Grand Rapids Offers Unique Spots For Stress Relief And Healing

You know those days when your brain feels like it’s running on fumes? Yesterday was one of those for me.

I needed to escape, reset, and remind myself that this city I live in has a few sanctuaries when you need a break from the busy everyday grind. (You know, the kind of places that can quietly pull tension out of your shoulders.)So for World Mental Health Day, I wanted to share a few of my favorite Grand Rapids spots where I go when I need to take care of myself.

First, there’s Wanderlux Beauty + Wellness on Wealthy, which isn’t just a regular salon or spa.

Their menu includes standard massages and facials. But, they also offer holistic treatments, infrared sauna and energy healing. On a day when my mind is jumbled, slipping into their calm space, letting someone else ease the knots in my back, taking in a little quiet: that’s it’s own medicine.

Then there’s Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. I often head there when I don’t want to think, just be.

The gardens are expansive, with winding paths through meadows, sculpture nestled among flowers, and a tropical conservatory you can slip into and forget for a little while. Navigating between art and greenery resets my mental slider. On busy, noisy days, I’ll walk the North Path (or lose myself in the tropical collection) until my head quiets.

If you prefer something more active, Break Room Therapy in Byron Center is kind of wild in the best way. When you feel like letting out frustration, sometimes a safe space to smash things ( plates, glass, old electronics) becomes a reset you didn’t know you needed. It’s physical, messy, and strangely freeing. Can’t recommend this one enough.

On spa days, I’ll treat myself at to the sauna and hot tub at the Mary Free Bed YMCA since I’m a member. While It’s not an expensive $200+ spa visit, I can drop my son off at their daycare and relax on my own time (which rules.)

Make sure you tend to your mind the way you’d tend to your body when you’re sick. So for today, World Mental Health Day, do something small but true for yourself. Visit one of these places, walk slow, breathe deep, let your shoulders drop, and let your brain know you’re worth the time.