Meet our Massage Therapists
Sue Ashton
Phyllis Harkins
Susan Kanode
Kate Waldron
Sue Ashton, CMT
Specialty: Deep Tissue, Therapeutic, Pre-Natal
Co-owner of A Therapeutic Effect, Sue grew up in Wasilla, Alaska living off the land and exploring gold mines, glaciers and the raw majestic beauty of towering mountains, rivers and wildlife.
Sue left Alaska to attend college in Texas and then moved to South Carolina where she met her husband and business partner. The couple relocated to Asheville, North Carolina where Sue attended The Center for Massage and Natural Health. While surrounded by twenty-four private acres and the great Smokey Mountains, her passion for therapeutic bodywork was born.
By using therapeutic techniques, including Chinese cupping, Sue strives to help those living in chronic pain and discomfort. She believes that by incorporating one’s breath into the session and blending deep tissue with trigger point therapy, the massage changes from something done to you to something done with you. By simply acknowledging the movements of breath and the innate ability for the body to heal itself, the body will respond best when you ask, through therapeutic touch, to release rather than telling it to. Breath is spirit. The act of breathing is living.
Practicing for 5 years, Sue is a proud mother of three little girls, a wife, and a business owner who aims to create a wellness community within THIS community that she loves to serve.
Specialty: Deep Tissue, Lymphatic Drainage, Myofascial Release, Sports Massage
Available: Mondays 11:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Tuesdays 1:00 – 7:00 p.m.; Wednesdays 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; Thursdays 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.; Fridays 10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; Saturdays 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Born in Spokane, WA, Phyllis spent her childhood throughout the United States. After a short stint in the US Army, Phyllis raised three children (and is now a proud grandmother three times over) before attending the Baltimore School of Massage. Her focus is to address people’s pain by using individual modalities or a unique combination of modalities specific to the issue. Chronic pain is serious and often debilitating. By listening to the client she is often able to ease or eliminate chronic pain, within the scope of her practice. Phyllis has been practicing for nine years and is nationally certified by NCTMB as well as a continuing member of ABMP.
Susan M. Kanode, B.A., LMT
Speciality: Swedish/Relaxation Massage, Hot Stone Massage, Prenatal Massage and Chair Massage
Available by appointment
Susan grew up in Elizabethtown and graduated from Messiah College with a BA in Behavioral Science. Being a Massage Therapist is Susan’s third career. Her first career in York and Harrisburg area social services spanned six years. After that she worked in the legal field for 17 years in Atlanta, GA and in Norfolk, VA. While living in Virginia, Susan studied Massage Therapy at Virginia School of Technology, graduating in 2003. She passed the National Certification exam in 2004 and was recertified in 2008. Susan returned to PA in 2004, and began working as a massage therapist, first at Tranquility and then at A Therapeutic Effect. Susan’s goal is to help her clients deal with everyday life to the best of their abilities and with the least amount of stress/tension, which is why she specializes in relaxation massage techniques and select spa services. So, whether you are a long-distance truck driver, a harried mother chasing kids, a secretary sitting for long hours at a computer, a landscaper spending 60 hours a week in the hot sun or a student counting the days until graduation, Susan would like to help relieve your stress/tension and help you face your world with an uplifted attitude.
Kate Waldron, CMT
Specialty: Deep Tissue, Trigger Point, Relaxation
Available: Mondays 2:00 – 7:00 p.m.; Tuesdays 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.; Thursdays & Fridays 1:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Bio: Having a father with chronic back problems, Kate began informally practicing massage at age 8. Kate knew this was her passion and immediately pursued her career in massage therapy after high school. She graduated from the York campus of the Baltimore School of Massage. As a Certified Massage Therapist, Kate joined the A Therapeutic Effect team in July 2007. She currently enjoys her position at the wellness center focusing on clients with needs ranging from general relaxation to more specific work such as chronic pain and injuries. Kate is a continuing member of ABMP.
