Through Turmoil and Triumph: Unveiling the Flourishing Wellness Scene in Syracuse

When Mary Riposo was exposed to dangerous chemicals at her job, her life was thrown into turmoil. Unable to continue working and grappling with mysterious illnesses, Riposo tried everything in her power to get her old life back. Despite spending thousands of dollars on doctor visits and various remedies, nothing seemed to work. 

 

Her turning point was at a holistic wellness fair where a woman introduced her to Reiki — a healing technique centered on moving energy through one’s body to restore the natural healing processes. Once Riposo left the session, she had such a positive response that she decided to learn Reiki herself and started teaching it soon after. 

 

In 2013 Riposo and her husband opened Infinite Light Center, a wellness studio where she teaches Reiki and her husband teaches yoga. In 2021, she founded the Central New York Reiki Association to make Reiki accessible to the wider community. 

 

“Reiki changed my life more than anything,” she said. 

 

Once considered by many to be an alternative lifestyle choice, wellness practices have now integrated into mainstream culture. While everyone has a different definition of what wellness means to them, the Oxford Dictionary defines wellness as “the state of being in good health, especially as an actively pursued goal.” According to the National Library of Medicine, there are eight dimensions of wellness: physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, vocational, financial, and environmental.

 

The global wellness industry has grown by 27% since 2020, reaching an estimated value of $5.6 trillion. The market is expected to reach a value of $8.5 trillion by 2027, nearly double its 2020 size, according to the Global Wellness Institute.

 

Wellness practices encompass a variety of methods from haircare to yoga to more controversial practices, such as letting bees sting you to reduce inflammation. Another recent wellness development includes touchless spas where technology is at the forefront of the spa experience, according to BetterUp. 

 

In Syracuse, the most common wellness businesses include yoga studios with more than 14 studios in a 10-mile radius. There are also a growing number of other businesses dedicated to general wellness, offering a variety of different services. 

 

Michaela Medici, founder of The Emerson, a wellness studio located in downtown Syracuse, has taken wellness into a collaborative space where she and other creatives have found a place to thrive. Opened in 2020, The Emerson is a 4500-square-foot studio offering almost any self-care service you can think of. While the most popular services include hair dying and styling, it offers anything from spray tans to life coaches. 

 

Medici said her interest in wellness spiked right after she graduated from cosmetology school when she wanted to find a community that would fully support her career and wasn't as competitive as a regular salon. “It was a different time then. If you wanted to get a service done anywhere besides the salon you were working at, you were scoffed at,” she said. 

 

With The Emerson, Medici has created her dream business, one where taking care of yourself is the top priority. With consistent new additions to The Emerson, such as the juice bar that opened just over a year ago, Medici has kept a loyal client base committed to improving their daily lives. The Emerson’s core goal is to provide people a place to relax and recharge their brains, while receiving care that makes them feel like the best version of themselves, Medici said. 

 

In contrast to the rejuvenating atmosphere at The Emerson, Katherine Hyatt found a different calling amid profound grief. Driven by a desire to channel her pain into something that could help others, she opened Branches of Growth — a one-of-a-kind business providing not only mental health services but also yoga classes.

 

Many of the mental health professionals at Branches of Growth are certified yoga teachers. This allows the person who is providing mental health treatment to also help physically process a patient's emotions, creating a deeper trust between patient and practitioner. Hyatt believes allowing the brain to both physically and mentally process emotions allows a person to cope more healthily.

 

“The growth you see in people is really unbelievable. It motivates me every day,” Hyatt said. 

 

Dessa Bergen-Cico, a professor of public health at the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics at Syracuse University, has studied emotional processes and mindfulness for the majority of her career. 

 

Through her studies, she has seen the profound impact wellness upkeep and mindfulness can have on a person's life. “Even taking a couple minutes each day where you can connect with yourself and allow your mind to clear has shown life-changing impacts,” she said. 

 

While the wellness industry is growing at a rapid rate, there are still challenges the industry faces. 

 

For one, many people are skeptical about its benefits. Bergen-Cico said it is difficult for people to understand that different types of approaches can be used in addition to Western medicine, not as a replacement for it.

 

Riposo faced similar issues when trying to get people in her life to understand her new career path. “No one would take me seriously for the longest time. My family thought I was crazy,” she said. 

 

Another challenge providers struggle with is making their services accessible to everyone.

 

According to DIVEIN, an average yoga class costs from $15-$25. Reiki session rates usually range from $75-$200. Depending on the state, a mental health therapy session can range from $65-$250 an hour without insurance, according to GoodRx. Even if insurance does cover mental health therapy, most other wellness practices are not covered by insurance plans. 

 

Since wellness practices need to be done consistently to feel or see any changes, prices quickly add up. Due to this, many business owners have absorbed some of the financial burden themselves. The Emerson offers “$40 Fridays” where any traditional hair care service is only $40 as opposed to the normal $65-$200+.

 

Branches of Growth’s waitlist has new additions almost every day, but Hyatt does everything in her power to help everyone fit into her busy schedule.  “I’m not in this to be rich. I want to help as many people as I possibly can,” she said. 

 

Wellness is a scope that encapsulates a wide variety of services from cosmetic to therapeutic, all with the goal of growing one's connection with themselves. Whether it's through a pampering session at The Emerson, a therapy session at Branches of Growth, or a Reiki session at Infinite Light Center, wellness connects people to their inner selves. 

 

When Riposo walks into her first Reiki session each morning, knowing she is giving people the treatment that allowed her to take her life back after being called crazy for so many years, she feels grateful.

 

“I never thought I would feel this way again. I want to give that hope to other people too, even if they are skeptical,” she said.

 

What better showcases an ongoing personal wellness journey than dedicating your life to sharing that journey with others?