Stina Baias brings treatment-focused massage to her hometown, house call style - Rochester Post Bulletin

[Dené K. Dryden]

ROCHESTER — Many people view massage as just a spa service, a self-care splurge. For Stina Baias, though, the power of massage therapy extends beyond relaxation.

"In East Asian cultures and Scandinavian cultures, massage is highly beneficial and practiced for regular health," said Baias, a licensed massage therapist. "I think people could really find solutions for their issues a lot more easily if they open their minds."





ADVERTISEMENT

A Rochester native and the child of Romanian refugees, Baias set up her massage therapy business, Flora & Fascia, in her hometown one year ago. Instead of having a brick-and-mortar space, she decided to bring treatment-focused massage therapy into clients' homes.

"It was kind of weird to me that I saw that Rochester did not have that business model available," Baias said. "It's a good way for me to really accomplish my intention with the business."

After an initial vetting process and advance payment, all Baias needs to do her work in a client's home is enough space to set up her portable massage table.

"As long as there's enough space for me to walk around the table, we can make it work," Baias said.

Despite growing up in a city sometimes considered a medical mecca, Baias didn't set out on a health-related career path after high school. Loving to write and read, she got an English literature degree. For several years, she worked in school libraries before switching to food service.

"I decided to go the server/bartending route when I was like, OK, I need to kind of figure out what I want to do," Baias said, "because I have a lot of interests and a lot of passions, but when it comes to (an) actual career path ... I'm just gonna lie low and let something come to me organically."

When Baias came across massage therapy, she wasn't sure what pulled her in that direction — she'd had maybe one massage in her life. But when she realized massage could be a way to help others with their pain, it clicked.





ADVERTISEMENT

"My body was a big mess, and massage therapy disclosed that to me," said Baias, who dealt with pain stemming from the physicality of bartending and serving. "I knew a lot of people who were in pain all the time, and when I found out that there were ways that I could help people ... that was just a huge motivator."

Baias is particularly interested in myofascial release therapy, a technique she saw firsthand during her training. Myofascial massage focuses on tension in the fascia, the tissue that supports the muscles, nerves, organs and more within the body.

"There would be people crying on the tables, releasing emotions from their bodies as their tightness in their body unwound — it was so beautiful," Baias said. "It's all about the fascia for me."

Stina Baias, owner of Flora & Fascia, a local massage therapy practice that provides in-home services, is pictured on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, at Sargent’s on 2nd in Rochester.

Maya Giron / Post Bulletin


While massage therapy can be used to treat a variety of issues that cause physical pain, Baias said one of the most common reasons why her clients seek massage therapy is to treat pain after surgery.

"That scar tissue (from the incision) kind of pulls all the rest of the tissue toward it, and it yanks the whole person out of equilibrium," she said.

Another common issue Baias treats is headaches caused by muscle tension in the neck, shoulders and back.

Though some issues are more common, treatment is very individual, Baias said — what works for one person might not work for another.





ADVERTISEMENT

"A hugely humbling thing to learn was that you can't really follow the patterns and expect it to be super effective," Baias said. "You develop a relationship with your clientele, maintain those relationships and work to find solutions."

Because massage therapy is so physical and hands-on, Baias also spends time caring for her own body. During her training, she sustained a back injury and sought massage and chiropractic care for it.

"Now that I'm at a healthy point, I know signs of when my body's like, 'OK, this spot needs work,'" Baias said. "I take care of myself two to three times a week. ... I have a massage gun, do a lot of stretches."

With the "fascia" part of Flora & Fascia already in practice, Baias said, in the future, she wants to expand the business to include a herbalist who can provide teas and salves — the "flora" piece.

"I see it as a very sort of natural, non-invasive process of healing," she said. "I want to see more of that."