River North Massage Therapy Center, Chicago

Emmanuel planned and opened the New School for Massage, Bodywork & Healing in 2002. Later, Emmanuel realized the initial dream and established River North Massage Therapy Center in February 2011, employing only licensed graduates from their school.

Today the staff members soothe muscles with 50-, 60-, 75-, 90-minute, and 2 hours massages in various modalities. The smooth, long strokes of a Swedish-relaxation massage, for example, contrast with the pinpointed pressure of deep-tissue work, or the meditative stretching of Thai massage. Private treatment rooms accommodate expectant mothers as well as couples, though therapists can also travel for onsite chair massages and special events.

The center has not relinquished its roots in education, though—it still offers public workshops on massage techniques, and lets relaxation-seekers schedule appointments with supervised student interns. These opportunities allow the New School for Massage's current pupils to practice on clients rather than on scarecrows they found in the dumpster.