Beauty & The Body is a restorative skincare and bodywork studio for women and their families.
We specialize in wholistic skincare services that integrate ancient healing modalities with modern skincare research and performance ingredients. Our treatments focus on delivering a relaxing and nourishing experience while assisting the body in aging gracefully.
We embrace the effectiveness of whole, raw, natural, and organic ingredients used both on the body and within the body through our medicinal herbalism approach.
We are in partnership with skincare brands that are leading the way in both environmental sustainability and effective therapeutic ingredients.
We recognize that external beauty is a reflection of inner wellness—which is why we incorporate Massage Therapy, Maya Abdominal Therapy, and Sauna Therapy into our protocols for wellbeing.
We are building a resilient community of women who are on a journey towards whole health, vibrant aging, and empowered living.
How We Got Started
Beauty & The Body was born out of a longing to share the benefits of therapeutic massage and bodywork with women. The offerings available today reflect a decades long journey of gathering wholistic bodywork and herbal modalities that center women’s wellness beyond what is traditionally available within the industrial medical complex. We offer restorative services that not only tend to the needs of soft tissue and skin health, but serve as an anchor for those women who understand that wellness is a path of life, not a final destination. The foundation of our practice is therapeutic touch and compassionate listening, we are witnesses to the journey while providing a safe, warm, and nurturing space to unwind and reconnect with the wisdom of the body.
Gretchen Newman
Founder, Licensed Massage Therapist, Licensed Esthetician, and Folk Herbalist
Gretchen describes her way of living as one that is in continuous evolution through the traditional academia path and through the many curiously woven lessons that life ultimately provides for. She comes from a matrilineal line of British-American medical professionals, healers, and artists, and a patrilineal line of German-Canadian engineers, veterans, and global explorers. All of which have guided her in both learning about the divine makeup of the human anatomy, and helping her clients to achieve a level of body and health literacy that improves their own sense of well-being.
Scientia potentia est
Knowledge is power
In August 2019, she graduated from The River Valley College, earning a certificate of 750 hours of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. After graduation, she obtained a certification in Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy. In November 2019, she went through training to facilitate Maya Abdominal Therapy and currently holds a certificate from the Arvigo® Institute for the Anterior Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy.
When Gretchen was 19 years old she obtained her Usui Reiki I & II certificate from Reiki in Paradise in New London, NH. Her reiki attunement was a powerful force of personal healing which set her on the path that she walks today as a bodyworker. In 2012 she completed a 200hr Vinyasa Yoga Instructor certificate from At Om Yoga in 2012. For many years she specialized in gentle and restorative yoga at her private space in New London, NH. From 2019 forward she focused on therapeutic yoga for Lyme Disease recovery at Putney Moves in Putney, VT.
While living in Putney she completed a three-year Plant Spirit Medicine and Traditional Herbalism apprenticeship at the Gaia School of Healing. Following her apprenticeship, she continued to reside on the land for several years assisting with classes, growing, harvesting, and producing herbal medicine. In between educational pursuits and global travel she has participated in traditional medicine ceremonies held in Central and North America, which deeply inspire her offerings today.
In May of 2023 Gretchen graduated from Empire Beauty School with a 600 hour certificate in Esthetics. In esthetics school she received a Celluma LED light therapy certificate, microdermabrasion certificate, IMAGE skincare product & chemical peel certificate, and lash artistry certificate. Her passion in skincare is within the integrative space, combining both modern scientific skincare knowledge with ancient wholistic techniques. She utilizes both botanical and clinical skincare, helping clients to achieve their best skin ever through education and consistent intentional skincare services.
She continues to learn and grow her practice with many amazing bodywork and skincare techniques that enhance one’s experience of life by bringing ease to the body and nourishment to the spirit with beauty. She has additional training in lymphatic drainage, gua sha, acupressure, fire cupping, massage cupping, and holistic skin care.
Her current offerings reflect a 12-year journey of gathering techniques from her many trainings and experiences. She helps her clients connect more deeply to their innate body wisdom through restorative ceremonial bodywork and sacred beauty rituals, while offering specialized support for reproductive and digestive health. It is her goal to help people find relief from the discomforts caused by modern lifestyles by re-weaving traditional healing wisdom into their lives. Her practice is grounded in education and empowerment to help people make the best decisions for themselves and the earth, benefiting their personal wellness today and the well-being of generations to follow.
Gretchen is an active member of the Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals and Associated Skin Care Professionals.
She has been a guest practitioner at Shou Sugi Ban House in the Hamptons, NY for several high seasons, and was featured in Hamptons Magazine in 2022 for her work in wholistic women’s wellness.
When Gretchen is away from the studio she studies plant medicine, chips away at her various academic pursuits, rows racing shells down the Merrimac River, plays with her array of precious animals, immerses herself in nature, and plants beautiful gardens.