The Elysian Institute offers 15 new therapies for wellness and recovery — including cryotherapy, hyperbaric oxygen, IV nutrient therapy and red light therapy.  

Located inside the Montana Athletic Club in Bigfork, the new health and wellness center is open to people of all ages who are looking to manage pain or discomfort, cope with chronic stress, and “anyone seeking optimized health and longevity,” according to a release from the facility.  

The therapies are administered by licensed medical professionals, including Institute Medical Director Kate Mahlum, a family nurse practitioner with over 14 years of experience. She leads a clinical team of registered nurses and certified technicians. 

“We looked at what was available in the Flathead and decided to offer true medical wellness — one that was inclusive of the latest treatments and services, one that was people based, that delivered results to our neighbors,” she said.  

Doug Mahlum, club founder and Kate’s father-in-law, said they decided to build the center in an area previously occupied by racquet ball courts. 

The center opened in July 2025 and offered many services for free the first month. This helped people get familiar with unique offerings like Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy. This therapy applies intermittent, current pulse-generated magnetic field pulses over a short time frame, according to the National Institutes of Health.  

Kate Mahlum said it helps with detoxing and anti-inflammatory processes.  

“It’s good for chronic pain, but we can also treat specific areas, like if you have chronic back pain or an acute injury,” she said.  

Just beyond the Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy stations, the red-light therapy rooms are among the first members will see as they walk into the center. Kate Mahlum said the medical-grade, 42,000 LED red light beds put out six different wavelengths of near and far infrared light. There are no UV rays, so there is no risk of sunburn. Treatments last around eight to 12 minutes and are intended to increase mitochondrial activity, Mahlum explained.  

She’s seen the therapy help with sleep restoration, inflammation and collagen in the skin.  

“I suggest people start off doing this two to three times a week,” she said. “With a lot of these things, you're not going to notice much of a difference the first time. It's more about consistency.”  

The center also uses the power of hot and cold to help members — which can be used together or separately to provide many benefits.  

The cryochamber, infrared and heated saunas and contrast plunges offer anti-inflammatory benefits, help increase circulation and can boost a person's mood, according to the Elysian Institute. 

Their cryochamber can get down to minus 165 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill, Kate Mahlum said.  

Although, she doesn’t start anyone at that low of a temperature for their first session. 

“Some people are more cold adapted than others, but you want to go in there and you want to say, ‘I'm uncomfortable, but I'm OK.’ ... Because you can only ever be in this chamber (at that temperature) for three minutes, then we start to increase your temperature,” she said.  

The contrast pools and Glacier Contrast Room offer the best of both worlds — as there are added benefits from going to the cold to the hot, Kate Mahlum said.  

The Glacier Contrast Room features an infrared sauna, salt chamber (which helps respiratory health) and hot and cold plunges.  

The room is large enough for four people to use at one time and costs $75 to rent for one hour.  

“I've had a lot of girlfriends come in here and do it,” she said. “And you can hear them having fun.  

“I think our cold plunge is a little cold, but people love it,” Kate Mahlum added. 

The center also offers compression therapy, a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and intramuscular injection therapies — which aim to provide an extra boost of nutrients to the body in a short amount of time. 

There are also therapies and programs offered in conjunction with the center, including Elysian Stretch, which offers assisted stretching by certified CNU Fit Stretch therapists. CNU Fit Stretch Therapy is a program created to help alleviate pain, improve posture, reduce injuries, decrease soreness, according to CNU Fit. 

The joint-friendly stretches are designed to accommodate everyone's flexibility during a 25- or 50-minute session.  

The center plans to launch a weight loss program this month, offering GLP-1 medications as well as more holistic modalities for weight loss. Metabolic testing will provide suggestions to members for other therapies at the center. 

“We'll have nutrition training, where they'll make a dietician, or a nutrition plan for you. We'll be offering some physical therapy or personal training there,” she said.  

It’s not required to be a member of Montana Athletic Club to partake in services offered by the Elysian Institute. The center offers one-off treatments and tiered memberships.  

Doug Mahlum has seen many changes over the years as gym offerings are tweaked to best meet the needs of its members. He said the Elysian Institute has been a missing component — a place that offers members a chance to relax and recover.  

“For 34 years, we've helped this community stay active not only outdoors, but in the gym and in their daily lives," said Doug Mahlum. “We built the Montana Athletic Club to help people move. Now, with the Elysian Institute, we're giving our community a place where their bodies can truly recover, repair and thrive.” 

The Elysian Institute’s winter hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit elysianmt.com.  

Taylor Inman may be reached at 758-4440 or [email protected].