Ever wondered about floatation therapy? The East Coast Float Spa located at 569 E. Gay Street, open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., specializes in floatation therapy that has numerous physical and psychological benefits.
The East Coast Float Spa is an “all natural and all organic spa,” said co-founder Matt Kay. The mission of the East Coast Float Spa is to provide the most relaxing experience that you can’t get anywhere else.
As you first walk into the spa, all clients and first-time floaters are given slippers to wear. This goes well with the calm music element. So what is flotation therapy? It is compared to an oversized bathtub that is specially designed to fully relax the body, while being emerged in 10 inches of water with 1,000 pounds of Epsom and Dead Sea salt blend with regulated water temperature.
Flotation therapy allows the mind, body and senses to relax from everyday routine and “provides an environment to give you a break from all sensory work,” stated co-founder Trevor Shylock.
At East Coast Float Spa, there are three private floatation rooms which all have different themes as follows: the Oasis room, the Infinity room, and the Cloud 10 room.
The Oasis room consists of a sandy tiled room with a blue float emulating the beach, the Infinity room consists of a black slate tile room emulating outer space, and the Cloud 10 room consists of an airy and white open concept emulating the clouds. Each private suite has a changing area, shampoo supplies, a shower, and a door to your own float room.
For those who are not in favor of complete darkness or tight, enclosed spaces, this does not exclude you from enjoying the experience of floating.
The float room is not a coffin or a tank, you can physically stand inside it and there is a soft blue LED light to adjust to your liking as well. The float lasts for 60 full minutes, and in that time clients can feel free to meditate, follow your thoughts, get some good sleep, or just really relax. Floating is not active, you do not have to do anything.
According to both co-founders Kay and Shylock, during the first five through 30 minutes your body will be taking in the new environment, you will feel free of gravity, and your body and brain waves will naturally start to slow down.
Within the last 30 minutes, your body will be transported to a deeper level of relaxation. For first time floaters, “there’s no right way to float, you have to explore and see what you like best,” said Shylock.
Before and after floating, clients shower to assure cleanliness and proceed to the lounge. The lounge consists of complimentary tea, an oxygen bar, and gravity massage chairs that scan the body to adjust to the client in the chair. The lounge is great for continual relaxation after your float session has ended, giving the body time to recoup.
The floatation rooms utilizes computerized sanitation and underwater vacuums to clean water after each float, using no chemicals. “We take water hygiene very seriously,” said Kay. The benefits of floatation therapy are endless, including: general stress relief, memory and creativity enhancement, speed recovery ,and increased peak performance for all athletes and gym-goers, healthy alternatives to non-healthy habits, and introspection.
If interested, the East Coast Float spa offers walk-in tours that are not disturbing to those in a float session and special college packages and discounts. The college student gets 25 percent off everything including the regular priced $85 float and set package deals. However, some special items the spa offers are excluded.
If not interested in floatation therapy, you can choose to enjoy just the gravity massage chairs or oxygen bar for only $10 for 10 minutes.
The East Coast Float Spa schedules floats every two hours that can be done by a walk-in, over the phone, or online and recommend that you arrive 15 minutes prior to your session, so the staff can guide you to your suite and answer any questions.
The East Coast Float Spa is definitely beneficial to college students, and can be reached by phone or email at hello@eastcoastfloatspa.com and 484-881-3413.
Thierra Walker is a second-year student majoring in communications with a minor in creative writing. She can be reached at TW804496@wcupa.edu.