Sinéad Aherne is a massage therapist working at Mamabear Massage in Valparaiso. She’s been employed there for a little over a month. No stranger to the inherent art in her profession, she’s worked in roles similar to the one she’s in now for nearly seven years.
Aherne was born in Ireland, but she moved to the U.S. at the age of 10. She attended high school stateside in Oak Lawn, Illinois, in the Chicagoland area. After that, she completed some courses at a cosmetology school but decided not to continue with the program. Then she took on a stint in the Job Corps, yet ultimately decided to educate herself through massage school.
“I went to the Cortiva Institute in Chicago part-time because I worked during the day. I was in a year-long program, taking classes from 6 to 10 p.m.,” she said. “I graduated from there and got my license in 2019.”
Mamabear is the only massage therapy spot in the Region with a float tank, which is something Aherne takes advantage of. She relishes nonchalantly boasting about it and its features that allow her to provide the utmost comfort. Relaxation is her top priority.
There’s more to Aherne’s vocation than meets the eye. She understands how to ensure clients stay satisfied and at ease. To her, the names of the various kinds of massages aren’t merely names; rather, they’re ways of describing and classifying the different branches of her art form.
“I definitely enjoy helping people. I like to perform Swedish or deep-tissue massages. Either way, I try to get the blood flowing to make sure clients are de-stressing,” she said.
Whenever Mamabear receives business, Aherne takes in the company by first asking them if they’ve ever gotten a massage before. If they say they haven’t, she explains the process, and in return, to help her out, they’ll tell her about the areas where they’ve been experiencing the most problems. Some individuals might seek out support for their shoulders, and others want the tension in their necks or backs to be alleviated.
Aherne spices up every last session she conducts. After giving full-body treatments, she’ll leave the room where she was assisting and instruct idlers to lie in the position they find most comforting, whether face-up or face-down, on the table. There are add-ons like hot stones, and all the bells and whistles lead to receptions of validation.
“I do myofascial releases, and I can tell when people are relaxed. I’ll get a straight-up verbal compliment out of nowhere here and there, like ‘Oh, this is the best massage I've ever had; this feels great,’” she said. “That gives me confidence.”
Doing her best to maintain decent rapport with Mamabear’s customers is an integral part of Aherne’s position. It’s not easy work, but she finds it fulfilling and worthwhile. In the case that a massage is not liked, she has her colleagues to boost her morale.
“It’s difficult to build clientele even if you are a good therapist because you have to get the word out. You’ll never be sure if someone likes the massage, and there’s always the chance they won’t,” she said. “If they don’t, I’ll let a co-worker know, and we’ll laugh about it. We get five-star reviews, so it doesn’t entirely bother me if I don’t hit the mark all the time.”
As for her personal life, Aherne has a 3-year-old son. She adores him, and they spend a lot of time together. She’ll watch him play with his toys, sometimes joining him, and the two often go for peaceful walks through forest preserves.
For the past three years, Aherne’s been living in Indiana. However, she used to reside in the next state over in Illinois. Several family members remain in her Irish homeland. Nothing’s quite been able to eclipse the promise of Valparaiso.
“Valpo’s a family-friendly kind of place. I’m looking forward to checking out even more of the city like the downtown area and the concerts in the summertime,” she said. “I’ve been in the process of going out to experience more of the friendliness here.”