Lechic Franco, Alicia Gunderson join Massage for Health

MOSES LAKE — For Lechic Franco and Alicia Gunderson, their new jobs are the attainment of a long-held goal and the start of a new adventure.

Franco and Gunderson have joined the staff as massage therapists at Massage for Health in Moses Lake, 1229 E. Wheeler Road. Franco is working full-time, while Gunderson is working part-time at Massage for Health while building up her business, she said.

Franco said a family emergency forced her to drop out of massage school on her first try, but she never gave up on her goal. She worked as a preschool teacher for about 10 years before deciding to go back to school. She worked her day job while attending night classes, she said.

Massage comes with a lot of training, not just in massage techniques, but in anatomy, physics and other sciences. “A lot of classes,” Franco said, and training under licensed therapists.

The goal was a stable career that would allow her to set her own schedule.

“I picked up my dream later in life. And I accomplished it.” That was the practical part. “I love the aspect of being able to care for people.”

She worked at a chiropractic clinic in Wenatchee prior to moving to Moses Lake.

“I love meeting the people. I love knowing they leave with a smile. And they leave educated. Because they do ask questions.”

Gunderson is a certified behavioral therapist for children with autism, which prompted a desire to become a nurse. But nursing school was incompatible with caring for her four children, two of whom are on the autism spectrum. Massage school was a good compromise, she said. She credited Kathy Messer-Graham, owner of Massage for Health, with helping her make the choice.

“She helped me find a school. And pushed me,” Gunderson said.

It turned out to be the right choice. A massage therapy practice “just fits into my life perfectly.”

Massage therapy can help improve physical and mental health, both women said. It helps increase range of motion, Gunderson said, and helps people regain motion after injury, Franco said. It helps improve circulation and decreases muscle tension, they said.

Gunderson said she suffers from anxiety, and that massage has helped her relieve some of the symptoms. And it has many more benefits, she added.

Both women said they’re looking forward to working for themselves. “I’m excited. I’m excited to see what the future holds,” Franco said.

Franco is available by appointment from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and every other Saturday for a half-day. She can be reached at 206-478-7152. Gunderson is available by appointment and can be reached at 509-760-3068.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].