A New Era of Holistic Wellness at Waverley Oaks Athletic Club
For nearly 50 years, Waverley Oaks Athletic Club has been the premier destination for health and wellness in Waltham and the surrounding communities. Our 50,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility offers something for everyone with three levels of cutting-edge equipment, 100+ dynamic group fitness classes, a salt-filtration pool, a cardio mezzanine, a dedicated nutrition department, and countless amenities.
Since day one, our mission has stayed the same: to offer an exceptional wellness experience and a place where people can come together in a supportive, motivating, and safe environment.
Last month, we introduced something truly special: The Wellness Center at Waverley Oaks – a serene, thoughtfully designed space created to help you relax, restore, and feel your absolute best.
This peaceful retreat sits within the Club yet offers a distinctly calming atmosphere, intentionally crafted to help you slow down, breathe deeper, and reconnect with your body and mind.
AFFORDABLE LUXURY MEETS HOLISTIC CARE
The Wellness Center is built around a simple idea: wellness should be both elevated and accessible.
Here, you can enjoy personalized, one-on-one sessions that support your physical, emotional, and energetic well-being. Our expert practitioners offer a range of restorative modalities in this quiet, private space.
• Passive Stretch: Hands-on assisted stretching designed to increase mobility, support recovery, improve flexibility, and relieve muscular tension.
• Reiki Energy Healing: Gentle, intuitive energy work that promotes deep relaxation, grounding, emotional clarity, and a renewed sense of inner balance.
• Holistic Healing Experiences: A variety of mind–body practices such as Guided Meditation, Chakra Balancing, Sound Bath Healing, and more – each created to help you release stress and realign your overall well-being.
MEET A PRACTITIONER
To help you get to know The Wellness Center even better, we sat down with Amanda, our Reiki Practitioner, to learn more about her approach, what members can expect, and how energy work can complement your fitness and wellness routine.
Q. What first brought you to Reiki, and what inspired you to continue learning and ultimately become a Reiki practitioner?
I have always felt a desire to help people in a way that does more than offer sympathy, or even empathy. I don’t feel called to medicine or the medical field, but I do feel deeply connected to understanding energy and energetic healing—approaches that often ease physical and mental imbalance. Since I can remember I have been drawn to all things that could not easily be explained with the desire to study and understand them. I have always been able to feel people’s “energy” and can sense the energy in a room. Once I started practicing yoga, I understood on a different level what was happening below the surface. I knew then that I wanted to be a Reiki practitioner and teacher.
Q. How would you briefly describe Reiki to someone who is unfamiliar with the practice?
I like to describe Reiki as a massage for your nervous system. Most of us live in a constant state of activation, stress, and sensory overload, which leaves us feeling chronically fatigued, burned out, and restless, and can even lead to more serious chronic health issues over time. Sometimes our bodies get stuck in these places of dysregulation and activation and need help downshifting. Reiki seeks to do just that. Reiki, simply put, is a process of co-regulation. Through an intentional sequence of hand positions and an atmosphere of care, the practitioner is trained to feel the client’s aroused nervous system, and bring about calm, balance, and restoration.
Q. What might someone feel during a session either physically, emotionally, or energetically?
What someone can expect to feel during a Reiki session is various levels of warmth and/or gentle tingling sensations and deep relaxation. After a Reiki session most clients report feeling very relaxed but energized at the same time. Many recall having very vivid dreams or having a very deep night’s sleep.
Q. What excites you most about offering Reiki at Waverley Oaks?
The world and its people need healing now more than ever, myself included. I want to be able to participate in that healing in whatever way I can.
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT REIKI OR ENERGY WORK
- Reiki is a religion
Reiki is not a religion. It is a holistic healing practice that does not affiliate with any religion. It is an inclusive and safe practice.
- Reiki is magic
Reiki is not magic. We all have electricity within our bodies; it is what makes our hearts beat even. When a Reiki practitioner’s energy system meets a client’s, they interact slightly through a process of co-regulation.
- Reiki can cure me
Reiki does not promise a cure for anything. It is a compliment to any and all other healing modalities and can even help with athletic and physical recovery. When our nervous systems are in constant states of fight or flight, our other systems do not function properly. Reiki dials everything back down in order for everything else to do work as it was designed to do.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: A JOURNEY INTO REIKI
Curious about what a session at The Wellness Center really feels like? One of our members recently shared her experience after booking a Reiki session with Amanda and her story says it all.
“I was interested in trying a Reiki session with Amanda because I take her yoga class. I had heard of Reiki but didn’t know much about it and wanted to learn more. Amanda was fabulous – professional, caring, and incredibly grounding. After my session, I went about my day, and later that night I noticed achiness in my knees (too many cardio classes!). But the next morning, I woke up feeling refreshed and completely rejuvenated – no aches, no pains. Needless to say, I signed up for more sessions.” – Deb D.
The Wellness Center was created to offer more than services – it was created to offer space. Space to pause. Space to reset. Space to reconnect with yourself in a meaningful, restorative way. Whether you’re drawn to Reiki, Passive Stretch, Sound Healing, or another holistic modality, each experience is thoughtfully designed to support your whole well-being.
At Waverley Oaks Athletic Club, you’ll find more than just a gym – you’ll discover a supportive community dedicated to health, wellness, and lasting results. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to take your routine to the next level, our experienced professionals and like-minded members are here to motivate and inspire you every step of the way.
From personalized training and expert nutrition support to dynamic group classes, we’re proud to offer a welcoming environment that individuals and families of all ages can enjoy. What to explore even more? Take a virtual tour and discover what makes our facility a truly unique wellness destination.