about
Our Mission
To support you to live your life to its fullest, to assist to heal, nurture, and empower.
Our Values
To leverage the health & wellness movement, impacting the wellbeing of people, planet and the community.
Meet Elisa, this is her story.
For as long as I can remember I was drawn to massage. I firstly discovered my hidden talent when still at primary school, where I would have a group of girlfriends from my class visiting and asking for a back rub. I did not know what it was exactly at the time, a very mysterious pull to touch and connect with other beings through my hands. It felt so effortless and I enjoyed each ‘treatment’ as much as they did. They would leave my house peaceful and content, making me feel as if I was born to do this.
At the age of 19, I intuitively knew I wanted to dive deeper into a holistic (mind, body, spirit) approach to health- studies, being especially fascinated by therapeutic massage. However, at the time there was no one around who could support my career path idea, or explain how it would sustain me. If I am completely honest, I could not afford my studies, and so, I decided to step outside my box. I left home and Poland and moved to England.
A few years later, equipped with the local language, I attained a qualification in Swedish Massage at Bournemouth; Pool College, UK. I then knew this to be my path.
Straight after that I progressed onto the University of Derby, Buxton where I enrolled for a Bachelor of Science in International Spa and Wellness degree. From the first week at university, all the way through my course, I worked in a commercial day spa.
For all three years of study there, I had the privilege to practise everything I learnt each day during my lectures and tutorials.
I felt like a fish in the water. I knew this was me. In my last year at university, in between completing my thesis on wellness, and studying- I worked at one of the top 10 best UK Spa & Wellness retreats, to gain as much experience as I could.
Six months before my official graduation, I was already working for the prestigious ‘Six Senses Spas and Resorts’ in Qatar, Middle East as an assistant wellness manager. An adventure, I will never forget. That was the first time feeling partially fulfilled in what I do in life.
I deepened my passion for nutrition and connected to experts in health, food and longevity and many, very gifted healers and mind body spirit workers.
Inspired to seek my own healing, I left to uncover the secret of longevity on a very mysterious Greek island called Ikaria. Ikaria has been ranked as one of the five places in the world with the highest number of centenarians. What was the secret of that place? I had to find out. I fell in love with the island and stayed for 2 years, running my own fresh smoothie, juice and fermented probiotic bar; where I would also create raw superfood chocolate bars and sourdough bread, learning more and more about the healing powers of native herbs.
I was in my paradise.
It did not feel like work, despite long hours on my feet and running the place as part of the team. Instead, it felt like being on vacation, constantly interacting with tourists and locals exchanging knowledge and inspiring one other. Once again, I connected to people from all over the world, especially Australia, USA and Europe, sharing inspiration and passion for clean, healing foods and recipes for a good, contented life.
Two years later, I felt it was time to move on, expand in other areas of my life: and that is when I decided to travel to India. Apart from completing my second Hatha yoga teacher training, I spent my time discovering local cultures and their health and well being practices, seeing the locals day to day life in small tribes at the feet of the Himalayas. Learning about Ayurveda. Only then to step outside my comfort zone and take a 24 hour train ride down south to explore the vastness of that country. Three months gave me an intense experience of culture and tradition, food and holistic practices. My time was coming to an end there. I was free to go anywhere.
Next, I chose Adelaide.
It feels as if it is exactly where I am meant to be and to start on my own. Create a work space where I pour all my passion, carefully collected skills and knowledge to create a healing space for people around me.
It was scary, I was in a new country again, new culture. However, I slowly started to stick my nose outside my comfort zone again. I decided on the space and the different style of the healing modality I want to offer, and that is how Presence. Massage & Wellness was created.
This is me.
This style of therapy evolved through my studies and work practice as well as my own personal evolution. I watched people come out of the treatment room taller and ever so radiant, leaving what did not serve them anymore behind.
My intention is clear- to support you to live your life to its fullest, to assist to heal, nurture and empower.
