your Body Works, and I work for myself and travel.

MSM: How many clients do you think you have?

Shauna: If I just count all my own, I would say probably around 20-30 people that I do a month, but like this week, working here, working at the other place, and with my own clients...I'll do 30 people just this week. That's a lot of massages, that's probably too many massages. But I enjoy it. And I actually thought about getting out of massage two years ago while I was getting my associates degree becuase I was like you know, this is what I'm going to do, I'm going to go to school, and get a different degree. And now that I'm doing this more I'm like "no way, I'm going to start my own business and make my own money," instead of working for someone and paying them half my money. That's my goal; I would like to do is start my own day spa with rooms for massage, facials, body treatments, lithstone massage with the heated rocks, and nails, natural manicures and pedicures. I would focua a lot on massage, because massage is the number one seller. In a business if you were to go into a salon, massage is it. That's what most people pay for.

MSM: What do you think of the cost? Do people complain a lot?

Shauna: It depends. People in a resort area will pay the money. But we usually only charge like $60-$65. But if people come to you and it's like $60-$65, that's pretty much the going rate, like a dollar a minute. But like here, they can charge $30 because that's what the kids can afford and I think it's great that they're doing this. They're not doing this for profit, it's more to offer this to the kids. It's great because what kid isn't stressed out? They're sitting there, bent over reading for half the day and typing on the computer, and their neck and shoulders and their whole upper body is just killing them. And it's a great massage.

MSM: Have you massaged anyone famous?

Shauna: I have massaged George Bush, the father, George Herbert Walker Bush. I've met the son, but not while he was President. I've massaged Barbara and I've massaged Jeb, his other son. Their cousins...I've massaged the whole family.

MSM: So you're like the Bush family masseuse.

Shauna: Yes.

MSM: Do you do them on a regular basis?

Shauna: I don't, I wish I did. At Your Body Works, [the owner,] she does them on a regular basis, so whenever they need us, we go. I've massaged him like maybe once a year for the past six years. The last time I went, which was the best time. They picked us up in the boat in Perkin's Cove and Mr. Bush drove the boat to the compound, he was going very fast. I got a picture with him and had him sign it. They've asked me to go plenty of times, I just haven't been able to get there. They're really nice people, they're very down to earth. Like on the boat ride they're like "Shauna, do you want to sit beside him" and I'm like "really, that's so cool." But I had to hold on really tight because he was going like, really fast. But he was just talking to me about fishing and where I live and how long it took me to travel up this way...and just you know, regular day stuff. He's always been like that.

MSM: Does he talk about politics and stuff like that?

Shauna: No, which is cool with me because I don't know what is going on. Like, I pay attention to it but I couldn't sit around all day and watch it. It makes me crazy.

MSM: Do you have any weird massage stories? Um, in the resort area we have some really bizarre people, but maybe just the people who don't know much about massage and get on the table, and just get on top of the table instead of under the sheets and lay there naked. I've had that happen a couple of times. I don't really have that many weird stories. There are people that make you feel uncomfortable because you aren't compatible but you can't possibly be compatible with everyone. I had this one person who had this condition where if you pushed on certain trigger points on his body, his whole body would jolt like an electric shot. So as I was doing it, his body would jolt and it would scare the living daylights out of me. It was through the whole hour that this was happening, so it was kind-of hard to deal with. That was weird.

Think of how much better you would feel after a relaxing hour of having all the sore muscles, stress, and toxins in your body massaged out. Shauna recommends that everyone get a massage at least once every month, if they can afford it, because simply the force of gravity on your body can cause cramping and muscle soreness. Massage rejuvenates your body and gives you energy. For only $30, Health Services has given us students this opportunity, one that you could share with the Bush family, to go and relax and enjoy a massage. It's worth it.